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Thanks to our new camera, I've got a handful of progress pics to share. Over the past two weekends all of the rough in electrical work was completed (sadly none of it is connected, so we are still running on two outlets, shop lights and pipe dreams) and I just found out that the inspection will be this Friday! On the plumbing front things have been, well, a little slower. Let's just say that once this project is finished I will be recommending this plumber to no one. No one. In fact, I'm sure I will encourage people not to use him. A story for another day, maybe.
Anyway, on to more positive things. The strapping/furring of the whole house for the drywall is now complete. Thank you old house and old studs none of which line up or are the same size or go straight up and down. Super. It's what we get for buying a house built in the 1880s that is partially held together by sticks and spit. Mmmmmm. Oooops, getting negative again. Strapping/furring and fire blocking done!...pretty much. Electrical rough in done. Plumbing, getting there. Our plan is to have all inspections done by the end of next week.
Check. It. Out.
I will attempt to put together more detailed separate posts for the electrical, plumbing and some of the other work we've been doing later.
Busy, as usual, sits perched at the top of the stairs disapproving of night time renovating, cold weather, diesel powered heating and compressors.
But he will come downstairs for snuggling if he notices that you've put down the nail gun and moved away from the heater for long enough.
So I guess I took a little accidental break from blogging? I won't bore you with any excuses like Thanksgiving, or changing jobs (not me) or the fact that I've actually had some progress pictures to share for the past week, but I can not seem to find my camera cord. You know, the one that connects to the computer at work to upload photos because you can't do it at home because you don't have the internet at home? The one that is, of course, different from the other hundreds of camera cords in my possession or anything that I can find at work? Yeah, I can't find that camera cord. Nope, no excuses. Anyway, in the meantime I will share what we have been up to in the past month (can't believe it's been that long) around here with my lovely writing skills. In bullet form.
-Drank a lot of coffee
-Went to see Harry Potter...maybe more than once (me, gonna take some flak for that one)
-Visited Georgia (me) and Alabama (P) for Thanksgiving
-Watched Auburn pull out a victory over our arch-nemesis
-Did some more framing
-Consulted our structural engineer about the permit implications of removing part of another load bearing wall (this time upstairs)
-Realized that our washer and dryer would physically not fit into the basement
-Made new plans to install them in the addition (this would be location #4 for the washer/dryer, if anyone is counting)
-Visited Martha's Vineyard for a day (P)
-Signed an affidavit saying that we are not loud, terrible, horrible people, so that our landlord could take it to his court date (looooong story)
-Christmas shopped (me) Online only though, I don't like crowds.
-Got another official stamped drawing from the structural engineer so that an amendment to our permit can be filed
-Hired our contractor to come back in and install more LVLs upstairs
-Decided that framing is over rated and got the contractor to finish up the last wall for us (bums)
-Watched the Tigers scoop up an SEC championship. I actually felt a little bad for those Roosters...or whatever they are called.
-Tried not to freeze while working in our house without heating.
-Plugged in my brand new shop light and then jumped out of my skin five minutes later when it exploded.
-Demoed the addition so that plumbing could be run for the washer dryer (and because it was nasty), because, you know, I'm not tired of demo yet
There was more in there of course. I think I hit most of the highlights...pictures will follow for the house stuff. Right when I find that damn camera cable. Maybe Santa should an an extra one of those little guys in my stocking.
Wow. It's been a long week. We've moved and simultaneously plunged into a major renovation. Surprisingly, while we are tired and stressed, we are having a great time. We are so lucky to be doing this renovation and to have the help of our wonderful families and friends. Thanks y'all! I've been trying to keep up with the process in between work, contractor meetings and late night gutting/moving stuff out of the way for the next days step. Proof that this is really all happening below:On Monday our house received a delivery of LVL's, strapping and other lumber...poor little house was stuffed to the brim.
The old rotting wood column and jack column were removed from the basement, old concrete was cut out and a brand new footing was poured!
The plumbers had to come in and cut the old cast iron pipe and all other old plumbing that was in the way of the LVL installation.
Check out those notched beams under the bathroom! Yeah, I was scared to walk on the floor above that (no worries it's fixed now!).
We gladly came in Monday night after a long long weekend to tear out the rest of the lath, plaster and wood paneling in the entry hall so that our contractor could install beams in that area too.
Goodbye toilet. Hello downstairs.
Our very own accidental skylight in the bathroom. We managed to patch this one up last night about one hour before it started raining. And by we I of course mean P because I was too scared to get all the way up on the roof. I know, I know...I'm a chicken. I think I'm going to brave it this weekend in the sunshine...not as the sun is setting...and no, I don't know why that makes a difference.
I had to throw this one in. We had to turn our clawfoot tub on it's side to get it through the bathroom door (it's a fatty). This is what we discovered on the bottom, circa November 14th 1935. Our plumber picked up one end and said "oh yeah, this is one of the light ones". Ummmm, my arms beg to differ. I guess I am just thankful we don't have one of the heavy ones. Btw, anyone want to buy a tub?
Just look at this beam! Isn't it beautiful!?! Most of the joists under the second floor are getting one LVL sistered onto them to stiffen the whole house up (it really has worked, the upstairs used to be like a trampoline). Then two beams (made of three LVLs each) will sit on the sill and carry the load from upstairs. All of this to remove two interior walls (and stiffen up the whole house). It seems excessive, but guys, I can already tell it is so worth it! I can't wait for wall-less pictures!
Speaking of wall-less pictures. Proof that one of the walls has already been removed! We plan on filling in where the walls once were with a contrasting hardwood and then finishing the floors all at once.
Just two days after delivery, look how much smaller that pile of LVLs has gotten! Oh I can not wait to get over there tonight and see the progress. They are hoping to have all installed by the end of this week...which means, no walls no walls! So exciting. 
Back down in the basement the two lally columns have been installed. See them there in the back?
Renovations make Porky tired.
Whew. It makes me kind of tired just looking at the photos. I know some of you might be thinking, "what are K and P doing during all of this?". Well, over the next week we have to continue coordinating with the professionals while simultaneously gutting the rest of the upstairs and getting the demo debris out of the professionals way. It doesn't sound all that hard, but it really is. Plaster is heavy heavy stuff. Yuck. So, in the words of our electrician, "wow, you guys have a lot of work to do before I can start". Yes, yes we do.
