Replies

  • Sam and Julie Sepah March 2, 2021 at 8:50am

    Thanks Tim for sharing your input and expertise. 

    1) I agree. Go ahead and add it. I assume we can add a window above the door to bring more natural lights by then. 

    2) I am fine with it. 

    3) I am thinking the same as you are thinking about the tray ceiling in the master bedroom. So, yes please add it in the drawing. 

    Cheers,
    Sam 

  • Tim Haley March 1, 2021 at 6:15am

    See reply below in BOLD 

    Sam and Julie Sepah said:

    1) I am not sure if the gable addition would make our entery space darker. The reason we want to have our main door with glass panels is to bring more natural lights in the house. Thoughts? 

    The (N) front elevation will improve the look of the house (break up the mass and give it character) and it allows for a higher entry door with more glass.   You also need cover to allow people to wait at the front door while it is raining without getting wet.

    2) We would like to raise the living room's ceiling like the existing dining room, especially we don't have to change the roof structure. Is that possible? I am ok if it has a sloped ceiling which I expect to see as it has in the existing dining room. Ideally, we want to open it in order to make the space larger as much as possible. 

    Sam and I went over this and we have to make a note on the section to say that there will be R19 Closed Cell Spray foam insulation along with R-19 Batt Insulation between each roof rafter + a note to say see T24

    3) I have not received your or Tim's feedback about the tray ceiling in the master bedroom. I am not sure if it would not look good because it has long and tall ceiling there. If we put there, I assume that we would not need to have recessed lights on that area, right? Your input is greatly appreciated. 

    I think the tray ceiling in the master bedroom is nice and it updates it (even though it is new) relative to what people expect for a master bedroom.  I would still add recess rope lighting around the perimeter of the tray ceiling but this is just a personal preference.

    Tim

    Sam 

  • Sam and Julie Sepah February 28, 2021 at 9:45am

    1) I am not sure if the gable addition would make our entery space darker. The reason we want to have our main door with glass panels is to bring more natural lights in the house. Thoughts? 

    2) We would like to raise the living room's ceiling like the existing dining room, especially we don't have to change the roof structure. Is that possible? I am ok if it has a sloped ceiling which I expect to see as it has in the existing dining room. Ideally, we want to open it in order to make the space larger as much as possible. 

    3) I have not received your or Tim's feedback about the tray ceiling in the master bedroom. I am not sure if it would not look good because it has long and tall ceiling there. If we put there, I assume that we would not need to have recessed lights on that area, right? Your input is greatly appreciated. 

    Sam 

  • chinar desai February 24, 2021 at 11:26am
    Few things we need decisions on: 
    1.Front porch- gable addition. Will add cost, are they ok with that?
    2. Living room ceiling: want to raise it like in existing dining/ new entry stair or keep flat - as is. Or add tray ceiling? 
    3. Tray ceiling in the master bedroom: keep or take out? 
  • Sam and Julie Sepah February 22, 2021 at 7:01pm

    Chinar, 

    Good questions. I am trying to determine how we can have an cost effectiveness by making a spacious in the living room without changing the roof or its structures, which can become a costly project. Plus, we want to preserve the heat and good temperature control there without paying too much on our utilities billing. 

    Since our existing living room has a 8' ceiling, we are thinking about removing it so it can make it taller - perhaps 9-10 feet? I am also concerned that it would not become an energy efficient because it will lose some heat because it would not have an attic insulation above, right? Since we are moving some walls around there, I am thinking about installing a good insulation spray foam in all side walls to improve the climate there. What do you think of this? 

    The hallway also has a 8' ceiling and maybe we also remove it so we can have tall plate heights walking there. The concern I have is that it has a vent of HAVC above there. I assume it can be extended to another location? 

    We like our existing dining room ceiling and tall front wall height that are making a pleasant view especially the new door entrance will be installed to impress our guests. We would like to have the same height of ceiling in the living room as our existing dining room ceiling. I am not sure if it is possible because I suppose there are some beams that would block it and we do not want to move them and the roof structure in order to maintain the affordable project. I assume that we are not moving the beams there, so we could add a classic roman column and arched wall cover them up. The shape of sloped ceiling is not going to bother us. Our ultimate goal is to blend both spaces as into one large front space in the house. 

    LMKWYT.

    Sam

  • chinar desai February 22, 2021 at 7:47am

    Sam, will take care of electrical points.

