Home Addition

In addition to the many days of rain, there was the flat tire on the backhoe. Despite the minor set backs the hole was dug and it appears we were able to transplant three rather large euonymus bushes.  Still cleaning up was a wet, muddy mess.

2nd floor framing - looking tall from the back

Randy and Bethany on the 2nd floor

Week 9 also saw the fairly expensive ($5K), yet nearly invisible improvement of a new, larger and non-lead water line service into the house.  The larger service was required with the addition of the 3rd bathroom.  So now we able to water the lawn AND have someone showering at the same time.  While not a huge lifestyle improvement, we really didn't have a choice.

Week 10 - 23-27 June - Addition Under Roof

The guys finished placing plywood on the 2nd floor and more importantly completed the roof on the new addition.  Home Depot installed the new garage door (HD had free installation when ordering window panels special …what a break).  The new garage door let us lock up the new space and store stuff, which came in handy as Lowe's delivered about half the doors and windows.  The rest of the doors trickled in over the next couple weeks amid a number of progressively more irate phone calls/visits and decidedly less customer satisfaction.  This essentially mirrored the number of phone calls and visits we had with the Home Depot Pro Desk over the initial lumber order, which was screwed up and has yet to be completely settled over a month latter.  It becoming real clear why many professionals steer clear of those places.  Sometime during this week, the HVAC guy began installing the new ducts in the garage.

The View from Cornelia Week 10

On Friday, the guys busted through the back of Jane's closet.  Given the racket, it gave a new reality to the monsters in the closet paradigm, though hopefully there won't be any lasting trauma.  Over the weekend, we moved half of our 1st floor stuff and nearly all our 2nd floor stuff into the half of the first floor that wasn't being remodeled, making things pretty cozy.  We added dust curtains and a door that swings both ways between the kitchen and dinning room.  Fortunately we located a place to get the special hinges on the last day that it was open to the public before going out of business.

Jane's closet opens out into a whole new world

In a moment of generosity/weakness, Bethany's folk's offered us the use of their two front guest rooms with full baths, when our contractor's broke into the old house for the new addition, and really let the dust fly.  Given Jane's current propensity for placing everything in reach in her mouth, this seemed more than just a good idea but a necessity.  We're not sure they realized it was going to be this early or that it would likely last a couple-few months (famous last words...) but on the last weekend in June, we loaded up the truck and moved to U-City.  The cats stayed behind to "guard" the joint barricaded in the living room/dining room area with some newly hung doors.

Week 11 - 30 June - 4 July - Break on Through to the Other Side

Randy took off Monday and helped the guys at the pivotal moment of cutting through the roof.  We pulled off the west wall and the first 2 feet of roof to the next rafter and had a new wall framed in by the end of the day.  On Tuesday they did the same to the middle of the roof.  By Wednesday, the roof trusses were in place with plywood on them.  And none too soon as a very short but hard rain came at about 5 pm.  Fortunately the tarp got put up about 15 minutes before it started.  Before breaking for the holiday, the roof was framed and plywooded, as were most of the sides.

Week 11 - Tuesday - George framing the 2nd floor west wall

Week 11 - Wednesday - View of the remaining old roof joists on the 2nd floor

Beginning of Brick Saga:  It was this week that we first met and agreed to hire our brick contractor, a decision which we would almost immediately have misgivings about and would regret with increasing intensity as the weeks and months would continue.  Recommended to our contractor, our initial meetings began with displays of the bricks to be used that matched very well and promises of beginning the following week.   That didn't happen, but we were only mildly annoyed having heard stories that in the construction trade, masons frequently accept more work than they could get to right away.  Our schedule could handle a couple-few week delay but this proved to be only the starts of a series of progressively more audacious untruths and lies.  To make it easier to get just the highlights of the whole sordid affair, the brick work narrative is in maroon.

