judsonabts

I posted in the Brick/Masonry section, but this is a general home improvement that I am looking for some outside input on.

I am considering purchasing a condo -- a converted church that has been beautifully finished but the available rear condo has VERY little natural light.

I am going to be meeting with the builder/seller to discuss what changes I would need to have done to consider the property--I doubt anyone will purchase as is--this is a beach town and no one wants to live in a cave for $500,000.

a major problem is about 4 feet of the condo is below ground (in the VERY back only) and so it would have to be "dug out"...

if you have any ideas beyond mine for "adding skylights".. i would really appreciate it!

thanks

judson

glennjanie

Hello JudsonAbts:
I like your skylight addition ideas. You know there are some tubular skylights that can be added in restricted spaces with a flex duct to let the light in around corners and such.
The French doors would be a wonderful addition if you can dig the earth back far enough to give an open feeling and get good drainage. The drainage could be handled by a 4" drain in plastic pipe with a screen on each end. A floor drain entrance and a screened rodent stop on the drain end.
Glenn

judsonabts

thanks for the suggestion on the tubular skylight... the roof is slate, i dont know if that makes this easier or harder... as far as digging out, i'm not sure if that will be easy/difficult... the most I could see digging would be about 15 feet away from the envisioned doors (because of a rocky cliff behind the house)

i have ZERO idea how much digging costs.. actually, i dont know what any of this costs...

i'm going to be asking that these things be done:

mandatory for me to consider the property:

- i want the back dug out (about 60x15 feet at 4 foot depth)... to create a mini patio/backyard between master and kitchen.. then doors put in the master and kitchen area...

- at least 3 skylights

- a couple other large windows along the sides.

some eventual changes that would be great..
- expand master bathroom into the closet next to it and then make the laundry room off the master into a closet

- put the laundry in the basement unless this laundry in master is nice for resale


(the seller is a contractor/builder and is eager to sell) i figure now is the time to get a good rate on all of these things getting done

inspectorD

Directional lighting to light up the ceiling above.
Just buy a couple of work lights on stands to get the idea. They sell them at the big box stores.
Or check out www.solartube.com as Glenn suggested.
Lighter colors will help also.

Good luck.

__________________
Just My
Made in the

glennjanie

I would not want to cut anything through the slate roof. It will last a lifetime if you don't damage it. I would go with artificial lighting with CFLs rather than the sky lights. There are CFLs that give natural light and will look very good.
As for the digging, you could figure on a back hoe or other excavator by the hour and pray you are not dealing with solid rock. You could drive some #4 re-bars around in several places and see if it is dirt or rock. If it is rock, I would forget it.
Glenn

judsonabts

The problem is, it is SOOOO dark.. I would certainly paint it (probably a lightly fauxed yellow/gold combo), however, I need the sunlight. I currently have 16 - nine foot windows and an ocean view.. I do like the look of CFLs but I pretty set on the skylights and the builder said those would be possible (he hasn't seen my massive list yet!)


its a good idea to check and see if there is rock first in the back... if there is, i think that puts an end to this place for me... unless a few of the other changes can be made and about $100,000 knocked off the price.... (most comps in the area are at minimum $100,000 overpriced and sit until they drop to a fair/better than fair pricing)


(that rocky cliff behind me has me a bit worried)