Porch for stone cottage
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Dear All,
I plan to renovate my cottage (circa 1800), and need to replace the existing porch with something in keeping with the period. The existing porch is in a sad state of repair and so needs to come down anyway. The plans for the new kichen/bathroom extension have been drawn up by an architect, but only after much tooing and froing. The problem is that this chap (name held back to protect the guilty) seems to have cloth ears. I ask for the design to go in one direction and then he goes away and comes back with something 'he' likes. The porch is a case in point, and so I gave up and designed the damn thing myself. The 2-hole crested ridge tiles aren't quite right and a carpenter might take issue with the woodwork, but it generally shows what I should like to replace the old porch. The texture for the slates also looks a bit ....mmmm. Suggestions and comments on construction, style etc., welcome.
Season greetings to you all.
RegardsBob
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Let's see a few pics of the House and Site.
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Dear Joe,
Here is a picture of the front of the house. It is a terraced cottage, and was probably built as an in-fill between the row of mill workers cottages (to the left) and the mill manager's house (to the right). It is a very small cottage as the original cottage was divided into two many years ago. Hence the different coloured shutters. Mine is the porch and the bit to the left. The stonework is dressed Cotswold limestone.
Regards,
Bob
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Oh yeah, I see the two chimneys.
How about one from the same angle but closer up, so the entry is full sized. I'd like to see how the structure is attached to the house too.
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Bob,
The stucture you designed seems OK to me (though certainly a carpenter should see it whether he can make it this way).
Do you really plan to use such a bright green for the wood? I mean what I can see of the picture (yeah, Joe is right - some closeups would be nice), the original is much darker and to me it fits better with the old cottage (nice building however).
Also, I hope you don't mind if I move this thread from the components for now (it's a deposid for "finished" components to share here).
If you come up with the "final version", we can put it back here. -
I hope you don't mind me making a few comments on your design.
- The posts should go down to the stone plinth as theses are structural.
- The panels should be set in with an allowance for water to run off away from all horizontal timber members. This will preserve the finished job from rot for many years.
- The end of the ridge board needs to be hidden with a verge board or something similar.
- You are right about the ridge tiles, I would suggest something much simpler like an simple angled ridge.
overall it a nice design and it will enhance the existing house. It should be kept simple so that it is in keeping with the existing. The uses of chamfers, stopped chamfers and beads should be uses in relevant areas of the timber work, your joiner should be able to help you out there.
Just my initial thoughts on the project. I hope you didn't mind and the best of luck.
Bruce
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Dear All,
My apologies for not writing sooner, but I'm in the middle of some lengthy calibration runs and have little time for the fun things of life.
The existing structure consists of two uprights embedded in concrete bases with the uprights cross braced at the front and supported off the stone wall by wooden beams. The C-frame created forms the base of the apex roof. The new porch will be 'free standing' in that it will be fixed to the wall and sealed along the contact. I have gone for an enclosed porch to provide shelter. There is also to be a small internal porch as the local planners refused to allow the fitting of a door to the external porch. The design of the inner porch will be an extension of the outer porch so that the two blend together (see the attached)
Here are a few comments on the colour. While such porches are traditionally made from oak, this might prove to be rather expensive, particularly as the whole house (including the Welsh slate roof) needs renovating. Assuming I use a good quality pinewood, then my preference would be to paint the wood with a linseed oil based paint (see http://www.holkham.co.uk/linseedpaints/paints/application.html). There is a colour called Wild Sage which complements the weathered look of limestone quite well. I have seen examples of this combination and it works. My neighbour has his shutters painted Oxford Blue and so it might look a little odd. Linseed oil painted finishes last a very long time and do not peel. The colour can be revived by painting over with warm linseed oil.
Bruce, thank you for your many useful comments. The porch is something I drew not long after discovering Sketchup, and lacks the refinements needed to make it a sound structure. I am also very ignorant on all matters of carpentry, and the design is therefore rather rudimentary.
James, thanks for posting the picture. I should have done that in the first place.
Kind regards to you all and Happy Christmas (yes, we still say that and not Happy Holiday).
Bob
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I've been playing with your roof a bit, thinking of how I might build this. Boy, you don't have much headroom entering right now, 6'4"?
This would look nice, and give you some good lateral stability. Can you get some more of that slate and extend the roof out a little ways more like I show? It would look more balanced if you do.
Those curved braces are pretty easy to make if you use a bandsaw.
http://woodsshop.com/PROJECTS/Mill/Construction%20Mill/CutKneeBraces.htmThe two little walls need some more thought but I haven't thought up anything yet. Maybe something that looks like a English timberframe wall?
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Hi Bob,
Just a quick note, I assume that you are a listed building ( grade II) If you require planning I would suggest that you make an appointment with the planning office to discuss the design. This can save you allot of waisted time and expense with rejected applications. If you are not listed ask your local planning office about Permitted development rights as you may not require planning permission.Happy Christmas,
Many thanks,Bruce Watt
Hilltop.
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Dear Joe,
This is a very quick reply as I'm still running my calibrations and I have to go down to the cleanroom to take another point in a few minutes. I like your alternative design, although as you say, there is not a lot of headroom. I am limited by planning permission to something which is close to the original in height, width and depth. A little more overhang might not be a problem though. I have gone for side walls to provide a little more shelter and to complement the inner porch. I will try and illustrate this by creating a view looking through the front door.
Bruce, strangely enough my house is not listed even though the houses either side are listed. However, I am in a Conservation Area, which limits what I can do. The Planning Office took an immediate dislike to the front door being moved to the entrance of the porch and so I knew I wouldn't get planning permission for that. I do have planning permission for all the other modification, including a new kitchen and bathroom out the back and the removal of an internal wall. My house is the only one in the street with a porch and so I couldn't follow his logic that moving the front door would affect the aesthetic appeal of the street. Planners! I will have to check that it is okay to panel the sides. They may want me to rebuild in the same style as the original, in which case Joe...
The porch is a much under-rated structure, and a nice design can greatly enhance the appearance of a dwelling. The English Porch would make a great topic for a book as they are many and varied, particularly in Oxfordshire.
To everyone who has posted replies, thank you for your kind advice and many comments.
Regards,
Bob
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