Dormer Addition

My clients for this dormer addition project in N Portland just sent me a note that they have permits! I am so excited for them, and excited to see the project built. It's a pivotal moment as a homeowner when you pull permits. Scary and thrilling at the same time - scary because this project is probably the most expensive thing you'll do aside from the original purchase of your home and thrilling because the new space will be so so so wonderful.

This is a small addition - just over 100 sf! But it will transform the existing attic space into a bedroom, walk-in closet, and full bath with a large soaking tub and a separate shower. There is even a nook at the top of the stair, which may become a tiny office space or a spot for reading. A new operable skylight at the top of the stair will allow air to flow through the house when it is open - a 'natural' air-conditioning technique.



Garage without loft, above

Garage with loft, above

For a home on a heavily treed lot in SW Portland, we are working on a new garage with living space above. In our initial design meeting, the owners identified a loft up above the living space as a priority. But, as we started to design, we realized that the new garage might have an overwhelming impact on the existing house. The owners wanted to see what the garage would look like next to the house, just to make sure.

With a couple of photograps and some google Earth measurements, we modeled the existing house. As you can see, the two extra feet of height that the loft would require does have a negative impact on the house. The owners may even feel it necessary to bring the roof down another foot or so, to give the house the heirarchy it deserves.

This is a classic case of how Spinnaker Architect works with clients - it's a true partnership. We expect our clients to be active participants in the design process, weighing functionality, cost, and aesthetics. We use advanced tools and knowledge of codes and construction to bring an idea alive, but in the end it is your house! We want our clients to be truly satisfied with the end results.

Gable, Hip, or Shed

I'm working on an addition project in Beaverton today. We've worked out the plan layout, and now my client, Kim, wants to see what different roof shapes would look like. Here's a photo of the existing house and three options. Which one would you choose?

Making it Look Like It's Always Been There

Why do some house additions stick out like sore thumbs? Most times, it's because the addition was just 'done' without drawings or a consideration of how it would really look.

Most of our clients at Spinnaker Architect come to us with the question... "Can we build this addition and still make it look like it belongs to the original house?" Of course! That's our specialty!

Dan & Fran Compton's House - can you tell what part is the addition?


Here's a BEFORE picture. If you didn't spot the addition, don't feel bad - several of Dan & Fran's neighbors and friends missed it, too! After they completed the addition in 2005, some of their friends (who hadn't seen the construction) asked them, "Weren't you planning a big addition project this summer?" They were delighted to answer, yes, and it's done - can't you see it?

This picture (above) is the house my husband and I live in, and it's where I operate Spinnaker Architect. In 2008, I managed construction for a whole house remodel that we had been planning on doing for 4 years. When the new roof was being installed, neighbors who are kitty-corner to our house stopped by because they needed resolution on an arguement they were having: the husband thought that we were just getting a new roof, and the wife said, "No, they added that whole new piece on the roof!" Sure enough, she was right - we had added a dormer, and enclosed the front porch. The photo below shows our house BEFORE the project.