    Need one clarification:

    1.Living room ceiling.

    Have shown sloped ceiling (just like your existing dining room ceiling ) with the highest point being 10' & 8' at the front wall (existing plate height) + 8'-6"/ 8'-9" at an interior wall (will be field adjusted per existing slope)

    Do you want it that way?

    OR the second option is to go tray ceiling in the living room- will be 8' at room's edges (because of existing plate height where existing roof sits) And will be 10' or 11' in the larger square. 

  • Sam and Julie Sepah February 22, 2021 at 4:27am

    I am wondering if the tray ceiling would look good in our master bedroom? I am not sure if it would make it a difference as it is already has a tall ceiling. Thoughts? If so, how it would impact the design of recessed lights?

  • Sam and Julie Sepah February 21, 2021 at 6:58pm

    I am wondering if the tray ceiling would look good in our master bedroom? I am not sure if it would make it a difference as it is already has a tall ceiling. Thoughts? If so, how it would impact the design of recessed lights?

  • Sam and Julie Sepah February 21, 2021 at 6:34pm

    I have shared the landscaping design with you and Chinar via our Google Drive. 

    Please add an electric wire for the hot tub which is near our backdoor of our master bedroom. 

    We would like to add two mounted heaters on the patio roof so we need two electric wires there. 

    S

  • Tim Haley February 19, 2021 at 1:12pm

    See comments below in BOLD ....

    Sam and Julie Sepah said:

    We are not sure if we want to have the router can be in a cabinet in nook, because we probably dont want to have any cabinet in the nook so it make it more spacious. Thoughts? 

    That is fine - just a table with chairs would work

    With that said, maybe the router can be moved in the closet? We need a cable coaxial to connect the modem in order to support the wifi router's performance. I am open to your other suggestions about where it can be hidden nicely. 

    Agree - I think the router can go into the closet and you should get good coverage from there

    I am trying to understand why the living room ceiling has two different ceiling sizes (8' with sloped ceiling and 10'). Ideally, we would like to have all of them at 10', if possible.

    You can see "why" from the rear elevation - do you see how the kitchen addition is sloped for the roof.   I honestly think this will improve the look and add more character to the space + it is in an area where you wouldn't actually stand (since the cabinets are there)

    The goal is to make a grand entrance from the front door with the highest ceiling with a beam row. 

    I think the highest ceiling we can get is 9ft with the existing floor above it

    The percentage tray ceiling looks perfect. :) 

    I like it as well especially with the crown around it adding more detail

    I know we have discussed about the ceiling situation in the power room. I see it is estimated 4', can we make it 5' instead? 

    We won't know the exact ceiling height until it is figured out in the field but there is enough room to push the toilet further into the space as needed with a cabinet or shelf or pony wall behind the toilet and that would make the slope not as impactful on the toilet - but honestly it makes it a charming space and reminds me of some houses I did in the city (SF) - where this kind of coziness is common

    For the laundry room, how we make a proper dryer vent hose exhausts out of the room? Through a ceiling? I am not sure if it also needs a vent fan for a safety reason? 

    Yes it needs a vent but I think it is still close enough to an exterior wall or roof to make it work - the HVAC sub-contractor will figure it out - it would be design/build by him/her

    As you know, the current ceiling in my family room has a 1' mounted ceiling from the kitchen's ceiling. Both current ceiling is 8' and I see you proposed 9' in the drawing. Are you suggested that we should remove the mounted ceiling?

    Yes

    Although I am not opposed to this idea, I am not sure if it is a realistic and affordable option. I was told that it may be hidden with pipes and other utilities to support some functions in the seconds story. If so, it would become a very expensive renovation, where we relocate many utilities for both stories (e.g. most costs, permits, times, etc). LMKWYT. 

    My suggestion would be to show it then have the contractor do some exploration and looking into it more.  If he/she finds it isn't feasible then it will still work with an 8ft ceiling and make the nook cozy

    Follow up Questions: 
    1. Have you seen the first draft of landscaping by Don/Chris yet? 

    I have not - maybe forward to me or ask them to

    2. If so, we'd like to add electrical parts--outlet plugs for outside area--do we run that through with you or with them? 

    We would do outside outlets up against the house and they would do any outlets detached from the house as needed

This reply was deleted.
google-site-verification=wLfGnbtX8dngPdp2s-cVs-seE_1oaDtuyXB-r0jf5mE