C is for Construction Update

 If you read here very often, you know that we are in the middle of a kitchen remodel. In addition to the kitchen, we are having a few other things done that we've been meaning to get to since we moved in. Ward and I have a history of fixing up places right before we sell them - sometimes just for the sale, or sometimes we only seem to get around to things right before it's time to move. So we're trying to do it differently with this house and fix things up so we can enjoy them. We've done a fair amount to our house so far, but much of the earlier work was either done before we moved in or outside, minimalizing the effects on our daily lives. Not so this time. But there is an end in sight even if the project is taking longer than anticipated. We should be done by June if the supply chains behave themselves.

It's been three weeks since I've shown any pictures, so here are a few if you are keeping track. Still, not much of the pretty stuff to show, but we are getting good work behind where the pretty stuff will be.

This window got reframed to include a wider sill. It will be above the sink, and I hoped to have a place to put a plant or two. We shall see. Since they had to leave room for the faucet, it didn't turn out as wide as I had hoped. 

The pocket door to the pantry has been installed as well as new drywall over the pocket part. This door came from an opening into the kitchen from the garage. We never closed it, so we repurposed it for the pantry. That way, there didn't have to be a big search to find a door that matched the others. I don't know if they will take it out to paint it or not.

They have taken the washer and dryer out several times, and the last couple of times, I thought the clothes were coming out of the washer warm, especially for a cold water rinse. Unfortunately, the water lines had been installed backward, so Ward changed them and put up a label to help when they have to move them again.

They are changing the door frame to the basement to a cased opening. We took this door off soon after moving in because it was in an impossible place where three different doors interfered with each other. They used Bondo to fill the holes in this area and the pantry door.

The repainted vanity and the new top have been installed. The faucet will be installed when the plumber comes to put in the toilet.

The wainscotting has been reinstalled around the new opening into the kitchen. Luckily, they were able to make the new configuration work. In addition, you may notice the new air filter Ward built. It is helping with the dust somewhat.

Until next time...

Take a Ride

Come take a ride with me as I share my stream of thoughts this Tuesday evening. 

Coming soon, I hope. This was our first crocus bloom last year on March 12.

I have high hopes for what Amazon delivered to our door this evening - an air purifier. Since construction began on the house, I have been miserable at home with sneezing, stuffiness, runny nose, and itchy eyes. The dust is driving me crazy. Theo and Ward aren't suffering the same way, although Theo is at work most of the time and has his own air purifier running in his room when he is home. And to think that we almost got rid of that purifier when we were cleaning out my parents' house. 

And speaking of my parents' things, we almost gave away a little fridge from them that is in our temporary kitchen in the living room. It works great but is very loud. We have tried everything to remedy the noise to no avail. So if you want to have a conversation, you have to go into another room. Lucky that we have other rooms to go to. 

But back to the air purifier. So far, so good. It's been plugged up for a couple of hours, and I haven't sneezed once. My nose is still stopped up, but that's okay. I can live with that. The real test will be tomorrow, when they will be doing a final sweep of the subfloor before the floor guy starts laying the tile. That's bound to stir up a lot of dust.

And speaking of the floor guy coming tomorrow, when I get up from here, I need to go clear the stuff off of the tile in the garage. We have been using the boxes of tile as a flat surface to put things on. I'm not sure where everything will go, but I'll start with putting the ice chest back in the car. And because the floors had to be cleared, the washer and dryer are in the garage, too. I did laundry over the weekend, so we should be good for a while, but there's nothing like not having a working washer to make one think they need to do laundry.

Theo made a delicious Japanese lima bean curry for supper. A few years ago, I would not have thought I would like anything like that. But somehow, he fixes lima beans in a way that takes away their bitterness, and I like them. A lot. He has various lima bean recipes, and they're always good. Well, except for the lima bean-baked bean recipe. While it was well done, I just couldn't wrap my head around sweet lima beans.

And speaking of food, I made a pot of vegetable soup yesterday using up several things in the fridge. The soup was made with two things in mind. One was to use up the chicken broth, old carrots, and onions, and the other was to have some lighter, healthier food around. We have been eating even more take-out than usual recently, and while it tasted good, it was not the best nutrition for the calories we were consuming. Cooking regularly is difficult for us in the best of times, and these are not the best of times. We'll see if our new bright and shiny kitchen inspires us to cook more when it's done.

I feel very lucky to have these first-world problems when much of the rest of the world is suffering in one way or another. One which is being thoroughly documented before our eyes. 

Time to go clean up in the garage.

Until next time...

Weekly Check In

or Whenever-I-Get-Around-to-It Check In

We made sure that Leo could get to his favorite window when we were stowing things.

Last night was one of those nights that sleep eluded me for several hours. Sometimes it just happens, but I'm always careful to warn those around me that I'm going to be cranky after one of those nights. I really need regular sleep. If this happened very often, I would have to take up drinking caffeine.  

