The Porch Project

When we bought this house 10 years ago, we liked everything about it except for the deck.  Four years before we moved, we had put a sunroom and screened porch on to the old house, and when we moved, we really missed having the outside living space.  The deck on the new house wasn't in great shape, and we weren't intesested in repairing it because we thought one day we would tear it off and put on a screened porch.   Now the deck is in really bad shape.

There is a missing rail, the deck boards are splitting, and worst of all, the deck is structurally unsound.  None of the 4 contractors who looked at the deck could tell us why it it pulling apart.  The gap started very slowly, over many years.  Then all of a sudden, we had a 3 inch space between the boards, and the floor was sagging.  We would liked to have blamed it on the earthquake, but that really wasn't the cause.  One of the contractors we talked to propped up the floor with some old 2x4s, so the floor wouldn't collapse while we were deciding what to do. 

At this point, fixing the deck is not an option because it it so far gone.  We thought about putting in a patio, a new deck,  a covered veranda, or  a screened porch.  We started talking to contractors back in October and have finally come to a decision.

 We're going to put on a 14 x14 ft. screened porch, and at the same time, we are going to have the utility room turned into a real  (8 x12 ft.) room instead of a hall.  Right now our washing machine, dryer, and utility sink are in a hallway separating the kitchen from the garage.  If you are moving clothes from the washer to the dryer, you are likely to get hit in the head by a door by someone coming in from the garage.  It is also next to impossible to pull out the dryer to clean the lint out of the exhaust hose without standing on your head.  We are making the room big enough for the dogs' crates.

The new utility room will come about to the edge of the brick walkway.

Where the grill and the steps are is where the new utility room will be.  The new steps will go down into the yard onto a walkway to the driveway.  I am very excited to finally get this project moving.  We will be signing the contract next week.