Going Minimalist

What if we try to spend as little money as possible? The plans at the building department are pretty ambitious--hydronic heat, all new windows, the 13' 7" Trees Room ceiling, maybe a steel frame for windows at the south. Imagining a minimal scheme would bracket the spending and highlight the cost of the less-than-minimal plan.

The main problem with A.14 is that the entry hall is awkward, unusable space. The dinette actually works better than I thought, as does the kitchen. There is also no good place for the television in the former living room. (Over the fireplace, I guess, now that I think about it.) Trying to imagine how I would be comfortable here, I can't find a place for my music equipment, or the treadmill.

If this was built now, I could rent the former living room as a studio apartment and make, maybe $800 a month. It has no laundry, but we have an arrangement in which I unlock the connecting door--the tenant doing laundry wouldn't impact me too much. Bedroom 3 would make a nice Airbnb--no kitchen, but easy outside access. That might earn $300/month on average. That's $13,200/year income in exchange for living with strangers.