Location: 50 Windsor Village Drive, Westerville

Bedrooms: 2+

Bath: 3  (2 main floor, 1 lower floor)

Sq. Footage: 3596 total (2248 main level, 1348 lower level).

Price: $499,900k

Listing Agent: Michael McLaughlin, Re/max.

http://www.50windsor.com/

MLS #: 210012449

Neighborhood/Streetscape: Nestled among other “semi-attached” condominiums on a winding drive just off of Sunbury Road N, this 2 year old home is full of surprises—and pleasant ones at that.  For frequent readers here, you’ll know that newer homes in the suburbs are not our favorite housing or development type.  We like distinct homes homes that are built in either walk-able communities or rural isolation that function extremely well and ooze character.  Most newer suburban homes do not fit any of these standards.  And yet, when you walk in the front door here and look out over Hoover Reservoir, and think about a truly maintenance free life-style, it can be tempting to rearrange certain hierarchical arrangements.  Sure, a condo community—by nature—is usually pretty homogenous, and this one is no exception.  There is little to nothing about this home that sets it apart from its neighbors, and this neighborhood could be Anywhere, USA.  There are no sidewalks lining the street, there are no shops, markets, or studios within walking distance, and many would argue that a lot about a development like this is what is wrong with “building in America” today.  But bear with me here, and read on.

Accessibility/Walkability: Like most condo communities, these homes were built for a specific demographic—either busy professionals with no time to be distracted with the extensive maintenance and repair requirements of most single-family-detached homes, or empty-nesters who want to enjoy life instead of the never ending cycle of “mow, paint, and fix”.   But just because you have to get into your car in order to do almost anything from this home doesn’t mean that this home is “not accessible” or not in a so-called walkable community.  On the contrary.  For accessibility to/from the neighborhood, 5 minutes down Sunbury Road and you’re at the 270 outerbelt, with Easton being another 5 minutes away, the Airport being an additional 5 minutes beyond that, and downtown being an additional 5—10 minutes away beyond the Airport.  Furthermore, downtown Westerville is less than 10 minutes from this home.  For accessibility on a more micro-level, or for potential buyers with creaky knees, this home was designed for 1-floor living.  There are, at most, 2 steps to transit, and that is in/out of the garage, or to/from the front porch.  That’s it.

Now you may say, “yeah, but there aren’t even any sidewalks.  Don’t tell me this is a walkable community”.  To which I would reply, —look out the windows to the East and be taken in by the expansive view of Hoover Reservoir!  Look at the walking and biking paths, the park with its shelter houses and picnic tables!  This home is not only directly adjacent to one of the best “parks” in the city, the big bonus is that the park is filled with water, giving it one of the best in the city too!

There is actually a neat feature on the home’s website called the “walk score”.  Clicking on the link will bring up a google map of the property, as well as the approximate distances and locations to the nearest grocery store, restaurant, place to get coffee, movie theater, and so on.  Some of you committed faithful may not agree with my assessment of this home’s walkability status, and its true—this is not a mixed use home in an urban center, with easy access to all kinds of retail opportunities, farmers markets, public transit, and so on.  Not all buyers crave that kind of home, however.  So again—for the suburbs—you could do a lot worse.

BEAUTY:

Curb Appeal:

Its an attractive home (and it had better be for half-a-million bucks), but there is really nothing distinctive about this home, or its similar-looking neighbors.  And that, however, to some people, can be an advantage.  There are some home buyers who want to blend in, to disappear, to not stand out in any way.  This approach may drive architects and designers crazy because we’re trained to create things that not only work well but that look great.  There are those home-buyers, however, who focus more on performance rather than appearance.  Oftentimes, these people are high-net worth individuals who may keep a 40 footer up on the Lake, or who spend half the year “abroad”.  At any rate, this is appears to be an unassuming home that is comfortable but not spacious, and perhaps could even be cozy. There is a nice porch that announces where the front door is while sheltering occupants and guests from the weather, and it wraps around to the side as well.  The side-load garage is a plus because it turns the gaping hole that a garage door creates away from the facades.  There is a pleasant mix of stone and stucco, a nicely textured dimensional shingle roof, and a warm paver driveway.  All of the street-facing windows are arched, while the over-sized window in the street-facing Dining Room, piercing its way into the roof, gives a slight hint at the vaulted ceilings within.  If I had to sum up the curb appeal here, I would say “understated and unassuming”.

Character:

Again, not a lot to say here, at least on the exterior. The aforementioned location and its resulting views is what makes this home desirable, but the understated nature of the exterior is contrasted with more drama and wow-factor inside—a contrast that I like.  The interior is where the character lies, from the hardwood floors, a fair amount of crisp, white mill, and soaring ceilings throughout on the main level.  There are nooks and crannies, surprises around most turns, and a lot to make the occupant happy.  If that isn’t the essence of visual character, I don’t know what is.  In other words, like people, there are many homes that appear to be amazing and full of potential inside, only to disappoint the farther into it you explore.  This house is not guilty of over-promising and under-delivering, however.  But more on this later.

Unique Features:

What makes this home unique is its location, the resulting views and easy access to outdoor amenities, and a really sensible floor plan that is full of options.  Despite the fact that this home was likely designed for busy professionals and/or empty nesters, and its being marketed towards people who entertain and love a water view—this home could work for pretty much anyone.  The plan is flexible enough to work for any demographic, from the aforementioned to a busy family with multiple kids or a home-hobbyist who needs ample garage or workshop space.  Its hard to find a house that can do all of that, and do it well.

COMFORT:

Basic Layout:

I keep mentioning the plan, so take a look at the drawing and get a feel for its tremendous flexibility.  Most guests would enter through the front door, which upon entry, doesn’t disappoint.  The house is very open and flows well, both visually and physically.  If you can keep your eyes from going immediately to the wall of windows overlooking Hoover Reservoir, you’ll notice the vaulted ceilings which lift the eye as well as the spirit.  Immediately the left is the Dining Room, which we all know is typically the most presentable room in the house, so it makes a good first impression.  There is a small coat closet for guests, and farther on small return walls with an arch overhead to give the foyer a bit of its own identity.

You barely notice the returns, however, because your eye is drawn through the arch and into the Great Room.  A breakfast bar to the left separates the Kitchen from the Great Room, while a dinette nook to the right, surrounded by windows on 3 sides, is the perfect place for enjoying a casual meal with the morning paper while occasionally drinking in the water view beyond.  You’ve heard it often said, particularly here, that the Kitchen is the heart of the home, and that applies here literally as well as figuratively.  This Kitchen is physically located in the center of the plan, and overlooks, opens onto, and expands into the Great Room.  This gives both rooms longer sight-lines, and makes them visually appear to be much larger than they actually are.  The Kitchen is gorgeous, from its warm hardwood floors to the sharp white cabinets topped by a very neutral and beige granite, to the stainless steel appliances and soaring ceilings.  It is a sensible layout with a decent food-storage zone, prep and cooking zones, clean-up and serving zones, and even double entrance points for greater flow.

The Great Room contains a gas fireplace on an angled wall, windows to the East and South, and access to the Sunroom.  The Great Room isn’t huge, but its windows, long sight-lines, and high ceilings make it feel expansive.  The Sunroom could be the jewel of the home, with windows on 3 sides, amazing views, and access to the upper level outdoor deck.  The sunroom draws you in, floods the Great Room and Kitchen with light, gives access to the outdoors, and of course—washes you in wonderful water views.  While we’re here, it should be mentioned that the deck consists of low-maintenance plastic wood decking, and has a gas outlet for a gas grill.

Moving back inside, another thing I like about this plan is that it has considered the entrance into the house that the owner would typically make, that from the garage.  So often we spend a lot of energy and money making the entry experience for our guests a memorable one, while the person who foots the bill for the entire house is relegated to coming and going through some back hallway or the mudroom/laundryroom.  This home, however, gives the entrance from the garage at least some practicality, if not pleasure.  There is a proper rear-foyer, if you will, with its own coat closet, a wide hallway with room for the usual foyer furniture, and easy access to a full bedroom with bath before entering into the Kitchen.  This rear bedroom would make a wonderful and private guest suite of course, but would also make an ideal home office that is out of the way and not immersed in the middle of the hustle-and-bustle of typical home life.

A hallway off of the Great Room leads to the comfortable laundry room, and the Master Suite beyond.  For empty nesters who entertain a lot, this laundry room is perfectly located, being between the Kitchen and the Master.  Others may feel that this prime real estate would be better served as something else, but we’ll get to those fun options in a minute.  In the meantime, the Master Suite deserves some attention.

Nothing on this upper level is huge, but it is all very comfortable.  The Master Suite is the perfect example of that.  The Sitting Room is cozy without being cramped, and large enough to serve as a nice retreat if guests or teens have taken over the other living spaces.  The Suite itself is private but not too isolated, while the vaulted ceilings in the sleeping area really do add a lot of light and drama. The Master Bath, again, isn’t huge, but spacious enough to allow a soaking tub, a sizeable walk-in shower, and an enclosed water closet.  If I had to gripe about anything in the Master, it would be that the walk-in closet is not accessible from the bathroom, which just doesn’t make sense to me.  As far as complaints go, however, that is pretty mild.

What is huge in this house, and is what makes this home such an experience of never-ending surprises, is the lower level.  Not only do you not know that there is more than 1 floor to this house when you look at it form the street, but neither do you realize how BIG this house is.  3600 sq ft!  The lower level is almost as big as the main floor, and in addition to consisting over huge open spaces, is complete enough to boast a Kitchenette, full bath, and a walk-out full of windows and doors leading to a wonderful covered patio.  Wow!  From a playroom, a home theater, a game room, a gym, more bedrooms, home offices, a workshop… the possibilities are endless!

Ease of Living/Ease of Use:

This would be a very easy house to live in.   From the minimal steps required to gain entry and the easy access of the Kitchen from the garage for unloading groceries, to the fact that this is a condo with all of the exterior maintenance and repair issues handled by the association (for a very reasonable $170/mo), it doesn’t get any easier than this.  The plan is sensible without being boring, it flows well without being too open and too cavernous, and it offers options for practically any segment of the market that can afford its asking price.  The Kitchen, which I’m very critical of in most homes because it is the most used room in the house, it is primarily a workspace and has to work well before it can live well, and is also the most expensive room in the house—is great here.  Sure, it could be bigger, it could have a hearth over the stove, it could have a cook top and wall ovens instead of the slide-in range, it could have a prep sink, it should be big enough for an island but its not, and so on.  Really though—it’s a nice kitchen.  There is even a full bath with easy access from the garage, for those muddy or snowy kids, or husbands who like to tinker in the garage.  So while I’m usually full of “well, this doesn’t work well, and this would be a problem—but here are potential and plausible solutions…”, this house really does so many things well that there is little to say.

Storage:

Frequent readers of this site will recognize the following as oft-repeated advice: “Potential occupants of older homes, with their typically smaller closets and usually more limited storage, need to know that when these homes were built, personal possessions were far more limited than what is typical today.  In addition, basements were dug by hand, laid in either stone  or early concrete blocks, and are usually somewhat more porous than what we expect today.  Basements at this time may have been used for storing canned good, or coal for the coal   furnace—–not for storing excess, albeit valuable, possessions.  Read this paragraph over and over until it makes sense”.

Well, this is not an old house, and there is ample storage here.  Both existing bedrooms have walk-in closets, and the enormous lower level provides all of the storage opporntiies one could want.  I didn’t go up into the attic, but not every ceiling on the main level was vaulted, so I’m assuming there is some sizeable attic space that could be used for storage as well.