That Saturday, Bethany and Randy, with some help from the neighbors brainstormed on ideas for 2nd floor to address some problems like the master bathroom and the skylight that didn't arrive from Lowe's on their third delivery to the house.  Without going into the details, the marathon session lasted 7 hours for some of us and definitely left us feeling drained and thoroughly sick of all the decisions that have to be made and negotiated during the course of the project.

Week 12 - 7-13 July - Joining the Two Parts

John Swallow spent most of the week finishing the shingling of addition/old house connection along with adding a roof cricket and finishing plywooding the side.  Other parts of the team (George and Ben) spent most of the filling in or creating new gaps in the floor.  Filing in the gaps between the old house and addition, took some time given the differences in joist heights.  Similarly, adding holes for the staircases took time, as the joists needed to be reinforced and flooring replaced.  But by the end of the week, the staircase to the 2nd floor was roughed in.

Week 12 Sunday - View from Cornelia

Another part of the team (Eugene & Ethan with Randy and Ben), were the demolition crew, knocking out the wall between the foyer and Great Room on Monday and portions of basement and kitchen walls and the outside kitchen stairs later in the week.  Demolition progress was slightly hampered by the filing of the 20 CY dumpster with debris and waiting for another empty one.  For those keeping score on the landfill, add this to the 10 trips with the 7 CY dump truck (consisting of about 1/3 debris and 2/3 dirt) and a previous 10 CY of clean fill dumpster.

Week 12 - 1st floor wall removed and 2nd floor stairs roughed in

Randy helped the crew 2 days, and in keeping with earlier effort was injured.  This time he got stung by 4 yellow jackets/tunnel bees while doing yard work on Friday.  Fortunately the double doses of Benedryl prevented a severe allergic reaction.  Over the weekend, he cleared out the entire old garage placing the contents on rolling shelves in the new garage and augered the holes for the balcony's posts with neighbor Charlie who some post holes of his own to auger in.

Week 13 - 14-20 July - Dust, Dust Everywhere and All too Much to Breath

Monday saw the continued demolition of portions of the old house (garage ceiling and walls) and the rapid framing in of most the 2nd floor room walls, in preparation for the plumber to start work.  On Tuesday the Foyer/kitchen was demolished.  There was concrete behind the tiles on the lower half, which created the dust everywhere of this week's title.  Despite putting up plastic sheets and doors, by the end of the day you could write your name in the dust on most horizontal surfaces through out the house (yuck!).  By the end of the week the plumber had begun roughing the new bathroom fixtures and half the old concrete garage floor had been removed to expose the sewer pipe to tap into.  Also by the end of the week, the new basement steps were cut and most of the 2nd floor windows were installed.

The foyer/kitchen wall after demolition and much sweeping up.  Note: no basement steps yet.

 

This also marks the end of the third month of the project, which means we should be just past the halfway point.  Any bets?

The old garage floor before the sewer project begins.

 

Week 14 - 21-27 July - The Brickman Cometh

Brick Front:  Actually, unlike in the O'Neil play, they did come, but than again they really didn't after 3 weeks delay.  They did erect 2/3 of the scaffolding and dump a lot of gear on the grass but signs of bricks yet.  At least it doesn't appear that they took our $3,400 down payment to finance a trip to the Caribbean as we were beginning to wonder after a couple weeks went by with no action.

The week started off with the departure of the 2nd dumpster of demolition debris. It was also clear that the sewer pipe buried beneath the basement floor was all bad and would need to be replaced.  So after more jack hammering and digging, the old stuff was removed and new PVC was added.  The city inspector Ok-ed the sewer work and plumbing to the new 2nd floor bathroom on Friday and we backfilled our ditch largely hiding another unseen plumbing improvements, although we did have them rough a half bath to be added latter.

Plumbing in basement

On Tuesday, the last set of French doors was installed replacing a pair of windows in old bedroom/new foyer.  It will be the new side entrance, once new side porch and steps are built. All traces of the old steps were removed, replaced by flooring, giving us a new pantry and another hall closet.  Also on the framing side, the oft discussed/negotiated Master bathroom began to take form.

