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Elmwood Neighborhood > Episode 12: Workout Room

House Eleven: Renovating Attic Space

Project: Elmwood Neighborhood, Episode 12, Part 1

Homeowner Don DeSantis wants to create a workout room, complete with a whirlpool tub, in the attic of his home, the eleventh Elmwood neighborhood project house. What was once an apartment will be turned into an open area.

Next, Bob learns about the new rubber slate roof, before the hot tub is craned in and placed in the turret area. After a new SpacePak central air conditioning system is installed, Bob talks to Jan Jones (from Mr. Tub) about the new spa.

Part 1: House Eleven: Renovating Attic Space: Don DeSantis and Ron Hirschauer have already done a lot of renovation work on their Queen Anne, such as reviving the fireplace in the foyer, removing partitions to turn the house back into a one-family home, and making the backyard into a peaceful garden. Now, they want to remodel the third floor. Don shows Bob the space where the renovation will take place and explains what kind of demolition will occur.

Walls will be removed to open up the space, including the turret area, which is where the whirlpool tub will be installed. The roof needs restructuring, once the walls have come down, and the asphalt shingling will be replaced with a new product.

Bob talks to the architect, Mary Brewster, and the engineer, Lorenzo Lucas. They point out a bent staff that is in the way, but also a double plate, which gives the roof extra support. They will have bent beams on either side of the turret for support.

The contractor pins the rafters by the turret temporarily, so that the knee walls can be cut away. As soon as the steel work is done, the pins can get removed and the turret area will be open to the rest of the space.

Workers are sistering up all the floor joists with LVLs from International Paper, which are stronger than the original dimensional lumber that is still there.
Part 2: TPO Rubber Slate Roof Installed on Victorian-Style Roof
Part 3: Installing High-Velocity, Flexible-Duct Air Conditioning in an Older Home
Part 4: Discussing the Home Spa and Replacing the Finial on the Turret

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 11 - Attic Demolition and Countertops
Episode 13 - Project Wrap-Up

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