Piggy Back House  -  second floor gut rehab 

Lakeview Chicago Illinois    Completed 2010

This late 19th century balloon frame house has been altered, gutted and renovated over time. The original footprint is visible with a more recent addition "piggybacked" over the top of the roof and walls. During demolition we uncovered the original siding and windows inside the interior walls. A difficult aspect of this project was figuring out how to tackle the house plan changes while keeping the original home’s West exterior wall intact.  This wall, which now separates the two bathrooms, is crucial to the structure as it carries much of the roof weight down to the foundation. Removing it would require additional roof restructuring and substantial costs.

The new owners requested that we reconfigure the second floor and add a fourth bedroom. The main intent was to make it all more efficient. In the Master we re-structured the ceiling/roof to both stabilize it and provide a dramatic space. In addition, we created 2 large master closets behind the bed wall and a built-in wall of dressers opposite the bed. The hall to the master is lined with a custom desk, file storage and bookshelves. Combining a hall and office maximizes space in the small home.

The secondary bathroom was reduced and the jack and jill door was removed to fit a 4th bedroom into the plan. Closets were reconfigured and fitted out by Closet Works. The transformation is dramatic and will provide the owner with a home they can settle into with their expanding family. Plans have been created for a secondary phase of the renovation that would address the first floor layout.