Our team recently worked on a fun “in-house” renovation, building an awesome addition on Trent & Juanita’s home in Waterloo.
Trent and Juanita love their home, and have been considering this project to allow main floor space for future “aging in place” needs and instead of waiting, they decided to do the renovation now so they can enjoy the space for many years to come.
This extension expanded their existing den space and now provides a multi-function room; transforming it from a small sitting area into a home office, art studio and yoga space.
Besides being aesthetically pleasing and matching the exterior look of the house, the renovation design scope included building in such a way that minimized damage to the existing landscape, provided a large view of the gardens, and is durable, well insulated and energy efficient.
The new outdoor deck and sitting area has also added additional usable outdoor living space. The deck was constructed using thermally modified ash decking planks which provide a natural wood look without the maintenance of a cedar deck. Thermal modification technique originates from Finland and bakes the wood without oxygen at high temperatures to a point where the cellular structure of the wood changes. The benefits are that the wood becomes rot resistant and doesn’t need a finish to protect it. So it too will ‘age in place’ well!
Perfect for practicing yoga, sketching or working at a desk, this room is flooded with volumes of natural light due to the use of very large windows to frame the view of the back gardens.
We also added a large venting skylight to bring additional bright light into the existing den space and help keep the room cool.
It was important to create a space with high durability considering the longevity goals for this space. Maroleum was selected for the flooring because of its durability and sustainability properties. It is anti-static, is made with 43% recycled content and 97% of its components are natural raw materials. It is also free from harmful chemicals such as phthalates, plasticisers and mineral oil.
Underneath, an in-floor hot water heat system was installed (separate from the other loops in the house) to allow the addition to be very comfortable no matter the use.
The extension was built on concrete piers to minimize site disruption to protect the existing landscaping.
With energy efficiency in mind, while we worked on the addition, we also took the opportunity to update second floor exterior wall insulation. The addition itself includes a fully adhered air barrier and liquid flashing around triple glazed windows, along with sheet steel roofing for long term durability.
The addition has R-32 insulation in walls, R-42 insulation in floor, and R-60 in ceiling which provides excellent energy efficiency to the space. To finish the room, minimal window and door trim was used for a modern yet timeless feel.
The room also features a ductless A/C unit for cooling on really hot days and the venting skylight creates a chimney effect to help cool the space on hot summer nights.
Trent shared, “It was great working with our staff to build this new part of our home. They put in a real team effort and I was constantly appreciative of how much communication there was, especially as we experimented with a few complex details.”
Considering your longer term plans for your home and what renovations are supportive?
Getting a jump on these plans ensures ample time for your renovation and avoids the need to make changes under pressure, plus gives you the added benefit of enjoying your home upgrades for years. Let our crew of professional and courteous skilled trades professionals help you discover what solutions are valuable and realistic for your aging in place goals.
View our handy Renovation Guide to get started and then give us a call at 519-664-2245 to speak with one of our Project Managers Trent, Art or James-Erik.
