Some progress inside and out
Time to report on some degree of progress both inside and outside the house. While things are still generally messy inside the ceiling beams have been boxed in and have received three primer coats and one coat of the finish paint. I still have the cornice to build but I need time when I'm not scheduled to be running all over hell and back doing other stuff.
I have to cut and install the standoff pieces to the rear support yet. The standoff pieces will be 2x6 lumber cut 4 to 6 inches long and held to the rear support via Kreg system pocket screws. They make an impossibly strong connection and one that is invisible too. The front piece will be the same as the rear support which is a 1x12 which is 12 feet long. Once that box is formed we can install the curtain hanger rods and get the whole thing painted.
I still have baseboards to cut and install but again..... I have to have uninterrupted time because my lumber is safe and dry inside and I have to have the miter saw set up outside. Can't get much done if you have to be stopping all the time to do something else. Get that stuff nailed in and painted and then time to switch out all the wall outlets for more modern looking ones.
With all that stuff done it will finally be time to say good bye to the table saw which has been a part of our living room for so long the place will look odd without it. Get the room cleaned up and get the book cases moved, connected and filled up again. That alone will free up every flat surface in the living room as they are all covered with books now! With the bookcases moved we can then paint the dining area part of the living room and get furniture moved into it too.
Getting the living room finished will almost empty our bedroom in the main house and what will likely be our main closet.... which is now the middle bedroom. (most new homes have a master bedroom closet that has more space than ALL of the closets in this house combined) We'll go "California closet" on that middle bedroom and make it nice! (although to save money because those guys are high dollar..... we'll probably stick with IKEA instead)
Speaking of IKEA we have pretty much nailed down the kitchen plan and will have to purchase all the cabinets and appliances before the end of August. They are offering a 20% discount on kitchen stuff until then so that adds up to several hundred dollars in savings. Their big 36", 5 burner, stainless steel Pro range got the nod as did the big Pro exhaust vent to go above it. In a cabinet to the right will be a built in microwave and a convection oven. This gives us two oven options so we could be roasting a huge turkey in the range and baking pies in the other oven.
We're also installing a dishwasher...... so I can retire that title to an appliance soon. (WooHOO!) In a space between some lower cabinets we'll be putting in a 20 bottle wine cooler as well. Big double door stainless steel refrigerator tops off the appliances. Working in secret behind the refrigerator will be a water filter big enough to handle the entire house so the ice and through the door water will always be nice and pure. (I'll likely install a duplicate under the sink too)
While we can still do some of the work we're getting old and slow so we're going to contract out the dry wall, plumbing and electrical. Especially the dry wall!!!! Since the kitchen is OLD and a mess we're just going to take all the old stuff out down to the studs. that way we can check and update the insulation..... and the plumber and electrician will be able to work faster with nothing in their way. Dry wall guys come in and cover the walls.... then fur down the ceiling and just cover it up 1/2 inch lower than it is now. Furring it down is a LOT faster and easier than trying to tear out all the old stuff and having all that attic insulation falling down.
With the tricky stuff done Becky and I will then assemble the cabinets and get those installed. All the IKEA stuff basically hangs on the walls so as long as your hanger is level all the cabinets will be too. While the wall studs are exposed we'll measure up to where the hanger goes and install either a 2x4 or 2x6 between all the studs so no matter where we decide to put a screw for the hanger it will hit solid wood. (also much easier than using an electronic stud finder)
We still have tiles picked out for the counter tops and back splash so we'll be doing that work ourselves too...... as well and laying the floor tiles. We'll probably also contract out the replacement of the kitchen windows. The little window we'll keep fairly normal but the big double windows are going to be replaced with glass block. Lets in light..... maintains privacy... looks cool. :-) Finally ceiling pot lights for general illumination..... pendant lights over the breakfast bar and another pendant over the sink. Add under cabinet task lighting and that ought to about do it.
Meanwhile on the outside we had a tree service come out and thin things out in back again. Made a world of difference too. Heck.... I may actually get some grass to grow back there at last. The back yard lighting system is a work in progress with more changes to come. We had a fruitless Mulberry tree back there..... the entire thing is in a landfill now..... so another space has opened up.
At present it is covered with a huge ivy vine..... but that is about to meet a gallon of roundup vegetation killer. With the vine gone I foresee a flower garden area broken up by pathways into about 4 separate areas. Just due to the possibility of that ivy making guest appearances without invitation I may opt for something of a container garden so I can move the plants at will. (also nice for wintering over) I may end up building some sort of shade structure in the middle to partially shelter a small table and chairs. In the milder weather it would be a nice place to sit in the morning or evening and enjoy some coffee.
