The Rose Cottage was first built in 1890 and owned by a waterman. With barely 1,200 square feet, the house served many generations of Oxford families. Fast forward for about 100 years, the house was raised and the foundation was modernized in the late 1990s. With plumbing and electrical upgrades, the house became a modern historical home.

When the current owners bought the Cottage in 2004, they continued with upgrades and additions that continued that modernization, culminating with 2 major upgrades and an 800 square foot addition that made the house 2000 square feet and quite comfortable by today’s standards.

The first major addition and upgrade was to the living room. Owners added a new fireplace and chimney, 2 new Marvin windows and oak flooring in 2006. The front porch received a new decking with Trex decking in 2005.

In 2011 the most significant upgrade came to date, taking a full year to complete. Starting with an architectural review and plan, the owners worked closely with Oxford’s Historical Board and added 800 square feet to the total footprint and much modernization. Here are some of the highlights:

GMB Foundation Review
New Foundation for “Bump out” addition
Extensive teardown of interior walls, exterior siding, back kitchen, suspect framing and much more.
New build of the “Bump out” section with 2 levels
Rotation of the stairs to the second story with complete rebuild
Upgraded kitchen with new appliances, granite countertops and more
Widening the living room to dining room entry
New wood floors throughout both stories
New on-demand water heater
Security system and surround sound system
Floors in attic for better storage use and foam insulation with an “insulating the shell” approach to the entire house
Cementitious product planking on the exterior for superior protection and durability looks like wood planks but won’t need painting for 30 years.
Crawl space mitigation with 10mil plastic, closed foam insulation, sump pump and dehumidifier.
Continual service and monitoring with termite and pest control.
Virtually every square inch of the Rose Cottage has been upgraded and modernized except for the historic front bedroom.
Detached shed with upright freezer with workbench and storage

The Rose Cottage is now a comfortable, fully modernized home that is practically maintenance free. With off-street parking for two cars and ideally located next to the restored Wesleyan Church, the cottage is ideally located in Oxford’s historic district.