Taking that backyard deck and turning it into an in-law suite.

How many times do you see this when shopping for a home in the DC area, a backyard deck and a tiny living space on the first floor.  I know the feeling as space is a premium around here and the ability build that larger kitchen or living room just seems all too complicated.   Well not so as we came across one creative builder not all that long ago, Home Perfection Contracting on one of their recent projects in NOVA and we liked what we saw.

Outdated Outdoor Space

As I see many additions go up I see just as many come back down due to improper construction practices that just barely meet code.  Most decks as they are quickly constructed are simply built with a crawlspace under them, so reconfiguring the space to accommodate a four season addition to match the same dimensions can be a bit more involved as some real thought needs to go into the type of space you are constructing.  This particular project presented some interesting issues as the owner was looking to make the renovation quite a bit more energy efficient when compared to the county code requirements.

One of the immediate challenges the builder Ahmad Khreshi had to deal with was the fact that there was to be minimal land disturbance since the house was surrounded by an array of older shade trees. Another challenge with building a fully weatherized addition over an exposed crawl space involves its exposure to the elements of nature, changing temperature regimes and a variety of moisture issues.

To effectively deal with this issue Ahmad Khreshi carefully reviewed the site drainage and installed a swale with a dry-well.  Now I haven’t seen too many dry-wells being installed and that was one of the items that intrigued me about this project. It had a two fold impact, one preventing site water runoff and secondly groundwater recharge for the surrounding vegetation which the homeowner wanted to retain around the addition.

Drywell Construction

“The Addition”

As the home owner was looking to create an energy efficient a space as possible Ahmad implemented some building practices to ensure the addition would be as comfortable as possible.

Finished swale

Going Beyond Code

1. Framing with 2 x 6 to provide additional wall depth for increased insulation.

2. A dedicated split ductless heating and cooling unit, allowing owner to control heating and cooling much better.

3. Heated flooring for the bathroom, a creature comfort that makes the space that much more inviting.

4. Sound insulated walls, creating a more inviting space.

5. Recycled cotton insulation ( denim ) eliminating any harmful off gassing from traditional fiberglass insulation.

Overall this was an intriguing example of rededicating an outdoor deck as expanded living space for the home owner with minimal impact to the vegetation and increasing the homes efficiency with an eye towards quality and sustainability.

A Modern Green Feel