"It is so nice to have a new kitchen. I love the quartz countertops. I love the cooktop and range hood. The cabinets are beautiful and functional. It's exactly what we wanted."
—Happy customer"
I've been asked many times, "Why remodel when you can just build new?" As a designer and builder, I've done plenty of both. The truth is, I prefer the problem-solving of remodeling. The higher degree of difficulty, the better. Reconstruction can be a battle, but that's the beauty of the challenge. In this program, we will look back at some of the job site issues with the second-story addition, as well as a walkthrough of the finished product with a delighted client.
Kitchen/dining area
We were lucky to have a contractor up to the task. The original lower level kitchen and bathroom was a cramped disorganized mess. The crew of Ibex Construction executed the structural tie-in of the new foundation, the new addition, and second-story framing.
This problematic work was completed in an efficient and professional manner. Their efforts set the stage for the transformation of this kitchen, dining area, and guest bathroom.
Updated cabinets, countertops, and appliances have transformed a formally impractical lower level to a now spacious and efficient kitchen and dining area. I'll let my client take us through the rest of this project.
"This is the original staircase, but the difference is we've got a bunch of open space here. Now, you can stand up. You just couldn't even really use the space, but because Peter was able to design this awesome dormer that gets in all this light instead of feeling like a closed in space, this is now an awesome open space that we're using as an office."
—Happy customer
Making the old look New
"This will become a gable end, being vaulted with a ridge beam that comes back that carries right here, and then the rafters will all come out allowing storage underneath and just a nice master bedroom space." Luke Stahlberg, IBEX Construction
"Here's our master bedroom and one of the things that we are so pleased with is our contractor, Luke Sahlberg of Ibex Construction, did a really nice job blending the new space, which this is all totally new construction, but it matches perfectly with a 117-year-old home."
"This is the master bath and one of the other challenges was how do we get a bathroom and a closet and a bedroom in this space. And again, we were able to work with the design from Peter, Luke Sahlberg was able to make it all work, including designing a closet that adjoins with the bathroom, so we have everything that a master suite should have.
Like I said before, remodeling is a battle. But with the practical design, talented and committed tradespeople, and an appreciative client, it is very much worth all the effort we put into the process. Thanks for taking the time to watch.
—Peter Q Brown is an architect in Bozeman, Montana. His YouTube channel has more behind-the-scenes productions.