Week 14 view from Cornelia after French doors added.

On the weekend, Randy mortared the rest of the cinder block retaining wall and most of the cobblestone wall on Cornelia, getting it primed for framing steps and another concrete pour.

Week 15 - 28 July - 3 August - Choosing Material & Regrouping

It was an abbreviated construction week as efforts were concentrated on finalizing the specifics of what needed to be done and what materials to buy.  Part of the details, was Bethany and Randy locating all the electrical outlets in the addition, moving them from the original plan to better reflect the reality of the situation and adding ones that were lost in the joining of the structures. 

We also spent the better part of a day with our GC George going over the details of the remaining work, the schedule, ironing out various issues and going over the remaining material lists.  We had another 10% coupon day that was driving us.  In addition to about 200 sheets of drywall and more lumber, we bought most of the remaining plumbing and electrical fixtures, as well as ordering new kitchen cabinets (the old ones will be saved for the laundry closet and else where).  It sounds easier than it was.  It represented the end of numerous trips to home improvements stores to select what we wanted.  Even so, there was a fair amount of "whatever" /"I don't care anymore" wariness for both of us by the end of the day.

The rough-in plumbing for the addition was completed and inspected by the City.  The work crew built forms for a few concrete pours but only completed the one over the replaced sewer line in the basement, albeit with mixed results that will take some reworking.  Also, the bricks and mortar men are still missing...

Week 16 - 4-10 August - More Framing Interior Walls

After 7 weeks of a 4-person crew working the job, it returned to just George and Ben as they continued framing the interior walls, put in the last couple windows (which took some finagling) and hung the pocket doors to the great room.  Meanwhile the electrical guys were going to town stringing the wiring.

A new casement window replaces the old kitchen back door

Week 17 - 11-17 August - Winding Down with Much Left to Do

Bethany and Jane joined Randy for a work trip to NYC, which provided a much need respite to being concerned about the house on a daily basis.  George and Ben finished up some additional framing (i.e. water heater closet, future basement ½ bath and under the stairs) and we received a garage full of drywall and insulation from Home Depot because we were only days away from needing it.  Famous last words as things hit a bottleneck with one of the subcontractors as discussed below.

A garage full of drywall and insulation

Weeks 18 & 19- 18-29 August - Sounds of Silence

Brick Front:  Progress essentially stopped on the house after the concrete steps up from the driveway were poured on Monday the 18th.  WHY????  Because we have no bricks on the outside of the house, which is holding up the electrician because the new service needs to placed on the bricks.  Without the new service and panel, the city inspector doesn't want to sign off on the rough-in inspection, which means, the next steps of interior work (e.g. insulating and dry walling) can't occur.

When we last saw our Brickman back in Week 14, he was only two weeks overdo and he brought us scaffolding to placate us.  It's 7 weeks overdo at this point, though he did bring additional scaffolding and a fraction of the bricks required to do the job on Thursday the 21st (which weren't the kind he originally showed us but that's gripe no. 37).  Does that mean he started with the masonry the next week?  Nooooo!  It was too hot for a couple days and then it rained (briefly) on Wednesday and then he was going to be out later in the day (Thursday and Friday)…blah…blah…blah.  I can't think of one conversation where he hasn't lied in some form.  It's exceptionally annoying and frustrating.  Perhaps we shouldn't have hired Cedam Whosane and Sons Bricklayers (weak attempt at humor).  I'm looking forward to the day this is funny.

Bricks and scaffolding but no masons

At least by the end of the week, some schmoozing with the building inspectors indicated that we could get partial approval without the electrical panel and maybe by the end of next week things could ramp up again (on the inside).  George and Ben gutted the kitchen cabinets and counters.  We originally planned to just get new doors for the old cabinets but they were all special sizes except for one, which didn't seem worth the effort.

