Help for a Ho-Hum House

The trouble began when their structural engineer inspected the house. The Hudson Valley hideaway Abby and Michael wanted to purchase was not merely unattractive... It had serious flaws.

First, the roof. It was original -- dating to about 1973. No way would it last another season.

Next, the sunroom. It had been built on top of an existing deck. Repairs were so shoddy that the room was actually pulling away from the main house. Michael could slip his fingers beneath the flashing. Not good!

And then there was the matter of the windows. They had not been maintained properly and would have to be replaced. Yikes!

To make matters worse, the appliances were in disrepair. Seems that the only thing that worked was the hot water heater.

With this much work that needed to be done, Abby and Michael decided that they might as well change the house -- totally.

Michael, a building contractor, purchased an easy home design software program. Abby consulted with her dad, who sells three-season greenhouses. Together, the family began drawing plans and exploring possibilities.

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