Outdoor Living:

Despite central Ohio’s humid summers and damp Springs, and the fact that we heat our homes far more than we cool them, people typically enjoy being outside whenever the weather permits.  Outdoor living space is pretty inexpensive living space too, since it doesn’t have to be heated, cooled, drywalled, insulated, wired, etc…  This house has a decent sized front porch, a larger rear porch that overlooks the water, and a covered patio below on the lower level that makes it hard to decide where to go first if one wanted to enjoy being outside.  Perhaps most significantly, there is the gorgeous reservoir a couple of hundred feet away, surrounded by biking and walking paths, dockage for a boat, and opportunity for outdoor living and recreation like few other places in the city.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY:

Siting:

This home sits on slightly sloping grade as the surrounding terrain drops down to meet the water.   This slope allows the walk-out lower level, and if constructed correctly, should not pose a drainage issue as adjacent terrain directs its water run-off towards the reservoir. The home faces West, but has ample glazing on the East and South sides, which is one of the reasons why the home is so bright and warm.  The North wall of this home is the shared wall of an adjacent home—which is ideal for this house because it shelters and insulates it from the biting North and Winter winds.

HVAC:

This is a gas forced-air system, and given its age, should be at the cutting edge of efficiency.  In addition, there is a gas fireplace here, for both ambiance, and to provide supplemental and/or emergency heating ability should the weather demand it or the power goes out.  The soaring ceilings could only help with summer cooling efforts by giving excess heat a place to go, and the ample windows and open plan would allow for a nice cross breeze much of the time.  In addition, super-insulated lower level, being below grade on three sides, with its practically complete living quarters, would provide the option of easy-to-heat/easy-to-cool square footage.

Insulation:

This is a practically new house, and even though it is stick-framed with 4” walls and has ample vaulted ceilings, I predict this is a pretty efficient home to live in.  I’ll request the  monthly utility costs from the Realtor, but given that 40% of the finished square footage is below ground, and the entire North wall of the home is insulated by another home, this is likely an efficient and comfortable house to live in.

Windows/Doors:

I don’t remember what this front door was like, but again, there is very little about the exterior of this home that is particularly memorable.  If anything, its lack of “memorability” provides for an opportunity to add unique character.  The windows are double paned, double hung, and many have transoms for additional glazing area and light transmission.

Self-Sufficiency Ability (grow food, harvest rain water, store wood):

This may seem like a strange consideration to most people, particularly at this price-point, but we like to think out side the box, we like to imagine the “what-if” factor, and to make sure our clients can be as prepared as possible for anything.  In addition, a growing number of people simply want to control more of what they put in their bodies, or want to live a more sustainable lifestyle.

I like the fact that this home has a yard big enough that a large garden could be put it, and if you had to, the sunroom could double as a greenhouse if desired.  With Hoover Reservoir being so close, having access to water may seem like an unnecessary concern, but if needed, harvesting rainwater from at least half of the roof would be possible, and could be easily stored and accessed.  Finally, while this house has a gas fireplace, a chimney is present, and a wood burning stove with a flue-liner could be added if needed. This would be a great option downstairs as well, as the walk-out lower level allows wood to be brought in downstairs, and because heat rises, heating the entire house from the lower level is possible. In other words, there are options for installing ones own heat source.

SECURITY/DEFENSIBILITY:

Siting:

This home is largely at grade level, requiring on a couple of steps up to get from the front yard to the finish floor height.  This could be a disadvantage.  The main floor windows to the rear of the home are not accessible from the ground, but the lower level doors and windows are, and should be addressed.  There is not a security system on this home.  The front of this home probably experiences less traffic than the rear, but the rear is set back a ways from the road, which doesn’t have a lot of traffic on it at night.  So there are some elevated risk factors here.

Lighting:

There are lights above or to the side of each exterior door here, as well as a light post near the driveway, but there could always be more lighting.  This appears to be a moderately–lit home.

Doors/Windows:

As stated before, the front door is pretty forgettable, but the front door is rarely the place where security should be enhanced because of its visibility. There are sidelights on either side of the front door, which are always a weak-link.  It is just too easy to break the glass and simply reach in to unlock the door.  The lower level rear doors are sliding patio doors, which can be made fairly defensible.  Even with the addition of storm doors and dead-bolts, the high amount of glass in or around these doors makes breaking into and entering the home as easy as breaking glass.

Security System:

The sales literature states that there is not a security system in place.

Ability for Safe Room:

We won’t spend a lot of time on this subject in each house so as to protect the future homeowner’s ability to have a non-disclosed safe-room.  There is opportunity in this home, however, for an effective and easy to access safe-room.

WHAT IS POSSIBLE:

This house is only two years old, it was a former model, and shows extremely well.  In fact, when there are other units in the development that do not have water views or the walk-out downstairs, and yet are only $5k less, this home’s value becomes more obvious.  Finally, when you learn that the asking price is at least $35k less than what the owner has in the house, it continues to look better and better.  That’s not to say that there is not room for improvement—in fact, that just means that there is more funding available to do other fun stuff!

So what is possible?  For starters, we could do away with the preponderance of “builders primer”, and give these walls some color!  I get tired of the oft-repeated Realtors advice of “keeping it neutral” to appeal to as many buyers as possible, when we all know that one of the first things most home-buyers do is paint.  Realtors have a vested interest in selling the house, rather than making it truly personal and enjoyable to the occupant of a home.  In addition to paint, adding flowering window boxes is an easy and sure-fire winner for quickly adding charm and curb appeal, as is simply adding to the very basic landscaping that does little to tie the house to its site, let alone to flatter it.

Want a little more?  Well, it depends on who the potential occupant is, but I think that any occupant would want to improve the lower level.  Its raw, open space is just begging to have a dedicated home theater room added, a gorgeous bar added to the existing Kitchenette, all topped by a perfect game or billiards room.  You may not believe it, but I would argue that in addition to the just-mentioned–there would still be room for adding a 3^rd bedroom to the lower level.  Yes, its that big.  Other options for the lower level could be a dedicated gym, perhaps a wood-working shop, certainly a playroom if the occupants had a young family, and so on.  Check out the sketches for some ideas.

Upstairs, there are options as well.  As open and flowing as this house is, at least the public spaces, I’m a firm believer in having an “away place” to retreat to.  That “away place” in this home may be on the lower level, but if you wanted a retreat without feeling like you’ve been relegated to the “basement”, this 2^nd bedroom would make a pretty amazing library as well.  If the Great Room is light and open, the Library could be dark and cozy.  If the Great Room is public and centered, the Library could be private and isolated.  Really, this house is so flexible its hard to believe that it was built by a condo development company.

For a family with kids, however, I would imagine that a larger mudroom/laundry room would be mandatory.  In addition to the additional volume of laundry, a place to contain dirty shoes, school bags, gym or athletic bags, etc… would go a long ways in keeping the house not only more clean—but more picked up.  The perfect place for such a room would be the existing 2^nd bedroom adjacent to the garage.  Its big enough, there is already plumbing there, and it really would make the house work better for many potential buyers.

Want some more? Do you really want me to move some walls around in a two-year old house?  Ok, you asked for it! As you can see in the sketch showing the proposed mudroom/laundryroom, we’ve tweaked the Kitchen a bit too.  By removing the existing laundry room from its location of prime real estate to a more sensible location, we’re able to stretch the Kitchen a bit—and make more room for a center island.  It also created the  opportunity for a “beverage center”, which could be a bar, a serving center, perhaps setting out a dessert buffet, etc… Or, you could do even better and create a walk-in Pantry—or a walk-in wine cellar—out of the old Laundry Room.

So we can create an amazing Kitchen for her—what about an amazing garage for him?  No worries!  For the hobby wood-worker, perhaps the collector car enthusiast, or if you simply need more room for all of the kids’ bikes and toys—why not a 3-bay garage!  See the sketch above…

Energy Efficiency could be somewhat improved with the judicious use of the custom window treatments that are included with the house, at least during the summer.  Adding fixed louvered shades, perhaps in cedar, above the Southern windows would also help, and give the home some additional character as well.  The addition of a biomass stove to the lower level would likely decrease energy consumption during the winter, as well as isolate the homeowner from fluctuating energy costs and potential power outages.  Additional insulation in the attic is always a good idea for both summer and winter benefits.  As always, installing a whole house exhaust fan (preferably something like a Superfan) could be so effective at cooling the home during the summer months that the whole house air-conditioning–with its high power use–would never need to be turned on.  The rooms with flat ceilings, particularly the bedrooms, would be good locations for the Superfan inlets.  Again, these four inlets are easy to cover during the winter months as well

Safety/Security would be vastly improved with the addition of soffit-mounted down lights, and by the addition of the aforementioned storm doors on all outside doors.  We strongly advocate personal responsibility and extensive “just in case” preparation, so we highly recommend that each home have its own generator.  A natural gas generator that runs very quietly and starts itself in the event of a power outage is as easy as it gets, and would provide a large degree of comfort—both psychological and physical—by powering the lights and the furnace in the event of a power outage.  We already talked about a biomass stove in the basement would make the home much more self-sufficient—and thus safer—by being able to produce ones own heat no matter what the electric or gas companies had to say.  Extremely advanced security systems are widely available, and could be easily retrofitted while the house was undergoing renovation.   Finally, there is ample opportunity in this house for a safe room (wow, so many opportunities!), but we won’t spend a lot of time on it to aid in the potential for future home owners to have an undisclosed safe room.

Contact FUSION Design|Build LLC for even more ideas on how to improve this home—-or your current home.

Location: 7513 Ohio Northern Drive, Canal Winchester

Bedrooms: 4

Bath: 3  (1 down, 2 up)

Sq. Footage: 30000

Price: $229,350k

Listing Agent: Tara and Tim Bebinger, w/Keller Williams Realty.

http://www.tarabebinger.com/tnts-listings.asp?listing_id={002CD66D-A4A2-4807-830D-5E363BE88151

MLS #: 2937065

Neighborhood/Streetscape: This early 70s home is on the outskirts of a development off of Amanda Northern Road, about 30 minutes South of Columbus.  It is typical of many rural “neighborhoods” built during this time, where a developer would purchase a large tract of farmland, put in roads with no curbs or sidewalks, and sell lots.  It was up to the lot owner to put in well and septic, and lots were typically fairly generous.  This house actually sits on over 1 acre.

Many people, particularly those with young families or those who were fleeing the mess and urban renewal policies of the cities at this time, flocked to homes like this.  It was quiet.  It seemed safe.  You had a little more elbow room.  Others decry developments like this as the epitome of sprawl, of increasing an absolute dependence on the car, and indicative of our culture turning inward and living in places with no front porches or side-walks.

What sets this development apart is that there is a community pool, and bridle trails for the equestrian resident.

Accessibility/Walkability: This isn’t the most accessible home, from both a walking or a driving perspective.  It is several miles to the nearest state route (S.R. 188, with S.R. 674 a few more miles in the other way), and a good 15 miles to the nearest divided highway.  In addition, there are no sidewalks here…actually there are no sidewalks within probably 10 miles or more.  This may be desirable to some readers, and if so, then those readers should continue reading.

BEAUTY:

Curb Appeal:

Below average.  In fact, this is below “below average”.  From a lack of a front porch and an absence of shading trees, to dated windows, trim color, and partial stone cladding, this is about as unattractive a home as you could come up with.  For those of you thinking, “Well, maybe if you planted some flowers, or added a tree over there, or how about if you painted the trim…”—no, let me stop you right there.  No amount of landscaping or paint can disguise the fact that this is an ugly house.  Period.  It doesn’t have to be though, so… read on.

Character:

Mmmm, looking hard, mmmmm, thinking… nope, none.  There is little about the appearance of this house that is attractive, that is unique, that exemplifies good design, or that would make a passerby or a potential buyer say, “I just love that house”.

The same story is told inside.  Dark trim, dated cabinetry, and poorly executed “updates” (such as the Mohawk flooring with transition trim so tall that you trip over it)… it is all very off-putting.