Well gang..... time to scoot! While all this is going on I'm still refining the plans for my high desert hideaway...... just in case the folks from publishers clearing house decide to drop in and rain money down upon us. Until next time.......
Peace
I have to cut and install the standoff pieces to the rear support yet. The standoff pieces will be 2x6 lumber cut 4 to 6 inches long and held to the rear support via Kreg system pocket screws. They make an impossibly strong connection and one that is invisible too. The front piece will be the same as the rear support which is a 1x12 which is 12 feet long. Once that box is formed we can install the curtain hanger rods and get the whole thing painted.
I still have baseboards to cut and install but again..... I have to have uninterrupted time because my lumber is safe and dry inside and I have to have the miter saw set up outside. Can't get much done if you have to be stopping all the time to do something else. Get that stuff nailed in and painted and then time to switch out all the wall outlets for more modern looking ones.
With all that stuff done it will finally be time to say good bye to the table saw which has been a part of our living room for so long the place will look odd without it. Get the room cleaned up and get the book cases moved, connected and filled up again. That alone will free up every flat surface in the living room as they are all covered with books now! With the bookcases moved we can then paint the dining area part of the living room and get furniture moved into it too.
Getting the living room finished will almost empty our bedroom in the main house and what will likely be our main closet.... which is now the middle bedroom. (most new homes have a master bedroom closet that has more space than ALL of the closets in this house combined) We'll go "California closet" on that middle bedroom and make it nice! (although to save money because those guys are high dollar..... we'll probably stick with IKEA instead)
Speaking of IKEA we have pretty much nailed down the kitchen plan and will have to purchase all the cabinets and appliances before the end of August. They are offering a 20% discount on kitchen stuff until then so that adds up to several hundred dollars in savings. Their big 36", 5 burner, stainless steel Pro range got the nod as did the big Pro exhaust vent to go above it. In a cabinet to the right will be a built in microwave and a convection oven. This gives us two oven options so we could be roasting a huge turkey in the range and baking pies in the other oven.
We're also installing a dishwasher...... so I can retire that title to an appliance soon. (WooHOO!) In a space between some lower cabinets we'll be putting in a 20 bottle wine cooler as well. Big double door stainless steel refrigerator tops off the appliances. Working in secret behind the refrigerator will be a water filter big enough to handle the entire house so the ice and through the door water will always be nice and pure. (I'll likely install a duplicate under the sink too)
While we can still do some of the work we're getting old and slow so we're going to contract out the dry wall, plumbing and electrical. Especially the dry wall!!!! Since the kitchen is OLD and a mess we're just going to take all the old stuff out down to the studs. that way we can check and update the insulation..... and the plumber and electrician will be able to work faster with nothing in their way. Dry wall guys come in and cover the walls.... then fur down the ceiling and just cover it up 1/2 inch lower than it is now. Furring it down is a LOT faster and easier than trying to tear out all the old stuff and having all that attic insulation falling down.
With the tricky stuff done Becky and I will then assemble the cabinets and get those installed. All the IKEA stuff basically hangs on the walls so as long as your hanger is level all the cabinets will be too. While the wall studs are exposed we'll measure up to where the hanger goes and install either a 2x4 or 2x6 between all the studs so no matter where we decide to put a screw for the hanger it will hit solid wood. (also much easier than using an electronic stud finder)
We still have tiles picked out for the counter tops and back splash so we'll be doing that work ourselves too...... as well and laying the floor tiles. We'll probably also contract out the replacement of the kitchen windows. The little window we'll keep fairly normal but the big double windows are going to be replaced with glass block. Lets in light..... maintains privacy... looks cool. :-) Finally ceiling pot lights for general illumination..... pendant lights over the breakfast bar and another pendant over the sink. Add under cabinet task lighting and that ought to about do it.
Meanwhile on the outside we had a tree service come out and thin things out in back again. Made a world of difference too. Heck.... I may actually get some grass to grow back there at last. The back yard lighting system is a work in progress with more changes to come. We had a fruitless Mulberry tree back there..... the entire thing is in a landfill now..... so another space has opened up.
At present it is covered with a huge ivy vine..... but that is about to meet a gallon of roundup vegetation killer. With the vine gone I foresee a flower garden area broken up by pathways into about 4 separate areas. Just due to the possibility of that ivy making guest appearances without invitation I may opt for something of a container garden so I can move the plants at will. (also nice for wintering over) I may end up building some sort of shade structure in the middle to partially shelter a small table and chairs. In the milder weather it would be a nice place to sit in the morning or evening and enjoy some coffee.
Well gang..... time to scoot! While all this is going on I'm still refining the plans for my high desert hideaway...... just in case the folks from publishers clearing house decide to drop in and rain money down upon us. Until next time.......
Peace
posted by Rev. Joe Ruyle | 7:27 PM
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