One level living

This is the start of a new renovation project!

A picture is worth a thousand word. Here they're:

The before plan (click here)

The after plan: click here. Last update 4/30/13

The foundation before and after: click here Last update 4/30/13

The after plan front elevation: click here. 3D photo: click here. Last update 4/30/13

The after plan right elevation: click here.  3D photo: click here. Last update 4/30/13

The after plan left elevation: click here. 3D photo: click here. Last update 4/30/13

The after plan rear elevation: click here. 3D photo: click here. Last update 4/30/13

The overall roof: click here. Last update 4/30/13

Notes to architects/designers

Click here to download design notes. Last update 4/30/2013.

The design and construction documents will be reviewed by the City of Bellevue building permit department.

Plan sketch and specifications

This project was shelved because ultimately I still like living in a single story house.


The house is a split-level entry house in Bellevue, WA.

Download plan sketch in PDF format (scale 1/4 in = 2 ft) (Acrobat Reader required to open)
Before renovation first floor (click here)
Before renovation second floor (click here)
After renovation first floor (click here)
After renovation second floor (click here)


First floor layout before renovation (click on image to see larger size)

Second floor layout before renovation(click on image to see larger size)

First floor layout after renovation(click on image to see larger size)

Second floor layout after renovation(click on image to see larger size)

Download plan sketch in DXF format
Before renovation (click here)
After renovation (click here)

Summary of major work items
Please see the detail description and specifications per area after this section

1. Provide a set of blueprints and construction documents to get all appropriate building permits for the project from the City of Bellevue.
2. Adding a new kitchen, a new master bedroom, and a new office to the back of the existing house. All the new rooms are on the second level.
3. Converting the existing master bedroom into a new master bath with a shower stand, a soaking tub, double sink, and a toilet.
4. Converting the existing master bath into a new walk-in closet.
5. Rebuild the existing hall bath to make it larger: change all cabinet, shower tub, vanity, toilet, mirror.
6. Converting the existing wood burning fireplace on the second floor to a gas fireplace.
7. Converting the existing wood burning fireplace on the first floor to a gas fireplace.
8. Install new roof on the existing structure
9. Change all interior doors and closet doors to newer hollow core doors with simple panel style. See sample.
10. Install about 140 feet of new fences in around the property
11. Landscaping.

Detail specifications per area

• Site preparation: 

1. Removal of a large Douglas fir sitting on the left side on the back yard. Click to see. This is needed to build the addition. The removal will likely be approved because there is another big Douglas fir retained on the lot.
2. Excavation may not be a lot because the backyard is higher than the front of the lot (hence the current split-entry house) and the addition is only for second level. Click to see current height difference between grade and second floor level.
3. Grading of the lot to enable the landscaping plan.

• Foundation type: reinforced poured concrete with crawlspace. Most of the foundation wall will be above grade because the backyard is higher than the front yard and the addition is only for the second level. There is no addition to the first level.

• New kitchen: the new kitchen is part of the addition to the rear.

1. There are some sections of the existing exterior wall removed to make the new kitchen connected to the existing dining/living area in an open way. This exterior wall is a load bearing wall. There may be a need for a reinforced beam and a support column to carry the load.
2. The ceiling height is 9 feet.
3. The kitchen counter top would be granite.
4. There is a built-in pantry with folding door in the new kitchen. The pantry shelves would be wire.
5. The cabinets would  be of simple design with good quality wood.
6. The sink is a simple double sink, top mount.
7. New appliances needed are: induction cook-top, curved exhaust fan mounted in the middle of the kitchen. See sample. Stainless stain single built-in oven mounted under stainless stain built-in microwave. See sample. The oven and the microwave are separate units (i.e., not a combo model).
8. There is a skylight in the middle of the kitchen (one foot to the south of the island).
9. Typical lightning, including recess lights.
10. Real hardwood floor of the same type with the living and dining area. Note that engineered hardwood is not desirable.
11. An exterior stair (not drawn in the sketch) is needed to go from the kitchen down to the backyard. The stair material should be concrete for low maintenance.

