Things are Taking Shape

Lots of progress this week. In the bathroom the new section of sewer main was installed and the bathroom was stubbed out.

New sewer main installed

Bathroom stubbed out

Once the plumbing was installed, the dirt was back filled, reinforcement dowels were carefully drilled into place and a new vapor barrier was installed. The area is now just waiting for concrete which should happen during the early part of this week.  

Vapor Barrier and reinforcement in place

The same day the plumbers were working on the bathroom we had the carpenters on site.  In the main area of the house they installed a new beam at the kitchen opening, framed the pass through opening and installed a header for the new exterior living room door.

Kitchen opening all framed up

Pass through opening framed

Also a lot of progress was made in the bedroom. The bedroom wall was relocated. However, the wall we were moving was a load bearing wall, so it required some additional work.  The ceiling joists had been spliced over the existing wall. Therefore, all new ceiling joists had to be installed with the splice located over the new load bearing wall.  Additionally, the roof supports had to be re-positioned onto the new wall.  The second half of the closet framing will have to wait until the concrete is poured. We will also have a bathroom window and a bedroom door framed in and a few studs that will need to be replaced due to termite damage but all in all things are taking shape nicely.  

New bedroom and bathroom taking shape

New bedroom door location and bathroom entry

View from the bathroom looking towards the bedroom

While all that fun was going on inside the house, I busied myself raking the front yard.  20 bags give or take and a slightly pulled back muscle later all these leaves have been hauled off.  

The front yard with leaf pox

One last pleasantry in case anyone forgot what a nice clean process home renovation can be, more cockroach ca ca falling from the walls.  At least it wasn't more cockroaches.... 

Eww 

Concrete and Colors

During the option period we chose to have the sewer lines scoped with a camera and knew going into this that there was a belly (low spot) in the sewer line underneath the master and second bedrooms that had been holding water and sediment and would need to be repaired.  Knowing the plumbing was going to have to be addressed anyway played a big part in the decision to go ahead with the major bedroom suite remodel.  With the plumber was scheduled for late this week, the guys started with the concrete demo. 

Saw cutting the slab in preparation for the jack hammering

Roughly where we believe the lowest point is so a test opening
so we can assess the extent of the  deterioration.

We also discovered that the floor slab is thin, probably only 3" and the welded wire mesh reinforcement is laying below the concrete slab. Welded wire mesh should be supported just like reinforcement bars, but it is frequently "pulled up" or "walked in" to poured concrete. Neither method is recommended because it will end up at the bottom of the concrete and serving no purpose what so ever.  OK I will get off this soap box for now.  I am sure I will find more things to rant about as we go along.  

Existing sewer pipe approximately 16" down from the top of slab

So much for the floor slab.  Here they have both exposed the existing pipe
and are creating the paths for the new plumbing to be placed.  

View from the new bathroom looking back into the office.

While the guys labored away in the house with the concrete, I have been having a bout of indecision-itis.  It took numerous trips to Home Depot, and more red/red-orange paint samples than you see here, we have finally come to a decision on the exterior paint colors.  I think... The painter doesn't come until this weekend, so I may still change my mind. All this for the door color, I may never select wall colors.

Indecision Central

AND.... more demo

More demo.  We are still just getting things ready for the plumbers and carpenters. Doing as much of the lead work as possible.

Small emergency required some of the paneling to be removed abruptly,  ie Robert playing with electricity when he shouldn't.  We are pretty sure we'll be able to salvage enough to patch the area below the new bar top though. 

Preparing to open  up a couple walls in the game room.  

Moving forward with the bathroom demo.

At the recommendation of our carpenters, we had to remove the ceiling. We had hoped to save it because that attic was full wonderfully fluffy new sprayed in insulation. But alas, it was not to be, and we will have to replace it.  In the end though it is good we did pull down the ceiling, we exposed more termite damage  and some support issues that will need to be addressed prior to moving forward with the bedroom remodel.

No more ceiling. 

So sad, hate throwing away all that perfectly good insulation.

Happy Cockroach Day!?!

WARNING! This post is probably not for those of you with weak stomachs.  I will admit I am very happy that I was not at the house when the cockroach parade began.  Robert and a friend were doing some additional demo last night when they removed the wall behind the bathtub and were inundated with cockroaches.  Yuck.  

Cockroach poop, umm can I say GROSS!

Morning after we bombed the place, carcasses were EVERYWHERE!