Week 20 - 1-7 September – Insulation and Inspectors

During the week they completed the gutting of the kitchen and the HVAC guys reworked the ductwork in the old house, which was a bit of a mess.  They started insulating the walls having received a partial approval from the city to start closing things where there wasn’t a problem, even though the rough-in inspection wasn’t complete because for one thing the old electrical service is still G—hockered through the great room. 

Kitchen Gut

Brick Front:  On Wednesday, we heard from our brick guy’s fiancée that he’s in the hospital with a suspected heart attack.  A call to the hospital to check out this story confirmed it was true much to our surprise given the lack of candor from them to this point.  So yes it did get worse with no clear resolution.

The City’s building inspector also identified a few areas where additional framing and structural support was required as well as noting that the master bedroom didn't have a window egress that met code, which means redoing the windows in there (ugh!).  The biggest issue was the new Jacuzzi bathtub planned for the master bathroom: not enough head room.  Without going into the ugly details, we now going to add a dormer so we can add a foot of height so we can comfortably stand in the tub (why we need to stand in the tub when we have a separate shower is still beyond us).  It should only add a few thousand dollars to the cost (UGGGGHHH!!!).

On the Bethany and Randy front, we went shopping for flooring, pretty much making decisions on types and colors of carpeting on the 2nd floor and for the kitchen (black and white checkered Permastone vinyl tiles) and have solicited bids.  We're fairly certain on having hardwood in the great room but are seeking additional options and suppliers for that work.  We've decided to defer decisions on ceramic tile in the bathrooms, still considering doing it ourselves.

Week 21 - 8-14 September - Drywalling Begins

A day was spent making the framing recommendations based on the city's suggestions and our structural engineer's (i.e. Randy's boss Mike Dace) recommendations.  Insulation continued and by the end of the week the great room had been dry walled.  So things are beginning to look a bit more finished.

A happy Bethany showing off the Drywall in the Great Room (note: the electric service coming in through the room from outside)

Brick Front:  It just keeps getting sillier.  We found out our guy is now in jail having violated a work release agreement for a previous assault conviction (!!!) and wouldn't be out for at least 4 weeks.  Apparently, he tested positive for cocaine (which apparently can cause heart-attacks... hmm... coincidence???).  Not sure we want to know any more details than that.  The good news is that his employees want to “complete” the job (their word not ours) for the remainder of the cost initially bid.  So hopefully things will start moving in that direction next week, but I’m from Missouri: you’ve gotta Show Me.

Week 22 - 15-21 September - Drywalling Continues and a False Start

The guys continued the drywall, finishing the ceilings throughout.  They say they got another week or so to go (the “or so” turns out to be the case).  George subbed out the framing and pouring of our concrete side entry porch and stairs, which was completed by Friday.  Visible Progress, Yeah!

Bert enjoying the new side porch and small wall of bricks

Brick Front:  On Monday, 2 guys came in and completed (actually started) about 9% of the job.  That evening there was a disagreement about their pay with the main brick guy, who’s still in jail for 30 days.  As they represented the bulk of his crew, no more work was going to be done for another 3 weeks, so after way too many chances, we decided to cancel the contract and find someone else to finish the job, even though we’re probably out about half of the initial deposit.

Week 23 - 22-28 September – At Long Last Love…er…Bricks

Brick Front:  After much ado (a serious understatement), bricking began on the garage door side of the addition with the free (lance) masons who formerly worked and quit/fired from the jailed guy (from this point forward in this narrative they will be referred to as the Replacements).  We heard some rumors about the jailed guy and fiancée having their biker gang friends threaten to or actually rough up one of the Replacements but didn’t find out, much less want to find out all the details.  The Replacements seemed unconcerned and they say they’ll be done in two weeks but based on the first week of work that seems doubtful.  Classy people.

