Some Progress!
February 3, 2007 Update
Click here for the slideshow: BEFORE & AFTER!
We’ve managed to fill and send away six Dumpsters with demolition refuse ranging from termite damaged wood (only a little), old drywall, lath boards, plaster (a lot), old appliances, and bricks. I’m sure we’ve thrown away other stuff too, but that’s all I can remember at the moment.
The good news is we’ve managed to remove every piece of plaster and lath board in the house, which I must say took up quite a bit more time and Dumpster space than I ever could have imagined. All that is left is a house of surprisingly well-kept heart pine studs, joists, and flooring. No really, the original subfloor, heart pine floorboards, and studs are still in amazing shape after 85 years. The wood has a deep orange-brown color from aging and is so dense it’s an adventure trying to cut through one of them; they definitely aren’t the soft pine you get at Lowes.
Beyond the demolition we’ve gotten the real work started in earnest now that Agnes has successfully navigated the permitting process.
Our electrician has run wire through most of the house and installed recessed lighting in the studio, master bedroom, and hallways. He’s working on the front living room and kitchen and expects to be done in the next two weeks or so. Once the electrical work passes inspection we can start insulating the walls and putting up drywall.
Perfect Climate A/C installed an air handler in our attic and completed the ductwork for the whole house. They are waiting on us to finish up with the drywall so they can come back and hook up the two 2.5 ton Trane air conditioning units for the system. And yes, two units are recommended to properly heat and cool our home.
The plumber we hired should start some time in the next two week, finally allowing us to see an end to the demolition and rebuilding phase of the project and actually start thinking about finishes. Before then we’ll have to swap out some bad studs in the bathroom wall.
Some of our windows have returned and have been installed. They look great for old windows and it’s really neat to see the lead weight-and-chain system of operation. I still would have preferred to rip them out and put in some new ones, but them’s the rules in the Historic District!
