Former Vesuvius church sees the light through renovation

Even the most minor of home renovations on Salt Spring’s historical gems can be no small miracle to pull off, but work on a converted Anglican church in Vesuvius proves that a power washer, 20 gallons of paint and a little bit of faith can really pay off.

Whereas many prospective buyers looking at the property might have seen a classic handyman’s special and moved on to something in need of a little less divine intervention, island contractor Derek Sowden saw opportunity and went home to speak with his wife Andrea.

The small Anglican community at Vesuvius completed work on St. Nicholas Church back in the early 1940s. The congregation flourished and additions to the original structure were added up until the church was finally converted into a home in the 1960s.

From today’s perspective, the only evidence of the building’s past is a modest wooden sign hanging near the front entrance. The sign welcomes everyone for weekly Sunday services at 9:15  and 10:30 a.m. along with evening worship every Thursday night from 5:15 to 6:15.

As the Sowdens spoke to island historians and examined archival photos, they became intrigued by the building’s historical character, appealing structural aesthetic and echoing roof lines.

“It had a little bit of cachet. It’s a cute little building,” Sowden said during a recent tour of the Vesuvius Bay Road property. “Normally a small rectangular building wouldn’t be that interesting.”

Having lived in the neighbourhood for years, the couple already had a good sense of the house and what they’d do if they could acquire the property.

Setting goals, knowing what you have to work with and establishing a plan, Sowden said, is probably the most important component to any successful building project.

Sowden located and documented all of the features in need of repair and used that to his advantage when negotiating a price.

Once the couple had done the research and established that the building was structurally sound and mould free, they negotiated a deal and put their plan in motion.

The first things to go were the large Douglas firs and arbutus tree that crowded the property’s front yard.

While the barrier of a large tree created a  welcome buffer from the nearby street, Sowden said, decades of windstorms had subjected the home to a steady onslaught of branches, needles and bark.

The result meant overflowing gutters, a roof damaged beyond repair and perpetual shade for both garden and home.

Calling in the faller to handle the big trees requires a leap of faith not many homeowners are willing to take, but the Sowdens figured opening up the property’s southern frontage was the only way to make the building finally see the light.

“[The trees] really didn’t do the building justice,” he said. “We had to let the light in. That made a big difference — to open it up and let the sun in.”

Not only does the home now get filled with midday sunshine, a world of gardening opportunities awaits in the property’s front yard.

The home’s vinyl siding, though well worn by the elements, was fully restored to its brilliant white after the Sowdens took to it with scrubbers and a power washing machine.

A gallon of paint for the window trim, a few repairs to the windows, a new roof and a set of gutter guards later and the place has never looked so good.

Down in the home’s crawl space — a crucial component of any home that’s frequently ignored until there’s a major problem, Sowden said — he installed a plastic liner, some new vents and fixed up the insulation.

On the inside, Sowden used 19 additional gallons of paint, made a few upgrades to the washrooms and created some extra room by taking out a bulky gas fireplace.

It may sound easy in print, but even an experienced builder like Sowden concedes he was breaking a sweat during the reno process.

“It’s a huge deal. We worked for 90 days straight without a day off,” he said. “It’s not something you should take lightly.”

As the owner of Strait Construction, Sowden has had plenty of experience renovating and building custom homes from the ground up. Whether building for himself or for a client, he said, doing the research and buying at the right price are critical to any project’s success.

It’s been 90 days of back-breaking work and a significant financial investment, but the Sowdens already have the place rented out to a satisfied tenant.

Sowden said even the neighbour is happier now that the pine cones haves stopped thundering down every time the wind picks up and the heavens open up.