More holes, this time for doors....

More holes, this time for doors....

September 18th  -- I arrive at my house around 7:30 am to find that the plumbers have been here for a while to repair the sewer line.  Again, I am beyond impressed with the contractor's ability to get his subs on the job to address issues as they arise.   The plumbers have hooked up a new sewer line, checked it out multiple times (that is, with multiple flushes) and they tell me it is good to go, which really means that I'm good to go.  Mind you, I've been very careful this morning not to stop for a latte on the way back to my house because I had no idea when the plumbers would arrive.

Just as the plumbers are leaving, the framing crew, electricians, and a few roofers show up. The roof will be inspected today and they need to patch the hole in the roof where the chimney stack was, along with installing the appropriate flashing.  

Through the hole in the bathroom floor the framers are having a real tough time with preparations to insert the support beam.  Of course, they are working just below the hole in the upper-level bathroom.  I'm hanging around for my meeting with the kitchen designer.  Eventually, I need to go...so, I find a piece of carpet padding that I can throw over the hole so I can quickly use the toilet.  Just as I get the hole covered and am ready to drop my pants, I look up and there is the face of one of the roofers looking down at me.  Change of plans...no using the toilet now.  Also, there is too much work on the main level,  so my meeting with the kitchen designer is postponed and I'm heading to the office (and the restroom).

Before I know it, the contractor sends me a text to tell me that the mason has arrived, the furnace crew is on site, and the contractor is leaving a shop vac for me to clear out the upper-level bathroom dust and debris.

The same mason who did that amazing job to move the doorway in the foundation to align with the new basement stairwell is back.  The mason is going to remove the windows in the dining room and remove bricks so that the sliding door to the south-side deck can be installed -- more demolition as part of the wall around the windows will come out.

Here is a photo BEFORE CONSTRUCTION of the south side of the house with the double windows in the dining room.




At the end of the day when I come home, here is a DURING CONSTRUCTION photo showing a piece of plywood where the dining room windows and brick have been removed.  Tomorrow, the mason will install the sliding door and replace the brick around the door.



Here is the view of that plywood, covering up yet another hole in the house, from inside the dining room.

Here are two closer views of the hole where the sliding doors will be installed tomorrow.

Here is the new sliding door that will replace the plywood -- this isn't easy to see as the sliding door is leaning up against some framing in the kitchen.  It is pretty heavy and will require a few of the framers to lift the door so that the mason can align it before replacing the bricks.

Here is the original wall between the dining room and the small bedroom on the main level. 

The architect has designed the removal of this load-bearing wall so that it will be moved about a foot in order to enlarge the small bedroom into a guest suite.  The design calls for a new wall that will feature library doors between the dining room and the guest suite. Here is the framing for the new wall with the horizontal slats showing the framing for the library doors that will retract into the wall when open to the fullest.  When closed, the library doors will have frosted glass panes to bring light into the guest suite, yet also provide privacy.  

More framing.  I know this just looks like a bunch of lumber, but this is the view, from the guest suite, of the guest suite bathroom (to the right you can see the doorway framing and right below it the claw foot tub that will be relocated. to the rear wall.  If you look carefully there is a black pipe with a section of white pipe that goes up to the ceiling.  Yep, you guessed correctly -- that is the now repaired, once compromised, sewer line.  To the left of the newly repaired sewer line is a wall that will be part of the pantry.  To the very left of this photo you will see some more horizontal slats, which is the framing for the pocket door for the laundry room that is located on the other side of the pantry.

The next photos are my attempts to try to capture the new beam that was installed that now carries the load of the demolished load-bearing wall.  This isn't easy to describe, but if you look closely at the next few photos, you can see a thick wooden beam above the framing for the wall with the library doors.

The other area of progress in the house has been made by the team that is installing the new heating system.  the furnace has been delivered and now sits in the basement, waiting for the old furnace to be removed.  In the meantime, all sorts of heat runs are showing up between the joists and studs.

The main heat run to the second floor is shown below, but it hasn't been installed yet.  I'm hoping to be able to see how they install the vacuum system in the heat runs that will form the zone heating system; one of the more interesting features of this high efficiency system.

The amount of progress that is being made on so many fronts is really staggering.  There is a real sense of urgency to install all the walls, doors, windows, and mechanical systems as the weather is turning colder.  Once all the walls are framed, doors installed, and the heating system is in, the plumbers will come in to install the rough-in valves and pipes.   Then the electricians will arrive for electrical outlet, switch and light placements and wiring.  After that, the contractor promised there will be a major clean up of the site.  The contractor also warned me that I will enjoy the major clean up for a few days before the drywall crew shows up and that nasty construction dust returns.  At least that is yet another thing to look forward to!