Update!
I am sitting upstairs in the mostly-finished part of the house, listening to those special drywall drills go crazy with screws. It is incredible to watch - they lift a 12 foot board, get it into position and start drilling in - takes less than one second per screw and not a single one goes bouncing out from under the drill and across the floor. THIS is why we hired out this job. They are going to be finished in 5 or 6 days, whereas it probably would have taken us the better part of a month. The ceiling for the living/dining room is already up - it took an hour. I am blown away. Bonus: the two guys doing it are funny and friendly.
I am also ecstatic - and experiencing a bit of disbelief, to be honest. I can't believe we are here, at this stage. In some ways, it's the most inconvenient - there is no sink on the main floor now and I have to fill my water bottle in the tub and wash dishes in a sink next to a toilet in the basement - it will be at least a month till we have a sink again (custom counters - that's how long it takes!). But mostly it is just so exciting! Soon there are going to be ROOMS down there! With walls! And we'll be able to paint! And use that space! I ordered the couch yesterday - can not WAIT to cuddle up into the corner and survey the wonder of our new house!
I was looking back over previous posts and realized that I was much better at blogging the progress of this house when I also had a full time job - a bit ironic. Once summer holidays hit, we went full steam ahead. I don't know that I've ever worked so hard so consistently in my life. Every day (well, almost every day - we did sleep in a few times, and a few times Jake got up and started working and let me sleep another hour) we were up and working by 8, and wouldn't quit till 6 or 7pm when I was exhausted and cranky. EVERY DAY. It was crazy. It was super-satisfying to see constant progress, though, and to be the ones making it happen. I'm trying to think of a list to type of all the things that had to be done, because considering the hours put in, I'm not 100% sure what we were doing all the time -
some blocking (that's when you put a horizontal 2x4 between some vertical 2x4's to support something else - like kitchen cabinets - or to support the load of the house. We did both.), some chimney-demolishing.
We put most of that chimney pile in the dumpster behind our house, which the city is taking away permanently if/when they can get it off the ground. It didn't get emptied in the usual garbage run Sunday morning. Oops!
A lot of cleaning. Some moving around of our stuff to get it out of the way for the different people coming in.
Here is a picture of two of the last lists. In a few months we probably won't remember what most of these things even mean.
Through this stretch of work I realized a few things:
1. Working physically hard all day means you can eat whatever you want, although there usually isn't time because you're working so hard.
2. I am happy that my career doesn't demand that kind of physical output from me, especially in the summer when it is hella hot and the sweat is literally dripping off your nose/eyebrows/chin/elbows etc.
3. A cold shower at the end of a long day is a sweet sweet reward. Even better is when you see that the water running off you is ACTUALLY DIRTY - that means it was a productive day.
4. Being in control of the renovation is way more fun than having someone else be in charge - the most frustrating parts of this process have been when other people are working on their schedule, and not yours, and all you can do is watch and wait for them to be finished.
5. Being so completely absorbed in a project like this (we set ambitious deadlines and were determined to meet them - thus drywall is going up now, and not in the middle or end of August) means you don't see your friends very much and if you do, all you can talk about is your house which they obviously don't care about as much as you do - they weren't the ones up to their elbows in insulation all day.
6. Jake is a measure-er and I am an eyeball-er and that pretty much sums up us and our relationship in a nutshell. We are both learning more and more how to be sensitive to the others' way of doing things.
7. A renovation is probably the best marriage counseling you could ever ask for - communication, spending habits, priorities, values, dreams - all of it comes up daily and if you don't deal with it immediately, you are asking for trouble. We have had only a handful of not-so-great days during this whole process and most of those were due to miscommunications. Lots of people told me I was crazy for doing this before getting married and that I shouldn't put down any non-refundable deposits for the wedding in case it all fell apart. Instead of falling into that trap, we pulled together and continued to push the renovation ahead of schedule! Teamwork! Plus, we still like hanging out all the time! Woot!
And now for some more pictures - because I know that's what you are dying for. Keep in mind that this already looks totally different, since they are close to being done the boarding downstairs. CRAZY!!!!
I am also ecstatic - and experiencing a bit of disbelief, to be honest. I can't believe we are here, at this stage. In some ways, it's the most inconvenient - there is no sink on the main floor now and I have to fill my water bottle in the tub and wash dishes in a sink next to a toilet in the basement - it will be at least a month till we have a sink again (custom counters - that's how long it takes!). But mostly it is just so exciting! Soon there are going to be ROOMS down there! With walls! And we'll be able to paint! And use that space! I ordered the couch yesterday - can not WAIT to cuddle up into the corner and survey the wonder of our new house!
