Beach Bungalow Becomes 2-Story Home By Applying Simple Basics

It was the water temperature that put the damper on a near-perfect construction job. Seven months to the day that my husband and I tore down our 831-square-foot beach bungalow in the Belmont Shore area of Long Beach, we moved back into a fabulous 2,100-square foot two-story “contemporary ‘30s” house.

Except for a hot water heater that wasn’t working, the move back was perfect. Neighbors just laughed as they watched us walk in our robes all weekend between the house and the apartment next door (where we’d lived during construction) just to take showers.

Considering some of the disaster stories we had heard, our problem seemed more a minor hitch than a major hindrance.

We attribute our good fortune to simple basics: doing extensive research and hiring good people.

We decided nearly two years earlier that we needed a larger master bedroom, more closet space, a second bathroom and a guest room. Originally, we planned just to add a second story and keep the first floor intact, with minor changes to the kitchen and original bathroom.

Well, who ever heard of “just a few changes” to a 50-year-old, kitchen and bath?

We finally figured we could stretch our budget to remodel the entire house, basically taking it down to the subfloor and two outside walls.

Then began the time-consuming job of research. I subscribed to home magazines and wrote for brochures on lighting, doors, hinges, stairways and countertops. Cataloguing that information into an overflowing cardboard box really helped when we discussed ideas with the architect and contractor. When the time came for crucial decision making we were ready. We had even scouted out appliance outlets, antique shops and plumbing and lighting stores.

After determining exactly what we thought we needed, we did exactly the wrong thing--hired an architect with an out-of-state firm owned by family friends. The company had a California office, but we never should have hired them--such relationships rarely work out. Ours didn’t.

So began a search for another architect. We contacted friends who’d done remodeling and asked people on the city’s planning board for suggestions. We interviewed several, thoroughly checked references and ultimately selected John, a Long Beach architect who took our ideas, added a few of his own and designed a unique house with third-floor deck and dining room with clerestory. John in turn recommended several contractors, and we added a name or two from acquaintances. Again, we really checked references, spending hours on the telephone with former clients and visiting houses the contractors had built. After much study we chose Craig, also of Long Beach, whose building skills and easy personality made for a great house and enjoyable experience.

Vital to our project’s success were continual contact with John and Craig and that both lived and worked locally. Belmont Shore has many requirements that aren’t in effect for the rest of the city, and its narrow streets and alleys make it difficult for builders. Because both were familiar with the regulations, they were able to deal with incidents that professionals from other communities might not have been able to handle so easily. In the early days, we four met weekly at the next-door apartment we lived in during construction. That was one of our smartest moves. Not only were we out of the house, making it easier for the crew who didn’t have to work around us, but we were close enough to monitor daily events. I also work only 10 minutes from home, so I was able to spend nearly every lunch hour at the site. Even though we had rent payments on top of mortgage payments, it was worth the expense.

At our meetings we’d walk through the building stages and John and Craig would answer questions. John’s contract called for him to oversee the project until final completion, which is a good clause to negotiate.

His attention to detail in the design and in monitoring everything was crucial to our success. As things progressed smoothly (much of that attributed to Craig’s crews, who were fun and patient with our often-dumb questions), we found we didn’t need to meet with John so often, but he always was available by telephone.

But we talked with Craig daily. In fact, he became our morning visitor. His usual first question was: “So, do you have any questions?” We always did, because each night when Jeff and I came home from work we’d prowl about the house, reviewing everything.

Jeff was attentive to every construction change and peppered Craig with questions. My turn came when the tile layers, floor installers, cabinetmakers, carpet layers and painters showed up.

I think that’s how Jeff and I made it through this project together--he took the construction end and I took the design end, and we pretty much stayed out of each other’s way. I had decorating help from Lisa in San Juan Capistrano, who created some imaginative tile patterns and color combinations, found the right fabrics and helped me coordinate millions of ideas swimming about my brain. She was most helpful when she walked through the house at the framing stage pointing out where we needed such items as more lights and outlets. Her early comments helped us avoid some probable errors.

I said one of the most important aspects of our project was the research we did--into people and things. But I hired Lisa on the spot because I instantly liked her and the outfit she was wearing!

We searched for good quality items for inside the house. We bought as close to top-of-the-line when we could, but saved elsewhere. For example, we selected $75 shower heads, but found we loved the under $10 low-flow shower head we had in the original house. So we took back the fancy ones and bought two discount specials. We splurged on Corian for the kitchen counters and 1930s drawer pulls, but bought an inexpensive powder room mirror and bathroom drawer pulls.

We failed to stay within our original budget of $200,000, mainly by upgrading. We insulated everywhere, installed better interior doors, exceeded our tile budget, increased the lighting, added a fence with glass block, bull-nosed the corners, raised the master bedroom ceiling and painted the exterior twice, changing color the second time. Our final price came to about $220,000, including appliances, paint, lighting and finish work.

But the result was a house with unique features. The other result is that we’ve depleted our furniture budget and haven’t yet landscaped. Sooner or later we’ll get around to living room furniture and flowers.

I know our experience was a good one because we’re not only happy to be back in our house after seven months of cramped apartment living, but because we’ve agreed we’d do it all over again, even if it meant another weekend with showers next door.