Unique Features:

The most unique thing about this house is that it is a 4-level split—and is much larger than it looks.  I like that.  This looks like a 1500 sq. ft. ranch, but it is twice that size with the potential for 5 bedrooms and a big, dry basement.

COMFORT:

Basic Layout:

You walk into a vaulted room with a fireplace that is large and dramatic, but its so long it makes furniture arrangement difficult.  Straight ahead are two short staircases, maybe 5 steps, to both the upper floor and the lower floors, and to the right is the large and vaulted Kitchen.  The Kitchen faces the North and receives no direct sunlight.  The upper floor houses 3 bedrooms and 2 full baths, while the lower floor contains the enormous family room, the bright sunroom, 2 more bedrooms, the laundry room, and access to the 2-car garage.  The hallway leading to the garage has an alcove for coat hooks and tons of closet space.  While 1 floor living on this house is not currently an option, potential buyers with weak knees may like that all of the staircases in the house are partial, ½ story stairs.

Ease of Living/Ease of Use:

I can’t imagine that this is the easiest house to live in.  Unloading groceries entails carry bags down a long hallway and up a half-flight of stairs.  Relaxing in the family room and going for a snack requires climbing that same set of stairs.  There is no formal Dining Room, and it seems as if the Living Room would be rarely if ever used.

Storage:

Storage is actually one of the strengths of this house.  The afore-mentioned closets by the door to the garage are very conveniently located, and the basement is large and dry.  The bedroom closets are not walk-in closets, however, and are pretty basic.  In addition to the 2-car garage, there is a storage shed, so there is no need for the car doors to bang into the lawn mower handle.

Outdoor Living:

Despite central Ohio’s humid summers and damp Springs, and the fact that we heat our homes far more than we cool them, people typically enjoy being outside whenever the weather permits.  Outdoor living space is pretty inexpensive living space too, since it doesn’t have to be heated, cooled, dry-walled, insulated, wired, etc…  Despite the absence of a front porch—or any porch for that matter—there is a nice deck out back, with varying floor heights for differentiation of activities and space planning.  These floor heights may be limiting to some perspectives, while providing interest to others.  There is also a more recent privacy fence around the back yard.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY:

Siting:

This home faces the North, and sits in a generally flat area that experiences a fair amount of wind.  Despite sitting across from a beautiful home on a wooded lot, there are only a few larger trees in the immediate vicinity, so the house likely bears the brunt of the summer mid-day sun.

HVAC:

This is an all electric home, with the main heat pump unit being new, and the 2^nd unit being new in 1995 when the Sunroom was added on.  I did ask the Realtor about the energy costs for this home, and she said that it is $280/mo for Electric, and because it has a well and septic system, there is no water/sewage bill.

Insulation:

This is a stick-framed home, likely with 2X4 walls, but the high shed gable walls could be 2X6s.  When this home was built, fiberglass batt insulation was very typical, and it may be the at-that-time-code minimum of R-11 for a 4” wall.  This would not pass code today, and unless it has been upgraded, I will predict that the insulation in the walls is average at best.  There are no attics above the vaulted Living Room and Kitchen, so upgrading the insulation in these areas would be difficult.  There are attics above the 2nd floor, which should be insulated to at least minimum standards, but at any rate, there is opportunity for big improvements.

Windows/Doors:

The front door and sidelight are a contemporary replication of a Victorian door and window, and are both inappropriate and unattractive.  I’m not sure how new the windows are, but due to the age of the home, I’m guessing that these are not the original windows and are at least decent double pane units.

Self-Sufficiency Ability (grow food, harvest rain water, store wood):

This may seem like a strange consideration to most people, but we like to think out side the box, we like to imagine the “what-if” factor, and to make sure our clients can be as prepared as possible for anything.  In addition, a growing number of people simply want to control more of what they put in their bodies, or want to live a more sustainable lifestyle.

I like the fact that this home has a large lot that could support as large a garden that you could manage, and even room for a greenhouse if desired.  In addition, harvesting rainwater from the entire roof, as well as off of the garage roof, and could be easily stored and accessed.  Finally, there are two fireplaces in the house, and the fireplace in the Family Room has a wood burning stove.

SECURITY/DEFENSIBILITY:

Siting:

This home is largely at grade level, requiring on a couple of steps up to get from the side or back yard to the finish floor height.  Because it is on a fairly remote road with not a lot of traffic, taking responsibility for ones own home security becomes paramount.  There is a 6’ tall privacy fence around the back yard, where all outside doors other than the front door open onto.

Lighting:

I did notice one coach light beside the front door, although it may be hidden from view by the awning.  In addition, if I recall, there are coach lights on either side of the large overhead garage door to the side of the home.  I don’t remember seeing any other exterior light, and like most, this appears to be a very under-lit home.

Doors/Windows:

There is a storm door on the front door, but as stated before, the front door contains a large enough window to break and reach into, as does the sidelight.  The Sunroom, in the back yard, has two walls of floor-to-ceiling windows, which is desirable in a lot of ways, but represents a trade-off of for security.

Security System:

I don’t recall if there was a security system in place.  The sales literature does not mention one.

Ability for Safe Room:

We won’t spend a lot of time on this subject in each house so as to protect the future homeowner’s ability to have a non-disclosed safe-room.  There is opportunity in this home, however, for an effective and easy to access safe-room.

WHAT IS POSSIBLE:

WOW, this could really be a gorgeous house!  And stuff full of big surprises that will guarantee to get lots of “ooohhs” and “aahhhs” from guests, in addition to working far better for the occupant on a daily basis.  As with many other homes, this house is very livable but is not renovated–and does not show well.  From the dated wall coverings to  the formica countertops, as well as the awkward layout, it can be very difficult to see through the past and present— to the enormous potential that is possible.  This home could be ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS, however, if the home owner was willing to invest in the house and to do it right.  It could be very beautiful, extremely comfortable, inexpensive to maintain and to live in, and be very safe and defensible.

It will take work.  And a lot of it.  But it could be very very worth it.  Although how something looks is the last place we typically focus our attention on (we prefer to start with how it works, knowing we can make it look beautiful no matter what), we’ll start with Curb Appeal here.  For starters, removing the stone cladding from the façade of the home, and at least painting the trim a color that enhanced the home, would have benefits.  Adding a front porch, from a full-width front porch with a railing on the roof and a railing between columns, to perhaps a smaller porch with a projecting gable to give the entry some presence and formality, would go a long way!  In addition to giving guests a place to get out of the weather, a porch provides outdoor living space, and provides a filter between inside and out which makes transitioning between the two spaces easier.

If you really wanted to go all out on the exterior, furring out from the existing stucco and adding rigid foam board between the furring strips, while hanging fiber cement clapboards, would make the home much more efficient and comfortable, as well as exponentially more beautiful.  This would be the perfect time to upgrade the windows and doors, which would have efficiency and aesthetic benefits as well.

As we’ve said before, lighting can make or break a space, and it can offer enormous benefits to architectural interest and drama on the exterior as well.  Additional—and updated or more classical, coach lights at each outside door would make the home more welcoming, and soffit-mounted downlights would add considerable interest and drama.    Flower boxes on the porch railing and under windows would be a welcome splash of life and color during much of the year.

Inside… oh inside is where you could really have fun.  The biggest change to the interior would also have the biggest benefit—relocating the Kitchen from the raised level in front, to the grade level Family Room in back.  This would be a big project, no question, and would involve running plumbing through the concrete slab that is under the Family Room. If you’re replacing the Kitchen cabinetry anyway, however, why not put the new cabinetry in the perfect place instead of being forced to spend money on a flawed former decision. And the payoff, in functionality, in everyday ease of use, in beauty, and overall enjoyment of one’s home, would be huge.

Speaking of Ease of Use and Storage issues… imagine pulling into the garage and being able to unload groceries into the Kitchen without climbing a flight of stairs.  Imagine having a Kitchen/Great Room combination, complete with a fireplace and access to a warm and bright Sunroom, and even access to the Laundry Room (for the height of convenience) that would truly be the heart of the home.  This existing Family Room is large enough to be able to do almost anything imaginable for a Kitchen/Great Room, or even Kitchen/Hearth Room.  The already ample storage opportunities in this house could be capitalized on by offering easier access from the Kitchen to either a basement Pantry, or by making the existing Laundry Room, which isn’t very big, into a big walk-in Pantry.  If the Laundry Room was converted to a Pantry, there is a room down the rear hallway that is currently serving as a Home Office—but that would make a perfect Laundry Room/Mud Room.

Finally, outdoor access from the Kitchen would be made far easier for summer grilling or entertaining by only having to take a short couple of steps through the Sunroom to get outside.  Take a look at the sketches provided to see how re-worked layout would work really well.

Now, you may be thinking, “Ok, you make a good point about relocating the most used rooms in the house to a far better location.  But what do you do with the old Kitchen space?  And what about that long and awkward Living Room?”  Good questions—but I have good answers. The existing Kitchen, since it is in the front of the house and has vaulted ceilings, would make as close to perfect as you could imagine Home Office or Library.  Imagine floor to ceiling shelves along the high wall, with a rolling ladder on a chromed rail…  You could also very easily add a door, perhaps a door with a glass panel, to be better able to close off the Library and filter the noise of daily household living.  The long and awkward Living Room would make a great location for both a small foyer that is created more by furniture than by walls—and a grand Dining Room.  Dining Rooms are rarely used anyway, and when they are, its during the holidays or for big family dinners—and by the time you put the leaves in the table you’ve run out of room.  You wouldn’t run out of room here.  Because Dining Rooms are rarely used, they are often very presentable—so what better room to have as the first room your guests see when they enter your home?  It really would be quite stunning.

The upper bedroom floor is where there is less opportunity for such big improvements, at least in terms of space planning.  The three bedrooms and two full baths on this floor are ok in terms of square footage and usable area, but all of the surfaces need updated.  The Master bedroom closets are probably the least satisfactory items in terms of space planning on this floor, and short of two-tier racks in both His & Her closets, it would be difficult of creating more storage in this crucial area other than doing the following: building a flat ceiling over the existing Kitchen/proposed, and creating a larger walk-in closet for the Master Bedroom in this area.  You would lose some of the drama and wow factor in the Home Office/Library, but you would gain a tremendous amount of useful storage in an area that needs it on a daily basis.

Energy Efficiency would be much improved with the aforementioned addition of exterior insulation under the new clapboard siding, the best performing windows that he budget allowed, and making sure that the attic insulation was the best it could possibly be.  Almost $300/mo for 3000 sq. ft. seems high to me, and because this house is all electric, most people know that electric heat isn’t the most satisfying heat.  If I had to guess, I would say that you could probably get that $280/mo down by half—and more if you used the wood stove in the room that the occupants spent the majority of their time in—while making for a more comfortable home, by implementing the above recommendations.

But wait—there’s more.  If you really wanted to go all out, because the proposed Kitchen/Great Room, and the existing Sunroom, would be sitting on concrete slabs, you could go with in-floor radiant heat and have extremely comfortable rooms with extremely low operating cost.  Now, the payback period for in-floor radiant heat would be a long time, and with upgraded insulation and windows, it would likely be unnecessary.  But it would be very comfortable.

Safety/Security would be vastly improved with the addition of soffit-mounted down lights, and by the addition of the aforementioned storm doors on all outside doors.  We strongly advocate personal responsibility and extensive “just in case” preparation, so we highly recommend that each home have its own generator.  Because this home does not have existing gas lines supplying the property, a gas generator that runs very quietly and starts itself in the event of a power outage is as easy as it gets may not be the most cost effective option.  A propane generator, on the other hand, would be a worthwhile addition, and would provide a large degree of comfort—both psychological and physical—by powering the lights and the furnace in the event of a power outage.  We already talked about the existing biomass stove in the existing Family Room/Proposed Kitchen would make the home not only more comfortable but also much more self-sufficient—and thus safer—by being able to produce ones own heat no matter what the electric or gas companies had to say.

