Ebtu's Growth Spurt by jens Mende
Renovations can be stressful and at the same time the experience can be a lot of fun. Part of the fun is in the tear down. What could be more fun than taking a sledge hammer to a wall and given’ it your all... a good stress release. It's even more fun when you start noticing things taking shape. This story will highlight where Ebtu’s journey is at and some of the reasons why the choices have been made.
The tenants that were living in the house prior to the commencement of the eco-retro energy fit had intended to stay during the retro-fit. This added some challenges to the project and also limited the amount of work that would disturb their living space. The tenants have since re-located prior to any work starting, which definitely supported re-evaluating the living space and taking advantage of a vacant home.
As with many renos we tend to start with the bathroom, and why not? There is a lot of upside to a new, clean and fresh bathroom especially one that is bright, functions well and does not smell. I am really looking forward to the super positive change this will make to Ebtu. Although this part of the reno is considered lipstick, it will have a new “dual flush” water conservation toilet and a low water volume faucet and shower head. Some municipalities are starting to introduce incentives to tax payers for replacing their water thirsty toilets with new low water consumption ones.
Another fun part of this reno has been raising Ebtu 2” straight up. This will make for some great living space in the basement, brightened up with added windows. A new concrete basement slab floor has also been added (the old concrete was not very level) and stained to act as the finished floor. Insulation was added under the new floor and the option to add a hydronic floor warming system will keep tootsies toasty warm. Adding insulation to the underside of the basement floor is an unexpected bonus in making Ebtu more energy efficient.
As with renovating any older home one can expect the surfacing of structural issues. Some are not fully recognized until things are taken apart and it becomes apparent how integral and sound the structure of the building is. Ebtu is no exception. Fortunately the main structural areas that have required attention were exposed and known about prior to work commencing in these areas. Being able to identify these areas in advance supported some of the decisions to move forward with a more extensive renovation project. Knowing what the structural issues are prior to commencing with a project may influence the outcome and help to determine where some of the budget can be allocated. There are situations when it is not clear how structurally sound a building or a portion of a building is until areas start to be dismantled and further investigation can take place. Depending on the situation it may be a good investment to consult with a structural engineer for an assessment. Great local engineering with local knowledge is available right here in Fernie.
In conjunction with lifting the house, a sound and level floor structure has been put in place. Also, the structure that was holding up the front veranda was not supported properly thus the porch needed to be replaced. Now Ebtu has a “proper” structure in place starting from the “ground up”. Proper drainage materials and damp proofing on the exterior of the basement walls has also been installed, keeping moisture out of the new basement living space.
Hope you enjoyed this brief up-date on Ebtu`s journey. He is very close to turning the corner of transformational change. That`s code for “most of the demolition stuff is near completion and he gets put back together. See you next time. You can also check in at www.mountainrecreationhomes.com and link to Ebtu.
