Past Projects Archives - Page 3 of 3 - Michael F. Simon Builders

Preparation Is Key! Three-Season Porch Addition Process

Benjamin Franklin once said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” This statement couldn’t be more true in our eyes!

We hope by now that it goes without saying that we pride ourselves with providing our customers with solid expertise, a pleasant building experience, and a worry-free finished product that can be enjoyed for years to come. One way we strive to deliver on this is to plan ahead in ways that the typical builder may not think of!

When building a new home, or remodeling an existing structure, we try to “predict the future” the best we can and incorporate planning that sets up our clients for success in the future. It takes a relatively small amount of effort and money to construct a project in a way that thinks about possible future additions, remodels, or conversions compared to starting from scratch and having to open up walls and complete restructuring after the product is completed.

This month’s featured project is a perfect example of how we set up one of our clients for success with a remodeling wish. Our clients purchased a home that we built for a previous homeowner of ours. When building the home, the original homeowners desired to have a three season porch on the back of their home. During the design phase they asked for us to keep the porch off of the home for the time being, but made sure we knew they wanted to add it later on. When constructing the home we took into consideration the location and the finishes of the future porch so that it would be simple to add the porch when they desired.

We framed in a rough opening that would fit a standard sliding patio door off the dining room and placed a window within that opening for the time being. In addition, we placed the EIFS (Exterior Insulation Finishing System) band trim at a level that would seamlessly tie into the new porch. To add this structure, all we needed to do was cut an exact hole in the side of the house and remove the window. The framing was all complete and the exterior cladding could just be added onto.

It’s our hope that turning the much anticipated final product over to our client isn’t where their positive experience ends. We want to make sure that any future building needs are taken care of in the same professional way as the original needs. The original homeowner never ended up adding the porch, but had the opportunity to use the preplanning as a huge selling point in the sale of the home!

In this particular case, it was the next homeowner that greatly benefited from this preplanning when they too had the same desire to add on a three-season porch. When first interested in the addition, they sought out the original builder and boy were we happy when we got to share the original plans with them. It laid the foundation for a pain-free positive experience of their own!

Share with us in taking a look at how this project came together!

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Considering a home renovation? Simon Builders can help!

A home redesign isn’t something that you jump right into blind. You are going to want to do some research before you begin planning out your home redesign. Here are some questions to ask yourself before you begin thinking about the redesign process.

What is my budget? Can I achieve the design I want? What are my goals for this redesign? Who do I call for help?

The last question is easy enough- our design and sales team will help you find the right look and quality products to transform your home. We have the years of experience to guide you through the process from start to finish! Contact us today to get started.

Luxurious Lake Home Transformation: Part 2

Last month, we shared a part of a whole-home remodel project that was recently finished. (Here’s a link to that portion of the project.) In this project, we helped the homeowners transform a dated home on the lake into an open concept, “Executive Level Lake Home” that maximized the lake views and had a crisp, clean and luxurious feel. We changed a lot in this project, both inside and outside including putting an addition in an unused area on the side of the home. This allowed us to use the new space to create a master suite that the home was desperately lacking.

An open area was filled in to create a luxurious Master Bath which includes double vanities, make-up area, soaking tub with lake views and a large walk-in shower.

Space was taken from an old bathroom and space that had been part of the former Kitchen to create a spacious walk-in closet with custom closet system that was a high priority for the homeowners.

The existing fireplace location in the former Family Room was to remain, but since the room use was changing into a Master Bedroom with the main entrance coming in next to the fireplace, we removed from the existing fireplace. We were able to salvage stone from this hearth to be used to repair the existing fireplace face. This was an excellent use of existing space and materials. It completely transforms the feel of the room.

There was existing finished space above the garage that was hard to access because you had to go out into the unheated garage to use existing stairs and wasn’t very inviting once you gained access. To meet another need of the owners we added a refreshment bar area and a half bath that allow comfort to the family when they are watching the game or snuggled in to binge-watch favorite shows or movies.

