today was a beautiful day!

we worked outside and installed the new shutters, painted the front door and the bulkhead, and installed the deck stairs and rail posts.

plumbing...

we installed the bathtubs today....
it was actually very easy to do- the fiberglass tubs are very light!


the network of plumbing vents inside the wall is impressive;


as i mentioned before, the tub in the 2nd floor bath is a deeper, wider soaker tub;


the plumber also installed the shower valves and hot and cold supply lines;

calling all coupons!

if anyone has any coupons for discounts from lowe's, home depot, or other local hardware stores (like ace)...and you dont plan on using them...

please send them our way if you dont mind---10% of alot of money, is alot of money!

thanks so much! we really appreciate it!

The siding is finished! we just need to install the gutters and shutters, and paint the doors.

here are some before and after shots (click to enlarge):




we also installed the ceiling rafters in the master bedroom (very easy to do if you have a laser level!) and we started wiring the 2nd floor.

we couldnt have a cathedral ceiling because we needed to provide an attic space to run the hvac ductwork. but, we were still able to vault the ceiling to almost 9 feet, which is certainly better than the 7 foot ceiling that was there.

we are also making progress with the plumbing and expect the rough plumbing inspection on tuesday.

the siding is under way and will probably be finished up by wednesday...we used the same color siding as the previous flip (it is in stock at lowe's).


we also decided to remove the existing bathtub in the first floor bathroom. it was in bad shape and it is actually cheaper to replace it than it is to have it refinished.

it was a cast iron tub, so we took a sledge hammer to it and broke it up into more manageable pieces. it was alot easier than i expected (you just have to put a towel over the tub before you smash it because the porcelain fractures into tiny shards)

we bought two new fiberglass bathtubs...a deeper soaker tub for the 2nd floor bath


our plumber has started to run the new waste and vent lines in the basement;

2nd floor framing

today we started to frame the interior partitions on the 2nd floor. the walls need to be in place for the plumber and heating sub--who will both begin work this week.

view from the master bedroom towards the bathroom;



view from the small bedroom towards the bathroom

scott and i went out for a late lunch today. when we returned he walked by the bathroom and happened to glance in to see a round ray of light projecting up from the floor where the toilet used to be. the perfectly good, toto brand, toilet that we had no intention of removing. after some detective-work, we found the toilet, smashed to pieces, sitting at the bottom of our dumpster... (the plumber threw it out!)

in renovation, things need to look worse, before they can look better...

here is the new side entry door that we installed the other day;


and the front door;


the siding is scheduled to be installed tomorrow, but we are expecting rain.
today was a beautiful 60 degrees, so we worked outside and installed some deck boards;



we also installed the copper flashing at the house before the last board went in;


here is a view looking toward the newly dormered master bedroom;


and another view looking back towards the smaller 2nd floor bedroom;

there has been alot of activity at the house over the past couple of days...the electrician upgraded our service, there is a crew finishing up the dormer and a crew installing the roofing...


they stayed until the front 1/2 of the roof was finished...


and used their headlights to help them see!



there is only one subcontractor who is awol...the plumber, of course! he was supposed to begin last week---but there has been no sign of him...not even a phone call!

the building inspector stopped by on saturday to inspect and approve the deck foundation holes, so today scott placed the concrete footings and we should be able to finish up the deck this week.

scott and i also were able to install the new front and side entry doors today (sorry no pix...maybe tomorrow!)

stair to the 2nd floor...the back of the house was demolished today







tomorrow, the walls and roof will go up!

we finally got our permit!!! just in time, because the contractor was scheduled to begin the dormer tomorrow...so now we can move forward with no real worries.

nstar installed the gas line today. it is very cold in the house and the forecast calls for snow this friday night! but we still wont have heat for another couple of weeks.

today, we installed the new basement exterior door (to the bulkhead)...


and the kitchen window

we also finished running the new electrical circuits and expect our electrician to install the service upgrade this friday. we also expect the plumber to begin tomorrow or friday.

today we received our shipments of doors and windows



i also stopped by the town building dept office to drop off the plot plan...(note: in an attempt towards sensitivity, the town idiot will from now on be referred to as TI)

mary: (cheerfully) good morning!
kristen: good morning, here is the plot plan- our application should now be complete
mary: (gestering to TI, lowes her voice) you'd better ask him when you will get the permit
kristen: (quietly) oh, okay
TI: (perusing the plans)...hmmm, okay....fair enough...this is official....fair enough
kristen: so this should complete our application
TI: yes, so...you can go ahead with the deck as discussed....(looks over plans again)...hmmm....yes, okay....fair enough, fair enough...where will the dormer go?...okay...yes...fair enough
kristen: so....when do you think we will have our permit?
TI: soon
kristen: (thinking: not this again!) can we start this week?
TI: maybe
kristen: (aaaarrrghhhh! kristen quietly counts to ten while supressing the urge to pull every hair out of her head- she musters a smile) okay, fair enough!
(as kristen leaves she shoots mary the 'i tried' look accompanied by a small shrug of the shoulders....mary was frowning, shooting a dirty look at TI, and shaking her head from side to side) ha! i love mary!