I like the tall privacy fence around the back yard, and making sure that any gates leading into the yard are locked at night is essential—particularly with all of the low glass that make up the walls of the Sunroom.  I believe there is a security system in the house, but if it is dated or weak, extremely advanced security systems are widely available, and could be easily retrofitted while the house was undergoing renovation.

There is there is ample opportunity in this house for a safe room, but we won’t spend a lot of time on it to aid in the potential for future home owners to have an undisclosed safe room.

Contact FUSION Design|Build LLC for even more ideas on how to improve this home—-or your current home.

Location: 227 South High Street, Lancaster

Bedrooms: 4

Bath: 1.5  (1/2 down, 2 full up)

Sq. Footage: 2036

Price: $126,900k

Listing Agent: Debi Dowell Stemble, w/Anderson & Co.Remax.

http://www.anderson-realtors.com/listnow/listings.html?p=0a19e6aa-abf3-47b8-b2b6-759c59bcef29

MLS #: 9909870

Neighborhood/Streetscape: Sitting on the Southern-most peak of High Street in Lancaster, OH, this 1909 home sits just outside of downtown Lancaster, but is well within easy walking distance of all of the amenities of urban life.  Directly across the street is a beautiful Masonic Temple, which is flanked by a wonderful park and another old Church building.  A few doors away is a local landmark home, a 6,000 square foot 2^nd Empire behemoth that is best known for its underground stone wine cellar, while this home is surrounded by other modest and well-built turn-of-the-century houses.

Accessibility/Walkability: Like most homes in and around downtown Lancaster, this is a very accessible home, being a couple of blocks from State Rt’s 33, 188, 22, and so on.  Columbus is about a ½ drive to the Northwest, while the beautiful treasure of Hocking Hills are a mere 15 minutes to the Southeast.  For those who would rather walk than drive, this home was built at a time when cars were extremely rare, in a town that was settled and grew to prominence long before the car was ever imagined—and as such is about as walk-able as one could want.  The post office is less than 2 blocks away, restaurants and shops are less than 3 blocks away, and town hall is a block away.  For someone looking for urban amenities on a small town scale, that is a short drive to among the most scenic areas in the state, and the 16^th largest city in the country less than 45 minutes away, this could be an option.

BEAUTY:

Curb Appeal:

Pretty average.  This was never a high-style house, and is a pretty typical example of the ubiquitous “Gable and Wing” housing type.  At one time, this home was likely much more attractive, but aluminum siding, metal porch posts and railings, and replacing a frieze that likely contained more architectural elements with aluminum or vinyl cladding has not helped make this home more attractive.  I’m not sure how an awning that faces the Northeast keeps the sun out, and it certainly doesn’t make the home more inviting, but removing it is pretty easy.

Character:

The slate roof and nicely detailed brick chimneys do lend character to a house that has had much of its character removed.  A front porch is a sure-fire way to add character, and despite enclosing part of the original front porch to create a sunroom, this front porch is ample enough to still be welcoming and engaging.

The same story is told inside.  Much of the earlier character was either replaced or covered up.  There is likely hardwood floors under the wall-to-wall carpeting, while sheets of paneling and dated wall disguise and take away from pleasantly proportioned rooms.

Despite these strikes against it, there is what looks to be original baseboard and casing, wonderful 4-panel doors, exposed hardwood floors upstairs, and there is a lot of potential here…

Unique Features:

When this house was built, there was nothing unique about it all, and that remains the case today.  The most unique feature about this house, to us, are the wonderful views outside the home.  The Masonic Temple across the street is gorgeous, and the views to the South and to the West of the home are wonderful—particularly in the Fall.

COMFORT:

Basic Layout:

Pretty typical for this building type.  A generous front porch leads you to the front door, which could be the original wooden front door, which opens directly into what was likely the original Living Room.  To the left is the Sunroom, with its windows on three walls, and to the right is another, and slightly larger, formal room.  Both of these formal rooms have fireplaces which were functional at one time.  From the first room that you walk into, a doorway leads to the Dining Room, where the main staircase is too.  This room was likely the original kitchen, and has a 3^rd fireplace.

The Kitchen is to the rear of the home, and is part of a likely 2-story addition that was added later.  The Kitchen is in a good-sized room, but appears to have been laid out in the 40s or 50s because the range location is not close to any cabinetry.  There is a ½ bath off of the Kitchen, which is always convenient, as well as access to the outdoors and the basement.

One of my favorite features in this house is off of the Kitchen, and that is the side/service entrance.  This side door is where most early occupants entered the home, since it was the closest to the driveway and the garage, while the front door was likely reserved for guests.  The stairs to the basement is also off of this entrance, and opens up opportunities for a convenient playroom for kids or a work shop for adults, without having to come all the way into the house.

Climbing the stairs to the 2^nd floor, you find yourself in a fairly open hallway that wraps around the staircase while leading to the four bedrooms.  Bedrooms are not large by any standard, nor are closets.  The only full bathroom in the house is upstairs, and is accessed from the central hallway.  There is no Master Bathroom.

Ease of Living/Ease of Use:

This could be a very easy house to live in.   The proportions are great, the bones are good, and with some vision, it could have a very sensible layout.  Right now, however, it struggles.  We all know that the Kitchen is the most used room in the house, and has become a living space as well as a work space.  This Kitchen, with its dated arrangement and lack of “living space”, forces the occupant to live and work in dated and inefficient manner.  Despite the fact that the modern formal Dining Room is one of the least used rooms in our contemporary homes and lifestyles, the room that was previously used as the Dining Room in this home occupies some pretty prime real estate because it is the only room that is adjacent to the Kitchen.

As the home is currently laid out, it does not allow for one-floor living, and climbing to the 2^nd floor we find more issues that make this home struggle.  The lack of a Master Bath and the limited closet space are the two obvious offenders that would be difficult to adjust to or make work for most people.

Storage:

Frequent readers of this site will recognize the following as oft-repeated advice: “Potential occupants of older homes, with their typically smaller closets and usually more limited storage, need to know that when these homes were built, personal possessions were far more limited than what is typical today.  In addition, basements were dug by hand, laid in either stone  or early concrete blocks, and are usually somewhat more porous than what we expect today.  Basements at this time may have been used for storing canned good, or coal for the coal   furnace—–not for storing excess, albeit valuable, possessions.  Read this paragraph over and over until it makes sense.

Having said that, and despite the fact that this home sits on top of a hill, this basement seemed to be a bit damp, so it could have at least moisture control issues.  With that being said, this looked to be a fairly dry basement and didn’t have any signs of standing water

This home is over 100 years old now, however, and storage needs at that time simply were not what they are today.  America morphed from a manufacturing society into a consumer society—and we have A LOT of stuff these days.   As such, most occupants of this home would find that its storage ability—particularly convenient point-of-use storage—is lacking.  One of the front bedrooms does have a nice walk-in closet, seen in the pictures, but as I recall, the rest of the bedrooms had limited closet space.

Outdoor Living:

Despite central Ohio’s humid summers and damp Springs, and the fact that we heat our homes far more than we cool them, people typically enjoy being outside whenever the weather permits.  Outdoor living space is pretty inexpensive living space too, since it doesn’t have to be heated, cooled, drywalled, insulated, wired, etc…  Other than the front porch, this home drops the ball completely when it comes to engaging the occupant with outdoor living space, and helping to bring the outdoors in.  For example, there is no “back door”, and the side door which provides access to the back door and nice back yard opens onto the concrete driveway rather than green grass.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY:

Siting:

This home sits on top of a hill while facing the East, and many rooms in the home have Southern exposure—but without windows to enjoy the sun and the views.  The back yard is to the West, and because our summer weather is primarily out of the Southwest, this home is wonderfully situated to take advantage of natural ventilation and cross-breezes.  The other side of this coin is that our winter weather is primarily out of the Northwest, and hence the cross-breeze enjoyed in the summer would have to be guarded against in the winter.

HVAC:

This is a gas forced-air system, with two furnaces in the home, both upstairs and down, but I’m not sure why.  The square footage isn’t so vast that two systems would be needed, and because this is a framed house without solid masonry walls, I would think that running properly located ductwork would be pretty straight forward.  I went through this house a while ago, however, and may need a refresher tour.  In addition, I did not ask the Realtor for recent utility payments, but I will

Insulation:

This is a stick-framed home, meaning that it is constructed with sawn lumber (2X4s), probably on 16″ centers with a 14 1/2″ stud cavity for insulation.  When this home was built, insulation was in its infancy, and unless it has been upgraded, I will predict that the insulation in the walls isn’t hugely effective.   More importantly, there are ample attics above the 2nd floor, which should be insulated to at least minimum standards.  At any rate, there is opportunity for big improvements.

Windows/Doors:

As I recall, the front door is an old Oak door with original hardware and leaded glass.  Very pretty, but not very efficient or secure.  The back door is a “newer” replacement door, probably steel but perhaps fiberglass, with a window.

There are a fair amount of windows in this house too, as there often were before modern air-conditioning became widespread, and hence represent a large source of heat loss.  The sales literature do not mention “replacement windows” or storm windows, but I seem to recall storm windows. These windows may be more efficient that the old single-pane originals, but they certainly are not as attractive.

Self-Sufficiency Ability (grow food, harvest rain water, store wood):

This may seem like a strange consideration to most people, but we like to think out side the box, we like to imagine the “what-if” factor, and to make sure our clients can be as prepared as possible for anything.  In addition, a growing number of people simply want to control more of what they put in their bodies, or want to live a more sustainable lifestyle.

I like the fact that this home has a yard big enough that a large garden could be put it, or even room for a greenhouse if desired.  In addition, harvesting rainwater from the entire roof, as well as off of the garage roof, and could be easily stored and accessed.  Finally, while this house was constructed after “central heating” was invented, it is still well within the vintage when a wood burning fireplace was present in every house, and this is no exception.  I count at least three fireplaces in the home, and while the sales literature states “decorative” under fireplace, with a brick chimney and ash clean-out in the basement, I assure you this wasn’t always the case.  There is at least one flue running up each chimney, and while it appears as if the furnace is venting through a flue running up the chimney, there are options for installing ones own heat source.

SECURITY/DEFENSIBILITY:

Siting:

This home is largely at grade level, requiring on a couple of steps up to get from the side or back yard to the finish floor height.  Because it is on such a main street and surrounded by neighboring homes on either side, the front façade is typically not where the risk of breaking/entering is.  The side door is completely hidden from the street and not lit by a coach light at all.  In addition, There are windows that look out onto the side and rear yards that are not visible from the street or neighboring homes, and represent real weak links making this home safer

Lighting:

I did not notice a coach light beside the front door, although it may be hidden from view by the awning.  In addition, I don’t remember seeing a single exterior light—including over the garage overhead door or side access door.  This appears to be a very under-lit home.

Doors/Windows:

As stated before, the front door contains a lot of glass, and the side door, even though it has a storm door, has glass in it as well.  Even with the addition of storm doors and dead-bolts, the high amount of glass in all of these doors makes breaking into and entering the home as easy as breaking glass.

Again, there are tall windows that come within 24” or so of finish grade, which makes access to these windows quite easy.  This is not a safe or secure home in its current state.

Security System:

I don’t recall if there was a security system in place.  The sales literature does not mention one.

Ability for Safe Room:

We won’t spend a lot of time on this subject in each house so as to protect the future homeowner’s ability to have a non-disclosed safe-room.  There is opportunity in this home, however, for an effective and easy to access safe-room.

