Today I met with a potential new client. They have just purchased a 1940 single story ranch style home in SW Portland. It is nestled on the West Slope of the hills which line the Willamette River. It is tucked into a quiet suburb amongst large pine trees. When you walk into the backyard it feels as if you are in a forest.
The site itself is located on a cul-de-sac about about one mile in from a major boulevard. The site is approximately 1/4 acre and is bound by houses of similar size and design on three sides.
The house was recently sold by the grown children of an elderly woman who recently had passed away. My assumption is that it was part of a family trust. The house is in it's original state from the day it was built in about 1943. It is a single story ranch-style home with a low-cut roof line and a built out basement.
It sits squarely on the lot and is set-back about 25 feet from the street. The interior is filled with walls. The kitchen is facing the street next to the garage. The bedrooms are located at the back of the house and are small in comparison to today's standards. There is a living room at the front of the house opposite the kitchen. It is in good condition but does not meet the modern standards of living nor the standards of what the client requires.
The general concept of the home is to increase the square footage by adding a master suite off the rear of the home. Also, the client wants to add a pool. Thirdly, the client would like to keep the bones of the structure but remove as many of the interior walls in the existing space as can be done affordably in order to open up the space and provide a seamless transition from the interior to the exterior. In other words, they would like a modern home that still maintains it's original ranch-style appearance to the front.
Finally, the client is requesting that we avoid any steps or transitions that require stepping over (zero step) The client has a permanent disability that requires that she use crutches. It has been made very clear to me that this should not be the focus of the project. In other words, no visible evidence of ADA elements. It has been discussed that a ramp be built in order to get from the drive up to the front entry. However, it should be done tastefully and should blend in naturally with the landscaping and home.
The next step for me is to provide the client with a proposal and assist the client in setting up a scope of work. It appears that the client has a contractor ready. The contractor is a long time friend of the family.
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