Decisions decisions

Lee really needs to have certain information for the plumbers who are coming next week. So a good part of this week was spent finalizing (again) bathroom layouts so we can zero in on shower and sink valves. Things are really coming together and I think we'll have some very nice bathrooms.

The basement is still looking like a war zone with wires hanging everywhere and the floor covereed with mucky canals and gravel.

One of our requests for this project is that the electrical room neatened up. A daunting job, this is what it looks like now:

The electrician was here this week to lay the pipes for the new service from the street into the house and to install the new meter. The box of the meter is huge, taking up a good part of the beautiful stone wall the masons labored over last winter. We may have to do some faux painting to make it look like the wall. Before he came, Ken was busy drilling through our beautiful wall to allow access.

The real action is still in the basement where the second steel beam was being installed on Friday. Unfortunately I couldn't be there to see them hoist it up, but hopefully someone took some photos. I did get some shots of Lee holding it while Katelyn and Bill trimmed it out.

We have a new design for the vanity in Peter's bathroom. We are all much happier with it. Peter will get a new sink and his old one will go up into Emily's room. (Sorry Ems, I guess you and I will have the only old sinks in the house. But at least you still get a sink in your room).

In the hopes that winter is really over, we have unwrapped the wisteria from its blanket. And amazingly, crocuses and tulips are sprouting from the ground after a very confusing weather season. Spring means rebirth- can't wait to see what rises from the destruction around here.

We're shimmin

Not alot to report this week in terms of milestones.
Up on the 3rd floor, Ken was busy shimming the rafters to get straight lines. That'll be a first in this house: 90 degree corners and non-sloping floors. Hope it'll still be charming.

Lee had some window restorers come do a sample on one of the windows in the living room. I'm not sure I like the copper chain - it seems very bright, I think I'd rather just replace the cord with cord. It may not last as long as the chain, but probably we won't either.

Lee told me they discovered major water damage in the beam around the bay of the soon to be new guest room in the basement. The good news is that after digging out the rot (thanks, Katelyn) it appears the damage can be repaired without replacing the beam, foundation wall, windows, floor,ceiling, etc. If this is the buried treasure...

Elsewhere in the basement, things are being prepped for the steal beam to replace the columns, and for the pipes to go from ceiling to floor so in a couple of weeks, the concrete guys can come back and pour the floor. Then the walls can be framed, wiring can be done and we can get some more interesting photos.

I asked Bill about a hole filled with muddy water in the floor. He said it was the indoor pool, but Katelyn corrected him: it's the mudbath for the spa. This is going to be a great house. All these perks the team is putting in.

They're ba-ack

The masons made it back this week, although it was a short-lived visit. They did manage to start laying the bluestone in the terrace around the living room and dining room. It's going to look terrific. I just have to remember to be sure the mortar they use is the type that breathes so we don't get cracks and mold. Unfortunately, by Thursday it was cold again, and with the snow on Friday, I don't expect to see them again til the end of the month.

Inside, it is hard to see progress since alot is behind the scenes type of stuff - subs coming in to adjust bids now that the house is open and that kind of thing. Katelyn has been busy doing some more framing on the third floor. The bathroom, the sink in Emily's room and her new closet is now defined.

The basement stairwell has been stripped down to the studs so now we can try to get some nore space to negotiate the stairs down to the basement.

More steel beams have arrived to support the basement ceiling (and the entire house). I put up a temporary support column in the living room, just til the steel is in place.

The doorway from the outside to the basement is now full size and enough grading has been done so we can actually use it. Maybe someday there will even be a door! Inside, I found Lee and Bill deep in a discussion about something important. I wonder if it had anything to do with the project...

A river runs through it

It's time for last week in review. I think I'll start from the bottom up:

In the basement, Bill has been busy doing something to all the wires in the ceiling.

Eventually, I guess most of that mess will be buried in the floor in order to give us more ceiling height.
Although, I don't think any electrical stuff can go in the floor, at least not yet since there is water merrily running through all the canals. I think it is going to be a real challenge to get the drainage system in the basement to be 100% effective, but Lee doesn't seem at all bothered. Right now, every time I go down there, I expect to see little mice practicing crew in our tiny rivers coursing through the length of the basement. Unfortunately, from the photo you can't see the raging current.

The little door from the basement to the outside is being prepared to be made full-size. The grade has to be dropped outside which will not only allow a full-size person to enter the basement without risking a concussion, but will supposedly also allow the Discovery to get into the carport without a concussion.

On the first floor, I managed to get a better picture of the kitchen as it becomes part of the family room. I really wanted to keep the kitchen and family separated, but this actually looks like it will work better. The kitchen will be more integrated into the family room but will still be a nook unto itself.

The wallpaper in Peter's study was removed. Apparently it was not a simple task (hard to believe in this simple house of ours), but Katelyn managed to get off the grasscloth, the backing and who-knows-what-else. Naturally this was done while I was off the premises so I have no photo of her efforts. Peter and I had always suspected there was some water damage under the paper, since there was some staining on parts of the paper. But I did not anticipate the huge cracks in the walls in several places. It probably will need to be replastered. There goes that construction creep again.

Lee did a mock-up for us of Peter's bathroom layout since we were having so much trouble visualizing how everything, including a person, would fit. He did a great job, even put the old shower door up so we could make sure the swing of the door wouldn't hit anything. As you can see, Peter is pretty happy with it. We are really close now to a final design.

Monday I hope to go to choose toilets, sinks, faucets, shower heads ,etc for all the bathrooms.

Then it's on to lighting fixtures and back to tile and stone and somewhere in there I have to select a washer and dryer. I figure this will be easier than finding a pair of jeans to fit and much more fun than shopping for a bathing suit.