WHAT IS POSSIBLE:

This house is livable but is not renovated–and does not show well.  From the extensive use of sheet paneling the formica countertops, to the dated wall paper and bathroom tile/fixtures, it can be very difficult to see through the past to the enormous potential that is possible.  This home could be ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS, however, if the home owner was willing to invest in the house and to do it right.  It could be very beautiful, extremely comfortable, inexpensive to maintain and to live in, and be very safe and defensible.

It will take work.  The good news is that because the inherent character in the building type, and because the existing bones of the house appear to be good, few if any walls would have to be moved, and you could make it work without adding on.

Although how something looks is the last place we typically focus our attention on (we prefer to start with how it works, knowing we can make it look beautiful no matter what), we’ll start with Curb Appeal here.  For starters, removing the awning, and replacing the wrought iron porch posts and railings with a period-appropriate wooden (or synthetic) railing and posts would make needed improvements quickly.  In addition, removing the existing siding and trim, and replacing it with fiber cement would have a huge impact.  The slate roof is a wonderful feature, and it’s a shame that the gutter straps were fastened through the slate instead of being attached to the sheathing underneath the slate.  Repair this is not only good weatherization, but helps the appearance too.

The enclosed sunroom that occupies some of the former front porch can be subjective (I think it takes away from the appearance of the house), but it does add a nice and bright sunroom that would be very enjoyable.   New windows with historically correct muntins would go a long way in making the home more attractive as well.  As most people know, lighting can make or break an interior space, and it can offer enormous benefits to architectural interest and drama on the exterior as well.  Additional coach lights at each outside door would make the home more welcoming, and soffit-mounted downlights would add considerable interest and drama.    Flower boxes on the porch railing and under windows would be a welcome splash of life and color during much of the year.  Finally, constructing an appropriate porch roof over the service/side door would not only enhance the homes appearance, but make it function that much better.  As in other homes that we’ve reviewed, constructing a Porte-Cochere (literally, French for “coach-gate”, but it grew to “carriage porch”, and now “car-port”) off of this service/side door would be a practical, if not elegant, addition.  At the very least, a new porch off of the mudroom, as well as a porch off of the Kitchen/Family Room, would be well-used, much enjoyed additions.

Inside, the simple change of removing the carpeting and bringing the inherent beauty of the wood floors to life, along with painting the walls with new colors, would transform the interiors.  White millwork is clean, crisp, and sharp—and is always a high impact winner.

What about Ease of Use and Storage issues?  The aforementioned lack of closets can be remedied, but it will take some creativity (see sketches).  The Kitchen needs completely reworked, most people would love to see a 2^nd garage bay added to the existing single bay, and adding storage shelves to the basement is usually a good thing.  If it were me, I would take a little space from one of the formal rooms in front (see below for where I would add it back!) and add a closet near the front door, and do the same thing near the side and proposed new back door.  This side-door closet may not house the most used outerwear, but it would be an ideal place for work coats and dirty outerwear, given that its between the garage and the basement.  Speaking of the basement, it isn’t huge, but large enough for seasonal storage with the addition of quality shelving.

The biggest expense—but with the biggest payoff—will likely be updating the Kitchen and re-working the Kitchen/Family /Back door intersection.  As can be seen in the quick sketch, I’ve switched the locations of a couple of rooms into an arrangement that I believe makes more sense for most modern lifestyles.  The Kitchen may seem a bit small in its new location, but I don’t mind a relatively small Kitchen workspace, provided that it is arranged perfectly for the occupant.  Smaller Kitchens can be very easy and enjoyable to use because they can be so efficient.  What I would do, however, is extend the Kitchen more into the new Family Room, so they are more visually as well as physically connected.  A new exterior door near the Kitchen/Family Room intersection provides easy outdoor access for grilling, getting to a Kitchen garden, or outdoor dining.  Something I really like is that by adding a coat closet near the front door, the opportunity to create a small home management center niche/desk in the Kitchen presented itself as well.  Home management centers don’t have to be big, but by giving a place to sort the mail and pay bills, to charge cell-phones and cameras, or to plan menus from—it takes pressure off of the Kitchen, the Dining Room, the Master bed, and everywhere else these daily activities take place.

As you can also see, merely adding two small enclosures, one near the front door and one adjacent to the un-used area under the staircase, we’ve created two wonderful things: a small home manangement center, and a guest coat closet.  This does make the room that would likely be the Living Room, or as I see it, a Library, a bit smaller, but that’s ok.  Living Rooms are more used as an “away space” from the hustle and bustle of the Kitchen/Family Room than a formal room anyway.  Libraries, serving the same “away space” purpose, need only book shelves and perhaps a desk, and there is ample room here for both.

In addition, by creating an efficient rear foyer or entry place, entering the home on a daily basis becomes much easier and user friendly.  So, as can be seen in the QUICK sketches, an efficient and centrally located kitchen, a wonderful family room that opens to and looks out over the big back yard, and a rear foyer that works extremely well on several fronts have all been created without adding on a single square foot.

The 2nd floor is where walls could be moved, and primarily in the Master Suite. Bedrooms in general don’t need to be huge because they are primarily used for sleeping and not living, particularly kids rooms. What is pretty essential these days is a Master Suite, with a well designed—even luxurious Master Bath—and ample closet space.  People are busy, and we often lead stressful, overworked lives.  A Master Suite to escape to, to take refuge in, is less and less a luxury as much as it is a necessity.  To accomplish this, I have taken two smaller bedrooms and combined the two rooms to create a Master Suite.

And what a Suite is it.  It isn’t huge, but it has everything you could ask for, from a gorgeous view of Hocking Hills to the South and West, ample light and breeze, and a very efficient, very comfortable bath and closet complex.  Even the entry is impressive, since you’re required to walk around the open stair rail in order to access the Master.  (this has defensibility advantages too, as we’ll discuss in a minute).

Energy Efficiency would be much improved with the addition of robust storm doors on all outside doors, and of course by the most energy efficient windows the budget allows.  While the siding and windows are being replaced, it would the perfect time–and a worthwhile upcharge–to go ahead and remove ALL of the exterior siding and sheathing, and upgrade the wall cavity insulation from the outside (good time to upgrade the wiring too).  Additional or new insulation in the attic should be mandatory, and is one of the most cost-effective improvements any homeowner can make.  In addition, repairing the existing flues and adding a biomass stove to the basement or a historically appropriate gas fireplace insert on the first floor would make the home more comfortable, more energy efficient, and more self-sufficient.

Finally, it appears as if the slate roof is vented, but there are gable vents here too.  Adding powered gable fans to the gable vents can help to rid the attic of excess heat before it can transfer that heat to the 2^nd floor living spaces.  In addition, installing a whole house exhaust fan (preferably something like a Superfan) could be so effective at cooling the home during the summer months that the whole house air-conditioning–with its high power use–would never need to be turned on.  Most people would be tempted to locate a Whole House Exhaust Fan over the stairwell because it is more centrally located and would theoretically draw more heat.  The glitch is that heat will take the path of least resistance, and it is typically easier for heat from the 1^st floor to rise up the stairwell and be drawn in by the fan—instead of the warmer 2^nd floor heat.  This exacerbated if/when the bedroom doors are closed.  Once of the reasons we like the Super Fan is because it provides four inlets for heat to enter and be drawn out instead of one—one for each bedroom and one for the 2^nd floor hallway.  These four inlets are easier to cover during the winter months as well

Safety/Security would be vastly improved with the addition of soffit-mounted down lights, and by the addition of the aforementioned storm doors on all outside doors.  We strongly advocate personal responsibility and extensive “just in case” preparation, so we highly recommend that each home have its own generator.  A natural gas generator that runs very quietly and starts itself in the event of a power outage is as easy as it gets, and would provide a large degree of comfort—both psychological and physical—by powering the lights and the furnace in the event of a power outage.  We already talked about a biomass stove in the basement would make the home much more self-sufficient—and thus safer—by being able to produce ones own heat no matter what the electric or gas companies had to say.  Extremely advanced security systems are widely available, and could be easily retrofitted while the house was undergoing renovation.

We’ve talked before while reviewing other homes why we like the Master Suite located to the rear of a home.  In addition to it being more private, it also affords the homeowner a view of the back yard, possibly the side yard as well, and to the garage.  Since the back yard and garage are typically where tomfoolery occurs, giving the homeowner increased visibility to these areas is advantageous.  In addition, the aforementioned entry route to access the Master Suite aids in defensibility as well.  An intruder coming up the stairs would have their back to the Master Suite door, putting the homeowner at an advantage.  There is there is ample opportunity in this house for a safe room, but we won’t spend a lot of time on it to aid in the potential for future home owners to have an undisclosed safe room.

Finally, for those reading this who prefer a larger Kitchen, I will sketch a version of the plan that keeps the Kitchen in its existing location where it has a bit more square footage.  Because the Family Room is a much more frequently used room than the Dining Room, I kept the Family Room near to the Kitchen for everyday ease of use.  It does make getting from the Dining Room to the Kitchen more of a hike, but I would rather have the arrangement work well 360 days a year, and have to walk a little farther on the 5 days a year you use the Dining Room.

Contact FUSION Design|Build LLC for even more ideas on how to improve this home—-or your current home.

Location: 1192 Westwood Ave, Grandview

Bedrooms: 3

Bath: 2.5  (1/2 down, 2 full up)

Sq. Footage: 1932

Price: $385k

Listing Agent: Mark & Lisa Schirtzinger, w/Remax.

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/1192-Westwood-Ave_Columbus_OH_43212_1113279093

MLS #: 2936908

Neighborhood/Streetscape: Nestled on a sleepy street on the West end of Grandview and near Marble Cliff, this classic Bungalow is located a block South of First Avenue.  For those not familiar, “South of First” is as desirable in Grandview as “South of Lane” is in Upper Arlington.  There are some very nice homes on this street, and the farther South you go the nicer and more grand the homes become.   This particular home is surrounded by other Bungalows, of several types and along with other vernacular housing styles, shaded by large tree and sitting on a lot that can only be described as ample by urban standards.  Some of these neighboring homes are renovated and wonderful, while others are like this one and in need of updating.

Accessibility/Walkability: There are sidewalks throughout most of Grandview, and since “downtown” Grandview has experienced an urban rennaissance in the last 5-10 years, it is a pedestrian-friendly area.  Bear in mind that Grandview was an early suburb, however, and will always be much more suburban than it is urban.  Walking to the shops and restaurants in downtown Grandview is possible, but it is a hike.  State routes 33, 315, and I-670 are all less than a mile away, however, and provide very easy access to Columbus, to OSU, and even the airport and Easton.

BEAUTY:

Curb Appeal:

Pretty average.  At one time, this home was likely very beautiful by vernacular standards, and there are similar homes nearby that give obvious clues as to what is possible with this most classic American housing type.  The years have brought vinyl or aluminum siding, insensitive window replacement, unattractive side porch additions and garage doors… and while this home has been occupied and maintained, it is in dire need of updating.

Character:

There is something about the American Bungalow that is universally appealing to most people.  The Bungalow emanates a down-home comfort and solidity, the scale is unassuming and welcoming, and usually these homes were extremely well built.  Despite the unflattering siding and unattractive windows, the bones of this house still call out to most people.  This house was built in 1921, and it isn’t hard to imagine the energy and excitement that the country was experiencing at that time.  The Great War had ended, businesses were flourishing, communities were growing and thriving, and families were laying down roots and starting families.  This was a time when streets went somewhere instead of wandering aimlessly.  This was a time when virtually all homes had a front porch and neighborhoods had sidewalks, and neighbors responded to this enhanced sense of community by getting to know each other. This house, and neighborhood, is no exception.  I suspect that most passersby can sense that something very beautiful lies beneath the siding and replacement windows—but it can be hard to see.

