Up House Multi-Unit
Addition & Remodel
Surrounded on the left by an eight-story apartment complex with 200 rental units, and to the right and rear by three seven-story buildings totaling 136 rental units, our modest two-story historic house—built in 1907—stands out like the real-life version of the house from Disney’s Up.
Though small in comparison to its towering neighbors, we transformed the existing two-unit residence into four units. This included excavating the garage to create a new ADU, as well as legalizing a previously unpermitted garage unit. Both second and third floor units were also expanded with new additions, each featuring private decks.
Lastly, as the owners were uncertain whether they would ultimately hold the property as rentals or sell the individual units, we were challenged to develop a material palette that would be both durable and appropriate for rental use while also being compelling enough to appeal to potential buyers. We embraced this challenge by creating distinct material palettes for each unit, with each kitchen and bath receiving its own unique combination of warm woods, contrasting paint colors, and complementary finishes.
Framing for the second & third floor rear additions is complete.
Framing for the second & third floor lightwell infill and rear addition is complete.
It’s showtime on the west side as we prep for new siding!
Fresh new face on the west side with the new siding nearing completion…
The east side is breathing new life with the new siding up & painted!
With the house construction now complete, we shift to infilling the existing garage curb cut & pouring a new sidewalk.
| Exterior Visual |
Framing for the second & third floor rear additions & private deck is complete.
The rear addition is coming into view with new siding, windows, guardrails & lighting all in-progress!
Both the second and third floors will have sun-kissed Living Rooms with a private deck right off the kitchen.
Gypcrete which is a lightweight gypsum-based concrete is being poured (over a 1/4-inch thick sound mat) between our units to improve fire ratings & reduce sound transmission. Short break for the contractor as light foot traffic will be possible after 90-minutes of curing.
With the drywall up & primed, you can get a great feel for the new top floor - open, bright, and full of potential! After 10-days, the gypcrete topping is now fully cured & ready for our finish flooring. Cure time is dependent on the thickness of the topping, environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and proper ventilation.
The flooring is going down with the perfect apartment rated waterproof & wet mop friendly laminate floor - with all the beautify of a hardwood floor.
As to differentiate each unit, each Kitchen will have a unique finish palette with the top floor paired with navy base cabinets & white oak upper cabinets.
As to differentiate each unit, each Kitchen will have a unique finish palette with the middle floor paired with soft gray base cabinets & white oak upper cabinets.
Both upper units will feature private decks off the Kitchen, providing an ideal setting for outdoor entertaining and grilling.
Small but mighty… One of the two Studio spaces are coming into view with the drywall installed…
Both upper units will have their own en-suite bathrooms, a highly desirable feature for any renter.
Our two upper units offer two and three bedroom layouts designed to accommodate families. To support the needs of these renters, one of the two bathrooms in each unit will include a tub - perfect for bathing kids or enjoying a relaxing soak.
The Studio apartment bathrooms feature warm wood finishes paired with vibrant tiles for a balance of coziness and fun.
In conjunction with our garage excavation, our new foundation was upgraded to a 15” thick concrete mat slab to compensate for the poor soil in the area.
| Existing Exterior | Note the lack of the adjacent development when this photo was taken.
| Existing Garage | The existing garage and curb cut will be removed to allow for the construction of the new street-facing Studio ADU.
| Existing Typical Apartment Kitchen |
| Existing Typical Apartment Bath |
| Existing Garage | To be excavated & converted into a Studio ADU.
| Existing Unauthorized (Illegal) Unit | To be legalized as a Studio.