A Reno Tale

Two years in the planning and we have FINALLY started.

Translate

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Week 6 - Weekend

Spent the weekend cleaning out a corner in the basement for me to move into.  Decided to move my real bed in there. Oh, so much better.  Cold, but better.   Have room to hang up a few clothes, room to move around and since the cat hogs the bed I have room to sleep. Okay so there is no heat or insulation, but how hard can it be?
Oh, on a side note. Keep lots and lots of different types of brooms around  and more than one dust pan.  I seem to spend a lot of time hunting them down.



Week 6 - Weekend

The pressure valve blew and there was hot water pouring out of the overflow.  The original overflow pipe went into the sink, but when the tank had been moved for the footings it needed to be disconnected.  On top of the tank you can see the cut off piece to the left, good thing it missed the electrical wires.  Luckily the garbage can was right under it and most of the water collected in there. Lucky I was home, too. 






A friend came by and gave us a lesson on how to clear the pressure valve, which sometimes can have debris in it. Which took care of things, but by this time the plumber was on his way and replaced the valve.  It was full of rust and it seems the tank is on it's last legs.  We will see. I came up with temp solution, hose from the shop vac duct taped to the overflow pipe and then into the sink. Red Green at it's best.

Week 6 - Weekend

Long weekend for all of us. Oooh, getting cold, man. Can't say we weren't warned though. More and more like camping.  Saturday morning, I heard some weird noises, like water running which is always alarming when I am the only one in the house, and this is what I came across. Excellent.

Week 6 - Day 25

Thursday
Remembrance Day.  They are working today and will take Friday off to have a long weekend and we all took a minute of silence at noon. They have been busy on my floor today, along with some structural in the basement. When the beams that are required are in I'll move down there.


Plywood is on the roof, crying out for a skylight.  I am still thinking about it, as it is facing south, too hot maybe.

















Gabe working on the new soffit over my deck.














'Sistered' rafters over my new living room. 

Week 6 - Day 24

Wednesday
I met an angel of mercy at Ikea and her name is Sylvia.  She was great help and got me started so I am feeling better about it all. I have some idea of what to do in the kitchen, getting closer. Got home and the roof is on, sort of.


Friday, November 26, 2010

Week 6 - Day 24

Wednesday
Aaagh, cat woke me up around 5.30 this morning wanting out and I am now watching Holmes on Holmes. Not sure if that is a good idea, makes me go mmmm..
Nice sunny day today, which is great since there is a hole in the roof.  Easier day for them  to get things done upstairs. It is getting colder, but still holding off on the construction heaters and I am getting a chance to wear my winter sweaters and toques  around the house, usually never cold enough in Vancouver.
Will needs our kitchen layout, the plumbers and electricians need to get a look at the layout for quotes etc. We are getting our cabinets at Ikea and I have had a few stabs at the program they have but 'just don't get it'.  So that is where I am off to today. If I can't figure something out, I may have to hire somebody.

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Week 6 - Day 23

Tuesday
Rained like a fiend for a good part of the day, got really cold, and icy rain. It is evening now and it is pounding down, guess I better check for leaks. Did I mention the vaulting on my floor?  Since the ceiling over my kitchen and living area have to be framed in anyway, Will suggested to vault the ceiling.  Cool.  I like those kind of changes, no extra money, right?  The ceiling will follow the rafters up to the ridge beam.  The wall and the doorway to the deck have been framed in so it is starting to take shape. Love it.


Week 6 - Day 23

A few days later.  This is the true optical illusion.  The roof nor the beam have been altered. Each rafter is 'sistered' at a different width.  When the drywall goes out it will all be level.


Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Week 6 - Day 23

Tuesday
Optical illusion.  What is off?

