Eichler home in NY
Hi there,
I was watching that forum for quite some time during my time of the "research" but now it's the time to drop a line, BECAUSE we finally have the signed contracts of our Eichler home in hands. It was a struggle and a long battle to find a home we love between all that NY/NJ style houses. No further comment needed...
SO!? we own 1 of the 3 Eichler homes in NY and we're looking forward to roll up the sleeves and bring the beauty back to glace. I have at least a thousand questions, but will limit myself to just 3.
1) Our home is the model VC544 (4 bedroom, 2 bath, double garage, flat roof). The floorplan is here: http://www.rockonstage.com/Eichler/Floorplan/floorplan_VC554.jpg but for some reason ours is just flipped 180 deg and looks like that: http://www.rockonstage.com/Eichler/Floorplan/floorplan_VC554_flipped.jpg
I browsed a lot of realty sites arround here, but saw just a few houses with our floorplan. So, I would be thrilled if somebody here ownes the same house and is willing to share some images or can prompt me to houses on the web.
2) The roof needs to be done soon. Since that is a flat roof and NY sees actually quite some rain and can face some feet of snow, too if times comes I think the flat roof is not the right concept. My idea is to install a second roof on the existing one with a bit of an angle or pitched. That gives me the chance to actually live in the house while the roof gets done and I will take the chance to install central air etc. at that point in time. Wondering if one of you went through the same???
3) The radiant heating system has been replaced in the past with a baseboard heating. We love stone floors or slates, but since the radiant heating is gone I believe that feels toooo cold in the winter. What's your thought on that?
Thanks a lot in advance!
Carl
Carl, congratulations on your new home! As you know, you now own something rare: one of only 3 houses Eichler ever built outside of California (there was one in Illinois but his company didn't build it, he just consulted on it).
Your plan appears to be one that Eichler also used in Orange County and perhaps in San Rafael. Hopefully you will hear from one of those owners.
While it is certainly true that a completely flat roof in your climate has its disadvantage, adding a new pitched roof, even just slightly pitched, is going to significantly change the appearance of the house. I would consult with a qualified architect with experience in mid-century modern houses before doing anything. Whatever you do to the roof will be expensive, and you want to be sure it looks "right" with the architecture.
It's too bad you lost your radiant system. Stone floors with no heat do feel very cold in the winter in NY. The least expensive solution would be to wear warm slippers and put down some area rugs in the living and dining room.
Good luck with your new home,
Barry Brisco
Congrats EichlerNY! It's good to know that at least 1/3 of all the NY eichler owners are being active on this site! Please us know if you post more info on your new home!
You may have read this already, but for anyone else who is interested, the archive of this fine website has a good article on these particular Eichlers:
http://www.eichlernetwork.com/ENStry16.html
cheers!
Congrats EichlerNY! It's good to know that at least 1/3 of all the NY eichler owners are being active on this site! Please us know if you post more info on your new home!
You may have read this already, but for anyone else who is interested, the archive of this fine website has a good article on these particular Eichlers:
http://www.eichlernetwork.com/ENStry16.html
cheers!
It's a weird feeling to read about your house somewhere, but it's cool, too. Ours is the "Caponigros house".
Thanks for the feedback!
Carl
While it is certainly true that a completely flat roof in your climate has its disadvantage, adding a new pitched roof, even just slightly pitched, is going to significantly change the appearance of the house. I would consult with a qualified architect with experience in mid-century modern houses before doing anything. Whatever you do to the roof will be expensive, and you want to be sure it looks "right" with the architecture.
It's too bad you lost your radiant system. Stone floors with no heat do feel very cold in the winter in NY. The least expensive solution would be to wear warm slippers and put down some area rugs in the living and dining room.
I hear you about the roof! I hope we can pitch in in a way that doesn't "influence" the design.
:) ...about the slippers...
Thanks for the feedback!
Carl
Congrats on your purchase.
Asd for your Roof. If you choose Foam you can have them "Contour" a pitch toward your drains. I would make sure to use planty of Downspouts to get the water off your roof.