Formerly the stairs to the Bonus Room were accessed in the garage space but a new connecting hallway was created in the new floor plan. A hidden door was added to provide closure but allow comfortable access to the space. In the closed mode, the area has the look of a decorative niche only. It was sized perfectly to allow an art piece that the owners wished to accommodate. The innovative door operates by voice command through an Alexa app and is a really really cool feature!

The new floor plan shows the added connection to the existing stairs. There is a nearly seamless connection at the walls and trim when the door is in the open position.

Creating a Beautiful Solution Inside

The area that had been a sunroom was having a six-foot section of wall removed to allow the space to be opened up to the Living Room to create more flexibility in the floor space. With the discovery of the carpenter ants and the rotted windows in this area it was determined that changing all of the existing framing structure would be best for the project. The original roof for sunroom had been a shed roof and had a low feeling over the existing lake side wall so the restructuring allowed for a gable to be added to this room which created a higher feel to the ceiling and more dramatic look to the lake view.

The lakeside of the home was enhanced by adding a gable roof over the existing addition that had functioned as a sunroom but was changed to serve as a portion of the newly created Great Room. This new roof enhances the exterior by creating a focal point to the lakeside of the home and creates balance to the elevation by drawing the eye away from the top heavy look for the existing second floor dormer. While the gable is new, it is done in a style that is appropriate to the Cape Cod style of the home and creates repetition to other gables on the home.

Another look at how the interior was taken from rustic, cabin to modern clean lines, with a mix of wood accents that the homeowners desired. The new layered crown shows outstanding skill and beautiful detailing.

An existing furniture piece that was repurposed into a vanity in the guest bath. Great care was taken to allow the drawers in front of the sink to remain and be operable. The drawer shape was modified to allow function and keep the form on the outside.

Considering a home renovation? Simon Builders can help!

A home redesign isn’t something that you jump right into blind. You are going to want to do some research before you begin planning out your home redesign. Here are some questions to ask yourself before you begin thinking about the redesign process.

What is my budget? Can I achieve the design I want? What are my goals for this redesign? Who do I call for help?

The last question is easy enough- our design and sales team will help you find the right look and quality products to transform your home. We have the years of experience to guide you through the process from start to finish! Contact us today to get started.

Luxurious Lake Home Transformation

We are extremely excited to share this whole-home remodel that was recently completed. These homeowners had been looking to buy lake property, but were only finding homes that felt like rustic cabins or were outdated with floor plans that were closed off and choppy. They were looking for more of an “Executive Level Lake Home” with an open concept floor plan that maximized the lake views and had a crisp, clean and luxurious feel. We worked with them before they put their offer in on the property about what could be done to remodel this home and provided ideas to make drastic floor plan changes which updated the whole feel of the home. They ended up making an offer and getting the property. And then the fun began…

Siding Refresh & Entryway Relocation

The exterior siding was changed from a faded vinyl to a warm, rich color fiber cement with contrasting corner and trim elements to add interest. The entire roof was replaced ensuring the exterior of the home was sealed correctly to protect the interior. A whole new covered entry was added with stone details to match the stone at other areas of the home.

A new Foyer and focal point were created with the addition of a gabled roof at the front door. This gives the exterior an updated modern farmhouse feel. Upon entering the home, guests are greeted by an open view to the lake and are brought into a newly open-concept plan.

Removing some interior walls and closing existing openings allowed the traffic patterns to change. The Sun Room and part of the Living Room were combined into one Great Room including a new vaulted ceiling. Changing the Family Room to the Master Bedroom and filling in an alcove area between the former Family Room and Garage allowed the space to create a beautiful Master Bath that now includes all the items our clients desired: double vanities with make-up counter, linen storage, large glass enclosed shower, and a soaking tub with views to the lake.

We removed a small, awkward pantry space next to the stairs which allowed the space between the existing Living Room and Kitchen to be opened and provide a new light-filled dining space. These changes combined to create the open concept floor plan that the owners requested.

