Guest House Rehab

Although not particularly flashy, this was an important little project. This is a guest house immediately behind a period home we enjoyed as a major renovation. This guest house was a rare privilege in the neighborhood. First, it is a legally rentable property which had a significant impact on the owner’s finance options for the main house renovation. Second, it adds significant value to the property overall regarding investment. Needless to say, it needed to be saved. There were a number of catches though. One, we could not increase the floor area 1 square inch. Two, we had to use the existing foundation wall as it stood. Three, the existing foundation wall was not a pristine element to work with. Four, the crawl space was minimally accessible at best. Five, the roof framing design was dreadful and leaked like sieve. In the end, working closely with the builder as new challenges were exposed, together we developed and executed solutions that meet with approval the watchful eye of the zoning enforcement people. Although a mini nightmare, it turned out very nice with a charming little 2 bedroom, 1 bath plan. The living room is nicely furnishable with a view to the open Kitchen breakfast bar. The separate Dining works well and can be used as a small den or home office. Additionally, there is a comfortable laundry room with efficient HVAC in conditioned space. Great in-town living for a young couple or single professional.