Dad, of Hollon Design Associates, designed and helped us build our stairs. Due to the space constraints of the existing stairwell and two-foot thick concrete foundation walls, the plans for the space were meticulously drawn out and there was much deliberation at the city about whether or not they’d be approved, as two of the landings to the basement were 36” in only one direction.

This is how he recalls his “summer vacation” in an email to a friend:

“I was there for 16 days. 5 days to finish the drawings and get an over the counter addendum permit from the City and 10 days of construction. We started by saw cutting out the basement floor slab and pouring two 18" x 18" x 10" reinforced concrete footings to support the two tall 4x4 posts that support part of the basement stair landings, the floor framing for part of the first floor entry, and part of the first floor stair landings. (Finished this at 4:00 am after Tyler talked one of his competitors at a Wal-Mart job out of three more sacks of concrete so we could finish.) The "bridge" for the top two landings is supported by a bearing wall over a double floor joist on one end and a new double joist that is thru bolted to the existing masonry. The brick is three wyes wide (12-1/2") and are pressed bricks. We did not believe an epoxy anchor would hold, so that is why we went with thru bolts. Currently we used 5/8" ready bolts, but the finished bolts will be 3/4" x 18" carriage bolts. (Had to special order them.) They should look better on the exterior. The second landing in front of the little window is also thru bolted to the exterior. The "lean-to" addition will be removed and the wrap around covered porch will be restored. Therefore the little diamond plate washers will be exposed on the porch.

Vital statics:

· Basement floor to entry ceiling: 29'-6"

· 13 risers from basement to first floor in three runs.

· 19 risers from first floor to second floor in four runs.

· 32 risers total

· The intermediate landings for the basement stairs are not code compliant in one direction. (City allowed it due constraints of existing structure.)

· Metal studs used to furr exterior walls. Walls to receive urethane foam spray insulation.

· Stairs to be finished with stained poplar treads, risers, tread brackets, skirtboards, newel posts, balusters, and railings.

· Foundation walls are mortared stone and are up to 7" wider than the first and second floor masonry. Existing frame wall on first floor had to be moved 4" in order to have enough room for in the wall support framing (and metal studs and insulation) and make the stairs code compliant. Therefore, none of the walls for the two sets of stairs are aligned with each other.

· One 4x4 post is just under 12' long and the other is just under 16' long. A third 4x4 post that just supports part of a lower landing is just under 7' long and was simply set on an anchor plate on the existing floor slab.

And how was your summer vacation?

Ward Hollon”

We appreciate all the time, consideration and back breaking labor that Dad put into the design and construction of the stairs.