Please see a summary of events in early 2018 that led to these plans.
We collect all our thoughts in a single document so a general contractor can understand the full scope of possible work.
But we divide the work into sub-projects so a single contractor could take full responsibility for a project element (e.g., the new door and stair, foundation waterproofing, solar panels, or tunnel to garage).
We are now planning to work with a general contractor who will take on most of the work, and we are working with an HVAC specialist who installed mini-split air conditioning for the lab and studio on the first floor, and will install a new highly-efficient forced hot water heating system for the building.
At this point, important project elements are
The basement had a horsehair plaster and lathe ceiling attached to floor joists, then a drop ceiling suspended a few inches below. The plaster had been pierced to install fluorescent lighting up between the joists. Plaster was crumbling and falling down in many places, making the basement dusty and dirty.
To get a clear look at floor joists and first-floor planking, we decided to remove the drop ceiling and demolish the plaster and drop ceilings. The drop ceiling averaged about 4" below the joists, reducing ceiling height below seven feet.
Steam pipes were too low for the headroom required by Massachusetts and Cambridge building codes. We decided to switch from steam heat to forced hot water. We removed and recycled two inefficient steam boilers, seventeen very heavy upstair radiators, and many feet of heavy black pipe. These will be replaced with panel radiators and light-weight PEX piping.
Electrical wires, thirty Merlin PBX wires, doorbell wiring, security camera wiring, and many other wires criss-crossed the cellar, lying on the ceiling tiles and randomly breaking through the plaster, which was constantly disintegrating into dust.
The oldest electrical wires were deteriorating cloth-insulated inside ancient BX metal armor.
Low-voltage electronics cables from our webcasting studio to the switcher and green room were very difficult to manage.
We removed all of the BX and several obsolete wires, many of which were wrapped over and under pipes and haphazardly stapled to beams and joists with non-insulated staples. All horizontal BX was replaced with Romex. We reorganized locations for wires, attaching them neatly with insulated staples. Wires now run only down the long corridor between the main beams, then out between the joists.
This also provides us clear open paths for PEX piping between the main load beams and up between the floor joists for the new forced hot water heating system.
With all joists exposed, we did a survey of ceiling heights. In the front corners the height to the joists is 7'4" and averaged 7'3" across the space toward the outer walls. The main beams in the center are typically 7'1". We initially thought we might have to dig out the concrete floors, but that very expensive possibility is now not necessary.
We plan to install 1/2" ceilings, removable plywood panels, and perhaps thin vinyl sheet flooring or ceramic planking, so will have the Massachusetts state building code basement ceiling height everywhere. See code below.
There was no blocking between the joists, so at many places floorboards were spongy and noisy, pulled loose from the sub-floor.
We removed the sheetrock outer walls, studs, etc. Some studs and many 2" x 4" bottom plates were badly rotted.
We demolished the existing interior walls that must be moved to new places for the new boiler room, a larger bathroom, and for the new workshop wall.
We removed the old vinyl floor tiles in preparation for new flooring. The concrete floor is uneven by as much as an inch, so we probably must flatten it (though not level it) for new flooring.
We demolished the walls and ceiling of the first floor bathroom, partly to run new drain pipes that do not compromise our new sistered joists, and because we want to install a walk-in shower.
We found water and termite damage to the back ends of main beams and several joists below the upper-floor bathrooms. Plumbers had cut deeply into the joists to position the bathtub drains and upper floors were sagging well below their original level.
We consulted a structural engineer whose report said that weak joists should be sistered with new 2" x 8" LVL planks. For the termite-damaged main beams, he recommended removing them and installing three new 2" x 10" LVL boards to replace the bad beams.
We got an extravagant estimate ($69,000) for sistering ten joists, replacing 20 feet of each main beam, and adding two new columns with new reinforced concrete footings. We got a lower estimate for just sistering the joists ($10,000), but still very expensive.
So we went ahead and sistered the seven worst joists ourselves with new 2" x 8" LVL planks. We also strengthened the "cripple box" around the plumbing stack.
We used six 20-ton hydraulic jacks to shore up the joists, taking weight off the beams, so we could remove the damaged sections in small pieces.
We replaced the damaged 20 feet of each 6" x 10" beam with three 2" x 10" LVL lumber, each pair screwed together with Headlok 2 3/4" screws and glued with Liquid Nails Extreme. The three planks are bolted together with 1/2" bolts every 1.5 feet.
Under the main beams we replaced three lally columns that were deteriorating. We relocated two columns to be hidden in wall partitions, setting them on new concrete footings with reinforcing rebars.
Once all floor joists are strong, we may need a new subfloor and hardwood or laminate flooring in the first floor corridor, with blocking/bridging between floor joists as needed to prevent squeaking (or perhaps just new brad nails secured to old subfloor?).
New Heating System
Gas entrance pipes need to be relocated up between the now-open joists, and boxed along the exterior wall.
