Green change - Home Makeover Magazine

tively low cost to blend seamlessly with
its more sophisticated neighbours.
“This is the most successful transformation
of a Special I have ever seen,”
said veteran contractor Martin Tremblay,
project manager of RJR Construction
Management Ltd.
By changing the roofline and siding
and improving the front deck, adding
new windows, vertical wood trim and
stucco, which were painted in heritageinspired
colours, the square old Special
suddenly became a trendy Craftsmanstyle
home.
The RJR renovation also included
upgrades to the interior, but no extra
living space was added, difficult to do in
any case because Specials are designed to
achieve the maximum floor-space-ratio
on a city lot.
In this project, the tar gravel from the
old roof was removed, as were all the roof
overhangs. A new peaked roof was then
framed on top using pre-engineered scissor
roof trusses and half-inch plywood.
The new roof was capped with laminated
fibreglass shingles, and the chimney
extended up about six feet.
According to Tremblay, who estimates
the entire exterior renovation came in at
around $80,000, such a makeover could
work on any Vancouver Special with
straight roof gables, which most of them
have. �
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