Week 6 - Day 23

Tuesday

No rain last night but a bit of wind and it is blowing through the house...brrr.  I have tried to hermetically seal myself in my little room with the space heater and the down quilt so Lulu and I are cozy for now

Lots of talk today about how the new dormer will meet the dormer of the bathroom on the outside. Thank you Will for being patient in going over the options and thank you Gabe for the visual aids. Funny guys. We had budgeted for the roof of the bathroom dormer to come off in order for the two roof lines to meet in a logical way and I can't visualize it. I trust him though and he is trying to save us money, since the demo budget has gone over, and I am sure it will look great.  As the demo continued through the day, the options continued and at the end of it all, the simplest and cheapest option won out. I did eventually get it, the roof the bathroom won't need to come off. That is great news. 

Monday, November 22, 2010

Week 6 - Day 22

Monday
The view looking north.   We had designed a deck on this side of the house, but the city said 'no go', three times.  Still good cloud watching, though.


Week 6 - Day 22

Monday
My new view. I will have a very good vantage point to keep an eye on the neighbours and anything funny going on.

Week 6 - Day 22

Monday
Lord this blogging takes up time. I am still 2 weeks behind and trying to catch up. They are back on the roof today.  I spent the day cleaning out my cubby, as the dust piles up before you know it.  Still thinking about moving to the basement for the space and I can get away from the dust.  It isn't heated, but it is currently warmer down there, and the construction heaters should help.  
haha...I am not someone who normally has a TV in their bedroom, and I guess I should figure out the snooze feature.  Linda asked me this morning if I was really watching Red Green at 3am.  Aaaah, no. 
The clocks have gone back this weekend, so it is darker now, the weather is still good but definitely colder. The roof should be closed up by the end of the week, so keeping fingers crossed for the weather to stay on our side.


Week 5 - Weekend

Upstairs before & after.  This is Stan who I think likes to smash things. This is my old bedroom and the new stairs will be coming up in this area.



Week 5 - Weekend

Basement 'rec' room looking the other way



Week 5 - Weekend

Basement 'rec' room before and after - looking one way.  That is Steve, retired and likes to  smash things.



Week 5 - Weekend

Lots of activity this weekend and lots of help. Steve and Finn, work friends of Linda and her brother Stan came by. Oh and Dennis, too. We did some demo and cleanup on the top floor but left a big mess up there for Brandon...hahaha
Got the basement 'rec' room all cleaned out.  Dennis pulled out a good amount of the old wiring in the basement and he hounded me till we got all the nails out. Lots of complaining went on about the builder of this house and the big honking nails.  Here is a good picture of the sort of thing we found all through the house.


Marcus the electrician came by to hook up the 220 construction heaters, just in time, as it is markedly colder with a hole in the roof.  Heating up the great outdoors.
It rained Saturday night and it was leaking everywhere, so we have pails and and bins and a tub that we found in the attic, what I like to call recycling.
All I can say is that I am bone tired.  Off to the pub to pay the weekend crew in burgers and beer.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Week 5 - Day 21

Friday
Poem will definately take over if I don't catch him, even in the garage. For some reason Lulu lets him, still not sure if they get along or not.



Week 5 - Day 21

Friday







Never takes as long as I think it is going to be.  Too bad it has clouded over and will probably rain over the weekend, but it is a done deal now. They are framing in for the wall.



Covering up for the weekend & keeping my fingers crossed.

Week 5 - Day 21

Friday
Now we're cookin'.

Now that there is a hole in my roof.

Friends came to check things out.

Guess it is too late to say I changed my mind.

Week 5 - Day 21

Friday
Yowsers
I have been gone for most of the day and this is what I came home to.

Week 5 - Day 20

Thursday


It has got very cold here today, start of things to come, I guess. Still planning to get the roof opened up today and some structural being done here and there.











Poem stakes himself outside the garage door.  He knows Lulu and the food is in there.

Week 5 - Day 19

Wednesday
oooh, lots of cursing and banging this morning coming from the bathroom.  Seems when 'someone' nailed shut a drawer in the bathroom from the other side. The drawer that Linda kept her hair dryer in, took her sometime to get it out. Funny.
It is a beautiful, sunny day here and unseasonably warm, so Will felt a need to take of advantage of the nice weather. Here he is taking the shingles off of the roof. My kitchen will be on the east side of the dormer and the roof will be raised on this side.

Total Pageviews

Followers