Fixer Upper Takes on a Vintage Tiny House
Chip and Joanna Gaines help adventurous first-time homebuyers save one of only two authentic original shotgun style houses still standing in the Waco area. In the end, they transform this vintage find into an amazing space with imaginative design, but rescuing and restoring the tiny 700-square-foot home turned out to be an epic adventure.
Great Things in Small Packages
"What's fun about smaller spaces is that it really challenges your creativity and makes you maximize the space that you've got," says Joanna. "From the beginning, the tiny shotgun house had lot of big challenges, but in the end, the reward was huge. Every design element that we got to incorporate really stood out. We love this house."
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Playing With Perceptions
The footprint the new kitchen was tight, but carefully thought-out design helps create the impression of a much larger space. Oversized windows that start at the floor, vaulted ceilings, an oversized ceiling fan in a modern design and lots of natural light are all factors that contribute to an open and roomy feel.
Creative Solutions
A challenge with adding the loft was where to locate stair access. Chip came to the rescue with specialized retractable stairs that can be raised and lowered drawbridge style. When the loft is not being used, the stairs can be raised to a storage position where they hang suspended about 10 feet above the kitchen.
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Meet the Bells
Homeowners Jessie and Cameron Bell check out the kitchen and living area in their newly renovated home. The Bells had been married for three years but were purchasing their first home together. They liked small, cozy spaces and both were interested in an older home with character in an appealing neighborhood. Their total budget, including renovations, was $131,000. Jessie and Cameron were adventurous and not afraid to take on a project that was challenging or unusual. On that last point, they got their wish.
BEFORE
Despite its rough appearance, the Bells were intrigued by this authentic shotgun style house built in 1920 – one of only two such houses still standing in Waco. Cameron had spent time in southern Louisiana where shotgun houses were once fairly common, so he was familiar with their history and a fan of the style. This house was listed at only $28,000, but it was clearly in distressed condition both inside and out and would require extensive repairs and upgrades.
AFTER
The total reimagining of this shotgun house – serendipitously paralleling in some ways the current 'tiny house' movement in home building – encompassed major modifications to both the interior and exterior. The exterior features new steps and wraparound brick skirt constructed using antique bricks, new wood columns and trim in unpainted finish, iron railing, a metal roof and bold dark-green exterior paint. The most substantial modification, though, was raising the roofline, facilitating the upstairs loft and dramatic 20-foot ceilings.
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Demolition + Relocation
The shotgun house project was an even more monumental undertaking than even Chip and Joanna first imagined. Before the purchase could be finalized, a real estate developer bought the entire block where the house was standing – with the intent on demolishing all of the existing houses to make way for new construction.
Demolition + Relocation
Chip was able to negotiate a deal with the developer who was willing to turn over the house at no cost – provided that it could be relocated to another site. The Bells agreed to the relocation plan and ultimately were able purchase a lot in an up-and-coming neighborhood near downtown Waco for around $31,000. Here, Joanna pitches in on demo day after the structure was moved to it's new site.
Demolition + Relocation
Chip accepted the formidable challenge of moving the house, something he had never done before. For the relocation, the house had to be lifted from its foundation, the roof removed in order to clear power lines while the structure was in transit, and the gas lines, electricity and plumbing disconnected. The entire structure was then trailered to the new location and secured on a newly poured concrete slab. Once on its new pier-and-beam foundation, the house was essentially gutted and reframed, including addition of a new upper floor and a raised roof. So, in the end, the house itself was free, but moving the structure cost $5,000, and the cost of the new lot was $31,000 – leaving the Bells with a budget of around $95,000 for renovations. That amount can go a long way in 700 square feet.
Finis
If you enjoyed this unconventional Fixer Upper project, be sure to check out "The Barndominium" – an amazing barn conversion.
And if you'd like to know more about historic shotgun houses, check out this renovation project from HGTV's Small House, Big Easy.