...not because I was ill, but because I worked almost exclusively in the bathroom all weekend. Saturday morning we got some stuff at the store, including a new blade for my wet saw, then headed over to the house. Papa was there after having dropped Mom-Mom off at my parents house in Ooltewah (she wasn't feeling up to working). He worked on constructing a frame for our bathroom mirror. (I had bought a custom-cut mirror Friday afternoon, only to find out Saturday that I had given them the wrong dimensions. Luckily the mirror is a little too large, so we'll simply need to get it cut again.) I swapped in the new diamond blade and started cutting tile for the bathroom closet. There were so many intricate cuts to make. It was very slow, tedious work, and by the time I was done, it was time to leave for a graduation partyish thing in Ooltewah. My brother Evan graduated from high school Saturday evening.
Sunday, Papa came back down early to work, and we joined him. He finished the mirror frame (which now lacks only paint and a correctly-sized mirror), I set the tile in the closet, then we both got to work measuring and cutting the wainscoting for the lower half of the bathroom wall. Jessica worked on painting woodwork until after lunch, then headed off to do school work (only a week of school left!).
We're shooting for moving in by the end of the month, and it looks like things will be getting done just in the nick of time; we have almost no room for error. We plan on having the countertops installed and the hardwood-floor-refinishing begin on Wednesday. Next Tuesday, the plumbers will do their next round of work. In the meantime, we'll be working on the kitchen floor, which we won't be able to lay slate on until we pick it up on that same Tuesday, which gives us five days to lay the slate, grout, wait for the grout to cure, seal the slate/grout, and wait for the sealer to cure. I have a feeling we'll be staying out of the kitchen for the first few days of June, as I don't think the floor will be quite ready to be walked on and have refrigerators and tables scooted around on it by 6/01.
Things have gone well, though, and we are in great shape compared to what we could have been--if we hadn't had all this help from our families, Papa and Mom-Mom in particular. We're so proud of what's gotten accomplished, and we're looking forward to seeing everything come together in the next few weeks. Keep checking in; I promise updated pictures soon! :-)
Monday, May 19, 2008
Friday, May 16, 2008
More Plumbing, Bathroom Tile, and Hardwood Floors
Yesterday, I took the day off to work on tiling the bathroom floor and to meet with contractors about some more plumbing and the hardwood floors. I want to have all our supply lines replaced; they're 50-year-old galvanized pipes, and they need to come out in order to keep our water in a nice, not-brown-and-gross condition and to make sure the water pressure is satisfactory. I also wanted to make sure we could easily get the washing machine drain pipe properly routed to the sewer line. These things will not be prohibitively expensive, and we'll probably have them done the week after next. The plumber suggested that we also replace the line coming from the street to the house (dig a trench, cut out the old pipe, put in the new one, fill the trench, sow grass seed), and I'd like to have that done too, but that alone will cost nearly $1,000, so I'm not sure we'll jump on it immediately. A higher priority than that pipe is getting our hot water heater replaced; the existing one is 15-20 years old and is probably helping to foul up our water due to rust/corrosion/deposits inside.
Mom-Mom and Papa came down, and Papa worked on the big kitchen window. Dad took half a day off to come help me tile. Thanks to his help, the bathroom floor is all tiled except for the closet. I'll have to buy a fresh blade for my wet saw before I can make the cuts that the closet tile will require; that porcelain is some seriously tough stuff! I hope to have everything in the bathroom grouted and sealed by the end of this weekend. And of course, I forgot to bring the camera to the house yesterday, so you'll have to wait a couple of days for pictures of the tile. :-(
The estimate I got for refinishing the hardwood floors was right around what we expected. We'll probably have them start that next week, but it's possible we'll decide to stay another half-month in the duplex so that things aren't so rushed. We wanted to finish the bathroom and finish all the painting before the floors were done, but it looks like that will take a little longer than we had hoped.
Mom-Mom and Papa came down, and Papa worked on the big kitchen window. Dad took half a day off to come help me tile. Thanks to his help, the bathroom floor is all tiled except for the closet. I'll have to buy a fresh blade for my wet saw before I can make the cuts that the closet tile will require; that porcelain is some seriously tough stuff! I hope to have everything in the bathroom grouted and sealed by the end of this weekend. And of course, I forgot to bring the camera to the house yesterday, so you'll have to wait a couple of days for pictures of the tile. :-(
The estimate I got for refinishing the hardwood floors was right around what we expected. We'll probably have them start that next week, but it's possible we'll decide to stay another half-month in the duplex so that things aren't so rushed. We wanted to finish the bathroom and finish all the painting before the floors were done, but it looks like that will take a little longer than we had hoped.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Shower Grouting and Wall Painting
Except for a few tiles that I'll set after tiling the floor, I finished tiling the tub surround last week. Friday evening I began grouting. Since the space between the tiles is very small (~1/16th inch), I had to use "unsanded" grout, which is a little more difficult to use and sets up rather quickly, meaning you have to work with very small amounts at a time or work very fast.