The same story is told inside.  A previous owner either replaced all of the millwork with knotty pine, or stripped it down… and I’m not sure knotty pine was ever meant to be finished.  The character in this house is in the bones.  The scale, the proportion, the formerly ubiquitous side/service entrance, or in details such as the likely original register covers.

Unique Features:

When this house was built, there was nothing unique about it all.  What makes it unique today is that it is a South of First blank slate that could be made absolutely perfect.

COMFORT:

Basic Layout:

Pretty typical for this building type.  A full width front porch leads you to the front door, which opens directly into the Living Room.  A closet and stairs to the 2nd floor are to the right, and the Living Room is ahead and to the left.  The Living Room opens into the Dining Room, off of which is the original Kitchen, as well as a good sized Family Room addition.  This addition really transforms the house in terms of spatial flow and working with our modern lifestyles because it adds a Family Room and 1/2 bath to the first floor, and a Master Bedroom and Bath on the 2nd floor.  Without this addition, the house would really struggle spatially with our modern standards.  With it, however, the Kitchen opens onto the Family Room with a small breakfast bar, and the Dining Room—with its large doorways at each end opening into the Family Room and the Living Room—really opens up and flows.

The Kitchen is average-to-small in size, but with the right layout, this could be preferable to many people.  Smaller Kitchens that are laid out perfectly are easier to use and cook in because they save steps—and energy.  You don’t feel cramped in this smaller Kitchen, however, because of the large breakfast bar opening that helps to expand the Kitchen into the Family Room.  One of my favorite features in this house is off of the Kitchen, and that is the side/service entrance.  This side door is where most early occupants entered the home, since it was the closest to the driveway and the garage, while the front door was likely reserved for guests.  The stairs to the basement is also off of this entrance, and opens up opportunities for a convenient playroom for kids or a work shop for adults, without having to come all the way into the house.

Another feature that I really like about this house is the little landing on the main staircase going upstairs, with its window to let in Southern light and summer breezes.  A naturally illuminated staircase is always a good thing, and this window is ideally located for increasing cross-ventilation on the 2nd floor.  Upon climbing the stairs, you find yourself in a small hallway that contains a closet, access to two of the bedrooms, as well as a hallway that leads to the main 2nd floor bath as well as the Master Suite.  At one time, this 2nd hallway led to the main bathroom, but was later re-worked to provide access to the addition that now contains the Master Suite. By taking away formerly useful floor space and creating a hallway out of it, the main bathroom became smaller.

The Master Suite is at the rear of the home, and occupies the 2nd floor of the later addition.  I like a Master Bedroom at the back of the house because of the privacy, and being able to look out of the window to the backyard and garage, since this is likely where most mischief would take place.  Where this Master Suite struggles is at its entrance, and the bathroom/closet area.  Upon entering the Master Bedroom, you find yourself looking at the Bathroom, and in fact upon entering the Bedroom—you can plainly see the toilet from the Bedroom wall where the bed would likely be placed.  Most couples would agree that this is not ideal.

In addition to the basic layout and the resulting privacy issues, the Master Bath is just not laid out well.   At all.  The Master Closet is accessed from the Bathroom—which I love and try to design into my homes/renovations as much as possible (after all, why cross a cold bedroom where your post shower condition is wet and naked)—but both the Bath and the Closet are just too small.   We’ve got over 1900 sq. ft. here, so there is room for much better space planning.

Ease of Living/Ease of Use:

This could be a very easy house to live in.   Again, the bones are good and the layout is sensible.  Simple features such as the side/service door go a long way in keeping dirt/debris out of the house, tempering the blasts of outside/unconditioned air into the main living spaces when someone goes in or out of the house, and providing easy access to the Kitchen when unloading groceries.  Having a 1/2 bath right off of the back door goes a long way in keeping the house clean because muddy shoes don’t have to be trekked through formal Living Rooms or across expensive floor coverings at inopportune times. The Kitchen is centrally located with easy access to both the Dining Room and the Family Room, as well as outside, and could be made to work very well.  Having the ability to have a noisy “activity room” (Family Room) along with a quiet “away space” (Living Room) can really help occupants maintain their sanity and enjoy their home.

For empty nesters with knee problems, however, know that there is no way to get into this house without having to climb at least 3 or 4 steps.  And for families with children, know that the closets are typical of old homes—and small.  And for couples who value privacy, or who have an even average amount of clothes—the Master Suite will disappoint in its current condition.

Storage:

Frequent readers of this site will recognize the following as oft-repeated advice: “Potential occupants of older homes, with their typically smaller closets and usually more limited storage, need to know that when these homes were built, personal possessions were far more limited than what is typical today.  In addition, basements were dug by hand, laid in either stone  or early concrete blocks, and are usually somewhat more porous than what we expect today.  Basements at this time may have been used for storing canned good, or coal for the coal   furnace—–not for storing excess, albeit valuable, possessions.  Read this paragraph over and over until it makes sense.  With that being said, this looked to be a fairly dry basement.”

There is a coat closet adjacent to the front door, and there is a linen closet upstairs in the 2nd floor hallway.   There is a fairly large closet in the Family Room that was likely designed for, and used for, more of a food pantry closet than anything.  An ample basement provides plenty of room for seasonal storage, as does a 2 car garage that could be easily added onto for additional storage of bikes, yard tools, mowers, etc…

This home is almost 100 years old, however, and storage needs at that time simply were not what they are today.  America morphed from a manufacturing society into a consumer society—and we have A LOT of stuff these days.   As such, most occupants of this home would find that its storage ability—particularly convenient point-of-use storage—is lacking.  The front bedroom’s only closet is above the stairs leading to the 2nd floor, as and as such is not ideal.  It is narrow, deep, with varying floor and ceiling heights.  The middle bedroom has a similarly shaped closet, but accessed by the narrow side of the closet rather than the wide side.  The East wall of the middle bedroom has had some “remuddling” done to it, with a door-less alcove kind of closet with built in storage niches built into the wall (see pictures).  As noted above, the Master Bedrooms closet is ideally located in the sense that it is off of the Master Bath—but it is woefully small.

Outdoor Living:

Despite central Ohio’s humid summers and damp Springs, and the fact that we heat our homes far more than we cool them, people typically enjoy being outside whenever the weather permits.  Outdoor living space is pretty inexpensive living space too, since it doesn’t have to be heated, cooled, drywalled, insulated, wired, etc…  This home does have both a generous front porch that is also screened in, making for a very usable outdoor living space that has the advantage of having a front row seat to the goings-on of the street and neighborhood.  I didn’t notice any deck or terrace off of the back door, primarily because I didn’t look.  No mention of it is made in the sales literature, however, so I doubt there is anything much to speak of out back.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY:

Siting:

This home faces the West, and all of the living spaces and bedrooms, except for the Kitchen, have one wall with Northern exposure.  In other words, the closets, stairways, and bathrooms all enjoy Southern exposure.  For maximum solar gain in during the cooler and colder times of the year, this is not ideal—but it is helpful in the summer.  The front porch would provide welcome shade during the warmer months, and keep the hot evening sun off of the Living Room.

The Master Bedroom, to the rear of the home, faces the East.  As a morning person, I prefer the morning sun, but for night-owls who enjoy sleeping in, lined curtains and/or window treatments could be mandatory.

HVAC:

As is apparent in the photographs, the furnace is not new, and I don’t know the age of it.  I’ve certainly seen older ones, but with all of the energy efficiency improvements incentives currently available, it could be the perfect time to upgrade.  Most to all of the supply ducts/registers are on outside walls, which helps to reduce hot spots & cold spots, and results in a more comfortable room.  Another positive note is that there are operable windows on all four sides of the house, both upstairs and downstairs, so opening the windows and enjoying natural ventilation is a nice option on temperate days when you don’t run to close up the house and run the A/C.

I neglected to ask the Realtor about utility expenditures for the home.  Because this house needs so much and it would be the perfect time to upgrade everything from space planning to HVAC components, it would be great to have a “before” benchmark to judge improvements from.  See below for solutions on increasing comfort, improving energy efficiency, and lower utility costs.

Insulation:

This is a stick-framed home, meaning that it is constructed with sawn lumber (2X4s), probably on 16″ centers with a 14 1/2″ stud cavity for insulation.  When this home was built, insulation was in its infancy, and unless it has been upgraded, I will predict that the insulation in the walls isn’t hugely effective.   More importantly, there are ample attics above the 2nd floor, which should be insulated to at least minimum standards.  At any rate, there is opportunity for big improvements.

Windows/Doors:

As I recall, the front door is an old Oak door with original hardware and leaded glass.  Very pretty, but not very efficient or secure.  The back door is a “newer” replacement door, probably steel but perhaps fiberglass, with a window.

The sales literature states “replacement windows”, but sometimes this doesn’t mean very much.  These windows may be more efficient that the old single-pane originals, but they certainly are not as attractive, and I noticed at least one that was fogged up from a broken seal. There are a fair amount of windows in this house too, as there often were before modern air-conditioning became widespread, and hence represent a large source of heat loss.

Self-Sufficiency Ability (grow food, harvest rain water, store wood):

This may seem like a strange consideration to most people, but we like to think out side the box, we like to imagine the “what-if” factor, and to make sure our clients can be as prepared as possible for anything.  In addition, a growing number of people simply want to control more of what they put in their bodies, or want to live a more sustainable lifestyle.

I like the fact that this home has a yard big enough that a large garden could be put it, or even room for a greenhouse if desired.  In addition, harvesting rainwater from the entire roof, as well as off of the garage roof, and could be easily stored and accessed.  Finally, while this house was constructed after “central heating” was invented, it is still well within the vintage when a wood burning fireplace was present in every house, and this is no exception.  The sales literature states that it is a decorative fireplace, but with a brick chimney and ash clean-out in the basement, I assure you this wasn’t always the case.  There is at least one flue running up this chimney, and while it appears as if the furnace is venting through a flue running up the chimney, there are options for installing ones own heat source.

SECURITY/DEFENSIBILITY:

Siting:

We like how this house is elevated above the finish grade a bit.  This makes the home more of an “up-hill battle” for an intruder, and puts the occupant at an advantage.  In addition, the raised finish floor height of the first floor puts the first floor windows higher up and makes access to the windows more difficult.  The service/side entrance is at grade level and not on a higher visibility side of the house, so it is a potential weakness.

The fact that there is a front porch and a side trellis does give an intruder easier access to 2^nd floor windows by giving them a roof to perch on, so it is essential for occupants to lock 2^nd floor windows as rigorously as 1^st floor windows, as well as to link them to a security system.

There is no privacy fence around the side and/or back yard, giving anyone unrestricted access to the yard, the garage, and the back side of the house for anyone.

Lighting:

I noticed a coach light beside the front door, inside the screened porch, as well as a light at the side/service door.   I didn’t go out the back door, but I’m assuming there is at least a light beside or above this back door.  I also did not see a light on the detached garage.  There are no lights on the West side of the house either.  This appears to be a very under-lit home.

Doors/Windows:

As stated before, the front door contains a lot of glass, and both the side door and back door have good-sized windows in them.   I don’t remember if any of the three outside doors have storm doors.  Even with the addition of storm doors and dead-bolts, the high amount of glass in all of these doors makes breaking into and entering the home as easy as breaking glass.

The fact that the windows are replacement windows makes it more likely that the windows have working locks, but this should never be assumed.

Security System:

I don’t recall if there was a security system in place.  The sales literature does not mention one.

Ability for Safe Room:

We won’t spend a lot of time on this subject in each house so as to protect the future homeowner’s ability to have a non-disclosed safe-room.  There is opportunity in this home, however, for an effective and easy to access safe-room.

