Category Deck Addition

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Young Family/Unique Home
This may be one of the most unique homes we have worked on.

The clients had a few priorities to share with us to define the project scope. Expanding the upper level to provide separate bedrooms and a bathroom for their young boy and girl was number 1.

Back to the unique features of this home. The home is a combination earth/two story home. The back half of the home is built into the lot. Not so much a hill but about a 12 ft. rise in the lot from the front to the back. The back half of the house has grass growing on it.

By now you might be wondering what is holding up the yard over the house. Good question. The simple answer is the ceiling consists of concrete panels that are insulated and waterproofed under the soil/grass. The kind of panels you might see in commercial construction. This makes for a challenge to have a functioning mechanical system as it’s a no-no to drill through the planks. The planks run from the back of the house all the way to the front. The whole ceiling in the main level is cement!

To avoid drilling through the concrete planks and to add the necessary space needed for the bedrooms, we extended the upper level three feet. This allowed for a “mechanical chase”.

This home was designed by an architect who works at SALA and who also is the president for MN GreenStar. He insisted on a high performance package along with proper duct sealing. The system would be tested by a blower door. The thermal envelope features staggered stud framing, closed cell, and batt insulation at the walls. The ceiling featured closed cell insulation along with blown cellulose to achieve an R-60 insulation value.

The upper level required around 15,000 BTU’s to supply warmth. This was accomplished with what is known as a “mini-split” system. It uses an air source heat pump to warm and cool the space. Unique to this system is that it is ducted and also features electrical heating elements in the ductwork for back-up heat. They work the same as baseboard heat but have the advantage of being in ductwork which of course allows the heat to be circulated.

Water mitigation was challenging. Most of the home is underground and the existing waterproofing worked well but could be improved with drain tile. We added a tile to the side of the garage along with drainage boards and waterproofing above the tile to the finished landscaping. We also “cut” the back yard to improve water flow away from the building. We will track the water mitigation over time.

This was a great project with great homeowners. The finishes in the home are warm, beautiful, and friendly.

Contact Showcase Renovations if you have questions about this project or need a remodeling contractor in St. Louis Park.

People frequently ask, “What are the best remodeling projects for return on investment and adding property value?” And it’s no surprise that the answer identifies the hottest trends in remodeling today.

This topic was proposed by the winner of our recent contest for a good topic for a blog post. So here we go and with some pictures from a few of our projects!

When considering ROI, note that geographical regions vary in cost/value ratios which change over time along with housing trends. Based upon information gleaned from local and national sources, the highest return on investment is currently found in these types of home improvements:

Entry Door and/or Garage Door Replacement
– 70 to 90 percent return on investment

Exterior doors are a key home feature that are often overlooked, yet provide one of the first impressions of your home. We call that Curb Appeal. A door that looks new and complements the house style will contribute to the perception of a quality home. And most doors can be replaced in just a few hours.

Deck Addition
– 70 to 87 percent return on investment

People are tending to spend more time at home, and outdoor living spaces are becoming more desirable for relaxation as well as entertaining. Costs depend upon size of deck, design, materials, and special features.

Attic Bedroom
– 77 to 84 percent return on investment

Remodeling attic space to create a bedroom is an economical approach for “expansion”. It can be done without sacrificing existing high-functional space, such as a kitchen or living room, and does not require adding square footage to the home’s footprint.

Minor Kitchen Remodel
– 80 to 83 percent return on investment

A kitchen remodel can add significant value when you are considering selling your home, especially if it blends with the style of your home in terms of size and finish. On the other hand, an enormous ultra-deluxe kitchen with high-end appliances in a small home that is otherwise conservatively finished will likely result in a lower return on investment – something to keep in mind.

Bathroom Addition or Remodel
– 60 to 70 percent return on investment

Space that is underutilized, such as a closet, small bedroom, or under stairs, may be the perfect place to add a new bathroom. Or there may be an existing bathroom that needs a remodel. In either case, there is a flood of new products for bath design, materials, tiles, and accessories. A full bath includes a tub and/or stand-up shower plus toilet and vanity; a half bath (or powder room) includes toilet and vanity only.

Our thanks to the winner of our blog topic contest for suggesting this. It comes at a good time both economically and seasonally. If you have a suggestion for a blog topic please submit it to us and we’ll get your questions answered and try to publish the information you’re looking for! Thanks for visiting!

This St. Louis Park Addition Exterior is close to completion. The garage door and exterior lighting fixtures will be here soon and the deck rail to the back stairs will be installed as well.

An important part of this project was accomplishing the homeowner’s goals while matching the architectural style, colors and materials of the existing home.

When the landscaping and plantings are in, this St. Louis Park addition will blend wonderfully and really look as if it was built as part of the original house. Our sincere thanks and kudos to Bryan Anderson and SALA ARCHITECTS for their design work on this project.

That’s what makes a renovation a Showcase Renovation!

This stage of the project shows the poured concrete foundation walls and cement block walls where appropriate. These concrete walls will give a finished ceiling of over 10′ for this St. Louis Park attached garage addition when completed.

— On the left is the foundation ready to be capped. On the right is a shot of two poured columns with core filled block on top in anticipation of supporting a wrap-around deck.

— These two images show the cap load – called that because the lumber is used to put the initial cap on the foundation. And a look from the top in the back showing the reinforced concrete wall with insulating drainage board (R value of 5) over watchdog H3 waterproofing.

— And of course none of this happens without some carpenters that are ready to go!