December 23, 2005

Back to the Table of Contents Page

Back to the Voice Home Page

Classifieds

Publication Date: Friday, December 23, 2005

Comfy -- all year 'round

by Katie Vaughn, Photos by Dasja Dolan

When Steve and Bonnie Prescop decided to renovate their 1920s house, they had more than their own needs to keep in mind. For 50 hours a week, Bonnie runs a daycare center out of their Old Mountain View home.

The Prescops bought their house in 1998, and while former owners had made updates and additions over the years, leaks were starting to spring up. Furthermore, the living room where Bonnie conducts her daycare was cramped and lacked insulation, air conditioning or heating, making it freezing in the winter and steamy in the summer.

Originally, the Prescops considered making just a few repairs to their house, but once they started looking into improvement options, they expanded their goals.

"When the house was leaking badly, we thought we could just patch it up -- or we could really get into things," Bonnie says. "We thought, if we're going to do it, we're going to do it right."

The couple approached Andrew Salisbury, vice president of the Vox Design Group, about making energy-efficient renovations. The Prescops installed solar panels on the southern side of their roof and added solar-powered attic fans to help circulate air in the house. Steve says in the summer the panels produce nearly enough energy to supply all their needs; and they make an impact throughout the year.

"Two-thirds of their total energy demands are supplied by the solar panels," Salisbury says. Another construction challenge provided the Prescops an unusual way to be environmentally friendly. When the city required them to build a new garage on their property, they didn't want to damage their neighbor's giant oak tree, whose branches and roots extend into their yard.

"It just didn't seem right to kill this old tree," Bonnie says.

"We didn't want the tree to fall on our newly built garage either," Steve adds.

Instead of building a regular foundation for the garage, the Prescops used a pier and beam system to work around the roots.

Salisbury says keeping the tree intact was a wise decision, as the oak absorbs storm water and shields the Prescops' property from the wind and sun. In fact, the tree keeps the house six degrees cooler than it would be without the shade, Salisbury says.

As green building is typically more expensive than regular construction methods, the Prescops regarded their home improvements as an investment. To ensure they'd be able to live in their house as long as possible, they made it handicap accessible by creating wide spaces and a special bathroom.

"We figured we could stay here even as we age," Bonnie says.

The new master bathroom features tile that is textured to prevent slips and a shower with a seat and a slightly sloping floor to drain water. A large white tub and a sink fill out the spacious room, along with a Hawaiian-print shower curtain and window shades.

To enhance the daycare area, the Prescops expanded the room and outfitted it with a couch, two armchairs, a long table and a counter with a sink and small refrigerator. Light Pergo wood-style flooring stretches to French doors by the backyard, and the room's baseboards and trims echo the original 1920s styles found in the rest of the house.

Additionally, the couple upgraded the electronics in the living room, mounting a large flat-screen television on a wall and installing speakers in the ceiling. The audiovisual equipment now resides in a closet in the adjacent master bedroom. The arrangement removes electronic clutter from the playroom and prevents little fingers and toys from getting stuck inside equipment.

The Prescops are pleased with the results of their renovations, as are Bonnie's daycare charges. Now they enjoy playing inside almost as much as outside, she says. In addition, the couple's friends have reacted enthusiastically to the home improvements, although not for the same reasons, Steve says.

"Women love the bathroom, men love the big-screen TV," he says.

Resources: Design/build: Vox Design Group, 421 Castro St., Mountain View, (650) 694-6200, www.voxdesigngroup.com Solar products: Akeena Solar, 605 University Ave., Los Gatos, (888) 253-3628, www.akeena.net

Goals of project: Improve area of house used for daycare, use green energy resources and make home handicap accessible

Unexpected problems: Bathroom floor had to be redone several times; City of Mountain View put many aesthetic and structural requirements on the project

Year house built: 1926

Size of home: was 1,600 square feet, now is 2,200 square feet; on 7,500-sq.-ft. lot

Time to complete: nine months for planning and obtaining permits, five months for the actual building

Budget: $300,000