On the inside, an 8-foot wide section of the master bathroom ceiling/roof was cut in order to add a dormer to allow us to STAND inside of our new Jacuzzi tub (thanks again to the City of Webster Groves for looking out for our bathing safety!).  Out original plan was to stoop to get into and get out of the tub because to add the dormer would add thousands of $ to the costs of the project.  We added the dormer at the “suggestion” of the city inspector who wasn’t fooled in the least by our Plan B concept of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” post-final inspection installation of the bathtub.  Sure it will be nicer and more useful with the dormer but the extras are beginning to add up.

A new hole in the roof for our master bathroom whirlpool dormer

 

Week 24 - 29 September 5 October – Slow and Steady Wins the Race?

There was continued work on the drywall, kitchen and master bathroom.  New casement egress windows were installed in the Master Bedroom replacing the several month old non-egress windows that didn’t meet code.  Somewhat annoying but the old NEW windows were installed in the garage adding more good light in there and we were only out about $550.

On the flooring front, we ordered hardwood for the foyer and Great Room, catching a special invitational deal made to our contractor.  The original foyer hardwood flooring is ok (looking a little worse for wear from construction traffic), but it would have cost more to patch and refinish than to replace.  Anyone need about 120 sq ft ½” inch red oak hardwood flooring?  Make us an offer.

Brick Front:   By Tuesday, west wall done and after a day delay work began on the south wall.

Over the weekend, Randy worked on the master bathroom storage closet (i.e. the Anne Frank room) putting in insulation, drywall and replacing the access door, as well as getting started on finishing the other closets (we kept the closets as our responsibility).  There was also another 2 hours spent “working” with Home Depot over the kitchen cabinet order (in addition to the 4+ already spent).

Cornelia or west wall completed with brick (note: siding will go on the 2nd floor)

 

Week 25 - 6-12 October – More Steady Progress

There was continued work on the drywall, kitchen and master bathroom, which saw the placing of the whirlpool tub.  With a completed west wall, the electricians were finally able to install the new electric mast and remove the old service line which was still strung up through the middle of the house (basically having been built around it.  We also got another 20 CY dumpster, which was about half full nearly instantly.  "Master Taper" Dave was suppose to start on Friday after putting us off for a week, and proceeded to blow us off yet another week.  This will probably delay painting and moving in.

Brick Front:  By Tuesday night the south wall was essentially finished; YEAH!  After getting paid, the Replacements only put in a few hours the rest of the week.  There was a rain day but it appears that they decided to “celebrate” with their recent booty in manners that prevented them from performing their job the next couple days.  It doesn’t appear that their provisions of joy where the kind you could purchase at the grocery store, even if you were willing to cross the picket line.

Our General Contractor George is beginning to consider another line of work.

West and South Brickwork from Cornelia

Bethany holding Jane on a tour of the joint with Gramy and Gral (Jane's 1st visit into the addition)

Week 26/6 Months - 13-19 October – A Couple Visits from Webster’s (and Brentwood's) Finest

Brick Front:  The week started auspiciously Monday as the brick farce continued with another chapter, though certainly not the last.  The jailed brick guy’s fiancée arrived with a laborer to reclaim the scaffolding and was none to pleased that the Replacements were using it.  Tensions rose and words exchanged between them.  George’s easy, non-confrontational manner helped greatly in calming things but the Replacements decided it was a good time to leave for “lunch”.  The fiancée then called Webster Groves Police Department to report missing items that had been removed weeks earlier by some by her employees.  As agreed by all, they loaded up 2/3 of the scaffolding and left.  Randy witnessed the events having Discovery Day off (a.k.a. the Federal holiday for the man who brought slavery to the New World, Columbus) but he laid low and avoided being ID-ed as the homeowner.  This seemed like an especially good idea after recalling earlier exclamations by the fiancée to George of biker gang connections and having people beat up.