• New master bedroom:

1. The new master bedroom reuses the existing exterior wall. There is no need for reinforcing here because the changes are not major (only two doors that replaced two existing windows).
2. The ceiling height is 9 feet.
3. The floor finish would be real hardwood. The a cheaper quality hardwood (compared to the hardwood installed on the kitchen and dining/living area) can be used here.
4. There is a skylight to the right side of the room to make the room less dark.

• New master bath:

1. The new master bath is actually most of the existing master bedroom. Note that a new wall is erected to make the adjacent walk-in closet and hall bath room larger.
2. The ceiling height is unchanged because this is the existing part of the house.
3. The counter top material would be granite
4. The double sink would be oval shape and under mounted
5. A new set of cabinet is needed
6. The shower stand would be tiled on the floor to create a better look than the standard shower pan. The size is 51 inch x 41 inch. There would be a small bench inside the shower stand. See sample. The door and one wall are glass.See sample.
7. The shower head would be handheld sliding. There would be two ceramic soap niches. See sample.
8. Soaking tub can be of normal quality.
9. The bathroom floor are tile floor of better average quality.
10. There is a skylight near the top of the toilet
11. The bathroom window would have obscured glass
12. Sections of the sub-floor in the new master bath may need to be replaced.

• New walk-in closet

1. The WIC adjacent to the new master bedroom is actually an extension of the existing master bath.
2. The floor finish would be the same kind of cheaper real hardwood used in the new master bedroom
3. The shelves would be of simple wire (i.e., no wood shelf). See sample.

• The new office/craft room

1. The ceiling height is 9 feet.
2. There is no skylight needed.
3. The windows are vinyl,doubled pane, sliding
4. The floor is also cheaper real hardwood (of the same type that is used in the new master bedroom).
5. Some recess lights

• The rebuilt hall bathroom

1. The hall bathroom wall is expanded to the left to make it larger. The drywall surrounding the existing shower may need to be replaced. However, the drywall in other parts of the room are in good shape.
2. A new shower/tub combo with built-in fabricated wall will need to be installed.
3. A new toilet is needed
4. A new cabinet is needed. The cabinet will need to have an opening into the existing laundry chute on the left side of the sink.
5. The sink would be of normal quality, oval shaped, and under-mounted.
6. The counter top would be granite.
7. The floor uses the same kind of normal tile used in the new master bathroom
8. A new exhaust fan with heat lamp is needed.

• The open dining/living area

1. A section of the existing wall of the existing kitchen is removed. Click to see. There might be a need to have some kind of support (via a new beam and a simple column in the middle of the room)
2. The floor for this area would use the same good quality real hardwood that is used in the kitchen. This include the floor of all the adjacent hallways.
3. High traffic sections of the sub-floor will need to be replaced to eliminate squeaky sound.
4. A new vinyl window is needed on the right wall
5. A skylight is needed in the area on top of the existing kitchen.
6. The existing wood burning fireplace and the whole long wall (wood finish circa 1950s click to see) on the right side will need to be ripped out and replaced with new drywall.
7. A new gas burning fireplace with a simple mantel design without hearth is needed. See sample.
8. Some recess lighting is needed.

• Stairway: The main stair will need to have the same type of real hardwood used on the kitchen/dining/living area. See sample.
• Closet in the bedroom 1: extend the closet on bedroom 1 to include the closet of the existing master bedroom
• Main entrance door: install a new entrance door.
• Family room on the first floor: tear down a section of the wall on the right side of the room and the existing wood fireplace. Click to see. Install new wall and a new simple gas fireplace and mantel.
• Laundry room: remove the existing toilet and bathtub. Install a new laundry sink and cabinet (existing kitchen cabinet can be reused here). Sections of the drywall and ceiling in this room may need to be replaced.
• Floor area for the MIL living room/kitchen/bath, hallway and laundry will need new vinyl flooring. Note that the family room floor does not need to be reinstalled.

• Roof: Composition roof for both the new addition and the existing house. The roof type should be garble to match the roof style of the existing house.
• Gutters: install a new gutter system for the existing house

• Heating system: an evaluation is needed to see if the existing furnace can support the new rooms
• Interior painting: repaint the whole interior of the house.