A 19th-Century Makeover Early in 2001, we met with Harry and Joyce Trout of Newbury, MA to discuss an addition/remodel to a property they owned on Water Street in Newburyport. The property housed Hairport, Joyce’s hair studio, and a two-story apartment in the rear of the building. The referral for the job came from Kelly Seyler, for whom we had completed a master bedroom suite addition in Newburyport earlier that year. The Trouts had received a building variance the previous year to remodel the apartment and add a master bedroom suite to the third floor. They hired us to redraw the plans for the project.

Over the summer, we met twice a month to modify the plans and develop an estimate for the job. With the plans completed to the Trouts’s satisfaction, we signed a contract to complete the work. There were two major stipulations, however: One, the Hairport had to remain open during construction, and two we had to complete the job by December 31st.

Demolition of the second floor apartment began at the beginning of October. The building was built in the 1800’s with a post and beam frame. The rear section had been added at a later date and was built with a stick frame. The kitchen area ( a 16 x 8 foot addition) was built in the mid 1900’s, with no foundation. After demolition, we poured a new foundation in the rear to stabilize the back of the new structure. We also replaced the old stairwell with new stairwells to the basement, second, and third floors.

Once the addition was complete, we had to build new floors in most of the main building, to resupport and level the floorspace. We then proceded to replace all the windows on the second floor with energy-efficient vinyl thermal pane units. All new windows in the kitchen and third-floor master bedroom were energy-efficient Andersen primary units. New fiberglass-insulated doors were installed on the first and second floor and a second-story deck with a pressure-treated frame and Trex decking was built. An Andersen gliding door provided access to the deck. We finished the exterior of the building by installing vinyl siding over a Tyvek infiltration barrier. We covered all existing trim with aluminum and installed plastic-composite trim, creating a maintenance-free building envelope, complete with plastic-composite door frames and jambs.

We completed the exterior by Christmas and began the interior trim, doors, cabinets, and flooring in January. At the entries and bathrooms, we installed tile flooring. All the floors are Bruce-prefinished, red-oak, strip flooring and the stairs are red oak. The kitchen, which overlooks the Merrimac River, is birch with wood-edged Formica countertops. The two full bathrooms have birch vanities with Swanstone tops. The half bath has a pedestal sink. The master bathroom on the third floor has a jacuzzi set next to an oversized awning window which also overlooks the river.

We completed the apartment, which has about 1600 square feet, by the end of January.