ListWise

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Building An Addition

I know, it seems odd that I would be thinking about building an addition on to the house given the fact that I haven't even finished the downstairs and I'm in the middle of a big project right now. It is even more odd considering I tore down a 600 sq ft 2 story addition just 5 years ago. I really have no choice, though.

Right now I'm working on the foyer and stairwell and last night as I was sitting in the parlor staring at the pile of tools and crap piled up in there I started to think about what I would do when it came time to work on the parlors. The parlors are the last two rooms on the first floor. When I work on them, where will I pile all of the tools and construction crap? In the new addition, naturally.

Before I owned a broken down old 1895 Victorian this sort of logic never would have dawned on me, but now it makes perfect sense. I'll start with a small addition on the north side of the house to hold all of the construction crap while I'm working on the parlors. Then, when it comes to time to finish off the addition I will build another small addition to hold all of the construction crap for when I working on that addition.

An even better idea would be a stairwell that leads to no where. Stacking tools in stairwells is great because it spreads things out in a tier system that makes things easy to see. Hey, has any one ever been to the Winchester Mystery House. I love that place. I think I'll make trip down there to get some ideas on adding on to the house. Of course, I'll need a new addition on the house to store all of the great plans I'm sure I'll have once I get back. Then I'll need another addition for when I start to work on that addition. You know, some place to store all of the construction crap.

9 comments:

Kathy from NJ said...

If it's too far to carry all the stuff to the garage why don't you buy a shed to put near the back door? Then when you're done you can sell it.

Anonymous said...

Funny that you mention the staircase scenario. The rear staircase in my 110 year old house was closed off years ago by a previous owner. I've managed to store more tools in that one space than I think I could fit in a 3 car garage LOL

Karen Anne said...

I was just reading a book where there was a staircase, thought to be a folly, that ended half way up a wall. After awhile they discover a hidden panel where the rest of it is. Hmm :-) Hidden rooms, sounds good for a Victorian, doesn't it :-)

Jayne said...

I like the idea of a staircase to nowhere! I would love to visit the Winchester House. "America's Castles" did an episode on it that's available on Netflix. It's fascinating.

nick khan said...

you could building a temporary addition or you could buy 1 or 2 sheds (which can latter be scrapped or sold if you wish).

Ragnar said...

In the 80s my aunt and uncle added a staircase onto their bank house (previously only an "English basement" and a first floor accessible from the rear of the house) and finished the attic. They included the possibility to finish another level of the attic and put in another set of stairs. It never got used and ended up as the pantry next to the kitchen, a pantry with stairs leading to a solid masonry wall.

Holyoke Home said...

You're too funny. I think you should build an addition for all your jokes.

Greg said...

:-)

St. Blogwen said...

Neurotics build castles in the air.

Psychotics live in them.

Housebloggers build them additions and renovate them, again and again and again.

(My verification word is "extra." Too funny!)

Kate H.
www.sowsearhouse.blogspot.com