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Elmwood Neighborhood > Episode 11: Attic Demolition and Countertops

House Ten: Attic Conversion

Project: Elmwood Neighborhood, Episode 11, Part 1

The owner of the tenth Elmwood neighborhood project house, Brent Bachelder, wants to turn the home's attic into a recreation space.

Bob joins during the demolition process, before new LVLs and windows are installed. Next, a striking new acrylic bathroom wall goes up, followed by plumbing, HVAC work, and floor repair.

Finally, Bob learns about the new Surell countertops that are going in and concludes with a tour of the finished space.

Part 1: House Ten: Attic Conversion: Built in 1912, this 26-room Dutch colonial was for two families. The original woodwork and murals on the first floor remain intact. The homeowners, Peter Haraty and Brent Bachelder, want to make the third floor into one large open space. Structural lumber will need to be added to support the ceiling, and the old gas fixtures will need to be removed.

Together with a group of neighborhood homeowners, Bob helps out with the demolition work. The key is removing the plaster and then the lathwork, which is bundled up and taken to the dumpster.

After demolition, Douglas Lumber delivers engineered lumber for the roof restructuring. A crane lifts the large lumber items onto the third floor and the crew from Nationwide Home Improvements unloads the material.

Laminated veneer lumber (LVL, from International Paper) will be sistered to the existing rafters, and dimensional lumber from Georgia Pacific will become collar-ties that span the width.

An outer wall will be added, along with a door, to create closet space. Also, an old opening in the gable will be replaced with a Pella sash window.
Part 2: Installing the Skylight, Acrylic Block Panels, and Cooling System
Part 3: Installing High-Gloss Laminate Cabinets and Surell Countertops
Part 4: Original Art and Contemporary Furnishings in the Finished Space

The theme of community building in the historic Elmwood neighborhood of Providence, RI, is the focus of this project. Rather than tackling one house, Bob Vila is helping 11 neighbors tackle smaller projects like porches, kitchens, bathrooms, and even a third-floor artist's studio.

Also from Elmwood Neighborhood

Episode 1 - Kitchen Project Begins
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Description:
In the historic Elmwood neighborhood of Providence, RI, Bob talks with Mary Turkel and Bob Major (from the Providence Preservation Cooperative) about the changes taking place in the area. Bob also meets Jane and Luke Driver, whose kitchen renovation is one of the smaller scale projects Bob plans to cover. As demolition work begins, so too does plumbing and electrical. Also to come is a new kitchen floor made from reclaimed Pine.
Episode 2 - Appliances and Deck Installed
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Description:
At the Gothic Carpenter-style home in the Elmwood neighborhood of Providence, RI, plaster and blue board are going up, and the pine floor is going down. In addition to a granite countertop, new Whirlpool appliances are installed. Other new features in the kitchen include Shrock cabinets, a Vermont Castings gas stove, and lighting design (from Markus Earley) that depends on Restoration-style fixtures from Rejuvenation Lamp & Fixture Co. Outside, contractor Brian Wiggin completes the new deck.
Episode 3 - Bathroom Renovation Begins
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Description:
Bob visits Pat and Roger Simons, homeowners undertaking a bathroom renovation. The plan is to redesign the layout, but keep some of the original features-- the mosaic tiles in the floor, for example. Bob helps Terry Bates (from Mult-R) with the demolition, and carpenter Bob Ryley is on hand to help with the insulation. A new tub is put in, along with a new stackable washer/dryer. Lighting designer Markus Earley talks about the lighting in the new bathroom, plus an innovative hydronic heating system. Last, Bob goes to Pat's studio, where her daughter, PK, is helping create a beautiful tile mural that will go in the shower.
Episode 4 - Sunroom and Hot Tub
Episode 6 - Restoring a "Bench" Porch
Episode 7 - Restoring the Front Porch
Episode 8 - Front Porch and Bathroom
Episode 9 - Two More Porch Renovations
Episode 10 - Front Porch Restoration
Episode 12 - Workout Room
Episode 13 - Project Wrap-Up

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