n06 Greenlake House Lift Residence

Project: Greenlake House Lift: Save This Old House
Architect: MAKE Design Studio, Nicole Starnes Taylor
Contractor: Blue Sound Construction, Ben Gebhardt
Date of Completion: November 2011

Project Description:

This project has a wonderful story about homeowners making the decision to SAVE THIS OLD HOUSE. Instead of tearing their house down and replacing it with a newly constructed home, we lifted the existing 750 sf home 12 feet and moved it back 3 feet to create an additional 1500 square feet of living space for this growing family.

The homeowners loved the scale and details of their Craftsman home, valued the materials and labor that went into the original structure and treasure the Greenlake neighborhood where it resides. The design pays homage to the home’s 1918 origins by keeping much of the original detailing and maintaining the house at a scale that nestles within the fabric of the neighborhood. The building program focused on larger interconnected spaces for cooking, dining, living and making that encourage gathering with family and friends. A large rear deck and a new front porch extend the gathering spaces outside and provide an opportunity to connect with neighbors. Green materials and strategies were an integral part of this project from the beginning. Material selection and construction processes met strict requirements to ensure healthy indoor air quality and environmental responsibility within a tight budget.  Lifting a house 12 feet during a Seattle winter has its challenges but a two (2) phase lift approach was one of the many strategies employed to make this challenging project a success.

This project answers the question we were asked many many times:

“Why didn’t you just tear it down and start over…I bet that would have been a lot cheaper.”

Building Materials Salvaged or Reused:

Lifted and reused existing 750 sf home built in 1918: includes old growth fir floor joists, old growth fir wall studs, roof, bathroom, appliances, oak flooring, front door, interior doors and trim, exterior lights, exterior knee braces

• Reused old growth fir posts and beams from post and pier foundation for furniture
• New Green Building Materials:
• Solid sawn lumber, gluelams and plywood sheathing: specified to reduce offgassing from toxic glues, increased material longevity and future deconstruction
• No MDF or OSB used due to off-gassing and inferior durability
• Concrete without flyash or slag to improve indoor air quality
• No formaldehyde added plywood cabinetry
• Zero VOC interior wall paint and low VOC finishes
• Water efficient fixtures including dual flush toilets

• FSC certified Tigerwood interior flooring and decking
• Eco by Costentino Countertops
• Tile with high recycled content
• Prewired for PV and Solar Thermal
• Daylighting strategies to reduce use of artificial lighting
• Insulation: blown-in cellulose at walls, rigid foam at basement, non-formaldehyde batts at attic

• Build within existing home footprint to preserve site for outdoor play, vegetable gardens and chickens
• High efficiency domestic water and space heating