Design Components & Challenges
One of the most important aspects of the design was the client’s strong desire to preserve a large Japanese Maple specimen tree measuring roughly twenty-five feet tall and twenty-five feet wide. The challenge was its location. The tree sat directly in front of the home’s entrance, blocking the view and circulation to the front door.
Leaving the tree in place would have compromised the overall design of the entry. Relocating it, however, would require a significant portion of the construction budget. After careful consideration, it was ultimately decided that relocating the tree would provide the best aesthetic solution.
The final design included the relocation of the maple and the construction of a modest boulder wall to create level ground for the tree’s new location. A new random dimensional bluestone walk was also installed, along with additional plant materials to add color and visual interest to the landscape.
Architectural improvements were also made to the front of the home. These included adding a dormer to the existing front porch roof, removing the original railing and support posts, and installing two larger, more prominent columns. Additional updates included upgraded porch lighting, a new entrance door, and replacing the existing window trim on the front façade with larger, more substantial trim work.
The project also required addressing the steep slope along the east side of the house while carefully working around existing utilities that ran from the corner of the home to the street. All design and construction work was completed within the client’s strict $42,000 budget.
Construction Administration
After developing and reviewing several design solutions and consulting with architect Tim Gallagher of Architex in Latham, the final design was approved by the homeowner.
Work began with the relocation of the maple tree—a complex and delicate process due to its enormous weight, estimated at several tons. The root system was first excavated by hand with the assistance of an air spade, a specialized tool that uses high-pressure air to remove soil from around the roots. When used properly, this process clears excess soil without damaging the tree’s root structure.
Once the tree was carefully moved to its new location, a boulder wall was constructed around it to level the surrounding space and provide a stable soil bed for the root system. The root ball itself measured roughly 35 feet in diameter when it was relocated.
With the tree successfully established in its new setting, the remaining landscape work moved forward. A new bluestone walkway was installed, plant materials were added throughout the landscape, and new lawn areas were seeded.
Finally, improvements were made to the front façade of the home, including new window trim, a new front door, and the addition of a dormer above the entrance supported by heavier columns. Additional upgrades included irrigation system improvements and the installation of outdoor lighting fixtures.
Benefits & Lessons Learned
The collaborative working relationship between the client and Redbud allowed us to have focused and honest discussions about project goals, desires and budgets. The client was given many different options and had to do some tough prioritizing in order to stay within their budget. We were very pleased that they chose to invest a portion of their budget to save a beautiful old tree instead of simply cutting it down to get it out of the way.
In the end, as we continually declare, having a thorough and well thought out design in placed allowed us to organize and coordinate the multiple trades needed to implement the work and maintain a strict timeline therefore keeping the budget in check.
