We need help. As you may remember, we had given up hope on remodeling our current house and had instead been looking for a new-to-us house in a more 'family friendly' neighborhood. Recently, a few events occurred - SUMMER, for one - that have caused us to reconsider. lol Also, we had a Bl0ck Party and met a group of our neighbors and realized that there are a lot more kids in this 'hood than we ever would have guessed. SO, we've gone back to talking about popping the top. The dilemma being cost vs. satisfaction given. I am attaching a series of photos - a before and after if you will - and we want you to judge for yourself. The first shot is a view from our current deck level. The second shot will be a view from a ladder at roof level. Not quite as high it would be (since I wasn't actually standing on the roof) but fairly close.
Looking northwest, from deck:
Looking northwest, from roof:
Looking west, from roof:
Looking southwest, from deck:
Looking southwest, from roof:
Looking further south, from deck:
Looking further south, from roof:
My personal opinion is that there isn't enough "going on" in the water (it IS a weekday, however) to make the view more interesting. Yes, there's more view but it is just more water and mountains. I actually think our view is pretty spectacular as it is. Too bad the house is the size of a shoe box!
6 comments:
I think you have a lovely view. (even though I still haven't had the opportunity to view that view with my own eyes!)
That view does improve in the second shots; particularly in the one looking directly west. WOW!
It would be a LOT of work to add that extra level. But, then you could stay in your neighborhood.
You're living (and working!) in a small space with a young one. Also, you have frequent guests. So, it seems a larger place would be more comfortable.
Soooo....if you don't want to move and you do want to keep your view... then?
Stay and remodel? Find something larger in the same 'hood?
I'm sure you'll get it figured out with thinking caps and a bit more time.
.
.
.
.
I just have to comment on this:
"Yes, there's more view but it is just more water and mountains.
JUST more water and mountains??? Coming from where I'm sitting, that just sounds fanTASTic!
Ok. There you have it! Gayle's 3 cents.(Don's too!)
xoxo
oh. and p.s. "E" gets cuter and cuter in every picture! :-)
OMG, the view from the roof IS sweet! I hear you on being tired of living in a shoebox. My mom keeps trying to invite herself over and gets mad because she doesn't understand that once the crib is set up, there isn't enough room in the "spare" bedroom for even an inflatable guest bed. (Insert eye roll here.)
You've already done a lot to the house, so this is a tough call. One thing folks around here do to cut costs is raise the lower level and build a new ground level instead of popping the top. That way, you don't have to pay for a new roof and don't have to worry about bringing the old part up to code and/or sufficient to support a 2nd story.
You think you have it bad? Our house affords us a view of an actual shoe box.
Holy smokes- what a FABULOUS view!
I would not want to live with a toddler while doing such a big remodeling project though. Yikes- that would be awfully brave.
I would love that view off of a deck or out a living room window. Wow....
I do think that your current view is absolutely amazing, but as a person who is a huge fan of just staring off into the water, I LOVE those shots of the higher view! As for whether it would be more cost effective to build on or move, I really don't know, but I do know that you'll always think back fondly on the house where you first had E and you have put SO much work into it already--I don't know if I'd be able to let go!!
Yes, it is a spectacular view either way, but I'd always vote for more of a water view.
Of course, it's not my money so that's easy for me to say. anonymous g has pretty much presented the consummate analysis of your situation, so there's nothing for me to say.
By way of comparison, though, my house has a view of the house next door, the house behind me, and the house across the street. If I added a third story, I'd be able to see even more houses.
Post a Comment