In order to convert his 1981 colonial into a sun-drenched home, architect Don Kranbuehl started by removing the garage. “The goal was to transform a closed-in, inward-looking colonial box and transform it into an open, transparent volume connected with nature,” said Kranbuehl, a principal at the firm Clark Nexsen.

$4,000 Demolition & Disposal	$12,000 Brick Foundation & Retaining Wall	$29,700 Framing for Addition
$23,000 Windows	$12,440 Steel Stair & Bridge	$3,600 Plumbing
$14,000 HVAC	$6,200 Electrical	$2,800 Lighting Fixtures
$2,220 Plumbing Fixtures	$5,700 Sheetrock Work	$13,700 Painting & Trim
$5,950 Wood Floors	$14,015 Metal Roof	$17,175 Exterior Siding & Insulation
$13,790 Kitchen Cabinets & Appliances	$1,250 Bathroom Cabinets	$5,200 Kitchen & Bath Quartz Counters
$2,000 Doors	$5,000 Front Canopy	$7,000 Front & Back Deck
$2,380 Driveway & Concrete Steps	$9,800 Excavation & Site Work	$4,600 Labor & Cleaning
$4,200 Tile Floors	$38,000 GC Fee, Overhead & Profit
Grand Total: $259,720

The subtraction of the little-used attached garage made way for a two-story, 1,200-square-foot addition. Kranbuehl then proceeded to conduct a complete renovation of the 2,100-square-foot interior.

The first floor of the addition is now home to a cedar-wrapped work room. Newly opened-up living spaces are lined with floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the garden. Kranbuehl installed a master suite on the second floor of the addition, and then connected it to the other second-floor bedrooms and a staircase via a steel bridge.

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Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Don Kranbuehl

Builder: Aiello Builders

Structural Engineer: Stewart Engineering

Cabinetry Design and Installation: Lowes

Glass: Brinn Glass, Mary Brinn

Metal: Black Metal Design-Build, Bryan C. Bolduc

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Budget Breakdown: A Raleigh Colonial Home Is Reinvented for $260K