I had intended to buy a mixing paddle to use with the drill, but I forgot, so I tried to mix the grout by hand. This turned out to be amazingly difficult, and by the time I was done mixing, I was worn out and the grout had begun to set. So I rushed to the shower and started flinging grout like a madman. I was scooping it out and smearing it on the wall with the grout float, working in huge sections and making ridiculous movements to get the grout where it should be and keep it away from where it shouldn't. I felt like a crazed artist creating an abstract masterpiece.
I got about 2.5 walls done (at that point, the grout in the bucket simply became too solid to use), then Jessica and I attacked it with sponges, wiping off the excess and creating presentable grout lines. When we stopped, the bathroom looked like a hurricane had hit it:
Saturday morning, we picked up paint for the master bedroom and got to work. I began where I left off with the grouting. I mixed the grout a little thinner this time, so it was easier to mix and the process went much more smoothly. Jessica finished painting the ceiling in the bathroom, then started on the walls. (Needless to say, we did not go with the loud reddish color we first considered. We decided on "Lisbon Blue".) We made surprisingly short work of both tasks.
Jessica took pictures of the flowers she planted around the mailbox Friday afternoon. It looks fantastic, and we're very thankful that Papa repaired the brick flowerbed to make this possible:
With painting almost done (Jessica thinks she'll probably do a second coat on the walls.) and grouting done (except for sealing it), I started on the floor. Dad came over for a few hours and we put some backer board down:
While we were doing this, Jessica painted the master bedroom walls. The color she went with reminds me of sand. I like it, but Jess wishes it were a tad darker.
We miss having everyone around (compared to last weekend, the place was a ghost town), but I feel like we still got a lot done. I hope to finish putting backer board down today and possibly lay a few floor tiles. We're getting closer!
I had intended to buy a mixing paddle to use with the drill, but I forgot, so I tried to mix the grout by hand. This turned out to be amazingly difficult, and by the time I was done mixing, I was worn out and the grout had begun to set. So I rushed to the shower and started flinging grout like a madman. I was scooping it out and smearing it on the wall with the grout float, working in huge sections and making ridiculous movements to get the grout where it should be and keep it away from where it shouldn't. I felt like a crazed artist creating an abstract masterpiece.
I got about 2.5 walls done (at that point, the grout in the bucket simply became too solid to use), then Jessica and I attacked it with sponges, wiping off the excess and creating presentable grout lines. When we stopped, the bathroom looked like a hurricane had hit it:
Saturday morning, we picked up paint for the master bedroom and got to work. I began where I left off with the grouting. I mixed the grout a little thinner this time, so it was easier to mix and the process went much more smoothly. Jessica finished painting the ceiling in the bathroom, then started on the walls. (Needless to say, we did not go with the loud reddish color we first considered. We decided on "Lisbon Blue".) We made surprisingly short work of both tasks.
Jessica took pictures of the flowers she planted around the mailbox Friday afternoon. It looks fantastic, and we're very thankful that Papa repaired the brick flowerbed to make this possible:
With painting almost done (Jessica thinks she'll probably do a second coat on the walls.) and grouting done (except for sealing it), I started on the floor. Dad came over for a few hours and we put some backer board down:
While we were doing this, Jessica painted the master bedroom walls. The color she went with reminds me of sand. I like it, but Jess wishes it were a tad darker.
We miss having everyone around (compared to last weekend, the place was a ghost town), but I feel like we still got a lot done. I hope to finish putting backer board down today and possibly lay a few floor tiles. We're getting closer!
Monday, May 5, 2008
A Big Weekend
The weekend was productive, enjoyable, and memorable. Saturday morning we arrived to find Papa and Ron working on reinstalling the kitchen cabinets and putting molding around the tops of them:
They did a fantastic job, and Jessica and I are very pleased with how it looks. It was nice to see the cabinets go back up; it felt like a big step forward.
I continued working on the shower tile:
Dad scraped, primed, and painted the exterior of both garage doors (note the difference in the painted one on the left and the unpainted one on the right):
Jessica, Mom-Mom, Debbie, and Mom painted:
Aunt Debbie and Mom-Mom prepared a wonderful lunch of soup and grilled cheese sandwiches:
Saturday evening, Ron installed the bathroom light fixture we bought Thursday:
(Note the test patch of "Fiery Red" paint that Jessica was considering for the bathroom walls. Yikes!)
Sunday was just as big a day. Jessica and I went shopping for cabinet hinges and found some very similar to the old ones but in a "brushed nickel" type finish. Papa and Jessica worked on putting doors on the upper cabinets (we want to wait on countertop and slate installation before putting the doors on the lower ones):
Ron and Papa had investigated the condition of the chimney Saturday evening, and found it to be lacking flashing (among other problems), which explains its persistent leaking. Ron performed some repair work that should stop the leaks at least until we save enough money to replace the roof, which is clearly ready for retirement.
Of course, two constants remained: tiling the shower and painting:
Dad came over and mowed the yard, then worked with Papa and Ron to replace two clogged drain pipes that run underneath gutter downspouts. They also investigated the drain pipe for the washing machine. It had originally been run underground to about 30 feet away from the house, where it emptied into a sort of makeshift gravel aquifer covered by rotted plywood about a foot below ground. It had gotten clogged there, so the pipe had been intentionally broken where it came out of the wall, so the waste water would just empty right at the corner of the house. They suggested I have the drain pipe rerouted to run right to the sewer line. I'm going to try to have a plumber look at that this week.