Much of the interior of the home was covered with an old pine wall board and ceiling boards which gave the home a rustic, cabin feel that was not desired by the new homeowners. All new drywall and fresh modern paint colors were added, as well as custom crown trim and fresh stain at existing ceiling beams to make them pop on the painted wood ceiling.

We created a more welcoming entrance to the home by not only widening the opening from the newly created Foyer to the Living Room but we also removed walls and a door at the bottom of the stairs to allow a wide-open feel through the spaces.

At the Second Floor, we provided more safety at the stair opening by removing the existing half walls that were only 30 inches tall. Additionally, the new open railings allow light from the second floor to pour down to the first floor and provides an open connection between the main living area and the guest area.

The former Kitchen had very little counter or cabinet space. By changing the function of an existing Family Room into the Master Bedroom and changing its access point, we were able to create a spacious amount of counter and cabinet space in the same footprint as the former layout.

The new Kitchen is finished off with top-of-the-line Wolf and Sub Zero appliances. Additional LED interior lights with dimmer switches, undercabinet and pendant task lighting was added to the Kitchen. The new Kitchen includes everything that the owners desired and more.

Want to see more?

To see the rest of the before and after pictures, check out our May Newsletter. You’ll be glad you did! In the meantime, if you have a space you are thinking about remodeling, let us know. We would love to help you figure out the details!

Featured Project: Creating an Inviting Space for Family & Friends

Our featured project this month also happens to be an award winning project. We entered a portion of this project into The National Association of The Remodeling Industry’s (NARI) Contractor of the Year (COTY) and it won first place in the “Residential Interior Element under $30,000” category. NARI presents this prestigious award to a member who has demonstrated outstanding work in their remodeling project. We are so proud of our entire team for their efforts.

Traditional Transformation

Our client for this project had purchased a condo on the top floor of a building on the Capitol Square in Madison. The views from this unit were truly breathtaking overlooking the Capitol as well as views to Lake Mendota; however, the previous owners had finished this unit in a very contemporary style interior which was not to our client’s liking. There was a lot going on with different textures, colors and finishes. Our client wanted a warmer, more traditional interior.

While remodeling occurred in a majority of this 3,200 square-foot condo, our focus for this award and this article is on the fireplace wall as the element in the “Residential Interior Element under $30,000” category. This includes replacing the existing fireplace, adding a surround and redoing the accent walls on each side of the fireplace.

This was a picture that our client had found on Pinterest and absolutely loved. She brought it to our first meeting and asked us if we could make her living room fireplace wall look more like this picture. She loved the simple and warm feeling of this space.

The original fireplace that was installed at the time that the building was constructed was a gas fireplace. The second owner of this unit had switched over to an electric fireplace but the flames didn’t look very natural and the unit didn’t put out much heat, if any at all. We were able to remove that electric fireplace and install a beautiful new gas unit that will put out quite a bit of heat.

The new fireplace wall is a great new interior element. The simple yet grand cut-stone fireplace surround lands symmetrically on a cool colored accent wall to create a contrast to the warm color and texture of the brick. The feature provides traditional balance to the more modern features of the building itself. This small change really transformed the look and feel of this space. It is the centerpiece of the Living Room and is both warm and inviting as a conversational area and functional as a gathering point for family and friends.

While remodeling the other areas of this condo unit, we were able to carry this style throughout the remainder of the unit to bring continuity and repetition of the new urban style to the remainder of the project.

Considering a home renovation? Simon Builders can help!

A home redesign isn’t something that you jump right into blind. You are going to want to do some research before you begin planning out your home redesign. Here are some questions to ask yourself before you begin thinking about the redesign process.

What is my budget? Can I achieve the design I want? What are my goals for this redesign? Who do I call for help?

The last question is easy enough- our design and sales team will help you find the right look and quality products to transform your home. We have the years of experience to guide you through the process from start to finish! Contact us today to get started.