WHAT IS POSSIBLE:

This house is not renovated and does not show well.  From the knotty pine trim and the formica countertops, to the dated paint and flooring color choices, it can be very difficult to see through the past to the enormous potential that is possible.  This home could be ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS, however, if the home owner was willing to invest in the house and to do it right.  It could be very beautiful, extremely comfortable, inexpensive to maintain and to live in, and be very safe and defensible.

It will take work.  The good news is that because the inherent character in the building type, and because the existing bones of the house appear to be good, few walls would have to be moved, and none on the first floor would HAVE to be moved.

Although how something looks is the last place we typically focus our attention on (we prefer to start with how it works, knowing we can make it look beautiful no matter what), we’ll start with Curb Appeal here.  For starters, removing the existing siding and trim, and replacing it with fiber cement would have a huge impact. The screened in front porch can be subjective—I think it takes away from the appearance of the house, but it does quickly and easily add a nice outdoor living space that is also bug-proof.  (And in a day and age where West Nile Virus or other such maladies seem to be getting more common, perhaps this is a worthwhile trade off).  New windows with historically correct muntins would go a long way in making the home more attractive as well.  As most people know, lighting can make or break an interior space, and it can offer enormous benefits to architectural interest and drama on the exterior as well.  Additional coach lights at each outside door would make the home more welcoming, and soffit-mounted downlights would add considerable interest and drama.    Flower boxes on the porch railing and under windows would be a welcome splash of life and color during much of the year.  Finally, constructing an appropriate porch roof over the service/side door would not only enhance the homes appearance, but make it function that much better.  Actually—and I just thought of this—constructing a Porte-Cocher (French for car-port) off of this service/side door would be a practical, if not elegant, addition.

Inside, the simple change of painting all of the exposed knotty pine trim a glossy white, along with painting the walls with new colors, would transform the interiors.  White millwork is clean, crisp, and sharp—and is always a high impact winner.

What about Ease of Use and Storage issues?  The coat closet near the front door would work well for guest coats (as does the Master bed, for that matter), as well as formal coats, and other less frequently used items.  If it were me, I would take a little space from the Kitchen (see below for where I would add it back!) and add a closet at the side/service door.  This closet may not house the most used outerwear, but it would be an ideal place for work coats and dirty outerwear, given that its between the garage and the basement.  Speaking of the basement, it is large enough to make a decent sized work shop, and finished playroom for kids, or a wonderful seasonal storage facility with the addition of quality shelving.

The biggest expense—but with the biggest payoff—will likely be updating the Kitchen and re-working the Kitchen/Family /Back door intersection.  I don’t mind the relatively small size of the Kitchen workspace, provided that it is arranged perfectly for the occupant.  Smaller Kitchens can be very easy and enjoyable to use because they can be so efficient.  What I would do, however, is extend the Kitchen more into the Family Room, thus lengthening the Kitchen workspace and pushing the breakfast bar over so that the stools face South rather than West (see sketch).  In addition, I would create a sort of rear foyer or entry place, combined with a small home management center.  This would help to give coats and shoes a place to go, to better contain the outside air entering the home when the door is opened, and to help run the house (your life) better.

As can be seen in the QUICK sketches, an efficient kitchen, a home management center, and a rear foyer complete with coat hooks and a boot bench have all been created without adding on a single square foot.

The 2nd floor is where walls could be moved, and primarily in the Master Suite. Bedrooms in general don’t need to be huge because they are primarily used for sleeping.  Bedrooms for kids can be even smaller because kids are smaller.  If we bought this place, I would claim the floor space occupied by the doorless enclave/niche closet space for the Master Bedroom.  This approx. 16 additional square feet, accessed from the Master Bedroom, could be finished as a really interesting niche or alcove that the bed’s headboard would reside in.  This 16 square feet gained by the Bedroom could then be given up elsewhere for the Master Bath and Closet.  And whew, does the Master Bath and Closet need help!

As can be seen in the QUICK sketches, an alcove for the headboard to go into, complete with built in and recessed display niches on either side, could be an affordable and easy method of adding drama and interest.  The same trick could be used on the East window wall, where by creating a window seat alcove, flanked by a small closet to the left and by part of the shower to the right, more interest and character are easily created.  The closet door could be paneled with an opaque glass panel insert—which could be mirrored on the shower side.  This frosted or opaque glass could be used again in the little foyer we created when entering the Master Suite, creating interest, continuity, and character.  Another window seat alcove can be seen in the Master Bath, and is the ideal place for getting dressed, for putting on socks or shoes, and so on.  The amount of closet space shown in the sketches isn’t huge, but it is an improvement, and with two-tiered closet systems, can be made to work pretty well.

Again, see the sketches above for more graphic illustrations than my text can provide.

Energy Efficiency would be much improved with the addition of robust storm doors on all outside doors, and of course by the most energy efficient windows the budget allows.  While the siding and windows are being replaced, it would the perfect time–and a worthwhile upcharge–to go ahead and remove ALL of the exterior siding and sheathing, and upgrade the wall cavity insulation from the outside (good time to upgrade the wiring too).  Additional or new insulation in the attic should be mandatory, and is one of the most cost-effective improvements any homeowner can make.  In addition, repairing the existing flues and adding a biomass stove to the basement or a historically appropriate gas fireplace insert on the first floor would make the home more comfortable, more energy efficient, and more self-sufficient.

Finally, it appears as if there are ridge vents on all three roof ridges.  Adding gable vents with powered gable fans can help to rid the attic of excess heat before it can transfer that heat to the living spaces.  In addition, installing a whole house exhaust fan (preferably something like a Superfan) could be so effective at cooling the home during the summer months that the whole house air-conditioning–with its high power use–would never need to be turned on.

Safety/Security would be vastly improved with the addition of soffit-mounted down lights, and by the addition of the aforementioned storm doors on all outside doors.  We strongly advocate personal responsibility and extensive “just in case” preparation, so we highly recommend that each home have its own generator.  A natural gas generator that runs very quietly and starts itself in the event of a power outage is as easy as it gets, and would provide a large degree of comfort—both psychological and physical—by powering the lights and the furnace in the event of a power outage.  We already talked about a biomass stove in the basement would make the home much more self-sufficient—and thus safer—by being able to produce ones own heat no matter what the electric or gas companies had to say.  Extremely advanced security systems are widely available, and could be easily retrofitted while the house was undergoing renovation.  Finally, there is ample opportunity in this house for a safe room.

Contact FUSION Design|Build LLC for even more ideas on how to improve this home—-or your current home.

An option for west kitchen wall

Location: 272 East Deshler Ave, Merion Village

Bedrooms: 2

Bath: 1.5  (1/2 down, 1 full up)

Sq. Footage: 1232

Price: $265k

Listing Agent: Vutech | Ruff.

Vutech-Ruff.com.

http://www2.herrealtors.com/vutech.ruff/MyListingsDetails.asp?mls=2913068&prop=12933939&ID=326

MLS #: 2913068

Neighborhood/Streetscape: A mere block off of Schiller Park, this house is nestled among other late 1800s residences, with their small front yards and inviting front porches, and is very much a part of an vibrant and interesting urban fabric.  While outside of “German  Village” proper, thus making it outside of the reach of the somewhat limiting German Village Architectural Review Board (albeit a needed and valued one), it is still very much a part of a thriving historic neighborhood.  German Village residents trade having to chain/nail down porch furniture to make sure it is there in the morning, for living in a fun and fascinating neighborhood that is on the National Register of Historic Places,

Accessibility/Walkability: A block away from one of the most prestigious green spaces in the city, and within walking distance of everything from restaurants and local watering holes to businesses and even a Giant Eagle.   In addition, for easy commuting access to main traffic arteries, it is 2 blocks away from Thurman Ave, which takes you to gas stations and High Street in several blocks, and the Interstate (I-71) in less than a mile.   It is both convenient for the driver as well as the pedestrian.

BEAUTY:

Curb Appeal:

Pretty average.  Most of German Village was built as a working class neighborhood, and while there are grand homes in the Village, this ½ of a duplex was never a high-style house at all.  We love the brick façade, a front porch large enough for rocking chairs and/or a porch swing, a bit of trim along the Frieze under the eaves, and being part of such an interesting fabric.

Character:

Where this house begins to appeal more to the senses is inside.  The refinished hardwood floors, historic millwork, beautiful head casing around door, and wonderful fireplace surround w/mirror are features that not only are fun to look at while warming the soul, but can worth paying extra for because living in spaces with character is very satisfying.

Unique Features:

The afore-mentioned millwork and trim may have been more typical when this house was constructed, but it is more unique now.  Exposed brick in the kitchen is also a great feature.

COMFORT:

Basic Layout:

With 2 living spaces in the front, and the Kitchen in the rear, access to both the full (and dry) basement as well as the 2-bedroom 2^nd floor off of the center/middle room, this is not a big house by any stretch.  For a single person or a neat and picked up couple who enjoy living in such a walkable and historic neighborhood, this home could be a viable option.  The living spaces downstairs do offer some flexibility in arrangement: the most obvious configuration would be a living room/family room in the front, with a dining room in the middle room.  While many informal meals could be enjoyed at the ample island in the kitchen, having the ability to sit at a table large enough for 6, and being so close to the likely TV in the living room, is a nice option to have.  We all know that Dining Rooms frequently do double duty as a place to pay bills, do homework or paper work, fold laundry, wrap presents, etc…, and this configuration would be conducive to that.

Another configuration, particularly for a homeowner who worked from home more than they entertained at home, could be to have have a home office or library in the front room, and make the middle room the living room/family room.  A South facing study would be bright and inspiring, and a living room in the middle of the house could be more comfortable because it is closer to the kitchen, while glare on the tv could be minimized or eliminated.  Furthermore, the liklihood of blasted with icy air from someone opening the front door while you’re enjoying a movie on a January night would be reduced.

Upstairs, there is a larger bedroom to the South, a smaller room in the middle, and a small walk-in closet tucked under a sloping ceiling to the North.  There is a full bathroom upstairs as well, and while it has been updated in part, the layout is poor.  For a single person or a couple with a lot of   clothes, this could be fine because the smaller bedroom could easily be turned in a nice walk-in closet.  For any more than this, however, this home begins to be pushed beyond its comfortable   limits.  The basement is ample, and dry, and as such could be suitable for season storage items such as luggage, house hold tools, perhaps a home gym or workshop.

Ease of Living/Ease of Use:

I’ve been hinting around at this, but here I’ll come out and say it.  To live “easily” in this house would require some adjustment to most modern lifestyles.  It can be lived in, and lived well, provided a few measures are religiously adhered to:

1)      Put your stuff away.  There are two exterior doors in this house, the front door in the living room and the back door in the Kitchen, and neither one of them are near a closet.  I suspect that the back door will be the most used door in the house—and since the Kitchen is typically the most used room in the house—keeping the Kitchen (a workspace, remember) cleared of shoes, purses, jackets, bags, briefcases, mail, magazines, keys, phones, cameras, etc… will require some disciplined effort.

2)      Empty Nesters:  Don’t expect to live here with the same amount of stuff that you had in your 5,000 sq. ft. house in Tartan Fields.  And 26 yr old rising stars or newlyweds—focus on acquiring quality rather than quantity.  There just isn’t a lot of room here for extraneous possessions, and there is no room for crap. 

Storage:

Potential occupants of older homes, with their typically smaller closets and usually more limited storage, need to know that when these homes were built, personal possessions were far more limited than what is typical today.  In addition, basements were dug by hand, laid in either stone  or early concrete blocks, and are usually somewhat more porous than what we expect today.  Basements at this time may have been used for storing canned good, or coal for the coal   furnace—not for storing excess, albeit valuable, possessions.  Read this paragraph over and over until it makes sense.  With that being said, this looked to be a fairly dry basement.