Fire retardant walls and ceiling for the boiler room? Maybe not, because new boilers have sealed combustion chambers with no open flames.
System should have zone control for the three upper floors and for future basement and garage heating.
About 17 new European style, white wall-mounted radiators will be installed on the upper three floors.
Wirsbo/Uponor AquaPEX (PEX-A) piping will mostly follow the existing holes for the old steam radiators. Pipes will travel from the new boiler room along the corridor between the main beams, then our between floor joists to the rooms.
We hope to hide most piping above the ceiling between joists and down inside partitions.
Replace the hot water heater with an indirect tank with heat exchanger in the boiler.
Manifolds needed
More details on our heating plans.
Fujitsu components
We installed a new 30A circuit and circuit breaker for the outdoor unit.
With all the exterior walls now visible, we ran water through a garden hose around the house perimeter and saw water coming through the rubble foundation in some places. We may need to dig outside and waterproof the foundation walls from the outside. As additional protection, we may add one or perhaps two sump pumps at the front to eliminate future floods? Although we will test the outside waterproofing first.
We will also add new downspouts on porches at front and rear to keep water away from the house foundation.
We will repoint the lower half of exterior walls (rubble foundation) with new hydraulic lime mortar.
We demolished the walls and ceiling of the first floor bathroom and will build a new stud wall at 60" separation to accept a new walk-in shower.
We added sister joists below the bathroom floor to strengthen those badly cut away for cast iron drain pipe access below first floor bath. We will thread new PVC piping through holes, not notches, in the new sistered joists, or perhaps in the first floor bathroom wall?
Proposed fixtures for first floor bathroom.
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We hope to cut the 0.2" wall material to allow us to keep the window. 
It must be mounted to the floor above so we can run future low-voltage studio wiring, doorbell wiring, new electric outlets, mini-split air conditioning lines, and others not yet known.
Visualization of new side entrance, a 36" x 78" (or probably 32" x 78") much like our current front door.
Should the door open out or in?
Because its 3-foot by 3-foot landing is a few feet below the vestibule of the first floor, it has only eight stairs instead of 13 in the upper floor staircase.
Because the rubble foundation extends 7" inside the cement block wall, the stairs are only 30" wide where upper floors are 36".
Since the basement ceiling height is 7'3" at the new stair, compared to upper floors with nine feet, the headroom at the bottom step may be slightly below code.
We inspected the space under the first flight of stairs above. It is completely open. The upper stairs are attached only to the walls.
We need a (30"-wide?) door at the bottom of the stair to block winter cold from rushing in to the basement. Even better might be a second door at the top of the stair to make a mini-vestibule. The outer door could be left-opening out. The inner door at the top of the stair left-opening in. It need only be closed in very cold weather. Perhaps no inner door, but a lightweight folding door that could be out of the way except for the coldest weeks?
With cold blocked at the top of the stair, we could have a banister and newell post, bringing the staircase space into the room.
Better still is to excavate the entire bathroom floor and install new piping for all fixtures?
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When we lose power, it is not possible to lift the heavy overhead door, and in event of fire we would like a second exit.
We propose to replace a 36" x 36" window in the garage with a full-height door. The garage window is 6.5 feet away from and directly opposite a 36" x 24" basement window. We would replace the basement window with a 32"-wide, six-foot-tall door. Both doors need to be steel frames because they are below grade.
Looking through the basement window, you can see the garage window and part of the stair to the garage roof.
We would replace the current stair with a deck going up six steps, from which four more steps would reach the garage roof. We propose the roof be considered as open space.
The current rubber roof is past its expected life. We have maintained it by resealing the seams and adding a one-foot strip of new rubber on top of the original seams.
Fire Protection: You must comply with NFPA 241 - Standard for Safeguarding Construction, Alteration, and Demolition Operations.
Guarantee Fund: Notice is hereby given that owners obtaining their own permit or dealing with unregistered contractors for applicable home improvement work do not have access to the arbitration program or guarantee fund under MGL c.142A.
Noise Ordinance: The undersigned as the Architect / Construction Supervisor / Owner for this proposed construction do hereby certify awareness and knowledge of Chapter 8.16 of the Cambridge Municipal Code regarding noise control. Necessary actions must be taken concerning the design, specification of an location of noise producing equipment; e.g., air condensers, heating equipment exhausts, etc., to insure that this project will not result in noise levels that exceed that allowed by the Municipal Code.
Demolition: For substantial demolition of any structural elements of more than 25% of existing building, detailed information of demolition must be included on construction drawings (proof of extermination required if excavating or demolition). Demolition of more than 25% of the existing area or volume of the structure requires a Demolition Permit.
Construction Debris: As a result of the provisions of MGL c 40 §54, I acknowledged that as a condition of the Building Permit, all debris resulting from the construction activity governed by this Building Permit shall be disposed of in a properly licensed waste disposal facility, as defined by MGL c 111 §150A.
