Unexpected Transformation
Unexpected transformation best describes this project. There are some homes that just beg for a chance at a better life, and this was one. Bought for 75K in the Riverside Terrace area, this run down house became an energy efficient rental. Great curb appeal and interiors with hip design make this investment property easy to rent, and it also benefits the street with a fresh clean look.
“When you don’t have a lot of money, you need to make the
most of a home’s hidden potentials. Raising ceilings, dramatic
lighting and careful color selections are all things that can be done
without changing the basic structure of a home.”
– John Dazey
What’s green about this project? Read this to find out.
What’s green about this project?
What happens when you combine “green” with creative budgeting? Here’s our list of why we call this project green and low cost.
Instead of tearing down a structure and throwing it away, it was saved. The size of the house is only 1,400 s.f., but still has three bedrooms, two baths, and a laundry room. (On the LEED scale - this size to bedroom ratio would actually give 7 additional points to the project!)
Blown in cellulose insulation was used in a structure that never had insulation before.
The original aluminum windows were recycled, after the glass was removed.
The 2 year old air conditioning condenser was a cast off from a home undergoing a major renovation.
The original flooring was saved and refinished; a couple of damaged areas were repaired by using the flooring from closets.
A Tanglewood teardown was chock full of goodies: low voltage recessed cans, a low flow toilet and the double paned low-e glass French doors used in the new dining room.
The Ikea kitchen can easily be removed and used elsewhere, unlike custom built cabinets.
Finally, the dining room light fixture that makes the whole house sing - it was originally from another project but fell off the truck, and was very slightly damaged. Now it’s well used in this project.
Project Size: 1,400 s.f.
Completion: Spring 2008
Building Type: Traditional wood frame
