QUIRK

When Steve and Patti bought their 1903 vintage farm house, it had already been remodeled 7 times. The house tilted 3.5 inches over 8 feet. The chimney had no support. Wood rot was common throughout. The interior was dark. The stairs had the wrong rise/run and the family kept tripping.

After extensive structural changes to support the house, Quirk raised the ceilings, and added clerestory windows -- inside and out -- to flood the house with light while maintaining privacy. Rooms were reconfigured and an addition extended the master bedroom and the new livingroom. A master bedroom deck provides light, privacy, and a view of the farm.

Most important for the owners, all work was done without using any glues or toxic finishes or materials.

• Interior, glare-free media room
• Custom concrete fireplace to store heat
• Radiant-floor heating throughout
• Handrail carved into wall to leave room for the stairs

• Shored foundation
• Replaced chimney
• Repaired water problems in the basement
• Attached house to its foundation
• Attached existing beams to existing walls and to the foundation. When purchased, some joist beams were free floating
• Attached sections of the house to each other
• Added shear walls to prevent future racking