Jump to content

Pierce Bashing


nolephan

Recommended Posts

Hi all,

I just got my Pierce, and want to make a boarding house. I think I may need to bash a Primrose on the side to get enough rooms.

So.... here's what I would LIKE to do. If anyone has bashed a Pierce before and can just tell me if these things are structurally stupid ideas.

1. Bash the Primrose on to the right side (looking at it from the open back) and create an opening between them. The primrose will be the kitchen/dining area, not sure about the upper floor yet. Probably a boarder's room. 

2. Add a wall where the dining room is now for another bedroom. The kitchen also becomes a bedroom.

3. Relocate the staircase against the front wall. Which would get rid of that weird little wall at the top of the stairs?

4. At the top of the stairs will be a small area with a bookcase, wall telephone and desk. Put in removable wall between stairs and right bedroom. In far left bedroom, turn bay into balcony.

5. Attic-Do something with that awkward V angle in the far left attic (Will this cause the roof to sag? Can I reinforce it?) Is the attic portion under the big roof tall enough to realistically make into rooms. And is the tower area big enough to put a child's bed and ladder to the roof in it?

Thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Pierce I was rebuilding before it got demolished in our move was getting bashed to have a conservatory with roof garden above off the formerly blank end wall.  Once you have dry fit it you can see what changes will be possible and where to make them.  KathieB is making her Pierce into a Bohemian inn.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, nolephan said:

Hi all,

I just got my Pierce, and want to make a boarding house.

Ah, Laurie, a gal after my own heart. My Pierce is becoming an 1880s Bohemian Inn and Tavern, and I've made some of the same changes you've outlined. Instead of adding a kit to the right side, I'm planning to scratch-build a unit that will contain the restaurant kitchen on the ground floor with additional rooms above it. I'm planning not to attach the kitchen wing to the main house for ease in moving once it's all together.  Unfortunately the building is currently residing in a storage unit. Am hoping to get it into the studio in the next several weeks so work can continue. Meanwhile, you can see how I changed the stairway and added a couple of interior walls in my blog, here. Scroll down for the bash details. FYI, both walls are removable.

I'm planning a hostel-type sleeping area in the attic area -- cots & pallets -- and plan to add some eyebrow dormers (typically found in old Czech buildings) to increase head room while keeping with the architectural style. I look forward to seeing how you approach your ideas. :) 

eyebrowfinished.jpg

As for whether the kit is structurally sound enough to make the changes you've described, I should think so. I haven't run into any structural issues, but even if you do, you can always reinforce where necessary. Where there's a will, there's a way.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kathie,

I bookmarked your blog. OH MY! You're amazing! I don't know whether to be inspired or terrified! What you did with the staircase is what I was thinking about. I like your idea about making the addition separate as well. I just laid out the floor of the pierce on my worktable and won't have enough room for the primrose to be permanently attached, so detachable might be the solution. Oh, and Alois is adorable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I am currently bashing a Pierce.  I am turning the three story tower into an elevator shaft using a small lantern I purchased from Hobby Lobby.  I plan on having the elevator go up and down by either a hidden hand crank or by a small battery operated motor hidden in the tower roof.  While the staircase is very pretty it always seemed too big for the space and I did not like the hidden wall at the top of the steps.  I also plan on moving some walls around and turning the smaller tower into a two story fireplace for the oven to be located there and a fireplace for the second floor bathroom with a small stove there.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...