Our House Plans and Design

Months ago we began researching on whether or not our dream for a complete house rebuild was even an option. We started by talking to several people we know in construction and getting some feedback on options. One particular friend of ours was determined to make this whole thing happen and helped to really support and push us in the right direction. His guidance and encouragement really is what sparked us to jump all in. We are so grateful for that help.  With his guidance we found an amazing team to work with in the pre-planning stage.

 

At first we weren't sure which direction to go. Do we save part of the house? Can we? What kind of condition is our foundation in? (Our house was built in 1961). Should we just bulldoze it all down and start from complete scratch? We needed major help. 

Our first goal was to determine what we were working with as far as our foundation goes. We found an amazing Structural Engineer who came over to do an assessment and help us know our options. Like most older homes, we had some foundation issues but thankfully nothing that was not fixable and also something we could add a second story to. After talking with him we decided our best course of action was to move forward with trying to save our foundation and anything else that made sense. This would save us on total cost which is a top priority for us. Additionally, we really like the idea of using part of our old house for the new.

Next up was meeting our architect (part of the structural team) and letting him know our hopes and dreams. Honestly, I think we were both kind of surprised at this point that all of this was actually moving forward but after living somewhere for 11 years you know what you would like. 

Dreams - a second story, a front porch and a screen porch on the back (we love being outside), open floor plan downstairs with more space to entertain, a downstairs owners suite, fireplace, laundry room, upstairs loft area, a bedroom and bathroom just for Silas, an office for Justin and spare room for guests.  Oh- and a pantry! We have never had one. Our current house square footage is right under 1000 square feet. Its small but worked for us for a long time. We learned how to use every square inch well and hosted many many parties, meetings and all sorts of gatherings there. 

We thought a lot about adding extra square footage to the footprint on the main level - something doable. But honestly we just didn't see the need for it. We've lived in a small space for so long - this was going to feel huge for us. We have a small section of foundation being added at the front of the house but that was it. And with the right design - your space can really work well for you.

Literally blown away the first time I saw this!

I was honestly skeptical of what could actually be accomplished and what I had kind of pictured in my head ended up being nothing what was presented to us - and I'm so glad because they gave us something even better. We are absolutely in love with our floor plans.  Somehow they turned that little house into a beautiful thoughtful space with every single item on our wishlist. They also captured our exterior exactly the way we wanted, even though I don't think we even said what we exactly wanted, lol. I'm pretty sure I said- I like old houses and big porches. That was the only thing I gave him.

I absolutely loved the design process of this project. Our engineer and architect were amazing, listened well and delivered a beautiful product. I cannot wait to see this come together in real life. 

Once we settled on our final plans it was time to get a loan and get to work on figuring out the best way to repair our foundation. It feels like we have been in the planing stage forever but we want to get this part right. It's important our plans are done well, our foundation is correct and all of our permitting is in order. So in the meantime, I dream of our new home that's waiting to be built. 

More on the process of becoming our own General Contractors next! Some of you have already reached out and said this was something you are considering. This was a hard decision but one we are happy about! I'l try and give some info on how that works here in NC, so stay tuned! 

So much of this has been surreal. We have always been thankful for the little home God provided for us 11 years ago. To have a safe and cozy place for us to learn how to be hospitable and use what we were given well. We pray this new space will be the same. We want our home to be a place always where people feel welcomed and loved. A place for laughter and tears and for God's word to be shared and enjoyed. Good meals and gatherings, celebrations and prayer. Expectant for what comes next.