Replies

1. 
   JohnFinn | Jun 17, 2005 09:22pm | #1

   View Image

   This one is a winner. Changes to elevations are substantial enough without going overboard, and keeping the basic bones of the house intact (i.e. looks cost effective). Nice dormers, and the porch pulls it all together.  This type of house is probably one of the simplest to do a nice addition, the bi's and quads are more of a challenge IMO.

   Intersesting references, and I think we'll see more of this type of construction as vacant land prices continue to soar.

1. 
   JohnT8 | Jun 17, 2005 10:00pm | #2

   Do you have a 'before' picture with that?

   I walked through a house Tuesday.  Late 1940's/early-1950's.  About 1k sq ft. cape cod, 1-car detached garage.  2BR, 1 BA.  1 BR on 1st floor and then the 1/2 story upstairs was a BR (about 6'3" ceilings, maybe 6' wide, remainder was knee-walled).  The BA had two doors, either in from the 1st floor BR or through the DR.

   Had a VERY retro feel to it.  Many of the orignal features were still present, and nothing was newer than 1970's.  Found out that the original owner is the one selling it.  She raised 4 kids in the house.  Different times.  Nowadays seems like you need 4k sq ft to raise 4 kids.

    

   jt8

   A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. -- Sir Winston Churchill

   Edited 6/17/2005 3:12 pm ET by JohnT8

   Edited 6/17/2005 3:13 pm ET by JohnT8

   Edited 6/17/2005 3:14 pm ET by JohnT8

   Edited 6/17/2005 3:14 pm ET by JohnT8

1. 
   BillHartmann | Jun 17, 2005 11:02pm | #3

   The before and after pictures are here.http://www.marc.org/firstsuburbs/gallery.htm

2. 
   ChuckW | Jun 18, 2005 03:29am | #7

   It sounds like you might like this:

   http://tigger.uic.edu/~pbhales/Levittown/index.html

   A lot of pictures on several links.

1. 
   JohnT8 | Jun 20, 2005 05:05pm | #9

   Yeah, that first pic is just about what it looked like.  Add an entryway on the front and an enclosed porch across the back.

   Its almost hard for us to understand now.   We look at it as a crackerbox without any room, but back then people were excited about them! 

    

   View Imagejt8

   A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. -- Sir Winston Churchill

1. 
   PhillGiles | Jun 20, 2005 06:02pm | #10

   Lots of things were more exciting; we got a new '57 Super 88 Hardtop and thought it was fabulous, people used to gawk at it when it was parked outside a store; now, even the most basic errand-runner has air-conditioning, a stereo, and can do 0-60 in less time..
   Phill Giles
   The Unionville Woodwright
   Unionville, Ontario

2. 
   JohnT8 | Jun 20, 2005 07:27pm | #11

   I think we're numb nowadays.  Nothing impresses us anymore ;)

    jt8

   A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. -- Sir Winston Churchill

2. 
   PeterJ | Jun 17, 2005 11:51pm | #4

   I stumbled across an old ranch that someone rehabed into a sort of Craftsman. Stuccoed over some of the brick, left some exposed. May have moved the garage entrance and added the porch.

   No real details, but I had my camera with me and was so intrigued that I shot a few pics. It really changed the look of the place. Lots of these old ranches around here...glad to see someone saw potential rather than demolition.

   PJ

   Everything will be okay in the end.  If it's not okay, it's not the end. 

1. 
   BillHartmann | Jun 18, 2005 12:15am | #5

   Based on the size I suspect that small ranch with a one car garage or maybe none. And that a garage wing was added.Although the size of the lot it might not have been.But whatever it looks like they did a good job of transforming it.

3. 
   xxPaulCPxx | Jun 18, 2005 01:16am | #6

   I wonder if anyone will talk specificly about HazMat removal issues, risks, or alternatives.  I didn't realize this until we moved in and started work, but apparently Asbestos was tha favored building material in my 1960 So Cal. Ranch.  Floor tile, tile glue, sheetrock, sheetrock mud, romex sheathing, air ducts, and ceiling texture... that's just what we've found so far.

   Rebuilding my home in Cypress, CA

   Also a CRX fanatic!

4. 
   Hackinatit | Jun 18, 2005 02:09pm | #8

   1 acre, sloped and treed, in the city. You can't buy it any other way.

   I'm proud to be helping with this 50's era that survived (barely) its original owners.