Longacres Addition

This project began with a home that no longer supported a growing family. The existing floor plan was tight, storage was limited, and the site presented an eight foot drop toward the rear of the lot. The challenge was to expand the home thoughtfully while maintaining a strict budget.

We developed three plan concepts to explore how the addition could best respond to the family’s needs, scale appropriately with the existing structure, and work with the sloped terrain. The selected concept uses the natural grade change to elevate the addition on a post and beam system, eliminating the need for a traditional crawlspace or basement. This approach reduced foundation costs and activated the space beneath the home as a shaded outdoor area for gathering and relaxation.

A CMU wall anchors the structure into the slope while slender wood posts lift the addition lightly above grade. The expansion includes a new primary suite, an enlarged kitchen, and strategically integrated storage solutions that maximize efficiency without increasing unnecessary square footage. A refined mudroom at the front further improves daily function.

Clad in shake shingle siding, the addition contrasts the original brick façade while blending into the surrounding trees. The result is a site responsive, budget conscious expansion that transforms the home into a functional and adaptable space for a growing family.