Structural Peer Review: Required for high rise construction or buildings of unusual complexity as determined by the BBRS
Lead Safe Renovation Contractor License: This license is required and issued by the Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards (454 CMR 22.03(3)). This license is required for ALL renovation work on residential buildings constructed before 1978. The DLS licensed lead supervisor is required to be on-site at all times during the lead-disturbance phase of the project
Asbestos and Other Hazardous Materials: The undersigned as the Architect / Construction Supervisor / Owner for this proposed project do hereby certify that awareness and knowledge of contaminants in the building or on the site will require necessary action for remediation of hazardous materials by a contractor licensed for hazardous waste remediation. All debris resulting from remediation will be disposed of in a properly licensed hazardous waste disposal facility.
The undersigned hereby certifies that he/she has read and examined this application and that the proposed work subject to the provisions of the Massachusetts State Building Code and other applicable laws and ordinances is accurately represented in the statements made in this application and that the work shall be carried out in accordance with the foregoing statements and in compliance with the provisions of law and ordinance in force on the date of this application to the best of his/her ability.
The undersigned, by printing his/her name below, hereby certifies under the pains and penalties of perjury that the information herein, and all forms and supporting documentation submitted in support of the application(s), are true and accurate.
| District | 1. Max. Ratio of Floor Area to Lot Area (FAR) | 2. Min. Lot Size | Min. Lot Area for each D.U. in Sq. Ft. | Min. Lot Width in Feet |
Minimum Yard in Feet
|
Max. Height in Feet | Min. Ratio of Private Op. Sp. to Lot Area | |||
| Res. B | 0.5 | 5,000 | 2,500 | 50 |
| 35 | 40% | |||
| 77 Huron | 1.16 | 3745 | 3745/3 = 1248 | 40 |
| 35 | 53% |
| Year of Assessment | 2018 |
|---|---|
| Tax District | R6 |
| Residential Exemption | Yes |
| Building Value | $799,800 |
| Land Value | $845,300 |
| Assessed Value | $1,645,100 |
| Sale Price | $42,500 |
| Book/Page | 12493/ 731 |
| Sale Date | August 3, 1973 |
| Previous Assessed Value | $1,604,400 |
| Owner(s) | DOYLE, ROBERT D. & HOLLY THOMIS DOYLE 77 HURON AVE CAMBRIDGE, MA 02138-6798 |
|---|
| Style | DECKER |
|---|---|
| Occupancy | THREE-FM-RES |
| Number of Stories | 3 |
| Exterior Wall Type | Wood Shingle |
| Roof Type | Flat |
| Roof Material | Rubber Membrane |
| Living Area (sq. ft.) | 4,362 |
|---|---|
| Number of Units | 3 |
| Total Rooms | 18 |
| Bedrooms | 9 |
| Kitchens | 3 |
| Full Baths | 3 |
| Half Baths | 1 |
| Fireplaces | 0 |
| Heat Type | Steam |
|---|---|
| Heat Fuel | Gas |
| Central A/C | No |
| Year Built | 1916 |
|---|---|
| Interior Condition | Average |
| Overall Condition | Average |
| Overall Grade | Good |
| Open Parking | 2 |
|---|---|
| Covered Parking | 0 |
| Code | Description | Gross Area | Living Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| FOP | Porch, Open | 651 | 0 |
| FUS | Upper Story, Finished | 2,908 | 2,908 |
| BAS | First Floor | 1,454 | 1,454 |
| FBM | Basement, Finished | 700 | 0 |
| UBM | Basement | 754 | 0 |
| Total: | 6,467 | 4,362 | |
780 CMR 5305 CEILING HEIGHT 5305.1 Minimum Height. Habitable rooms, hallways, corridors, bathrooms, toilet rooms, laundry rooms and basements shall have a ceiling height of not less than seven feet (2134 mm). The required height shall be measured from the finish floor to the lowest projection from the ceiling.
Exceptions:
1. Beams and girders spaced not less than four feet (1219 mm) on center may project not more than six inches (152 mm) below the required ceiling height.
2. Ceilings in basements without habitable spaces may project to within six feet, eight inches (2032 mm) of the finished floor; and beams, girders, ducts or other obstructions may project to within six feet, four inches (1931 mm) of the finished floor.
3. Not more than 50% of the required floor area of a room or space is permitted to have a sloped ceiling less than seven feet (2134 mm) in height with no portion of the required floor area less than five feet (1524 mm) in height.
4. Bathrooms shall have a minimum ceiling height of six feet eight inches (2036 mm) over the fixture and at the front clearance area for fixtures. A shower or tub equipped with a showerhead shall have a minimum ceiling height of six feet eight inches (2036 mm) above a minimum area 30 inches (762 mm) by 30 inches (762 mm) at the showerhead.
5. Ceiling heights in habitable basements, including drop ceilings, shall be a minimum of six feet eight inches (2032 mm).