In other news, work was slated to begin on our construction yesterday, February 1. However, we got a surprise Sunday afternoon that they were coming Monday. That sped up our clearing of the work areas, and we were thankful that Wally was here to help. All was ready Monday morning when they showed up.

When we weren't packing things up, we were out shopping. The contractor is supplying most of the materials, but we are picking up a few things for the jobs we've added. Over the last few days, we have purchased two toilets, two faucets, and a vanity top. Still on our list is a garbage disposal and cabinet pulls, which by the way, are really expensive if you get better than the very cheapest ones. Or maybe it's not so bad, except we need 44 of them.

Before this project, the cats were fed in the kitchen, and it took them a little while to find their new feeding spot in the bathroom. Leo seems nonplussed by the whole operation, but Annie visits the workers regularly and yells at them. I think her message is I don't like you messing with my food because she is more food-oriented than any other cat we've had. But she is chowing down regularly in the new spot.

Here are a few pictures.

We have put stuff everywhere, much of it in the basement. We will move the old fridge and range down there and use that as our kitchen for the duration.

In addition, we have set up a mini kitchen in the living room on the main level.
This is also Ward's temporary office. You can see the back of his computers on the right.
We don't have curtains on the bow window, so he moves poster boards around to block the sun on his monitors.

This is what the kitchen looked like when I went to work yesterday. 

This is what it looked like when I came home.
Some of the cabinets are moving to the basement, and the workmen have taken some of them along with a couple of doors. As it turns out, our appliances are too old to donate to the Habitat for Humanity Restore, so they will be recycled. Everything else is in the dumpster. We tried to minimize what we threw away, but the reality of construction is that it creates waste.

This morning the fridge was disconnected from its waterline in anticipation of the move to the basement. However, the valve that was supposed to turn the water off to that line didn't work, so water to the whole house was turned off. We never used the icemaker in this fridge and don't plan to hook up water to the new one. We are happy using ice cube trays and a pitcher of water on the counter. In addition, the water part of a fridge is notorious for breaking, so we're not going to tempt fate. If we had a house full of kids, we might think differently, but we don't.

So until next time, she says, wishing she had taken a shower before the water to the house got turned off. 

Progress

Sunrise from a couple of days ago. The snow is mostly gone now.

Good morning from my chilly new home -for my computer anyway. As part of our efforts to get ready for construction, I moved my computer into one of the extra bedrooms, and it's cold. This new environment may prevent me from lingering at the computer and playing another game that I don't need to. :) I layered up yesterday to work here, but then I was too hot for the rest of the house. I'm sure I figure out a good compromise, but until then, Brrrrr.

Ward also moved his computer from the office into the living room and is ready for work today. We added a table in there to have a coffee pot and microwave on the main level when construction begins, but we had to be careful not to block the window ledge the cats love. We're a bit worried about how the construction will affect them, especially because they are so old. But I think if they get adequate lap time, they will be okay.

The guest room has reached capacity on the number of boxes it can have and still be able to get to the bed. Wally occasionally sleeps there when he visits, and we have company scheduled for a visit in about a month. We want to be able to offer them reasonable accommodations - at least a clear path in and out of the room and surface to put a suitcase on.

And it goes on. I have a donation pickup scheduled in a week, but I'm going to have to start boxing some of it up before then because the pile is getting in the way. I also have feelers out to find a place to donate our old working appliances. The first place said they don't want them, and I'm waiting to hear back from another. 

My fingers are cold, so I think it's time to move on from this room. I have to get ready for work, anyway, which, by the way, is still hectic because, in addition to the test kits, we are now passing out N-95 masks.

Until next time...

Porch Update, Week 11

Another week of progress. There are some big things that happened this week, but as with most weeks, the work was in the details. There are so many details that happen to complete each piece and part of this construction plan--more than the unfamiliar can imagine. But that is where the craftsmanship of the workers is shining.

The old doors were removed. Luckily it was on a warmer day and we weren't cold from chilly air. The cats didn't get to see any of the action because they spent the day locked up in the basement so they would not become escape cats.

The new doors look much like the old doors...

Except they have no rotten wood or rust.

The most exciting thing this week was the installation of the floor with Aratis porch flooring which is a composite made from PVC materials. Miss Landers and I think it's big enough and solid enough to use as a stage or have a square dance. I told Ward that any furniture for the porch would have to be easily movable so we could have a show or a dance. He was politely quiet. We were just kidding 
(maybe 😉).

But don't you think that has the makings of a stage?

Along with the floor, the steps also got treads installed.

And more dirt was put around the landing.

The electrician was on another job most of the week, but he did install a couple of outlets.

And started the installation of a new subpanel in the basement. Besides wiring for the porch, we plan to use some of the spaces in the new subpanel when we update the kitchen.

