A Firm Foundation
By Janet Collins
The perfect home, in one of the most desirable beachside neighbourhoods of South Surrey, came in an unexpected package for one particular family of four. Their search for a comfortable home on a large, treed lot located within walking distance of the beach ultimately led them to a ‘50s-style bungalow with a basement at the rear – a house they knew they could shape into the home of their dreams.
One of the outstanding features of the home, and one of the key selling points for the homeowners, was its superb foundation – an asset that held the potential to save them thousands of dollars on their renovation costs.
“It was, without a doubt, the nicest foundation I’ve seen in all my years in this business,” says Douglas Willoughby, who manages design services for Kerr Construction – the company that undertook the renovation. “It was well beyond what anyone would expect. It was 10 inches thick – a full two inches more than code.
“Being able to keep the foundation was huge in terms of keeping costs down,” he adds. “The cost of demolishing the concrete, and then re-pouring new concrete and new drainage would have added a lot to the final figure.”
As it was, the 2,500-plus-square-foot project came in under $400,000.
The redevelopment of the home literally began from the ground up. “Only the foundation, exterior hard surfaces like the driveway, the main floor framing, and the carport were kept,” says Willoughby. “The rest was built new.” The result is a functional two-storey home with a basement to accommodate a growing family of four, plus room for guest accommodations.
The bungalow’s existing basement proved to be another valuable asset in light of the fact that the City of Surrey no longer allows basements in the area; the space was grandfathered into the renovation. Another plus was the stand of large cedars at the back of the property, which lessened the feeling that the house sat in the middle of a subdivision.
BUDGET-CONSCIOUS CHOICES
The search for ways to save money on the renovation did not begin and end with constructing the new home on the existing foundation. It extended into the interior design of the house as well.
“We looked for economies everywhere,” says Donna Chong. “We purposely simplified some areas so we could do more in others.”
“I think this project shows that you don’t need a huge budget to get a good result.”
In the kitchen, economical pre-finished birch plywood cabinets were installed, providing plenty of storage space. The decision to use a laminate rather than stone on the countertop also reduced costs – the homeowners can easily upgrade later, if they wish, without replacing the entire cabinet system. Clear glass was installed behind the cooktop for easy clean-ups, a choice that also proved more economical than tile. “It also made for a cleaner look,” says Chong, who was aiming for a modern esthetic that would reflect the family’s lifestyle.
The oven and microwave were built in to enhance the streamlined look and to ensure as much room as possible was available for the family to gather around the central island, which doubles as a dining area.
The bright living room combines with the dining room to create a large, open area that is well suited to the activities of young children. The metal fireplace forms the focal point of the room and, like the metal staircase railings, adds an industrial edge to the home’s modern design. The unusual fireplace features a steel grid that slides along a C-channel mounted in front of the hearth.
The homeowners had wanted slab concrete floors in the living room, but that would have necessitated extensive structural upgrading to accommodate the weight of the concrete. A compromise was achieved through the application of a skim coat over plywood. Bamboo was used on the floors throughout the second storey, with the exception of the bathrooms.
“The challenge in the master bath was to make it interesting without making it expensive,” says Chong. “We put money where it counted – the sink, drop-in tub, oversized shower and faucets. We used nice materials, but not overly expensive ones.” For example, inexpensive tiles were used for the most part, with a bit more spent on the glass accent tiles.
In the children’s bath, savings were gained by no having cabinets under the sinks. This created the perfect place for storing a step stool to help give the youngsters a boost when using the sink.
The simple, uncluttered entry area was purposely kept clear to se the tone for the clean, modern esthetic the homeowners wanted to achieve throughout the entire home.
“Eventually I’ll likely put in some sort of floating shelf and some artwork in the entry area,” says one of the homeowners, “jut like I’ll add more colour throughout the house when I find the right pieces of artwork. And I love mid-century furniture, so I will add that later, too.
“What I have right now is a house that will be able to change as my family grows and our needs change.”
