Still raining...so, still working inside.

here is the installed fire-rated door that now provides access into the garage:

i was actually against installing this door, but i have to say its definitely been great having it!

and a view from the garage side...still need to add a step. 

we decided to frame out the rough opening for the new french doors that will lead to a new deck off the back of the house.

the first step was to build a temporary support wall- since we will be removing studs in an exterior bearing wall, we needed to support the 2nd floor joists that bear on that exterior wall (until we got the new header beam in place)

here is a photo with the studs partially removed.  we will keep the exterior siding intact until its time to install the door (either tomorrow or wednesday)

and here is the final framed rough opening for the door.

Rained out...working inside

currently, you cannot enter the garage directly from the house-so we decided to remedy that!
here is scott demo-ing the opening

framing out the opening

by code, the door between a house and garage needs to be fire-rated (with at least a 20 minute rating)

here is the view from the garage, we will need to add a step.

while scott was framing that opening, I was prepping/stripping plaster and board from the exterior wall where we will be installing the french doors.

here is a view from the entrance looking toward the location of the future french doors

this is the view from the future kitchen towards the living room

revised plans

just an update

So, the upper roof is now complete!

 Since we are expecting rain tomorrow, the lower roof will have to wait a day or two.

The A/C unit has been installed:

which completes phase 1 of the HVAC work...phase 2 will include relocating a few of the existing ducts/registers because they are currently in walls that will be removed!

wet basement/dry basement

When we bought the house, there was standing water in the basement.

we noticed that the downspouts deposited water at the foundation

after we signed the P+S, we asked the owner if we could install downspout extenders to divert the water away from the house...and she let us

ever since, the basement has been bone dry!

i'm keeping my fingers crossed that it stays that way, but its been 2 months

even the musky damp smell is dissipating!

happiness is...

Progress!!!

The backside of the upper roof is finished...

on to the front side:

The existing roof was already 2 layers thick-so those shingles needed to be stripped before the new shingles could be installed:

The painted wood columns and beams at the front porch were sanded and prepped for paint:

We bought Valspar low temperature exterior paint- which will enable us to paint in temps as low as 35 degrees (hoping it will be warmer though!)

and finally, the new furnace with A/C coil was installed today.  it's nice and toasty in the house now!

the A/C unit will be installed tomorrow.

Strippers!

Yesterday, Scott and a couple of helpers stripped the 2 layers of shingles from the backside of the upper roof...by the end of the day he had installed about 6 rows of shingles.

Meanwhile, I was stripping the paint from the chimney. 



I used this wire brush drill attachment- went through 2 of them already!

But it seems to be working....

s'more

I am just waiting until Scott finishes up his (paying) job so that he can join me (hopefully soon!) Once he does, we will start on the new roof, then onto the new siding...

but until then I have been burning up the shrubs that I cut down earlier...i probably have another day's worth of the same (once it stops raining).

there were plenty of bricks lying around the yard-which made it easy to assemble the fire pit!

chop chop

today, i cut down the shrubs that covered the front and side of the house.

i used the reciprocating saw to rough cut the shrubs...

now i just have to get rid of the nubs and roots...

but i have to ice my sore hands tonight- im either too old or too out of practice!

water water everywhere and not a drop to drink...

even a mildly germophobic person like myself should be more careful swinging a sledge hammer near a porcelain toilet...note crack- and water on floor!!!

 

oops. 

so i immediately shut off the water supply...but then i had to drain the toilet-one nasty cupful at a time.  i suppose it's as good a time as any to remove the toilet (good thing there is another one upstairs!) 

The space is really starting to OPEN up!

Metal Door Frames:

poopies from heaven

The absolute WORST part of demo is removing ceilings! Every ceiling that I have ever had to remove has been laden with mouse droppings- and this one was no different! Imagine spending your day pulling down plaster and being showered with dust, poopies and the occasional mouse skeleton...not fun! but someone has to do it- and right now, I am the only one here!

I wasn't going to post this picture, but why not? This is what the floor looks like during the ceiling removal!

I came across a couple of rodent nests along the way

I'm no expert, but this one looks like a fire hazard!

getting there:

And then- all work came to a SCREECHING halt!
when I drove myself to the hospital after my pinky attemped suicide.

not broken- the official diagnosis is a "crush injury"... but I now refer to my pinky as my purpley!

on the bright side, at least I get to spend the next few days mouse-poopie-free!

_____________________________________________________________________
okay...here is an update-4 days later.  is it just me, or does it actually look like it has gotten worse?

oh well, i have to try to get some work done today...