Also, there was a lot more trim work added this week. 

Until next time...

In case you missed the other installments:

And So It Begins

Porch Building, Week 2

Porch Building, Week 3

Porch Building, Weeks 4, 5, 6

Porch Update, Weeks 7, 8

Porch Update, Weeks 9, 10

Porch Update--Weeks 9, 10

The work is progressing and we continue to be pleased with how everything is taking shape. Here's what they have been working on for the last two weeks.

They continue to trim the exposed wood with Boral board. Here is a Boral form the workers made to be fitted to a column.

After the columns were wrapped, molding was put around the top. Notice the chamfered corners of the post. One of the many details that the architect suggested that we wouldn't have thought of.

Snow covered the outdoor workshop one morning but the workers managed to do what they needed anyway.

The electrician continues to scurry inside and out and working on the wiring. The switches for the porch were installed last Friday. We have a couple for the ceiling fans, some for lights, and an extra one for good measure.

The mason came back and did patching around some of the outdoor areas where the electrician was working. If this works like the bricks on the columns, this patch should match fairly well after it dries.

In the meantime, the flooring got delivered. It was interesting to watch the very skilled driver maneuver the sagging boards through and over the gate into the backyard without knocking over the port-a-john or taking off a branch of the plum tree 

It was a little easier to get the door delivered to the site. We don't know the work schedule, but we assume that the floor and patio door will be installed soon. We're definitely getting there!

Until next time...

In case you missed the other installments:

And So It Begins

Porch Building, Week 2

Porch Building, Week 3

Porch Building, Weeks 4, 5, 6

Porch Update, Weeks 7, 8

Porch Update, Weeks 7, 8

Good progress is being made even though there has been bad weather and holidays interfering with the schedule. Here are a few pictures to show the progress.

This is where we last left you. Roof trusses were being covered with sheathing, floor joists were in, and the piers were starting to get bricks around them.

Since then, the roof was shingled and an arch was built for the front of it. We are pleased with how well the new roof ties into the existing roof.

This notch at the top of the beam next to the arch will hold a beam tail, part of the trimming.

And perhaps the most important thing that happened recently is that we passed the framing inspection, so work can continue.

The electrician has begun wiring for lights and ceiling fans. Right now we have six can lights and two ceiling fans planned as well as a couple of new outlets. We may need a new subpanel to handle these. Also, the contractor is pricing some additional lighting and outlets for us now to see if we would like to add them.

The mason finished bricking the piers and poured the landing for the steps yesterday.

They have added the posts for the railing and begun wrapping all of the exposed wood in Boral board, a composite cement product that should wear very well.

And that's all she wrote.  Until next time...

Porch Building--Week Two

Week two of construction on the porch 

that is being built on the back of our house.  

For those of you who are not interested in construction details, which can be tedious at times, you can keep up if you know that after demolition was completed last week, the project moved onto starting the foundation.

Now a few more details.

They started digging the holes for the footers. I was very impressed with the deep holes the mason's crew dug in the rocky soil with only hand tools - a digging bar, shovel and post hole digger. As you may remember, it took me forever to dig 6" deep holes to plant some tulip bulbs.

The porch will be supported by 6 piers. Here are the locations of half of them. The holes are approximately 32" x 32". Those next to the house are 6' deep reaching down to the original footers of the house foundation while the others go down to the frost depth 36". We weren't there to see the workers complete the holes, but it must have taken some special skill to excavate that 6' deep one. 

There were various wires and pipes they encountered while digging. Some of these things they had an idea of where they might be, but others were not known. How they were able to dig and not do any damage is another amazing thing to me. But all of our drains, water, and electricity still work, so all is good. 

A few days later, the inspector came and passed the foundation holes. We have a sticker on the back of our building permit that says we passed the first inspection and work can proceed.

The mason's crew came back the next day to put the concrete into the holes.

Now we wait for the concrete to cure, so the next part can begin.

Until next time...

Let the Fun Begin

or We will finally have level floors.

For years, or actually since we first moved into this house 16 years ago, the uneven floors in the kitchen have bothered me. They are structurally sound, but are uneven. Uneven enough that we've only had one choice for flooring--vinyl because it will bend easily over the ups and downs. I decided that it is finally time that they get leveled. Well when you start looking at floors, one flows into the other, moldings multiply, and cabinets have to be moved. In other words, a major upheaval. Four rooms of stuff need to be compressed into one with some overflow to the garage. All major appliances are out of commission as well as the water from time to time.The cats are in only the basement for a few weeks and they are not happy.

The actual construction/deconstruction began this morning. We're not sure how the food thing will work, but we've put some things in the basement. We still have one room of stuff to move including this computer. If you don't hear from my for awhile, I'm lost in the world of new-things-to-come.