Now we are rockin!

Joel and I were away at a conference for almost a week during which time the spray foam guys finished their job and Steve and Larry and Mark tidied up all the loose ends (electrical and carpentry) inside in preparation for the sheet rocking team.  Steve sent me these photos of the sheet rock being delivered on Thursday, all 18,000 square feet of it!

Matt, the foreman of the sheet rock team, had already laid out a plan of how many sheets were to be delivered to each room, and the most obvious way to get them to the upper level was through an open window!

I took photos of all the boards in all the rooms, but I do not want you to be bored  (haha) with all of them so here is a sample shot:)

And finally...today, Saturday, the guys came and started hanging the wall boards.  They worked from early morning till dusk and got almost the entire second floor done.  We couldn't be more pleased!!

Men in Suits

Joel and I are away for a few days at a conference, but work continues at the house at a fast and furious pace.  Steve sent me some photos of the spray foam team insulating every nook and cranny of the ceilings and exterior walls.  They are completely covered to protect themselves and look like spacemen!  They started upstairs, lakeside and are working their way streetside then downstairs.  It looks like an ice castle inside.

Because it is such a big job, they brought 2 foam trucks yesterday to speed things up.  Rusty sent one of his crewmembers to scrub and clean the sidewalks in preparation for the sealant, and Steve completed the Durock on all 3 of our shower stalls including the little cubby bump outs for shampoos etc. that I requested.  Go teams!

Joel should beome a Landscape Arctitect!

This gorgeous autumn weather has inspired Joel to beautify our outdoor living space before the snow flies.  After Rusty and the crew finished the walkways and patio, Joel got several loads of medium size creek bed stones and created rock gardens on both sides of the house.  We may or may not put in small trees or bulbs in the coming weeks.  Another option is to place pots with annuals on the stones in the spring.  He also got a load of dirt which he used to back-fill up to the new concrete and then he planted grass.  He had to chase the dogs off of the mound when it was time to spread, though!  Two decorative trees now adorn either side of the lakefront sliding glass door.

A lot is going to be happening up at the house this week.  The spray foam insulation guys will be there today and Matt, our sheet rock specialist, has been up several times to measure for his job.  He and his team plan to get started on Saturday!!  In preparation for these 2 somewhat messy jobs, Steve rented a van to sit in the yard for a month or so and had Larry and Brian load it up with all of our bathroom fixtures and any superfluous "stuff" that was lying around.  This way we protect our valuables and create a clear path for the next phase.

In the meantime, the trusses and posts have been delivered for the garage which Steve staked out a few days ago.  SO EXCITING!

More of the Pour

This has been the perfect week for Rusty and the guys to work on our concrete job.  The weather has cooperated fully, and luckily Rusty has been able to keep the cement mixers coming as there is a reported shortage of concrete due to the rainy summer.  In any event, phase 2 of the project was completed yesterday and the team arrived early today to complete the 3rd and final run which spans the front of the house and halfway down the west side.  By the end of the day the guys will have clocked in a 50 hour week (not all our job, though, as they had to work somewhere else on Wednesday.)  Here are some photos of yesterday and today's progress.

Pictures from Yesterday's Pour

All went well with phase 1 of the concrete pour yesterday!  The cement truck arrived right on time, and the guys got to work.  I was fascinated to learn that the way they get the "stamp" into the wet cement is by laying down sheets of a faux stone mosaic them tamping and stomping on it to create the pattern.  Later today and for the rest of the week the remaining areas will be done.  Luckily the weather report looks good!

Stocking the Pantry...well, at least getting a start on it!

So, over the weekend I continued to stain those tongue and groove boards and Joel, with Larry's help, installed them in the pantry.  They couldn't complete all 4 walls because the spray foam insulation guys need to be able to get to all the exterior walls, but the effect so far is impressive!  We had enough boards to wall up the inside of our upstairs closet, so that got done as well.

Towards the end of last week Rusty and his crew prepared the side walkway and back patio for todays concrete pour.  Here are the "before" pictures.  Hopefully by day's end I will have some nice "after" photos to share!

Mark, our electrician, has been putting in mega hours to complete all the wiring before the insulation guys come next week.  He and I have made countless decisions on the placement of all outlets, switches, and lighting fixtures, and I so appreciate his knowledge of his craft and the patience he has with me and my "definiteness."

Off to the house I go for another exciting day of forward progress!

Paving the Road to Success

Rusty and his crew have finally arrived at the jobsite!  After an up and down summer of bad weather which put him way behind schedule, he can now devote the 2 weeks needed to grade the land, build the forms, then pour, dye, and stamp the concrete for our walkways and patios.
We are so excited to take this next step towards creating a very "finished" looking home.

Joel and I spent the better part of last week in North Carolina, but upon our return we both got busy with various projects...he, of course, more so than me!  Ever since Paige and Tanya completed the beautiful road down to the lake, Joel has been wanting to finish the way to the water's edge.  Remember how he and Larry shored up the deck on stilts a couple of weeks ago?  Well now the job at hand is to turn the stairs into a ramp complete with handrails and create a walkway from there to the rocky beach over the mud and tree branches.  Here is the almost finished product and a photo of Joel in full concentration.

My job was much easier.  I stained lots (and I mean LOTS!) of tongue and groove boards a lovely shade of gray.  Ultimately they will be the walls of the pantry and our upstairs closet.  The wood came from Joel's dad's stash of goodies in his garage.  Over the years and throughout each of our renovation projects he has always donated some molding or doors or flooring to the cause.

Interior work continues in the form of the furring out of walls so that Mark, our electrician, can install outlets and plugs; the plumbers finished up a few lose ends yesterday and hauled away many of their tools and supplies; and Steve and Dennis and Larry are working on closing the gap in the Yoga room roof.