What the heck happened to HumphreyHouse?!?

Dear constant reader. We're sorry to leave you craving for updates as to the inner workings of Humphrey House. I think we're still hungover (exhaustion. not just drinking!) from the holidays. It seems more like Hibernating House lately as the few activities we've done have been efforts to prevent heat from escaping and cold from entering. It's amazing how much heat you can keep in by placing a tarp over a stairwell!

Speaking of stairs, we need to start thinking up them. While our original plan was to take the renovation one level at a time, bottom up, we've reconsidered. After seeing everthing involved throughout the basement construction, it would be a shame to finish off our kitchen, and then risk ruining it when taking things in and out for the second floor dormer addition and related work.

So, its back to the drawing board, or drafting table as the case may be. Jay has dusted off the original drawing prints that Vivian began, and has started modifying them. Key among the changes is the removal of 9" from the planned dormer, in order to require with zoning setback requirements. We lose some bathroom space width-wise, but we "might as well" (3 very dangerous words) extend the length from our original planned 12' to 18' total, allowing room for a walk-in closet off the master bedroom.

Erasers fly as Jay space plans, considers plumbing runs, and of course ensures the structure is supported. At least we have some better guidelines after going through the first round of building permits last year. Oh, and how cool is this? Minneapolis kindly showed us what is need to issue a permit for a shed dormer. They have tons of these recommendations! We can only hope OP has the same requirements.

Plans (cont.)

"Now that we have covered Kitchen remodeling, what other grand plans do the two of you have on your new house?"

Glad you asked!

We really miss having two bathrooms, and with four bedrooms (even three if we remove one to expand the kitchen), we really need to get another one in there. Plus, we don't really feel like going up and down two flights of stairs for each load of laundry.

So we're planning to put a 13 foot shed dormer on the north end of the house, to feature a new bathroom. Good thing Jay's mom is a bath designer and his stepdad is a plumber! Talk about a match for the ages :) She is presently furiously transcribing the vision into reality on the drafting table so Jay can take blueprints over to Village Hall tomorrow and submit plans for the permits. Thanks so much Vivian!!

Anyway, the photos are to big for the blog, but here are links to our plans (will open in new a new window).

View Existing First Floor

View Existing Second Floor

View Revised Second Floor

New Bathroom Plan:


Kinda rough, but at least it gives you something to go on :)

Did you see those Winder stairs? Man those things are scary going down - especially if you're carrying anything and can't see below you.

We'd like to try and expand those out and make a landing as shown in the Proposed drawing, but they may not meet the 36" width required by code. We'll have to see on that.