For Dan and Jill, renovating their 1971 Ranch isn’t just about fixing problems, it’s about creating a forever home where their two children, now 9 and 11, will grow up surrounded by family. “I was active military for 12 years, so we didn’t get to choose where we lived,” says Dan, who is now a commercial airline pilot as well as a member of Rhode Island’s Air National Guard. “When we bought this house in Walpole, we came back to the area where Jill grew up, to be near family.”
Jill’s siblings live in Walpole and her parents live in a nearby town, but one day her parents will live much closer—in an ADU extending from the back of Dan and Jill’s house. The renovation plans also include turning part of the existing house’s basement into a guest suite so there will be room for Dan’s parents, who live overseas, to stay during visits.
The homeowners have lived in the three-bedroom, one-and-a-half bath house for four years and know its flaws well. Although they considered doing improvements in phases, they ultimately went for a one-time disruption. “We decided to do everything at once, fixing the pain points of the existing house, redoing the basement, and adding the ADU,” says Jill, who notes the family is fortunate that they will be able to stay with her brother, who lives right around the corner, during the process.
One of the key goals is to create an open-plan living-dining-kitchen area with better flow for family gatherings. To make that happen, the plan includes changing the location of a stairway to the basement and eliminating awkward steps and doors from kitchen to laundry to garage.
They will be able to include an island in kitchen, and they will convert the dining room windows to patio doors with access to one of the things they love most about the house: a spacious backyard. To add to the sense of openness, they will increase the ceiling height in these first-floor spaces from the current 7.5 feet to 9.5 feet.
Another major improvement will be the bathroom situation: They will add a full bath for Dan and Jill, who currently have just a powder room off their bedroom; remodel the existing (only) full bath in the house; and build a powder room near a new laundry and mudroom. “Having one shower for the entire house is definitely not enough,” sighs Jill.
The house’s mechanical systems will be upgraded, providing air conditioning for the first time, and a more efficient heating system by using a propane-based hydro air system for both heat and AC, and a propane boiler for hot water.
To make the most of their one-level ranch, Dan and Jill will do a makeover of the partially finished basement. Plans include creating a dedicated guest suite in one area of the basement and keeping a built-in bar area—crafted by the house’s original owner—intact as a gathering space.
The biggest change will come with the accessory dwelling unit (ADU), which will be the first one built in Walpole under new state laws that have been evolving even during the planning process. The new law, which went into effect in early 2025, is part of the Affordable Homes Act, and gives homeowners the ability to build one ADU on their property “by right” without needing special permits.
At this property, the ADU will be 900 square feet and include a kitchen, living room, two baths, one bedroom, and a bonus space between the ADU and existing house that is intended as a gathering area. In essence, the ADU will do exactly what the law describes in terms of addressing the affordability of housing, particularly in the Boston area, where real estate prices have skyrocketed. “We wanted to build the ADU now, instead of needing to change due to a crisis as my parents age,” explained Jill, whose parents are in their 60s and live in nearby Needham. “Now that they are starting to think about leaving the house they have had for years, which is not a good one for aging in place, they are facing a very expensive real estate market. The ADU gives them an opportunity to design exactly what they want.”
As for the overall property, with the ADU extending off the back of the ranch, an L will be formed that will add definition to the backyard and create an outdoor room, where the family anticipates many gatherings. “We love having people over in the backyard,” says Dan.
The family has worked with architect Blackbird Architecture for the design and will work with the builders at LDS Construction for the house renovation and ADU construction. Although the entire project will take months, the end goal is well worth it for the family: “We want to have our kids grow up with grandparents who can be part of their everyday life, instead of just seeing them on big vacations or after lengthy drives,” says Dan. “This house will make it possible to have that kind of life.”
