Monday, June 30, 2008

The building has started!


We have beams for the bathroom walls..it's not done, Hubby had to do some work on the outside wall first..from all the water leaks over the years, the sill had rotted away, so he had to reconstruct all that first, but he (and I) were pleased to see the beginning of reconstruction! The bathroom also got a new plywood floor...for strength. Hubby, cut away all rotted flooring, and patched with plywood...then covered the whole floor in new plywood.

Now here is a conflict...I believe, since it's the bathroom, he should have used the concrete substrate. We plan on tiling..and I would prefer a strong underlayment. One that is water proof. Hubby is a bit annoyed with me, because if he does it my way now, he needs to rip up what he put down.

I have been saying all along, I wanted it done right..and he agreed..but when I leave him alone to his own initiative..he forgets, and this is what we have. If we add a concrete substrate now, on top of the plywood..the floor will be so much higher than it needs to be. (sigh) a dilemma!

Saturday, June 28, 2008

One notation

Hubby is still at the house, so I don't have much to share, however......

I didn't mention last weekend, that while hubby and I were up there, we used "railroad jacks" to raise the floor in places where it was sagging..and then we had to put in supports, to remove the jacks.

Well, Hubby went up last weekend, and one of the two large ones, was gone. :(

We took them both out, and put them together in one room..and the metal bar we use to crank them up, was in a bucket in another room....that was gone also.

It made me angry, we gave out two keys to contractors...one for the general contractor..who had been there helping us for months..and another to the heating contractor to install a new boiler when he had time..we wouldn't be there often enough for him to work..so we did allow him to have a key.

Hubby called me last weekend, and asked if we by any chance put it in another room...no, we hadn't. They were both put next to each other, and they should both be there...but only one was, not the other.

Hubby, didn't want to make waves...and was gonna let it go..but we may still need them..lot's to do still..and I can't see buying another because someone was greedy.

So I recommended, he just casually mention it's disappearance to both contractors..so they knew, we knew...it was missing.

He called them Monday, and asked if they had seen it while they were there, because we couldn't find it.

Both said they hadn't, but would ask their employees about it.

Well...Hubby went up this weekend, and at first he didn't see them.. then later, he went into the basement..and he called me..it was there!

Not asking questions as to how it became in the cellar. I am just pleased it returned.

I wouldn't mind, if someone needed to borrow, a casual mention to us would have been nice..but I don't think it would have returned, if we hadn't asked about it..because hubby did look in the basement last weekend, and it wasn't there.

In all actuality, after we finish the house, Hubby intends on giving them to the General contractor..because he doesn't plan to use them again..but...for now, they may be needed.

Anyway..all's well that ends well! (I hope)

Hubby is pleased...the last thing he wanted to do is upset the contractors...we still need them!

Monday, June 23, 2008

Another weekend

Well...I haven't any photos to actually share, he took pictures of the walls, after he removed all the bricks...yup..all the bricks are finally gone!

It was a hard decision of what to do this weekend, but we agreed, in order to move forward, we had to stop going back..and that meant, get rid of all the brick left in the walls..so a final clean-up can be done...and start putting back!

So..they busted their butts this weekend, and removed the remainder of brick..the dumpster is only half full..but at least I can get rid of it all.

Now hubby can start working on the plumbing..and some wall reconstruction! For the walls, he wanted to try to reuse the 2 x 4's that he removed. He can use some..but I convinced him, for the actual wall studs, he should use new. why? (you may ask)? The original 2x4's...well..let's just say, back way back then, when they made them...they weren't made...hmmm...to today's standards? I don'tknow how else to word that. The old 2 x 4's..maybe that size on one end..but they aren't at the other!

We noticed the change in sizes when we were trying to cut some to make the supports for the new walls...that size difference can be made up (or covered over) by floor moldings..but to use them for the walls...it would make it very hard to put new sheetrock up..the walls would be wavy...and inconsistent.

Some graduate larger than 4" and some decrease in size.

So anyway...another weekend..July 4th weekend, at least will be a longer one, and then a couple short weekends, then Hubby will be up there for another whole week. He is hoping to get a lot accomplished in that week. We shall see!

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Not much new yet

The weekend hasn't arrived..but the cabinet was primed yesterday...it was a battle against the weather.

Since the garage is small..there wasn't much room to take the cabinet apart, and lay everything around to paint..so he first painted the smaller items, drawers/doors...etc. Then removed them to the outside on saw-horses to let them dry, while he painted the larger base of the cabinet.

Well..after getting three quarters done with the base..I heard thunder-boomers. Knowing he was making noise in the garage, both with the ventilation fan, and the sprayer...I went to inform him of the pending storm..we had a race to get the stuff back in the garage before the skies opened.

We won..just barely!

Monday, June 16, 2008

Two photos today!

We had a slow start at the house this last weekend..got some things done, but it seemed like we wouldn't get to anything! Anyway, here is the photo of the roof :




And here is a photo of the next cabinet, before priming! Complete with the hardware! Hubby and I had a small disagreement today, so to make things nice, he assembled the cabinet completely, so I could have a photo to show off.


Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Cabinet progress



First looks at the second cabinet. It still needs drawer fronts, and doors..but I like it! What do you think??

Monday, June 9, 2008

By the way

While Hubby was at the house, it was confirmed..we have Rhubarb growing! I personally haven't grown it before, but I have eaten it..so this was a new one for me!

Dh brought some stalks home, and asked me to make a sauce with it. SO That's what I did this morning.


Some more work...

Well, after this weekend, the roofers did show up! Actually, the roof isn't on yet, but the sheathing was repaired, renailed down..I was told there were alot of boards, with loose nails...so that was taken care of, and an underlayment was applied!

Here ia a photo of the porch roofing underlayment..



Here is a pic of the stuff on the remainder of the house:



And this one, is the side view of the house:



As I look at the house, more and more, all the rust that developed since the winter....well it made a huge mess on the siding. It slowly turned areas of the siding a beautiful "rust" color. I am hoping, with a washing..maybe a tad of a sanding, and maybe a painting..we can make it look nice again. There were only three areas that were so affected...so maybe it's salvageable.

Anyway, the Hubby, managed to repair the kitchen floor beams..he needed to pour some concrete to make a footing..and next week, he should be able to remove the supports!

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

I thought you may like to see

Here is a photo of Hubby's workshop...well..our garage...



Anyway, here he is very busy working on the second cabinet..this one, has two doors, and two drawers inside, for my pots! It also has a top drawer on each side..I will finally have a place for everything...I hope.