Overly Optimistic Home Remodel - Update 2

In our first Overly Optimistic Remodel (OOR) update, Paula and I had wrapped up major demolition for Phase 1, which generally includes a full kitchen remodel and partial dining room remodel.  We had installed a new-to-us red oak floor and left a gaping window bank, ceiling, and all manners of entry for frigid air to enter our home.

Side Note:  Turns out using a compostable, 0.007-mm green tarp as a construction tarp may have temporarily satisfied some personal desire to reduce the carbon footprint of our OOR, but it doesn't do much to keep the cold out.  As a result, we burned through 200 gallons of heating oil in nearly 3 months (only used 100 gallons all of last year).  So, there's me with an oily egg on my face. 

Since our last update, we've been making more tangible progress.  Finally, we've got our two casement windows and large picture window installed thanks again to our bad-ass friend, Nelson.  While that's awesome, the cold still is coming in and oily heat is escaping faster than _____ (insert your own Nicolas Cage movie joke here).

One things that's taken a lot longer than necessary are 3 floating shelves that we've got planned for our kitchen.  These shelves are supposed to hold our dishware and other heavy items while having hidden support (ergo the term 'floating' shelf).  However, the question of how to build the shelves and support it sufficiently without having the shelves collapse or bow has taken more thought than I'm usually accustomed to.  In the end, I found a local iron worker who made some beefy 3/8" x 8"x 6" angle brackets that I've mounted using 1/2" lag bolts to 2x3s sistered to studs.  I had 14 brackets built but after hearing the subtle laughter while explaining my approach to a co-workers cabinet-making husband I decided to increase the spacing between the brackets and only ended up using 6.  Hopefully I don't regret that.

I pulled new PEX supply lines for the sink, dishwasher, and fridge.  Super easy and totally recommend everyone using PEX if they need to re-plumb their house, although apparently copper has some natural antibacterial properties.  I hired my bad-ass friend's (Nelson's) plumber, who basically works for coffee, to install a new waste vent too.  All of this was approved by the plumbing inspector today!

I installed new recessed lights, pendant fixtures, and gang boxes for receptacles and switches throughout the kitchen and dining room too.  Here too, I hired an electrician to make all of the connections though so I don't a) kill myself and b) blow out the expensive 3-way dimmer switches we purchased.  Again, the electrical inspector approved all of this too.

So, this weekend, I'm hoping to purchase myself some dry wall and start installing some insulation so we can keep some oily heat in this mo'fo.'  Looking forward to composting my construction tarp.

Again, here's some update pictures of our OOR. 

Read more...

Overly Optimistic Home Remodel - Update 1

Last time we posted, Paula and I had moved through the house like a tornado destroying much of what we saw in sight. Having begun to piece the house back together again, Paula and I installed a reclaimed red oak floor in the kitchen with much satisfaction. That seems like years ago now...

Shortly after, our cabinets arrived! Sure, they're still in boxes and taking up a ton of space, but at least they're here and getting anxious to find their homes.

Paula, our friend Nelson, and I have taken out the large window in the kitchen to make room for 3 new windows (All of which don't leak heat like a sieve and 2 of which actually open!). However, we got a bit held up and haven't yet managed to complete that task since we only were able to get 1 installed before it got too dark. That task should be completed by next week though.

We've been getting the plumbing sorted out too in the past month. I took out the 1/2" old galvanized pipes to the kitchen and had a plumber install a new drain and waste vent. Finally, this weekend I pulled the supply lines for new hot/cold water lines.

One thing I've been spending a lot of time on is trying to map out the electrical for our new kitchen, dining, and living rooms to sort out what makes sense. I had an electrician and a friend who's a contractor give me some advice, which was awesome. So, I managed to install the recessed lights, boxes, and pulled the new wire. However, when it came to connecting everything I decided to have an electrician handle that so a) I didn't kill myself and b) I didn't blow up expensive 3-way dimming switches. That's essentially done now and we actually have light in our new kitchen!

