A sale is already pending on a recent remodel of the house located at 43 SE 89th Ave. Waterworks Contractors Inc. bought the small 1931 house on March 25th and quickly refreshed all aspects of the home.

The Field Issuance Remodel (FIR) Permit 20-152707 was applied for June 3rd and issued a few days ago on July 21st. It calls for an “extensive home remodel, largely interior. Exterior changes to windows in existing rough openings, remove chimney and fireplace from the street-facing elevation. Replace all mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems.”

At just 968 square feet, the house could be considered small for the neighborhood. It originally had no street-facing windows. Instead, it had a large river stone chimney dominating the front wall. With the chimney removed, two windows join the door on the building’s street side.

The renovation focused on making the most out of the limited interior space. Removing the dividing wall between the kitchen and living room created a nearly 30-foot deep core space. Each of the two bedrooms gained builtin closets. The one bathroom expanded into the front bedroom, allowing the addition of a double vanity. There is an 8-foot by 18-foot basement room that would be considered non-livable space due to its single egress. That room’s finished in the same style as the main floor. The listings calculation of 1,164 square-feet looks to include the basement room.

The property has a detached garage and a rear deck accessible from double doors off the back bedroom. The builder chose many high-end finishes, completely transforming this building. Although completed quickly, this could stand as an example of how to maximize value with minimal space. As more infill homes pop up in Portland, proper use of small spaces will be essential, and buyers will need to readjust their expectations of size.