I was looking back over previous posts and realized that I was much better at blogging the progress of this house when I also had a full time job - a bit ironic. Once summer holidays hit, we went full steam ahead. I don't know that I've ever worked so hard so consistently in my life. Every day (well, almost every day - we did sleep in a few times, and a few times Jake got up and started working and let me sleep another hour) we were up and working by 8, and wouldn't quit till 6 or 7pm when I was exhausted and cranky. EVERY DAY. It was crazy. It was super-satisfying to see constant progress, though, and to be the ones making it happen. I'm trying to think of a list to type of all the things that had to be done, because considering the hours put in, I'm not 100% sure what we were doing all the time -
some framing,
some strapping (that's when you add pieces of wood to original pieces of wood to make them all the same depth - in an old house, this process is ENDLESS and UNRELENTING and will drive you CRAZY with adding fractions),
some insulating,
( In this picture I am doing the cheap version of reflective insulation - dollar-store tin foil (really thin!) shiny-side-up on top of the insulation. Soas to deflect the heat from the infloor-heat-hoses up, dontcha know.)
and beaming
some blocking (that's when you put a horizontal 2x4 between some vertical 2x4's to support something else - like kitchen cabinets - or to support the load of the house. We did both.), some chimney-demolishing.
We put most of that chimney pile in the dumpster behind our house, which the city is taking away permanently if/when they can get it off the ground. It didn't get emptied in the usual garbage run Sunday morning. Oops!
A lot of cleaning. Some moving around of our stuff to get it out of the way for the different people coming in.
Here is a picture of two of the last lists. In a few months we probably won't remember what most of these things even mean.
Through this stretch of work I realized a few things:
1. Working physically hard all day means you can eat whatever you want, although there usually isn't time because you're working so hard.
2. I am happy that my career doesn't demand that kind of physical output from me, especially in the summer when it is hella hot and the sweat is literally dripping off your nose/eyebrows/chin/elbows etc.
3. A cold shower at the end of a long day is a sweet sweet reward. Even better is when you see that the water running off you is ACTUALLY DIRTY - that means it was a productive day.
4. Being in control of the renovation is way more fun than having someone else be in charge - the most frustrating parts of this process have been when other people are working on their schedule, and not yours, and all you can do is watch and wait for them to be finished.
5. Being so completely absorbed in a project like this (we set ambitious deadlines and were determined to meet them - thus drywall is going up now, and not in the middle or end of August) means you don't see your friends very much and if you do, all you can talk about is your house which they obviously don't care about as much as you do - they weren't the ones up to their elbows in insulation all day.
6. Jake is a measure-er and I am an eyeball-er and that pretty much sums up us and our relationship in a nutshell. We are both learning more and more how to be sensitive to the others' way of doing things.
7. A renovation is probably the best marriage counseling you could ever ask for - communication, spending habits, priorities, values, dreams - all of it comes up daily and if you don't deal with it immediately, you are asking for trouble. We have had only a handful of not-so-great days during this whole process and most of those were due to miscommunications. Lots of people told me I was crazy for doing this before getting married and that I shouldn't put down any non-refundable deposits for the wedding in case it all fell apart. Instead of falling into that trap, we pulled together and continued to push the renovation ahead of schedule! Teamwork! Plus, we still like hanging out all the time! Woot!
And now for some more pictures - because I know that's what you are dying for. Keep in mind that this already looks totally different, since they are close to being done the boarding downstairs. CRAZY!!!!
View from the front door looking in. On the left you have the living/dining room (patio door still to arrive where those windows are). Notice the huge opening into the back sunroom where the chimney used to be! I was initially opposed to removing the chimney, but Jake talked me into it, and I'm glad he did. The extra visual space is totally worth it!
The kitchen! The sink is gone, sad, but this is an important step! Making way for the new kitchen! (by the way, saw a sneak peak at HJ's and IT. IS.GORGEOUS. I can't believe it's going to be in MY HOUSE!)
Looking at the living room. Imagine a nice corner couch under that window, facing the opening to the front door.
The parlour! There is the fireplace, waiting patiently to be installed!
The dining room. There will be a peninsula where that green tape is on the floor.
From the back of the house looking at the front. Doesn't it look big! (the floor guys measured - it is only 450ish sq feet of finished floor - so it's not that big. But it will be efficient!)
The drywall supplies! They were delivered yesterday by guys sweating up a storm. It was 30 degrees. I was so happy not to be the one carrying it!
This was at about 5pm. They are fast and efficient - the downstairs is almost boarded already. Might be done by the time they leave tonight!
So there you have it - the longest post ever, that only took 2.5 hours to write and coordinate pictures for. I will try to post more regularly again - I have LOTS of material!
You put my blog to serious shame.
ReplyDeleteNonsense, Jeope! Your blog features excellent photography and occasionally a hilarious video! Mine is nothing but blurry pictures of dust. :)
ReplyDeleteWoah, Braul, that is some serious blood and sweat! I can't get over how much you've managed to get done! It is really coming along impressively. Are you feeling that this is near the tipping point of 50% complete? It looks that way. Nice use of the dollar store too; it's an appropriate tip of the hat to Winnipeg thriftyness. Woot- whatever ;)
ReplyDelete