That evening they returned at dusk to reclaim the remainder of the scaffolding, damaging a number of our bricks, which made us a bit peeved.  We called the police this time.  After some initial exchanges of words, 3 patrol cars came in the dark (with the obligatory one blocking the roadway instead of pulling up 10 feet).  Nobody seemed too interested in being ugly and thing were generally just uncomfortable.  George came over as well too.  The evening ended with them paying for the broken bricks and taking some more of their scaffolding. The remainder of  scaffolding and gear was removed the following day and we believe this is very likely the last we'll hear from either of the brick factions to date.  What our Plan C is to finish the rest of the south wall and the balcony columns isn't clear.

South Elevation showing start of balcony and incomplete brick work on east wall

In the interim, the George and Ben cleaned up the considerable mess left by the brick guys and filled up the dumpster and things look so much better now that it isn't a junk yard any more.  The guys then started on the balcony and got the support posts in and the floor roughed in.  It looks to be a wonderful space.   On Saturday, the taper finally arrived and began on the second floor.

On the owner front, Randy stopped by on Wednesday to admire and take a picture of the newly cleaned driveway.  While standing on the top of the new concrete steps, while thinking he was on the porch, he stepped backed to get a better angle  on the picture.....and just like in the Road Runner cartoons he stepped off into thin air.   Fortunately it wasn't the Grand Canyon he was taking snap shots of.  Still he got banged up pretty good falling 5 feet to the concrete sidewalk below and landing on his wrist and head.  He was delusional for a bit but did find a neighbor who had the sense to call 911 and the Brentwood paramedics took care of him (we really got our money's worth from the city services this week).  After a dozen or two x-rays of the head at St. Joe , they didn't find anything...(barummp-tish) but he did have a broken right wrist.  After getting it set, there is some freedom for the fingers but he'll be handicapped for the next 4-6 weeks.  Typing is hunt and peck on the right side of the key board and there will be no lifting of heavy things for awhile.  Not that we're complaining; it could have been much worse...it could have happened to George or Ben and that would surely have delayed things (we're not commenting on the rumors that things might speed up without Randy's "help").  

Week 27 - > 20-26 October - Balcony Takes Form and More Sub-contractor Woes

With the reported original plan of the siding guys coming next week, George and Ben dropped stuff in the interior and concentrated on getting the balcony up for them to side around and on. Of course a phone call in the middle of the week, indicated that the siding guys hadn’t even ordered the material yet because they no longer made exactly what we wanted and there would be at least a 2-3 week delay.

Bert enjoying the new balcony with roof

Our moonlighting taper/mudder showed up with a couple guys Saturday and made a good headway on the taping but there’s still another day of taping and then multiple coats of mud there after. Painting is delayed at least another week.

Another sub-contractor that ‘s annoying us was the guy who was hired to put in the dormer and re-roof the back around it. After getting the dormer in, they removed the rest of the shingles and put tarpaper down. In the process, he got a pinched nerve, which put him out for a couple weeks. A replacement wasn’t found until after minor water damaged occurred in the room below. At least by the end of the week, the roof was on before it rained again on Saturday.

Finally the correct stove arrived from Home Depot, about a month late and hours of phone calls and discussions with them.

Week 28 - 27 October - 2 November Balcony Roofed and more

The guys completed the balcony roof and ceiling and placed the Duroc flooring down in preparation for tiling to be completed sometime next spring. Randy stained and varnished the ceiling, which ended up looking particularly good. It’s nice to have something in a finished state.

Stained and finished balcony ceiling

The guys got a little sidetracked when in mid-week George identified a location in the house where it appears a structural header had been removed in the hallway. The ceiling joists were sagging about 3/8 of an inch. Adding a new header was a simple, yet time consuming fix as it required removing more lathe and plaster and still more the following week to get the corners and walls to line up. They also removed the foyer oak flooring and screwed down the old sub-floor to dampen the squeaking.

The sub-contractors came in and completed the roof on and around the dormer. Yeah! On Saturday Taper Dave showed up with a co-worker and continued the taping and mudding.

