An Architectural Transformation

The expected life of a house is well over one hundred years. So if you take a lot in the historical district of a town like Ridgefield, Connecticut and build a 1960s split level you've changed the architectural character of that neighborhood forever.

Or have you?

At a tag sale two years ago, Roger Provey of Artisan's Designers and Builders of Ridgefield, Connecticut learned of a piece of property that other builders didn't quite know what to do with. It was a well-worn split-level built in the early sixties that had somehow been plunked down in the middle of a neighborhood near the town center that was dotted with 19th century Victorians and Colonials.

Provey immediately saw possibilities: Transform the split into a more traditional home and at the same time restore the historical character of the entire neighborhood. Not only would the property gain value from the surrounding properties it would give value, too. "I was attracted to the property because it was an ugly ducking in an area with established character and landscaping," says Provey.

The house, however, was a difficult candidate for remodeling.

"It was not only a split-level," says Provey, "it was a weird split-level. You walked in the front door to the living room and that was the only room on that level aside from the garages. You walked down to a kitchen and dining area where there was also a room that combined laundry, half-bath and the door to the mechanicals room. Upstairs were three bedrooms and a bath." The lot did not offer a lot of options, either. It is only 1/3 of an acre.

For most builders, such a house is not worth the ground it sits on. It would be a "tear-down," the practice of demolishing houses because they're not big enough, expensive enough or because they're outdated architecturally. The teardown theory is that you can create more value by making a fresh start than by trying to remodel the existing home despite the high costs of demolition and disposal for old building materials.

Provey, who has counseled hundreds of couples about their remodeling options, however, avoids the teardown approach if at all possible. "You can find value in an outdated home; you just have to be creative about it."

Provey's Solution

Given that the location justified a bigger, more expensive house, Provey knew he had to expand up and out.

"The existing 2,600-square-foot house was already sited close to the road, so I didn't want to expand to the front. If a house becomes too imposing, it really shows it on a 1/3 of an acre and I don't subscribe to the McMansion theory that to overwhelm is to impress." Expansion to the sides was not possible either, due to setback restrictions. So most of the expansion would have to be to the back. But Provey was limited there, too: "If we covered too much land, there would have been almost no backyard."

Provey decided to punch out an 18-foot rear expansion and to add another level to create the space he wanted. The result is a house that's over 4600 square feet, but that preserves the backyard, sits well on the property and is not too imposing. "It's all about proportion," says Provey.

For the style of the house, Provey chose a Queen-Anne Victorian look with Shingle-Style accents. Outside there is an entrance with sidelights and transom, wood-shingled entry pillars, wall sweeps (siding that flairs out to a crown molding), decorative trim, dormers, stable-style garage doors, stonework and a couple of half-round windows. Inside are high ceilings, door transoms, square pillars, tray ceilings and wainscot-paneled walls.

Despite the radical shift in styles, Provey made use of much of the existing house. He was able to save much of the lower level and part of the main floor. He was also able to save the garage and the foundation associated with it as well as the driveway and perimeter plantings. Even the boiler could be reused. "By working with the existing house, we were able to save a significant amount of money," says Provey.

But working with an existing home requires some design compromises, cautions Provey. "If you're accustomed to standard floor plan where the living room is on the left, the dining room on the right and the stairs up the center, a remodeling even as radical as this one is probably not going to get you there."

That's because the parts of the home you plan to reuse and the garage and driveway heavily dictate the floor plan, says Provey. "In this house," he continues, "you have fewer standard spaces because there were more restrictions. But that's where the creativity comes in and you can end up with a plan that has a lot more interest than the stock center-hall Colonial."

For example, in his plan for the Berry Avenue split-level, the only space available for the family room was above the garage not next to the kitchen where it is with many stock homes. This "limitation" led to a more secluded family area that is separated from the large entry area by a half-flight of stairs and a balustrade. It gets lots of natural light and has its own fireplace and balcony. "Besides," says Provey, "many of today's family rooms, when combined with kitchens, get too big and there's too much sound penetration between the spaces. By being forced to consider alternatives, I feel we ended up with a plan that is actually more livable for most families."

Another example of limitation turned to advantage is the entry itself. Called a gallery in realtor-speak, this 10-x 14-foot transition area with ample closet space makes for a gracious entrance to the home. It arose directly from having to deal with the how to use the split-level's original living room.

A Common Homeowner's Dilemma

"Radical remodeling, such as the split-to-Victorian on Berry Ave," says Provey "is more of a trend than you would guess." Many homeowners like their property and location, but are dissatisfied with the style or plan of the house they live in. Moving is an option, but they enjoy their neighbors and are attached to their gardens. Besides, moving often means getting involved in a renovation project anyway. Rarely is an existing home a perfect fit. Even new houses need plenty of work especially in the landscaping and decorating departments.

These major remodelings are also fueled by the new math of property values. "A couple of houses in an established neighborhood get knocked down and 3 million houses go up in their places," says Provey, "and all of a sudden the nearby cape or ranch sitting on two acres is worth a lot more." Often it's not enough for owners to run out and buy their dream house, but they feel justified in investing in their home often to the tune of more than its current value. "It's possible to spend $500,000 remodeling a $400,000 house in the right neighborhood and end up with something worth 1.2 million in today's market," says Provey. The downside is that with remodeling of the Berry Avenue magnitude, you often have to move out for six months or more. Currently two of Provey's clients are living in rented homes for the duration. You also, of course, have to be able to carry the new mortgage payments.