Week 11: Second floor

 
 
 
 

Because of Thanksgiving it was a short work week this week, but there was still great progress on the house. The support beam for the second floor, the floor trusses, and the second floor decking are all done! The framing for the stair case also was started and some house wrap was applied to the front of the house. Next week the roughed in stairs to the second floor will be finished and the windows will start going in. It was fun to walk around on the second floor and think about what the space will look like. It definitely will be flooded with natural light!

The fuel company came and reclaimed their LP gas tank which will make it easier to work on the back wall of the house. Next week the plumbers will need to come in a remove the old oil tank and pump the remaining oil to my new tank. The new tank will be on wheels until we figure out where to put it permanently.

This week's challenge was that there are three windows that didn't quite have the required clearance from the floor to be in compliance with code. Fortunately we were able to adjust the placement of two of the windows and they should be fine now. Unfortunately my big picture window is currently at 16 inches off the floor. It needs to be at least 18 inches or the window needs to have tempered glass (which it doesn't). I think the solution will be to build a window seat in front of that window because it can't be moved up any higher on the wall due to the relatively low ceilings in the back room.

Week 10: Who moved my front door?

 
 
 

The roofers arrived this week and finished roofing the garage and the house. The timing could not have been better. Just as they were laying the last shingles on Friday morning, the rain drops started. The new windows already in so the guys spent a lot of time on the framing for the installation of the windows. The support columns for the second floor were also put in place on the basement and first floor levels. Next week the 30 foot long support beam on which the roof trusses will be hung will be put into place. Because the stairs to the new second floor will be centered under the front dormer the front door to the house was removed and the new front door was framed in.

Matt and I met with the kitchen design person on site and figured out the final measurements for the kitchen. I'll order the cabinets next week. I've picked out a nice fridge and stove. The kitchen will be small, but very functional.

It will be a short week next week because of Thanksgiving but the masons are coming in to extend the chimney and the guys will continue along on building the second floor. I'm taking off next Friday after Thanksgiving to put in some dedicated time on removing the siding on the garage. The days have just been too short to do this after work!

Week 9: Transformation !

 
 
 
 

Another productive week on the job site! We had great weather all week long. All three dormers are finished and the structural improvements to the back roof have been completed. Except for some space around the chimney where there is no flashing yet, the house is closed in. The old roof is gone and the temporary bracing on the interior has been removed. With no second floor yet the place looks very spacious!

Next week, if the weather is good, the guys will install trim along the new roof line. They also will start putting in the structural members needed to support the second floor. I selected the roof shingle color (charcoal) and that will be installed soon (along with the garage roof). I bought a new oil tank and once the old tank is removed I can finish removing the very few shingles that remain on the house. If the weather is good tomorrow I will start removing the siding on the garage. Matt put up some scaffolding for me to make this job easier.

Week 8: Out with the old...roof

 
 
 

I was in California all week for a business trip and came home to find two of the three dormers on the house completely framed in and the next level of roofing material in place.
The house looks a bit out of proportion right now with that big front dormer. but I think it will come together when the front porch roof gets framed in. The porch and roof will break up the vertical space.

The final dormer on the back side of the house (for the master bath) isn't framed in yet and it doesn't look like it is in the right place --- but I'll have to check with Matt about that tomorrow when I talk to him.

On the inside of the house you can see where the old roof is being carefully removed and where the second story floor will be put down soon.