HARPSWELL RETROFIT

Modernizing a 100-Year-Old Island Home in Orr’s Island, Maine

The Challenge

What began as a kitchen and bath remodel quickly expanded into a comprehensive energy retrofit of a century-old house on Orr’s Island. The clients wanted to improve flow and views throughout the main level while updating key spaces like the kitchen and master suite. 

The challenge was integrating new programmatic spaces into the existing structure and expressing these changes honestly on the exterior—adding contemporary elements to a traditional gambrel-style house without compromising the original character. 

The Design Solution

We opened up the main level to create better flow and ensure views from every room. The updated living room features large double-hung windows that create a glass wall effect—maximizing the connection to the island setting while maintaining a traditional window style that doesn’t detract from the home’s character. 

On the exterior, bold changes in windows and materials highlight where the new addition has been integrated into the original form. Rather than trying to hide the updates, these moves celebrate the home’s evolution from a traditional island house to a high-performance modern residence. 

Energy Performance

The deep energy retrofit included adding 2" of exterior insulation throughout, new windows, and spray foam over the extensive ledge in the basement/lower floor. Energy modeling helped determine the optimal insulation levels that would allow an air-source heat pump system to effectively replace the old oil-filled boiler.

Details

Project size: 2,645 sf
Building shell: R-13 over ledge, R-32 over crawlspace R-28 walls, R-62 attic
Materials: Maibec cedar shingles to match original wood siding, Marvin and Integrity windows
Interior materials: semi-custom cabinets, granite, tile, hardwood floors to match existing
Systems: Existing oil boiler to be phased to aerothermal heat pump system, ERV for fresh air
Energy savings over original house: 80%

Architect: Kaplan Thompson Architects
Project Architect: Jamie Broadbent - contributed to project while an employee at Kaplan Thompson Architects
Builder: Warren Construction
Photography: Sandy Agrafiotis