As-Purchased Photos: Lower Level

The lower level of the house is completely unfinished, providing a blank slate for us to realize our vision for the home. The character of this space was among the top reasons we purchased the property, and there are many notable points here.

First of all, nearly the entire square footage is available to work with on this level, which contrasts with many homes where the grade, masonry, or critical parts of the structure interfered with potential development. The old shed-like interior structures here are easily torn out. The rearmost ten feet of the upper level are actually cantilevered over the back, and we intend on enclosing that space and claiming more square footage for the interior.

Also unusual for the lower level is that the ceilings are eleven-and-a-half feet high. This means we don't need to excavate the floor, and after finishing we're likely to have around ten-foot ceilings on the lower level. Such high ceilings on the ground floor will provide a great sense of space and match the airiness of the upper level nicely.

The massive asbestos hydra seen in the first photo is an old gravity furnace; we'll be removing it almost as soon as we take possession of the home, eventually replacing the heating system with hydronic radiant floors.

The quality of construction evident in the lower level is good, but some structural work is required to bring it up to code. In particular, we need to bolt the frame to the foundation, add plywood shear walls over the studs, and add brackets where the posts meet the beams.

When remodeled, this level will house the master suite, a sitting room, laundry room, garage/workshop, and wine cellar.