The back half of our Walnut Creek Eichler is flat and they contoured the foam to move the water away from the center and it works great.
Hope you don't add a Pitch to the home unless it is a must. It really would change the architecture.
Anyway, have fun in the home.
Gerald
There are a number of this style in San Jose as well. It's a great floorplan. As for the roof, a number of houses in my subdivision changed their roofline in the 70s and 80s to deal with leaks and the lack of roofing options other than tar and gravel and they all look pretty bad. A couple of them have recently removed these eyesores (at significant expense) and gone back to the original rooflines. Fortunately, there are additional roofing choices now days.
As for a flat roof in NY, think of all the grocery stores, malls, warehouses and schools around you. They all have flat roofs and do just fine. You probably can't use foam as I'm pretty sure it needs very low humidity to be installed correctly. Look at Durolast. You can probably even get a high velocity heat and ac system installed under it and maintain the original pitch. Or take the money you would have spent raising the roof and get new radiant installed under a new layer of concrete.
As for a flat roof in NY, think of all the grocery stores, malls, warehouses and schools around you. They all have flat roofs and do just fine. You probably can't use foam as I'm pretty sure it needs very low humidity to be installed correctly. Look at Durolast. You can probably even get a high velocity heat and ac system installed under it and maintain the original pitch. Or take the money you would have spent raising the roof and get new radiant installed under a new layer of concrete.
I hear you with the "industrial" buildings. That's what I think, too. There must be a way to pitch it slightly somehow without messing with the design of the flat roof. Unfortunatelly there are no "Eichler specialists" here, but hey I didn't think that will be easy...
Thanks for the feedback! Very helpful and appreciated!
Hi
I am familiar with many of the remodeling problems you face since we live in a 1953 post and beam house. While not an Eichler, it is very similar in many regards. It is located in the Frank Lloyd Wright community "Usonia" in Pleasantville NY.
Congrats on your NY Eichler. I'm not quite sure where Spring Valley is, but I'll look it up.
Hi
I am familiar with many of the remodeling problems you face since we live in a 1953 post and beam house. While not an Eichler, it is very similar in many regards. It is located in the Frank Lloyd Wright community "Usonia" in Pleasantville NY.
Didn't even now there is such thing like a Lloyd Wright community. I was looking for a house in NY/NJ and it was a nightmare. MacMansion is not my thing, you know...and all that soul-less ranges neighter.
Are your "community" somewhere on the web? Love Frank Llyod Wright concepts!
Hi all, This is Jerry Josephs Owner of the first Eichler to be built in NY.
Having some questions posted on ths site regarding HVAC. May need to replace boiler with new AC/Heating unit, any thoughts or suggestions welcome
fxlarry wrote:Congrats EichlerNY! It's good to know that at least 1/3 of all the NY eichler owners are being active on this site! Please us know if you post more info on your new home!
You may have read this already, but for anyone else who is interested, the archive of this fine website has a good article on these particular Eichlers:
http://www.eichlernetwork.com/ENStry16.html
cheers!
It's a weird feeling to read about your house somewhere, but it's cool, too. Ours is the "Caponigros house".
Thanks for the feedback!
Carl
I forgot to drive by and see the rare 3 when I was in NY earlier this month. Good luck on getting the right look with the flat roof in NY.
Seems like it's possible because when riding the subways in NYC Queens and Brooklyn I saw a lot of flat roofed houses (w/a parapet in front tho)
they all gently sloped to the back of the house. I did see mostly tar/gravel but it looks like a few had some sorta shiny metallic roof and it looks like a few even had the white Durolast, so it looks like it's possible.
Hello Carl
Congratulations on your Eichler home. I am a huge admirer of his work and had no idea that there were 3 Eichler homes in New York. I am located a bit South of you in Westchester County.
If you still check in to the forum, I would like to know what you did with your low pitch roof. I am researching the same.
many thanks
michele
Hi,
Do you know what kind of pipe they used in the radiant heat for the NY eichlers? If it is copper it can be restored.
