Residence Hampton, NH

Located on a small 50 x 100 foot lot across the street from the main beach, the existing house was a modest one-story cape-style. The owner wanted to move his family in with his aging mother, but the house was too small. The program required adding two levels to the home while maintaining the mother’s existing residence on the first floor during construction. Zoning prevented the addition of a second unit without a variance so the owners were forced to make their case to the local zoning board. After a successful presentation, creation of the addition started in earnest. A construction sequence was developed to remove the old roof and replace it with the new second floor deck. During construction, this deck was covered with rolled roofing to waterproof the residence below. Over the course of the next three months, the new second floor, third floor and roof deck were built. The exterior walls were clad and the new roof installed while the mother lived below on the first floor. The exterior design reflects the bungalow style that was popularized along the beach in the early 1920’s. The roof deck affords a 360 degree uninterrupted view of the ocean and surrounding marsh. One external stair built alongside the kitchen provides access to the roof deck above. Another, enclosed external stair along the front of the house, was designed as an add-on to the existing footprint so as to minimize negative impact to the budget. This stair incorporates a new roof, providing a covered entry to the old house as well as the new. Finally, a new front entrance deck was designed to preserve the existing restricted on-site parking for four vehicles. Although the program requirements were quite limiting, the final result provides a very accommodating living environment for both families.