Randy began staining the Great Room windows and doors

Week 29 - 3-9 November Beginning to See Light at the End of the Tunnel

Things are look more finished in the Kitchen as the cabinet doors, counter top and vent hood (including knocking a hole through the wall) were installed. Outside, the railings for were balcony completed and aluminum wrapping was placed around the balcony posts and master bathroom skylight. Some minor concrete work to add a ledge on the west porch and balcony posts was also completed.

- View from Cornelia of the balcony with railing

Taper Dave showed up on Saturday with co-workers. They’re really doing an excellent job but it’s taking forever. The plan is for them to be finished next Saturday. We’ll see.

Over the weekend, Randy continued varnishing woodwork, installing cabinet doors, mudding the basement half bathroom and making closet shelves (a project that will be ongoing). While doing yard work on Saturday, one of the original residents of the house came by: Mary Jane Geitzmann. Her parents Gladys and William Mattox had the house built in 1925. They moved in that December when Mary Jane was 5 along, with her younger siblings Virginia and William III. Her mother lived there for the next 48 years until she died. Randy gave her the nickel tour of the new improvements and the old house. It was a toss up which of us enjoyed the visit more.

Ben removing MORE lathe and plaster to get drywall aligned

Week 30 - 2nd Floor Painting

The first part of the week the guys added risers to the basement steps and drywalled around it leaving only the garage unfinished (during this go round anyway).  Randy made several sets of shelves reusing the salvaged tongue and groove floorboards from portions of the 2nd floor and also worked on the closets upstairs.  We also decided to go ahead and add the cabinets above the breakfast bar area between the kitchen and foyer now instead of later (and another $600).

The Basement stairs

On Thursday, Taper Dave completed mudding the 2nd floor.  He’s done an excellent job, particularly with the large number of corners and angles in the master bedroom where several rooflines met.  Our enthusiasm was mitigated by the amount of time it took (nearly a month after he started and 6 weeks from when he said he would start) and that there was still a lot to be done on the 1st floor.  Anyway way it allowed us to begin priming on Friday.  Yay!

We used a sprayer, which is definitely the way to go and the entire 2nd floor was done in a few hours once we got going. Before returning the sprayer on Saturday, we got a finish coat on the ceilings and in the closets an about an hour. We used regular rollers to paint the walls of the 3 bedrooms and hallway.  On Sunday, the Kennedys (Britt, Tina, Blake and Charlotte) came over and helped put on the 2nd coat and painted the door trim (returning the favor from ten years earlier when they added on). Alvan Sage (Bethany’s Dad) came over and painted 5 of the doors too. By the end of the day it was really beginning to look finished.

Charlotte and Blake pause from helping paint

Week 31 - 17-23 November - Stairs, Installing fixtures & 1st Floor Painting

On Monday, the guys replaced the precarious temporary 2x4 treads on the stairs to the 2nd floor with the final treads and risers in preparation for the coming of the upstairs carpet on Tuesday as we had scheduled earlier.  We called to reschedule the carpet laying for the following week, which worked out in part because they were able to move up laying carpet at Bethany’s sister Rosemary Sage’s new house.

On Tuesday the electrician returned and began installing all the outlets and light fixtures throughout the addition; a task that would take over a week.

Bethany and Jane enjoying the new laundry room closet with the salvaged kitchen cabinets

On Wednesday, Taper Dave completed sanding of the 1st floor and we were ready to start painting again. By Thursday the walls were primed and ceiling sprayed. Randy did a first coat of the yellow in the kitchen and foyer. On Thursday, George installed the Permastone tiles in the kitchen and pantry and we are quite pleased with the results.

George cutting tile for the kitchen floor

On Saturday, the guys completed the base trim for the second floor in preparation for the arrival of the carpet guys.

