Welcome to the forum! I know I've seen your remodeling plan somewhere before- looks like a great makeover! It looks like they added the second story- it's odd how they semi-engulfed that poor little dormer! Your changes will add a lot of charm to an already charming place. Keep us posted on your progress.

Jay

We had a tough time figuring out what was original and what wasn't, too, and every person who has looked at our house has said, "What is the deal with those dormers?" (there's a matching one on the other side of the house.) The dormers is where this all started ... they are a nightmare. It's apparently impossible to weather guard and insulate them well enough to avoid massive ice dams on the flat spot in the roof that's created by them. So this project started with getting rid of those dormers.

Anyway, as they started ripping apart the upstairs to prepare for the tear off next week, they found this written on one of the rafters (I'm not sure if that's what it's called but it's a board on the ceiling), right by the dormer, proving that the second floor and the dormer were original to the house.

Oh what an adorable house! And I love the pitch of the gables...so gothic-revival-ish. !!!

Our old home had very, very low ceilings so I can totally understand what you are doing.

Good luck! Beautiful!

Hello Wi!!! I have followed some of your posts on the bathroom forum....almost said "bathroom floor.".....and am glad you worked your way to this side of the road.

We do have some fascinating properties, and now it will be fun to play house with YOURS TOO. If I saw nothing else, I could identify a picture as being yours by that unique front door. Fantastic shape. And with a construction date of 1938, you are very pre-war, unlike my stucco cottage dated 1950, and my DH's Cape dated 1948. Some of the others around here are farmhouses from the turn of the last century. And then there are a couple of Sears Kit Homes now. And a California bungalow. And some manufactured homes. And an Aussie half way across the world. We are all friendly neighbors too.

Looks like your redo plans are very professional. I hope your contractor will perform as expected and give you a real dream home. Glad to have you with us.

sailorgirl, so good to meet you! I'm so glad to hear about your renovation plans, we have a cape cod (not as charming or as big as yours, gorgeous!) and we are planning a super similar build this year, bumping out part of the back for a second bathroom! I'm sure we'll be able to commiserate as we go, they do turn into such enormous projects with the $$$ going up all the time...sigh :)

Lovely LOVELY home, please keep posting pictures and welcome to the friendliest forum on gardenweb :)

I remember seeing your house picture before and your discussion of the addition. I love how it is going to look! Your house is adorable right now too.

Hi, Erin! Welcome to the board! I look forward to watching the progress with your cottage. I'm already smitten with the gorgeous chimney.

hi Erin Welcome from me too=Chris. Your addition is going to be darling. Totally in love with the turquoise door too. That is so neat some one thought to write on the inside of the wall the date. Had an old bed with writing on the back. A list of the times when the previous owner had cleaned behind the bed.Dates were 1913 and up. It was a neat old bed for sure. If that part of the roof is going away maybe you can preserve the board with writing on it and replace it in the new space. Just tack it back to the new wall or roof or??

Chris

Oh my gosh, your house is ADORABLE! Such charm! I love the front door -- that just makes it. Good luck on your addition. I sure am glad I dropped into this thread.

I wonder if you'd like the Cottage Decor thread over in the House Decorating Gallery? Lots of charm in that thread. I admit, it's my favorite Gallery thread. Scroll down a bit for the pictures to start.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cottage Decor picture thread

Thanks, everyone!

Oceanna ... I'm on my way to check out that thread now. Thank you!

Hi, Erin
Your house is adorable as is. My family is from Green Bay, but we are in Arlington,VA. Our house was built in 1938 also. We considered bumping up, but with just the two of us, couldn't justify it. Might add a glassed-in porch out the back.

Just wanted to welcome you. I prowl more often than post here, but had to comment on that darling house. Glad you are keeping the front door and porch.

PS We go to Green Bay every year and sometimes up to Thunder Lake.