Project Brief
To add a dormer to our attic space, so it can become a second story to our 1928 home. Adding two bedrooms, a full bath, and common space, this addition will add approximately 680 square feet to our home.
Current Project Status
We have just completed the 40 foot dormer addition. The external finishes have been competed, floor plan layout, and the structural reinforcement to make the addition suitable for habitation have been completed. We will be beginning the internal structural reinforcement and interior construction will begin shortly. We have taken on a good portion of the project ourselves creating the plans, drawings, and many of the structural construction projects.
Dormer Construction
The images below show the construction and addition of the dormer to the home. The dormer is 40 feet long and provides enough space and headroom for the addition of a second level to our home.
Floorplan Concept Development
A scale form of the upper level was made to help with the concept development of the floor-plan layout. The images below show a few of the layout variations explored for the upper level.
The image below shows the final direction for the upper level. The floor plan adds two bedrooms, walk in closet in the master bedroom, full bath, and common space at the top of the stairs. We chose this layout so that the two bedrooms will be flooded with light and have optimal space and headroom. The bathroom is a long room that will be against the knee wall, the shorter knee wall and steep pitch to the to the room will be optimized for storage. There is a large opening at the top of the stairs to give a big airy space when you enter the second floor, accompanied by two large windows to keep the room and stairway bright.
Finalized Drawings and Layout
Below are our final CAD drawings of the house created to show the structural work that needs to be completed and the final layout.
Bathroom Layout Design
We went through several concepts for the bathroom layout, exploring multiple ways that the room could be executed. Below the images show a few of the options that we explored.
The drawing below shows the final bathroom layout. There is a long shower that will have two shower heads side by side, and a bench that runs the length of the shower. The bench will be placed on the knee wall side of the house and the shower heads will be placed where there is more height available. The toilet will be placed next to the shower and closest to the existing sewer stack. The sink will be at the far end of the bathroom with a large vanity for storage. The knee wall between the toilet and the vanity will have built-in storage for towels and toiletries. Perhaps one of the more unique features of the bathroom is the choice to have two entry doors. We chose this to give flexibility to our guests, when a second bathroom is needed without having to enter the master bedroom. We currently have only one bath in the house and wanted to have another easily accessible to our guests while still having the bath on-suite to the master bedroom.
