I'm in the process of purchasing a two-family home in Boston with my grandmother and aunt. We've been looking at various options, but many of them don't meet our needs for space. Recently, we've started thinking outside the box and found an interesting old colonial built in 1730 that has two 1-bedroom apartments at the back—one on the main floor and another directly above it. There's even an existing staircase connecting both units and a shared exterior access point.
My husband and I are considering a renovation plan where we could combine both units. Our idea is to convert the upstairs unit into three bedrooms and transform the bottom unit's bedroom into a dining room. This would involve removing the kitchen from the upstairs unit and adding walls and doors to create the three distinct bedrooms.
I have attached the floor plans for both units and would love to hear from anyone knowledgeable about this kind of renovation. As a family of four with two kids, we're eager to take on a project with potential, but given the competitive real estate market, we need to move fast on any good properties. Any insights would be helpful!
2 Answers
You definitely need to consult an architect and a contractor first. They'll help you figure out if what you want to do is even feasible structurally and if it's going to be cost-effective. Renovations can be tricky, especially with older homes, so getting professional advice is key!
I looked at your floor plans and I'm a bit confused. Are you looking at combining unit 1, unit 2, or both? That info might help when you reach out to professionals. Just a heads up, those plans can be pretty similar, so make sure you've got the right ones!
Thanks for clarifying! The plans I posted are for both units; they're almost identical.