Anyone build a modular cape cod?
Sunnysmom
8 years ago
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Comments (9)
Debbie B.
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoChristopher_H
8 years agoRelated Discussions
Visting Cape Cod
Comments (25)After having been absent for so long (trips to The Netherlands and New Zealand) I came home a few weeks ago to my gardens that I had expanded (ref. post Balance in the Garden) but had not planted let alone mulched to a world of weeds I never imagined could move in so quickly (worse than second cousins on welfare). I have spent the last few weeks spreading 15 yards of mulch hoping that would slow things down but I am not so sure...any way POLLY HILL yes we need to do a trip. She is probably best known for her azalea introductions, my yucca's are in bloom now, deep pink, light pink, white, and the occasional half white half pink blossom the size of a standard petunia blossom. Magnolia's are another plant that her name is often associated with. We also have some amazing nurseries and of course a slightly different flora. I would love to host a weekend this summer and or possibly one in early fall. The first detail to work on is housing I have room to sleep eight to ten (five dormitory style in a garage apartment and two guest rooms with double beds as well as a room with one single). Rentals although I am sure are still available are very $$$ but if enough people share perhaps that's an option. Prior to making arrangements I suppose I should ask is any one interested?? Katy...See MoreBow Roof Cape Cod
Comments (14)fromnh, Is the reason you don't want to do wood shakes because of the maintenance or cost? Once they are weathered, I don't believe they require any additional maintenance. A higher end vinyl isn't cheap either, but labor install costs may be less I suppose. Since we are entirely DIY we focus more on material cost. There is a house not far from us that used the vinyl weathered shakes and while it doesn't look terrible, it would not fool the eye especially if it is between two older, authentic capes. Maybe there are other products out there better than the ones I have seen. There have been some Nichia (Sp?) photos on GW that look pretty good in pictures. We did Certainteed cement board lap siding and stained it on-site and when looking for shake products for the gables (cement board, vinyl, etc.) decided that nothing looked like the real thing but the real thing. So we will have a little more maintenance but worth it IMHO. I hope you will keep us updated on your findings and decide to ultimately build. Jill...See MoreDecorating Help!! (Cape Cod/Craftsman Style)
Comments (21)Wow. I, for one, am sure salivating over those beautiful pictures. Probably not exactly what Matt and Trish were expecting or looking for, but they sure took my breath away. We also are building a Craftsman house. Since I couldn't afford a real architect, I have done my own extensive research. And believe it or not...as useful as the internet is, I found the old fashioned library to be the best resource. I basically designed our plan myself. I tried very hard to stick to some true Craftsman elements with the scale, trim, and openness of the floorplan. Of course I'm pretty sure that my very large kitchen, master bath and closet do not fit the true Craftsman style, I have tried to be authentic in other ways. As far as decorating I do not plan to emulate a true Craftsman because I have a lot of traditional, transitional, and semi-antique (handcrafted pieces from the 1920s-1940s) that I will not part with. I am instead trying to create a Craftsman "mood" by highlighting generous usage of stained woodwork and painted tiles. We also have a decent but small start of a collection of art glass that I will be highlighting. I am going to be using earthy and sort of dark colors to achieve that mood. I know that my house will probably be somewhat dark even though there are lots of windows. The deep overhangs and eaves will sort of shadow the natural light. That's perfectly OK with me. I am not a bright light type of person. I like warm woods and dark colors. For what it's worth, I'm also not a morning person. I hope that the house we are creating will be a work of art and live well with my family. It certainly has been well thought out. I know it is not going to be authentic by any means so I hope that it doesn't offend anyone. The house will be in a historical district. Oddly enough not one of the other houses in the area seem to be a real clear style even though they were all built between 1915-1930. ECLECTIC RULES! I guess we'll fit in.......See MoreAdvice on Finishing Our 1940s Cape Cod Attic
Comments (15)We've converted two attic spaces (same house, opposite ends) to living space, with low ceilings. From my experience, the first thing to do, after determining whether you can safely/legally finish the attic, is to run the electrical wires. To avoid running duct from a furnace/AC, I'd run 220v for a couple of baseboard heaters, and use the portable AC units which sit on the floor and vent through a window. I can see some natural light, so it looks as if you have dormers, which might be fine for egress and the portable AC units. We used foam baffles between the roof and insulation, then sheetrock as usual. If you are not confident about finishing sheetrock, and don't want to pay to have it done, you can tape it, then cover with inexpensive sheet beadboard. I like your floors as they are, but you'd want to seal them, if not paint. Those are much nicer floors than I've ever seen in an unfinished attic. I'm impressed that there are floor boards at all--I've see a lot of attics with a few pieces of plywood laid across the joists to store boxes. Since the knee walls wouldn't be structural, I think you could frame them yourself, with some research, and basic tools. You might as well frame them in, since that space is too low to use as living space, and if you feel confident enough, you can turn the space into recessed storage--shelves or converted dresser/drawers--very convenient if the space will be used as an office or craft room. If you choose the portable AC option, you could even tailor a storage space to the unit(s), for the off-season. Following are pics of some of the kneewall storage in our half-story attic addition. I did most of the work myself, with limited construction experience. (Left the electrical work to the pro.) The white walls, and closet doors, are the sheet beadboard I mentioned above. I also had to work around closet space in adjacent bedrooms, and the old roof supports, which is why the recessed shelves in the first pic are so shallow. If you can find cabinets, drawers, and chests on craigslist, Goodwill, and the Restore, you can keep the cost down--but only if you have more time, than money, to invest in the project. It would be very difficult to estimate the cost. Our neighbor is a master electrician, and we traded him a strip of land that he'd been asking about, to wire the whole addition. We already had all the tools needed. A chop saw/miter saw, set up in the space as I was working, was invaluable. Circular saw for angled cuts on 2x4 framing. Reciprocating saw for cutting existing framing, and a jig saw for small cuts is also useful. Framing and finishing nail guns are convenient, but I don't like using them, so I did all the nailing with a hammer. I love hearing a nail 'sing' as it's being driven into the framing. :) If you have friends or relatives with construction experience, who will do favors or trade skills, then you can keep the cost down. Kneewall storage ideas/google Portable AC units on Amazon...See MoreSunnysmom
8 years agoSunnysmom
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoSunnysmom
8 years agoChristopher_H
8 years agoSunnysmom
8 years agoDebbie B.
8 years ago
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