2020's Parting Gift

 After the stone work was completed, our project went a bit off track. A piece of the existing house was being replaced to accommodate a new porch light when some rotten wood was discovered. Removing that wood led to finding more rotten wood in the wall under Clara's window. And then investigating that led to finding rotten trim around Clara's window. So, we ended up replacing the window trim pieces and the wood inside the wall under her window. Since plywood wasn't around in 1938 when the house was built, the exterior walls were built with 2x6s, so some of those got replaced. The fixed area needs to be painted next, and then it is good as new.

We did manage to get the gutters done this month too and salvaged the old ones as much as possible, much to the chagrin of the gutter installer, who intended to throw away the old solid copper gutters! 

Next up is screen installation and trim pieces.

Masonry work

 The last two weeks have been spent on the shiplap ceiling and the masonry work for the wall near the stairs and the fireplace.

The stone had to be moved under the roof with makeshift plastic walls around the porch and heaters to thaw the frozen stone. We lost several days of progress thanks to this step.

But then work got underway again with laying stone. 

Now the wall by the stairs is complete and drying.

Same goes for the stone around the fireplace. The grout lines will end up looking much lighter once they dry.

Progress is messy

 Last week and into the weekend, the project went through a messy phase with spray foam insulation installation and the roof being completed.

This week is about continuing the masonry work for the fireplace and wall near the walkout stairs and adding the shiplap to the ceiling of the porch.

After the ceiling, the support posts and all trims will be wrapped in Azek to protect them from rotting or warping, so they hopefully never have to be replaced (by us at least).

Siding, Electrical, and Fire!

Lots of progress here the past couple of weeks! 

Cedar siding went on, the electrical and gas work are done, and we have a working fireplace!

Tomorrow, stone work starts and the roof shingles go on. After that, a few more weeks for the finishes including wrapping all the posts, installing the ceiling, light fixtures, and speakers and then putting up the screens. And gutters, and the TV...so there is still quite a bit left. :)

It's a structure!

 Lots of progress here the past couple of weeks. Headers and fireplace framing went in a week and a half ago, and then trusses arrived last Thursday. This week, the trusses were installed and the plywood layer of the roof was installed. It is really looking more like a structure now.

Later this week will be electrical and gas line work. 

We've gone vertical!

 In the past few weeks, the foundation was poured and the walk-out stairs were completed. We're back to a concrete slab now, but there's lots of infrastructure below that slab that wasn't there before for drainage and gas lines.

We also left our mark in the stairs.

Last week was an off week for work here. But this week, things are moving again, and we've gone vertical. Posts are in and headers are coming next.

 

Porch - two weeks in

 It's hard to believe we've been at this project for two weeks already. There was a slight delay this week with some rain, but other than that, things are moving along, though it doesn't look like much yet.

In the past week, a lot of dirt was removed so that the foundation walls and new drainage could be installed. Some additional drainage work also had to be done to keep water from running towards the kitchen door, so that work got more of the old patio involved than originally planned.

Trenches were dug for the footing for the foundation wall to sit on.

These two pictures show most of the yard before the additional concrete was cut up for the additional drainage.

Here the plywood is covering up the big channel in the concrete that was cut to run a six-inch drain away from the whole area (did I mention this wasn't the original plan?). We also found a buried clay pipe that was draining water from the garage that was probably buried when the house was built, so that was tied into the new big pipes.

Mid-week they built the wood mold for the foundation walls.

This is just the temporary drainage arrangement. I didn't get a good picture of all the pipes before they started shooting in the gravel, but there's four downspouts, a sump pump, and a floor drain all in there, not to mention some insulation.

Not the best picture, but it's the best action shot of them shooting in the gravel!

That looks cleaner!

And here's our lovely channel, also filled in with gravel and waiting for concrete.

Next week, electrical work starts! And there's a five-week wait for trusses because we're not the only people doing home projects. :(

Our Next Project!

 With so much time at home and so many mosquitoes in our neighborhood (thanks trees!), we decided our family would really enjoy a screened-in porch. It has taken several months of planning but the project is finally underway.

Here are the architectural drawings showing where the porch will be, relative to the existing house. Our basement walk-out needs some structural work and a new roof over it, so those problems are being addressed with this project too.

Looking West

Looking North

Looking West

Floor Plan

After an unplanned survey and two-week delay, work began this week! Here is the area before work started. The structure with white siding and a flat roof is being removed; it is covering the walk-out currently.

Here is how it looked after Day 1 of demo!

You can see the bowed wall in the last shot. Gotta fix that!

And after Day 2.

Hoping it is finished for when I host book club next month (that might be a bit ambitious...)!