Thumb and Hammer Blog

Putting our house back together, part 2

18 June 09

I admit that I am not a fast worker, but at my own painfully slow pace, I am gradually getting things done. All the ivory plugs and switches in my daughter’s room have been replaced with white ones to match the trim. All of her QuickPort jacks are wired up so she can have phone and internet and satellite in her room in the future. She has her clothes in her closet and dresser and she has room for her toys and stuffed animals. Her curtains are up, which not only affords her some privacy, but also helps keep her room a little cooler during the day. I still have another bookshelf and more books to move upstairs, but that won’t take very long at all.

I have installed shelves in the hallway closet which gives us even more storage upstairs. There is room for puzzles and games and some of the kid’s larger toys which will help reduce the clutter in her room. The plugs and switches in the hallway have also been replaced with white ones.

In the guest room, which is, right now, my father-in-law’s room, the shelves and rods have been installed in the closet. There is still the matter of the plugs and switches and QuickPorts, but I fully expect to finish those today.

The closet in the guest room is an awkward one because of the slope of the ceiling. After learning that there is indeed a standard height for closet rods, I was determined to get at least one installed at the proper height which I was able to do, but with limited hanging space (about 20 inches). This full-height rod is in the funky closet-within-a-closet. The rod in the main closet could only be oriented one way, and had to be installed at four feet, where the kneewall meets the cathedral slope.

The original configuration of the closet back before the renovation. The shelf in the back part is now close to the standard height.

Once again, as with the kid’s closet, I used ClosetMaid wire shelving which is very easy to install. In the hallway closet, I used the ClosetMaid Shelf Track system, which seemed to be a little more robust and gives us the ability to adjust the shelves.

Soon the last of our daughter’s stuff will be moved out of our bedroom and we will be able place the bed and furniture where we want. By then, the contractors should be returning to grout the backsplash in the kitchen, install the picture window in the living room and repair the living room ceiling. It won’t be long before we have full use of our house after more than six long years.

Room to spare in the kitchen

15 June 09

We may have destroyed our budget by having the kitchen renovated at the same time as the rest of the house, but I am so glad we did. We now have more than enough storage making it a breeze to stay organized. And preparing meals is so much more enjoyable with the new layout.

A proper triangle

The traffic pattern in a kitchen should resemble a triangle with the fridge, stove and sink as the points. In our old kitchen, the peninsula was in the way between the sink and the fridge. And the fridge was right next to the stove which is less than ideal for energy efficiency. Our new kitchen has a proper triangle with nothing in the way. It just works so much better than any kitchen I have used before.

Empty drawer

We actually have an empty pots and pans drawer. We ran out of stuff before we ran out of space. Unbelievable!

I need to vacuum and wash the floor well before sealing the tile and grout, and the contractors still need to grout the backsplash and install under-cabinet lights, so calling the kitchen finished would be premature. But it is organized and fully functional, whereas our old kitchen never was.

Putting our house back together again

11 June 09

So, here is how the week has been going: On Monday, I made my feeble attempt to fire up the air conditioning without much success. However, I took care of enough other small jobs that I felt as if I had accomplished something. On Tuesday, I did nothing. Absolutely nothing. Unless catching up on sleep is considered something. On Wednesday, I ran errands with my wife and mother-in-law– yessiree guys, I was living the dream. Grocery shopping is a necessity, but buying food and butt-wipes doesn’t really do anything to further the progress at home.

So today, I decided to get as much done in the kitchen as possible. Screw in the plugs to the boxes so they can actually be used, put our stuff in the cupboards and drawers, and maybe even do a bit of cleaning. Yup, place for everything and everything in its place, as long as we can figure out what things belong to what places. At least we’ll get the boxes out of our family room– one more step towards de-cluttered bliss.

