Terry & Christine’s Three Season Porch Project in Orono, MN

There’s an old adage that says “They don’t build them like that anymore.” This saying absolutely applies to historic homes. In the last century, there have been tremendous changes to codes, installation techniques, and building materials. As a contractor, working with a century old homes is a challenge that brings great satisfaction upon completion. 1910 was the year Terry & Christine’s home was built. When they contacted us for a complimentary estimate, they had a wish list that included enclosing their deck, upgrading the home’s insulation, and installing new gutters and windows . After taking the time to understand what their home remodeling project goals were, we suggested the following home upgrades.

old deck — Here’s how the deck looked before we transformed it into a three-season porch.

Enclosed Front Porch Remodel

Terry and Christine had attached their porch to an addition that had been completed on the home in the 1990’s. They had enjoyed the porch for several years, they knew they would get more use out of it if it was enclosed. We agreed and suggested replacing the wooden three season porch flooring boards with AZEK^® flooring in Morado. AZEK^® was a great fit for this project because of its scratch and stain resistance. The exterior railing was finished in antique bronze in order to fit in with the home’s rustic exterior.

Porch Windows & Historic Charm Accents

Sunspace windows were installed to allow a maximum amount of natural light to illuminate the area. Terry and Christine asked if it was possible to include antique leaded glass pieces to infuse historic charm into the new space. We were happy to accommodate this request and installed them on opposite ends of the three-season porch to ensure perfect balance. The installation technique we utilized allows for the antique glass to be easily removed and taken with them in the event the couple opts to move in the future.

Installing Siding For The Front Porch Addition

Due to rot, we replaced the siding near the home’s entry with LP® SmartSide® in Hampton Red, which is both maintenance-free and an ideal match for the home’s preexisting siding. A section of LeafGuard® Brand Gutters was installed over the three-season porch’s entrance to protect the brick walkway and to eliminate gushing rainwater from soaking those entering and leaving the space.

The window to the right of the front door was one of the leaded glass pieces we integrated into the newly enclosed front porch.

Roofing And Insulating An Old House

Without question, owners of historic homes routinely complain about a lack of attic insulation. Terry and Christine also fell in this category. Part of this custom home renovation included extending the roofline in the back of the home with GAF asphalt shingles. This provided the perfect opportunity to open otherwise concealed areas and install spray foam insulation. We identified vermiculite insulation in other portions of the home, removed it, and replaced it with a combination of spray foam and fiberglass insulation. In newer areas of the home, we discovered insulation had never been properly installed and took this opportunity to remedy the situation.

3 season porch — AZEK® flooring in Morado, and a Marvin patio door were a part of this project.

New Windows and Doors:

In their quest for an energy efficient home, Terry and Christine opted to have us install two SeasonGuard awning windows. We take great pride in offering these awning windows to Minnesota homeowners because they have some of the industry’s lowest air infiltration rates. This is largely because they have three continuous seals of weather stripping. A new patio door was also a top priority and part of this project included the installation of a new one by Marvin.

On the day before Thanksgiving, our Design/Build Specialist, Eric, stopped in to see how Terry and Christine were enjoying their new three season front porch addition. He was pleasantly surprised to see that they were utilizing the remodeled house space to host guests the next day. Eric looks forward to working with the couple on their next project at their northern Minnesota cabin.

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Lindus Construction Reviews from Hennepin County Homeowners

"Lindus Construction added a landing and steps to our 2nd floor exterior deck. They completed sooner than promised and did an outstanding job. The materials used are top notch, the construction was done with very good quality, and they look beautiful while being very sturdy. Everything was to code and the post construction inspection found no problems. I'm glad I chose them!"

Mark M.

Brooklyn Park, MN

October 3, 2022

"They created a back door and stairs...5 stars!"

Heather R.

Minneapolis, MN

July 23, 2022

"Jason and the insulating crew did a great job. I told Jason it looked like nothing was done when he finished cleaning, which is a very good thing. The insulating crew did have a difficult time working under the bay window. They usually hold their spray gun about 2 ft. away from the surface. In our location, they only had a foot at the most. So, there was a lot of blowback, clean-up, and additional layers to get the final result."

Jerry P.

Eden Prairie, MN

June 16, 2022

"Great job on installing new gutters! Plus, they came out to inspect their own work. The inspector found a couple things not up to their standards, so they're coming out to correct things I couldn't even see. I'm very impressed! There had been a mistake made on color, but it was quickly rectified and apologized for. I plan to use Lindus for future projects!"

Tiffany C.

May 13, 2022

"I would recommend Lindus to anyone who would ask. The gutters sure saved us from the cleaning every year."

Frank K.

May 31, 2022

"I've used Lindus Construction many times: roof, windows and recently an egress window. I would never hire anyone else. I know I can trust their work. The best."

Kathie R.

February 14, 2022