The aforementioned closet on the 2^nd floor, as well as the smaller bedroom that may serve most people better as a closet rather than a guest room or home office, should take care of most typical clothes storage requirements.  I don’t remember seeing a closet on the first floor, however.  There is a ½ bath, a new and highly efficient stacked washer/dryer combo, and a good sized food pantry in the kitchen, but no closet.  If we lived here, I would likely create an aesthetically pleasing hat/coat/bag hook system near the back door, and probably hang more coat hooks on the wall of the stairs leading to the basement.  I would also make a big effort to direct mail and magazines to either the Dining Room table for further processing, or to a home office desk.

The Kitchen, with its ample island and base cabinets underneath, along with 42” wall cabinets on the sink wall, seems to be roomy enough.  I would warn any potential buyer with weak knees,  however, that stooping down to peer into a dark 24” deep base cabinet is not nearly as easy to use as standing up to look into a well-lit and naturally illuminated 12” deep wall cabinet.  In addition, there is a wine-storage “cabinet” or “module” to the right of the sink that occupies wall space that is probably better used to house additional wall cabinets.  That just me though.  I’d rather have a   place for all of my wife’s dishes that we use every day or that are used for baking in the kitchen, and perhaps display wine goblets in the Dining Room where storage space isn’t at such a premium.

Finally, the ½ bath accessible from the kitchen is actually in a decent location, all things considered.  Yes, during parties or casual meals, a little more privacy would be nice—but its also nice to be able to come inside and access the facilities without trekking through the formal house, and bringing water, mud, or snow across nice rugs.

Outdoor Living:

Despite central Ohio’s humid summers, damp Springs, and the fact that we heat our homes far more than we cool them, people typically enjoy being outside whenever the weather permits.  Outdoor living space is pretty inexpensive living space too, since it doesn’t have to be heated, cooled, drywalled, insulated, wired, etc…  This home does have both a front porch and a rear deck, along with a decent sized back yard.  The Southern facing front porch not only welcomes visitors and gives them a place to get out of the weather, but provides needed shade in the summer too.  The rear deck on the North side would rarely get baked by the summer sun, and both spaces each are large enough for a swing or a couple of chairs.  The deck is a bit small, however, and would struggle when entertaining more than a couple of people.  Finally, the brick walk that connects the house to the garage, attractive though it is, runs down the middle of the yard—and cuts it in two.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY:

Siting:

This home faces the South, and both is main living space as well as its largest bedroom faces the South.  This not only brings in warm and welcome Southern light, but also can help to take winter’s chill away.  Kitchens often create a lot of their own heat, so while a Kitchen to the North may not be a “warmly lit” as its Southern counterparts, I would rather soak up sun in the living spaces where it can be enjoyed more.

HVAC:

I did notice a 90% efficient furnace, but I don’t know the age of it.  I’ve certainly seen older ones…  I also noticed places where larger ducts and registers on inside walls had been removed and the floor filled in, while newer and smaller register covers occupied floor space under windows on outside walls.  This is usually a good thing, and helps to greatly reduce   temperature differentiation in a room and eliminating hot spots and cold spots.

When I asked the realtor if he had any knowledge of utility expenditures for the home,  such as gas and electric bills for at least the last 12 months, he advised me to call the gas and electric companies myself to get that information.  To be fair, it wasn’t his listing and he was showing  it for a colleague but it would have been nice to have at least offered to pass along my request to the listing agent, or to the homeowner.  I wouldn’t expect the heating bills to be $500/mo and for you to still be cold, but with old houses—it is better to ask than to assume.

Insulation:

This is a solid masonry home, with the outside walls being brick, and I highly doubt there is any insulation in the walls.  This isn’t as bad as it may sound, however, because the majority of heat loss in a home is through under-insulated ceilings and roofs, and leaky windows and doors.  This is a full 2-story, so there should be ample room in the attic to increase insulation levels.

Windows/Doors:

These windows weren’t original, but they weren’t new either.  With no insulation in the walls, proper window and door operation/sealing becomes even more important than it already is.  Because each room in this house has at least one window, this could be a weak link in the average-at-best thermal envelope, but certainly easy to fix.

I forgot to look at the doors other than for security purposes, but I don’t remember seeing a storm door on either the front or the back doors.  Storm doors have the ability to be much better looking than they ever have in the past, and can really help to make a door more thermally efficient.  The good news is that there are only two exterior doors in this house, while the bad news is that each door opens into primary living spaces with no opportunity for tempering or filtering the impact that the outside and unconditioned air has on the occupant or the home.  I think there is a storm door on the back door, and if there is not one on the front door, it ought to be added.

Self-Sufficiency Ability (grow food, harvest rain water, store wood):

This may seem like a strange consideration to most people, but we like to think out side the box, we like to imagine the “what-if” factor, and to make sure our clients can be as prepared as possible for anything.  In addition, a growing number of people simply want to control more of what they put in their bodies, or want to live a more sustainable lifestyle.

We like the fact that this home has a small yard that could be utilized for at least a decent sized garden if desired.  In addition, harvesting rainwater from at least half of the roof is possible, and could be easily stored and accessed.  Finally, the fact that this home was built before modern hvac systems were invented means that there are several flues available that run up the center dividing wall.  The fireplaces that feed these flues were likely originally gas-fed, while other flues in the chimney were likely used by coal-furnaces located in the basement.   While not currently operational or safe, the chimney could be lined with new flues, and a bio-mass stove could be installed in either the basement and tied to existing ductwork for heat when the power is out, or a small insert stove located in the retrofitted fireplace.  A final option could be to repair the original intent of the gas-fireplace, and have the ability for some heat production in the event of a power outage.

SECURITY/DEFENSIBILITY:

Siting:

We like how this house is elevated above both the sidewalk as well as the finish grade.  This makes the home more of an “up-hill battle” for an intruder, and puts the occupant at an advantage.  In addition, the raised finish floor height of the first floor puts the first floor windows higher up and makes access to the windows more difficult.

The fact that there is a front porch and a rear trellis does give an intruder easier access to 2^nd floor windows by giving them a roof to perch on, so it is essential for occupants to lock 2^nd floor windows as rigorously as 1^st floor windows, as well as to link them to a security system.

There is a wooden privacy fence around the back yard, with gates at both the front and rear.  Some argue that a privacy fence should be avoided because it blocks visibility into the yard, and hides an intruders activities.  This is a valid concern, but we like the additional deterrent that a fence provides.  Most criminals are lazy, and many would not be able to scale a 6’ tall privacy fence—not on the way in, certainly not on the way out with valuables in their possession.  Putting keyed locks on the gates would make this yard and home even safer.

Lighting:

We like how the front porch, with its posts and soffit, gives multiple mounting locations for additional exterior lighting.  The main roof soffit is our preferred primary location for exterior lighting because it is difficult for an intruder to access and render inoperable, and because the drama factor and heightened beauty are undeniable.

Doors/Windows:

Other than the fact that both exterior doors open into primary living spaces, we like how there are only two doors to remember to lock, to beef up and reinforce the strike plates, etc… Intruders like doors because doors are easier to use, both to gain access to a house as well as to take valuable through on their way out.  In addition, neighbors are much more likely to call law enforcement if they see someone going in or out of a window instead of a door.

The front door, however, has a large glass area that would be easy to kick in if there is no out-swinging storm door.   One should be added immediately.  The pictures on the realtor’s site indicate that there is a storm door on the back door, and making sure that it is a robust model with a keyed lock and safety glass–if not tempered–should be mandatory.

As mentioned before, the raised elevation of the first floor makes windows on the first floor harder to access on the less-visible West side.  The front and rear porches do increase the risk for 2^nd floor window entry, however, and should be included in all security measures.

Security System:

I don’t recall if there was a security system in place.  The sales literature does indicate that there is one, but if not, adding a good one can be as simple enough as making a phone call.

Ability for Safe Room:

We won’t spend a lot of time on this subject in each house so as to protect the future homeowner’s ability to have a non-disclosed safe-room.  There is opportunity in this home, however, for an effective and easy to access safe-room.

WHAT IS POSSIBLE:

This house is renovated and shows very well well.  Showing well and living well are two different things, however.  It is certainly in “move-in condition”, and would make a wonderful home for one or two people—provided certain weaknesses were compensated for.   We’ve shown what these weakness are, and given suggestions on how best to utilize the existing space.   But what if… what if you love the location, you like the house well enough, but it just…it just isn’t perfect.  Its not exactly what you need.   There is something about it that just gives you pause…

For starters, Curb Appeal could be greatly enhanced with a new balustrade on the front porch.  It is doubtful that the two metal rails making up the existing balustrade are original, but most preservationist agree that changes and modifications made over time possess their own value, and help to tell the story of the evolution of a building.  Because this residence is outside the reach of the German Village Architectural Review Board, however, it could be a fairly simple improvement.  The aforementioned soffit-mounted down lights would dramatically increase not only security, but would be beautiful and add wonderful drama too.  Flower boxes on the porch railing and under windows would be a welcome splash of life and color during much of the year.

What about Ease of Use and Storage issues?  Without a front or rear foyer, and no shoe or coat closet on the 1st floor, keeping the house picked up and clean will likely be an uphill battle.   Options include the addition of a built-in storage bench on the West wall in the Kitchen, where coats and bags could be hung up, shoes could be placed under the bench, and perhaps an abbreviated version of a mail sorting/phone charging/home management center could be mounted on the wall to the South of the Kitchen West window.

An even better solution would be to construct a mudroom/laundry room to the rear/North of the house.  As noted before, this back door will be the most used door in the house, and enters directly into the most used room in the house.  Having a place to put purses and mail down, to hang up coats/umbrellas/hats, to take off shoes so as not to muddy up the house–and to create an air-lock which would go a long ways in tempering the entrance of unconditioned outside air into the home–would increase the livability and comfort levels of this house exponentially.

While we’re in the Kitchen, replacing the wine storage cabinet to the right of the sink with additional 42″ wall cabinets would make a big improvement in functionality, Storage, and Ease of Use in the hub of the house.

Upstairs, Storage would be greatly enhanced by making the walk-in closet (that is currently under a low sloping roof) a full height room or closet.  This would not be a large or expensive project, but would have enormous payoffs with increased storage ability, a small 3rd bedroom, or home office.  Because it is to the rear of the house, any Architectural Review Board considerations are made much easier.

As noted before, the full bathroom upstairs has been partially updated, but adding a granite counter and painting the trim and walls nice colors do not make up for a poor configuration or a lack of storage.  There is room in the current bathroom for a much improved layout without moving a single wall–and replacing the existing tub/shower unit with a custom tiled, walk-in shower with room for two would make a big improvement.

Outdoor Living Space would be greatly enhanced with the addition of a larger deck, and enlarging the existing trellis while perhaps starting climbing vines on it for addition shade and charm.  Yard space would be greatly maximized too if the brick sidewalk was relocated to the perimeter of the yard, such as along the dividing fence that splits the two yards of the duplex.

Energy Efficiency would be much improved with the addition of robust storm doors on both front and rear doors, and by the addition of ample insulation to the attic.   In addition, repairing the existing flues and adding a biomass stove to the basement or a historically appropriate gas fireplace insert on the first floor would make the home more comfortable.  Replacing existing, or installing new, interior storm windows would likely see large gains in comfort with energy expenditures decreasing.

Safety/Security would be vastly improved with the addition of soffit-mounted down lights, and by the addition of robust storm doors on both front and rear doors.  We strongly advocate personal responsibility and extensive “just in case” preparation, so we highly recommend that each home have its own generator.  A natural gas generator that runs very quietly and starts itself in the event of a power outage is as easy as it gets, and would provide a large degree of comfort–both psychological and physical– by powering the lights and the furnace in the event of a power outage.

Contact FUSION Design|Build LLC for even more ideas on how to improve this home—-or your current home.