Main floor plans

I realized, with all this talk about moving doors and windows and new walls, I haven't provided any floor plans!  These should help!

As always, click to embiggen, all measurements are estimates (each square is 12"), and I have the right to change my mind at any time :)

Current layout

Note the incredible amount of wasted space in the kitchen, "laundry" room and bathroom, and the insane lack of usable space in the kitchen!

Planned Layout

The wall is coming down in between the dining room and kitchen, and the doorway in the kitchen to the living room is getting removed.  This allows for a more efficient use of space, IMO.  The "buffet" cabinets in the dining room are actually kitchen cabinets, but a bit lower than regular cabinets, and will act as both a buffet and more storage space.   I could have gone with regular height cabinets there, but didn't want that wide of an expanse of counter top - this way, it's broken up into two distinct sections.

The back door has been moved already, and the window that is now in the kitchen will go beside the door, to be replaced by the window that used to be beside the door.

Confused yet?

The current kitchen window is tall and narrow - too tall for any cabinets to go under it, while the other window is shorter and longer.  Hence the trade.  The small window about the dryer was removed (to make a spot for the electrical panel), and will find a new home in the new laundry area.

One thing I forgot in both plans - the hot water heater!  It is currently located across the room from the furnace, near the back door.   It will be removed, and replaced by an on-demand system to be located in the new laundry area.

Now, of course, this plan will change a dozen times before I actually get my new kitchen :)

Actually, it may change sooner rather than later, since I'm not sure moving the electrical panel is doable (for many reasons, my go-to electrical guy is just now telling me... sigh), and I'm actually re-thinking getting a dishwasher - GASP!  But the major renovations (windows, walls and doors) will remain the same - only the details will change!!

I think we have a winner...

After lots of measuring, talking, drawing, then measuring, talking and drawing, followed by some measuring, talking and drawing, I think we've come up with a plan for the bedrooms.

It came down to two things - the need for a cross wall towards the front of the house for some additional structual support*, and the fact I refuse to sleep in a single bed :)

My queen-sized bed really was causing some issues, mainly because I don't like beds under windows, or right up against walls.  And try as we might, we could NOT figure out a way to get a 3-piece bath into the area by the window, and also have enough room for the bed near the front window.  But by placing the bathroom in the front part of them smallest room, I get a decent sized bathroom (even if it doesn't have a window), and a walk-in closet!!  In addition to two decent sized bedrooms.  

Storage.  LOTS of storage.  Something many old houses lack.  I'm giddy with the thought of a walk-in closet.  And bookcases.  

So yeah, we have a solution.

I think.. :)

* the ceilings in the two front rooms were sagging a bit, due to some interesting attic shenanigans, mostly the result of some unsupported beams.  A cross wall, even though it doesn't go all the way across, will help support those beams.

Ch-ch-ch-changes... Part 1

I did know.  Really.  Honest.

I did know that a whole home reno was going to be a big mess, take lots of time and lots of money - and I also knew we'd be in for some surprises along the way.

I just wasn't expecting "along the way" to be Day 1 :)

There are 3 bedrooms upstairs - the "Office" (smallest room with no closet), the "Spare Room" (2nd smallest, with closet), and my bedroom (the largest room that stretches almost the entire width of the house, and has one closet).  Note that the closets are very small, as they are tucked in under the sloped part of the roof.  There is also a closet off the hallway, at the end on my bedroom.

The plan was to simply (hahahahhaha, "simply", ahahahhaha... anyhow...) tear down the walls and ceiling of the 2 smallest rooms, insulate, put up vapour barrier and drywall, keeping the footprint the same.  For the large bedroom though, we were going to steal a few feet off the end, add that to the hallway closet, and put in a 2 piece bathroom (since there is only one bathroom in the house).

Good plan, right?

Until we saw this:

That would be the ceiling of the spare room, going right on through to the office.

Unsurprisingly, the floor does the exact same thing:

So, the wall between the two rooms was put in after the floor and ceiling were put in. 

Le sigh.

So that wall has to come down.  So we can get the ceiling and floor out.  So we can put the wall back.  Which won't be the correct height anymore. 

But if we are taking that wall out...

Since we were going to tuck the second bathroom into an incredibly small space with a sloped ceiling, there would be no room for a shower (well, no room for a shower for anyone over 5' in height).  But now, we have the option of making it a two bedroom house, by combining the spare room and office into one large room, and taking a corner of that (with the side window) and making that the bathroom, with room for a shower.

Potential new bathroom space

Pros:  Larger, 3 piece bathroom with a window!

Cons: Making a three-bedroom house into a two-bedroom house.

Now, I cannot predict the future.  I bought this house with the plan to renovate it, and maybe, 5-10 years down the road, sell it and get another house.  But I really do like it here.  I like the property, I like the neighbours and the community.  And I didn't get this house just to flip it - I bought it to LIVE here.  I know that a three-bedroom house has a greater "selling potential" than a two-bedroom one; but a large, more functional bathroom is also a good selling point.  And while I do keep the housing market in mind while planning these renos, when it comes down to it, I need a house that fits ME.  

So yeah, it looks like plans have changed... maybe...

 Original layout (click to embiggen, all measurements are approximate!):

Original plans:

New plans:

Floor plans*

(click on the wee pics to see larger versions)

Kitchen, dinette and bath:



*subject to change ;-)

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