we are framing the partition walls in the basement...


here is a view from inside the new laundry room...

today we framed over the old damaged concrete entry steps with pressure treated wood decking;


the sides will probably be covered with lattice (we havent decided yet)


to encapsulate the asbestos tiles in the basement, we installed a layer of vapor barrier under a layer of 1/2" osb panels. we will be carpeting this space


another view of the basement

update...

electrical:
yesterday we wired the new electrical circuits for the basement lights and kitchen outlets and appliances. we are doing all of the wiring ourselves, except we will need an electrician to upgrade the service from 100Amps to 200Amps (to accommodate the new heating and air conditioning units).

permit:
we did not get a plot plan at our mortgage closing, so we found an engineer who will get us a plot plan this week so that we can finalize our permit app for the new dormer. the town idiot said that a mortgage plot plan would be adequate--i hope that he does not change his mind! a mortgage plot plan is only $150 and isnt as accurate as an instrument surveyed plot plan that costs $1000. (cant wait to get this behind us).

our contractor thinks that he might be able to get the work done in 1 to 1-1/2 weeks, which would be great.

hvac:
permit or not, we are planning to remove the brick chimney this saturday so that the hvac contractor can begin next week (he will use the space left over from the chimney removal to run his ductwork vertically through the house)

plumbing:
we learned during the last flip that in massachusetts, homeowners are not allowed to install a faucet let alone drainpipes, vents, 2nd bathrooms... so we are yet again in the position to find a reliable and inexpensive plumber. plumber #1 told us that we had to replace everything... everything had to come out...every pipe, vent, stack...everything! and that would cost $11K. plumber #2 did not tell us that we had to replace everything--but we are still waiting for his quote.

1992 Camry:
is in the shop getting a new radiator and driver side door latch/lock/handle...i will no longer have to enter through the passager side!

so, if we comply with the town zoning bylaws, then we cannot build a full shed dormer over the 2nd floor...we will have to leave a notch of space at the corner. how ridiculous is this?!


i understand that the town peeps have a job to do, but the fact that they do not have the authority to approve something so benign is frustrating. in order to build in that little notch of space, we would have to go through a 3 month zoning board of appeals approval process (which we simply cannot do) and you know, if we did go before the ZBA, that it would surely be approved. so i guess all we can do is roll with it and try make the best of it. ugh

Eternal Sunshine of the Idiotic Mind

CENSURED!!!

but Back by Popular Demand!

Eternal Sunshine of the Idiodic Mind
a new play by FIX…based on a very real day in our very real life

Cast of characters:
Kristen- female, homeowner; expects too much kindness from her fellow humans, is disappointed often
[casting: Julie Louis-Dreyfus]


Scott- male, homeowner; even tempered, trusting, just wants to do the right thing
[casting: Tom Hanks, circa Splash]


Mary- female, town worker; caring and understanding- hates her job
[casting: Kathy Bates]


Town Idiot- male, mildly chauvinistic moron, works in town government, skilled in dodging questions, has all of the power
[casting: Chris Eliot]


Background: Scott and Kristen have recently found out that their building permit application to build a full shed dormer on their existing dwelling has been rejected

Location: Stale town building department office, ½ hour before closing on a Friday evening.

Act I/ Scene I
Mary- (recognizing scott) oh hello, I have your rejection right here
Kristen- we are here with some design options that will hopefully be approved…but first we have a few questions— why exactly were we rejected?
Mary- (frowning) mmm hmm. You have a corner lot, which means that the side is actually a front- so the minimum setback from that side/front is 30’, not 10’ as it would be if it were a real side. The 30’ setback lands in the middle of your house.
Scott- (thinking this whole thing is f&*@ing retarded) but, we just want to build on the existing house, we are not building outside the existing footprint.
Mary- (with extreme sincere empathy) it doesn’t matter.
Kristen- (sassily) the entire neighborhood is filled with houses on corner lots that are breaking all of the rules
Mary- they had to go to ZBA [zoning board of appeals] to get approval
Kristen- (hesitating…but determined) um, our neighbor across the street has a corner lot and in 2005 (Kristen pulls out documents to show Mary) they put a full 2nd story addition on their house and they did not need a variance and they are definitely in the 30’ setback
Mary- (with total blind faith) they had to have a variance (mary pulls the records for 17 Jean)Mary- (with surprise, mumbling softly) oh, they didn’t have a variance, hmmpfh.(the background office noise suddenly stops, an awkward silence befalls the space)-fade out-

Act I/Scene II
Scott, Kristen and Mary are at the front desk talking while the town idiot is floating in the background pretending to be busy but is really trying to overhear the conversation. He does not go unnoticed.