Mom generously brought over white chili and chips for dinner. It was fantastic again.
This weekend was undoubtedly the most productive yet. I'm certainly starting to sound like a broken record: we feel so blessed and loved to have everyone help out so much. We would be in awfully bad shape were it not for the selfless hard work of our families. We could not possibly express adequate gratitude for what you've all done for us. Thank you so much!
They did a fantastic job, and Jessica and I are very pleased with how it looks. It was nice to see the cabinets go back up; it felt like a big step forward.I continued working on the shower tile:
Dad scraped, primed, and painted the exterior of both garage doors (note the difference in the painted one on the left and the unpainted one on the right):
Jessica, Mom-Mom, Debbie, and Mom painted:
Aunt Debbie and Mom-Mom prepared a wonderful lunch of soup and grilled cheese sandwiches:
Saturday evening, Ron installed the bathroom light fixture we bought Thursday:
(Note the test patch of "Fiery Red" paint that Jessica was considering for the bathroom walls. Yikes!)Sunday was just as big a day. Jessica and I went shopping for cabinet hinges and found some very similar to the old ones but in a "brushed nickel" type finish. Papa and Jessica worked on putting doors on the upper cabinets (we want to wait on countertop and slate installation before putting the doors on the lower ones):
Ron and Papa had investigated the condition of the chimney Saturday evening, and found it to be lacking flashing (among other problems), which explains its persistent leaking. Ron performed some repair work that should stop the leaks at least until we save enough money to replace the roof, which is clearly ready for retirement.
Of course, two constants remained: tiling the shower and painting:
Dad came over and mowed the yard, then worked with Papa and Ron to replace two clogged drain pipes that run underneath gutter downspouts. They also investigated the drain pipe for the washing machine. It had originally been run underground to about 30 feet away from the house, where it emptied into a sort of makeshift gravel aquifer covered by rotted plywood about a foot below ground. It had gotten clogged there, so the pipe had been intentionally broken where it came out of the wall, so the waste water would just empty right at the corner of the house. They suggested I have the drain pipe rerouted to run right to the sewer line. I'm going to try to have a plumber look at that this week.
Mom generously brought over white chili and chips for dinner. It was fantastic again.
This weekend was undoubtedly the most productive yet. I'm certainly starting to sound like a broken record: we feel so blessed and loved to have everyone help out so much. We would be in awfully bad shape were it not for the selfless hard work of our families. We could not possibly express adequate gratitude for what you've all done for us. Thank you so much!
Friday, May 2, 2008
Tile, Paint, & Crown Moulding
Yesterday we went to the tile place and picked up our bathroom tile. We also got our slate ordered for the kitchen (finally). The slate is a lot thicker than tile would have been, and since we're already putting it on top of two layers of stuff plus backerboard, we'll pretty much be using a ladder to get from the living room into the kitchen. I talked quite a bit with the owner of the tile place, and it turns out that laying slate is a lot more complex than laying tile, so I'm getting a little nervous.
Mom-Mom and Papa have been down here again this week. Mom-Mom has been painting woodwork, etc.; Papa got the island back in place in the kitchen, and he's been working on putting up crown moulding in the kitchen, among other things, of course.
I don't know where else to put this, so I'll just throw it in here: Today we bought lights and towel racks for the bathroom.
Yesterday we were pleseantly surprised to learn that Aunt Debbie (daughter of Mom-Mom and Papa) and Uncle Ron were planning on coming down (from Gallatin, TN) the next evening and helping out Saturday. They arrived tonight at around 9:00, and they're camping out on an air mattress in the green room. It's nice to have them here to join the cause.
We hope to accomplish a lot this weekend. With all this help, how can we not? :-) I'll be sure to post pictures of all these shinanigans before Monday.
(I should mention that Sunday, Dad brought his pressure washer over and sprayed most of the exterior of the house...while, ironically, it was pouring rain. The house looks better, especially the windows, and now the garage doors can be painted. Thanks, Dad!)
Mom-Mom and Papa have been down here again this week. Mom-Mom has been painting woodwork, etc.; Papa got the island back in place in the kitchen, and he's been working on putting up crown moulding in the kitchen, among other things, of course.
I don't know where else to put this, so I'll just throw it in here: Today we bought lights and towel racks for the bathroom.
Yesterday we were pleseantly surprised to learn that Aunt Debbie (daughter of Mom-Mom and Papa) and Uncle Ron were planning on coming down (from Gallatin, TN) the next evening and helping out Saturday. They arrived tonight at around 9:00, and they're camping out on an air mattress in the green room. It's nice to have them here to join the cause.
We hope to accomplish a lot this weekend. With all this help, how can we not? :-) I'll be sure to post pictures of all these shinanigans before Monday.
(I should mention that Sunday, Dad brought his pressure washer over and sprayed most of the exterior of the house...while, ironically, it was pouring rain. The house looks better, especially the windows, and now the garage doors can be painted. Thanks, Dad!)
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