Expert: Ted Barnhill (Principal, Design45 LLC) - 1/28/2009

Question
Hi Ted,
We are in the beginning stages of planning an addition/remodel to our 1930's 2bdrm 1ba double shotgun house. 5 years ago we completely gutted the inside and made everything new again.  We kept original floorplan and are now ready to add a master suite and expand the living room. The house has a crawlspace of about 2ft.  We also want to update the exterior.  We added new windows, siding, and a metal/tin roof during the first renovation.  
My first question:
Can we remove the siding and add brick and stucco to the exterior of the house with a crawlspace.  Would we choose brick veneer or solid brickwall.  We are familiar with cement panels used to mimick the look of stucco. Would that be a better option over real stucco.  We are located in Central Louisiana and that tends to be the trend of New Construction.
Question 2:
We currently have a metal roof which I am not found of for cosmetic purposes only.  We are planning to replace with shingles.  We want to completely replace the roof to accommodate the new additions.  We were thinking of a hip roof. How hard would it be to remove the old roof and replace it with a completely different roof with new rooflines.  Will it be ridiculous to even attempt that due to the difficulty and costs? Our original roofline is a gable, shotgun roof.  One straight line with no breaks. Any information will help. We are planning on consulting an architect/designer but are still in the "idea" stage. Thanks

Answer
Samantha,

You are describing an ambitious project, and I'm glad that you will be working with an architect/designer at the appropriate time.  In the meantime, I recommend that you do your best to define your budget, and prioritize your needs, both functionally and aesthetically.

Any of your ideas are possible, but the costs and other complications may steer you away from some of them.  True cement stucco siding is a time-proven and attractive option, which you can typically add to a frame home without amending your foundation.  In some areas, cement stucco is a relatively expensive choice, so some homeowners opt for fiber-cement panels in a faux stucco look.  I like fiber cement panels for their function/durability/sustainability, but the stucco print is pretty unconvincing as normally installed.  Another choice is EIFS, or synthetic stucco, which has been associated with many moisture/mold problems but if installed in a "water-managed" system may also be a good possibility for you.  Thin veneer brick can be incorporated with any of these, though again you need to pay particular attention to detailing in order for it to look convincing and not fake.  True brick is a great material, but will require a load-bearing brick ledge, meaning that you may need to enlarge your footings, a potentially costly step.

On your roof, I personally like metal roofs from a functional point: they are long-lasting, recyclable and energy efficient.  Whether to change your entire roofline when reroofing depends on your budget and whether you plan to live in the home through construcion.  If you choose a roof tearoff you may be able to maintain your ceiling system with electrical, plumbing, etc, but this is worth verifying.  A new hip roof can be framed, sheathed, and roofed fairly quickly, but your home will potentially be exposed to the elements during that period, the best tarps notwithstanding.

A good designer may be able to incorporate new design elements on your home (existing space and addition) that achieve your aesthetic goals without removing the entire roof - and the same may be true of your siding.  Best of luck to you with your project, Ted