On Sunday, Bethany began a cleaning frenzy, scrubbing EVERYTHING in the kitchen down and making it the cleanest it has ever been. The Kennedy’s showing up again to help with Britt putting a second coat of yellow and Tina doing more trim work. Randy laid tile in the laundry room closet and installed all the medicine cabinets.

Bethany and Bert having lunch with the Kennedys in the Great Room on the 2nd Weekend Painting Party (?)

Week 32 - 24-30 November – Hardwood Flooring, Carpeting, Siding

During the 3 days before Thanksgiving, there was a flurry of activity with over 10 guys there on Monday. Plumbers Ron and Will Oberkrom finished installing all the sinks and toilets on Monday. George and Ben installed the hardwood flooring in the Great Room and Foyer. Meanwhile the guys from Eartherton's Fashion Flooring were upstairs installing the carpet.

George and Ben lunching on the new hardwood floor in the Great Room

On the outside, the all-Korean siding and fascia team started their thing. They appeared to be doing a nice job but there was a serious misunderstanding between us and the salesman as to matching the architectural details (i.e. trimming the windows and eves base board). It got kind of ugly with the salesman, as he lied about what he was told and agreed to do with both George and us. Things were eventually worked out between us and one of the owners after hours on the phone and in person but the whole thing left a bad a very bad feeling in our minds for the salesman, even though the workers seemed to be good, and were very nice.

Siding in progress

Bethany left Jane with her mom and continued her cleaning frenzy inside, getting things back in a semblance of order in the kitchen.  On Wednesday, we moved most our stuff back over from Bethany’s parents house and slept in our own home for the first time in nearly 5 months.  We were away nearly twice as long as we originally expected.  We cannot say enough nice things about the kindness, hospitality and nearly endless amounts of understanding Amy and Alvan showed us while with them.  We can’t imagine how much worse the whole ordeal would have been if they hadn’t extend the offer!  They were SUPER!  Nonetheless it was good to be home again, even if it was more new house than not.  Needless to say, it will take some time to settle back in.

Over the holiday weekend, we got help from Micah, Bob, Rosemary and Matt cleaning and moving stuff, installing bathroom fixtures and doorknobs and wiring up all the phone cables previously threaded through the addition.  Unfortunately we didn't take any pictures documenting this but they did a lot in getting us settled that first weekend.

Randy descending 2nd floor stairs with carpet

 

Week 33 - Slowing Down

Things slowed down quite a bit in December. The siding crew left on Monday, even though they missed a few windows, left some caulking undone and the gutters remained uninstalled. They came back the following week and knocked it out. The brick guys made some headway but the cold temperatures didn’t cooperate much and progress is slow there.

George and Ben spent most of the week beginning a bathroom-remodeling job around the block at our friend’s the Hales. The Hales originally wanted to start in early summer, and since we were back in, the urgency for our work seemed less pressing. G and B did come back to hang the rest of the doors, install the bridge cabinet lighting and create the railing for the 1st/2nd floor stairs.

Weeks 34 & 35 - 8-22 December - Insulating and Drywalling Garage

The most visible signs of progress were the insulating and drywalling of the garage (85% done). With the placement of the sheetrock on the wall, we could actually see the entire garage floor for the first time in months. The guys also made headway on some of the unfinished details like hanging the last kitchen cabinet, fabricating the skylight trim and moving some couches.

On the Sunday before Christmas, it was unseasonably warm allowing the brick guys to get in another day, which translates to about 6 courses of bricks.  Following the drywalling, Randy began the installation of the garage door opener, spending a couple hours working with the salvaged one before giving up and buying a new one from Sears.  With the required replacement parts (remotes and wiring), it was cheaper to buy a whole new unit than the individual parts even though the guts of the unit were fine. Materialism in America.

Month 9 - 23 December - 18 January 2003 - Cleaning up the Details

George and Ben took two well-deserved weeks off for the holidays and for the first time in month we didn’t write a check for over a thousand $ for over a week.

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