Mary- (to town idiot) oy, these are the people with the corner lot that were rejected
Town Idiot- (showing no emotion) your plot plan is not to scale
Kristen- yes it is
Town Idiot- no it isn’t
Kristen- yes it is (the vein in her forehead starts to pulsate)
Town Idiot-(takes out the scale and proceeds to try to measure the plot plan using the wrong scale) I’ve been playing with this all day…it doesn’t work
Kristen- (thinking to herself, ‘all day?’) the scale is 1/16…look (takes scale away from Town Idiot) you have to use the 1/8th scale and …
Town Idiot- (interrupting) it’s not to scale. I can pass your deck application, but not the dormer. you need a new plot plan.
Scott- (questions how he can pass the deck without a new plot plan but says nothing)
Kristen- er, so what if we changed the dormer so that it wasn’t a full shed (shows idiot the new drawings).
Town Idiot- sure…you can do that. But you need a new plot plan. You should check your mortgage paperwork, you should have had a plot plan when you bought the house.
Kristen- (remembering that they specifically opted not to get the plot plan at the time of the closing) no, we didn’t.
Scott- (confirming) no, we didn’t
Town Idiot- that is what everybody says…just check your paperwork.
Kristen- no, we didn’t have the plot plan because we opted not to…
Town Idiot- (interrupting) I am sure that you have one
Kristen- (defeated) so, what if we check and we don’t have one
Town Idiot-then I would be surprised.
(awkward pause while Kristen and Scott exchange hopeless looks)
Kristen- but still, say we check and we don’t have one…
Town Idiot- then you need a new plot plan.

Cut to stupefied look on Kristen + Scott’s faces-fade out-

Act I/Scene III
Mary- (to town idiot)- they have questioned 17 Jean Street…they didn’t have a variance and built a 2nd story addition
Town Idiot- (to Kristen + Scott), well, you would have to bring in those plans so I could review them and make a determination
Kristen- (vein in forehead pops- opens mouth to say something but nothing comes out)
Scott- (without missing a beat, inserts his forefinger into Kristen’s spurting vein)
Mary- (to town idiot with obvious disdain) I have it all right here
Town Idiot- (disgruntled, and without a word he takes the plans and his scale and proceeds to measure the setbacks even though it is clearly marked that the house is only 22’ from the side/front property line- confirming the alleged infraction of the bylaws, yet the permit was issued without incident)5 minutes later…(town idiot takes the plans and walks away, he enters the office of the building inspector…and soon returns to the front desk)
Town Idiot- (to Scott and Kristen) yeah, this should never have been approved.(long -awkward -pause)
Kristen- (vein in neck now pulsating…trying to figure out how not to offend the idiot) ummmmmm soooooooo
Town Idiot- (to himself, but loud enough so that the homeowners could hear) oh yes, here, this was approved by the prior administration
Town Idiot- (to scott with heightened enthusiasm and feigning cooperation) so I can approve your deck…but…you have to change the plan…
Scott- uh, what?
Kristen-(thinking of the newly framed deck at 29 Jean, the vein in her neck pops- her face grows pale)
Scott- (transfers his pinky into the vein in Kristen's forehead, fans his hand and applies his thumb to the spurting hole in her neck)
Town Idiot- (to scott, trying hard not to look at Kristen) you see, your span is just at the very end of the allowable span for that lumber and you should either shorten the span or add support. You don’t want the deck to be bouncy?

Cut to stunned look on Kristen + Scott’s faces-curtain-

Act II/Scene I
Location: Kristen + Scott’s apartment, Scott is in his office, Kristen in her’s- both on the internet furiously trying to find answers

Scott- (yells to Kristen) that idiot was appointed to his current position in 2003! HE WAS THE ONE WHO APPROVED THE PERMIT FOR 17 JEAN!
Kristen- (eyes roll backward as her head falls forward and hits the computer keyboard…as her body convulses, the following characters ironically appear on the screen: F & * K)

Act II/Scene II
Location: Back at the office of the Town Idiot

(town idiot is sitting at his desk, scale in hand, homeowner's plot plan in front of him)
Town Idiot: hmmmph, would you look at that...it IS to scale!
-fade to black--THE END-

the walls that surrounded the stair have been completely stripped...and we have framed the sides of the stairs that will support the railing and balusters.


here is a montage from the dining room, looking towards the kitchen and living room beyond


the oil tank removal guy stopped by yesterday, emptied our oil tank, removed it and our boiler...it took him and his helper about 3 hours. they had pulled their truck around back and used it to tow the boiler and tank out of the basement through the bulkhead. all that, and before he left he paid us $170!

this is where the future laundry and mechanical rooms will be- that brick chimney will be removed.


we are in the middle of removing the walls around this basement stair--it will be open like the stair to the 2nd floor. this room and the room beyond will be finished, plastered, and carpeted adding to valuable living space.