Things are coming together and hopefully we'll soon be able to insulate the walls and close them up. Keep your fingers crossed.

I've added a few more photos to our slide show for you to check out if you're interested.

Read more...

And so it begins...

Phase 1 of operation Blow Our House Up and Slowly Try to Put it Together began a few weeks ago.  Actually, it began almost a year ago when myself and some good friends (aka. the CHUMPS) replaced a load bearing wall between our dining room and living room with an engineered beam.  So we've had a hole in our ceiling since January...which is pretty awesome.

Our intention was to start our remodel many months ago, but the lack of experience in all things remodel and home ownership coupled with our recognition that Paula and I have different interior design aesthetics whilst sharing no ability to conceptualize design has slowed us down.  And then there's the obvious which is Paula's insane schedule that regularly saps her of energy and motivation.  She's rallied more times than not though while I bug her about how low the carbon footprint is of locally harvested alder cabinet materials, the advantages of low-formaldehyde medium-density fiberboard, great strides in locally produced recycled concrete countertop materials, and other boring topics that would put most normal people to sleep.  So, she's a champ.

About a month ago though, we sealed our fate by throwing down a chunk of cash on new kitchen cabinets and countertops.  Paula and I have been drinking Pepto-Bismol with dinner since.  They've not been delivered yet, but their imminent arrival has required us to start getting serious about this remodel and begin making progress.  So, I spent two weeks thinking the remodel through a bit and trying to plan all of the steps for a major task that I'm woefully unprepared for.  And finally, one weekend when Paula was on call I hung two large green sheets (I think Maddie's thinks they're like the green curtain the Wizard of Oz hides behind because she's been so scared of all the noises coming out from behind them...) to separate our temporary living/dining/and cooking quarters from the chaos and demolished much of the kitchen.  The process has taken a bit longer than I had scheduled (probably because I have no idea what I'm doing), but I think we've been making decent progress.

This weekend, Paula and I completed our first task where we can actually see progress towards a new livable, functional kitchen.  We finished putting in a new-to-us red oak floor in the kitchen.  I bought about 250 square feet of old red oak flooring in all types of condition.  We really only needed about 200 square feet of flooring, but there's a ton of crap that you get when you buy reclaimed flooring (e.g., tongue and/or grooves missing, split boards, etc.).  But now we've got a sweet hardwood floor with most of the imperfections strategically placed where the cabinets will be.  All that's left for us to do now with the floors is to rent a drum sander so all the miscellaneous boards that have traveled far and wide to end up in our kitchen can feel and hopefully look somewhat uniform (we're not going to stain the floors yet).  For now though, we're enjoying having a tangible example of progress behind the green curtain.  Victory is ours....

Next step is either installing our new windows, running the new plumbing, or running the new electrical.  Not exactly sure though since, I repeat, I have no idea what I'm doing.

Read more...

Kayaking with a dog?

A couple weeks ago, the weather was actually sunny. Crazy, I know given the torrential downpour that has been our summer. However, we took advantage of the sun and tried something that Paula's always wanted to try...kayak with our dog, Maddie. (Just so we're all clear, I always told this would never work.)

So, here's what we did. We outfitted some padding to fit in and around the stern dry storage compartment where we hoped that Maddie would sit calmly.

 Then Paula got the kayak in the water and I tried to position Maddie into her compartment where she was to sit calmly and enjoy the weather and good company.  However, that didn't last very long at all.  Maddie wanted nothing to do with that cramped, unstable perch (just like I told Paula she wouldn't).

Not to worry, I took Maddie home while Paula hung out in her kayak and then we could finally enjoy the weather and a rare day off for Paula. 

Not a bad day.

Read more...

Cool stuff has been going on...

Paula and I have been busy lately, although it doesn't feel like it at the time. However, having looked back through some photos lately I realized there's lots of great and fun stuff we've not shared. Have no fear, we're going to slowly catch up over the next couple weeks. So, stay tuned...

Read more...