How We Got Here

On January 1, 2008 we sold our 2500+ square foot home which was designed and built by my husband. We moved into our 540 square foot "cottage" that we'd previously kept as a rental property. Just the downsizing was incredibly amazing and somehow we've managed to adjust with our reduction in space over the past year. A remodel and addition was always in the plan and so we began the arduous task of designing, drawing plans, consulting the engineer, and we are finally at the point of submitting our plans to the County Building Services Department.

Just getting to this first critical step has been an adventure. The house currently sets on 1.5 acres but the house itself sets within 10 feet of one of the property lines. This was our first hurdle. How to add another 500 square feet and not go any closer to the property line than 30 feet! A minor readjustment in our initial plan of "just adding out the back" but one that will leave us with a very cute, functional addition that will now also provide a nice private deck.

So this blog will chronicle the remainder of this journey from clearing the county and obtaining a building permit, demolition and construction, inspections, etc and all the agreeing, disagreeing and squabbles that will inevitably result.

By the way, did I mention that during all of this we'll be living in our 27 foot 5th wheel? Oh yeah, the two of us, the two dogs and the two cats are downsizing even more for the duration of the project. It is a good thing we like each other. The true test will be if we still like each other when all is said and done!