As luck would have it, the HVAC guy showed up around noon. His first order of business is to get our AC fired up (finally). The rads may not get installed until tomorrow, but we won’t be needing heat for a while. Turns out that there was a bit of a misunderstanding about when the job would be scheduled for completion. I was pretty sure that we had decided for me to slap up some drywall last weekend so the job could be finished this week. But as far as the boss knew, I was going to call when I was ready for them to return. My wife called yesterday and got everything straightened out and sure enough, work has resumed today.

Purolator (or was it UPS) also came by today with the multiswitch for our satellite. I just have to call to arrange for installation.

Now, if I can just keep that momentum going…..

Another closet finished…

9 June 09

Monday was peaceful. Almost a little too peaceful considering that the HVAC guys were supposed to come back to wrap up their job. While the other construction was going on, they came and went at various times without saying anything. One minute their truck would be in the driveway, but the next minute when I wanted to ask them a question, they would be gone. The erratic schedule didn’t matter much when the other contractors were on site and we didn’t have to be here. But now we do, so scheduling is becoming an issue.

When the guy said he was going to be back on Monday, I was under a bit of pressure to get some drywall up on the walls in the workroom and storage room. However, being my usual procrastinating self, I didn’t get around to it until Sunday night, and without Tuck Tape to repair the vapour barrier, I had to rush out to Home Depot first thing in the morning. I made the necessary repairs and even hung a couple of the two foot high strips of drywall before I had to get the kid off to school. The HVAC guys never showed up.

On the one hand, I always appreciate a kick in the butt to get something done, and at least the basement is ready for them, but I am frustrated by their lack of consideration for my time and schedule.

Right now, we still aren’t using our air conditioning. I took the cover off the unit at the side of the house and hosed it out ready for action. Upstairs in the side attic, there are wires going to a switch for the air handler that I had disconnected in order to relocate the line coming up from the basement during the renovation on the main floor. I reconnected the wires, but was not 100% positive I made the connections correctly (it’s a 220 volt switch). When I attempted to start the AC, it did not work, but I am not sure if it’s because of my wiring, or the wiring the HVAC guys did at the thermostat (we previously had two thermostats because the heating and cooling are completely separate systems). Whatever the reason, I would prefer the HVAC guys to get everything in working order, something they won’t be able to do unless they actually return….

On a more positive note, I got the shelves and rod up in my daughter’s closet. Now, for the first time in 6 years, her clothes will be in her own closet instead of ours.

On a negative note, I may have to re-do her closet in a few years as I merely guessed at the installation height. Turns out, there are standards for the rod height– 68″ is typical for a single rod– and I am several inches below that. It will work out well for now (she can easily reach the hangers), but after a couple more growth spurts, I may be doing a closet re-design. Or not. Either way, it’s not anything I need to worry about now and I can apply the lessons learned to the guest room closet.

Data-com issue: Can you split a satellite signal?

8 June 09

My first order of business on Sunday was to finally get the television hooked up in the guest room. This was the first opportunity to utilize the wiring that I roughed in a couple of years ago and I was quite anxious to see the payoff. Not only that, but my father-in-law was quite anxious to be able to watch something other than the reality programs that my wife and kid and mother-in-law tend to watch. There is certainly no rush but I am looking forward to getting our bedroom television hooked up as well.

We originally had two feeds from the dish– one to the family room and one to our bedroom. The plan was to take the feed that was going to the bedroom (which is now in a different location) and connect it to a splitter in order to connect up to four receivers from a central location in the basement. With jacks in two or three different locations in each of the bedrooms, this would give us greater flexibility for the placement of televisions in those rooms.

My first problem was that I messed up the connection to the receiver in the guest room. I had connected it to the antenna jack instead of the satellite jack, an error that I didn’t discover until after I called Shaw Direct (formerly Star Choice). Prior to making that phone call, however, I did a little research on the internet and learned that it may not be possible to split a satellite signal to the receivers as I had planned.

Sure enough, when I called for technical support, I learned that my satellite dish supports four direct feeds, and that splitting a feed will not work as I intended anyway. With three receivers, we will require at least another line off of the dish regardless of how we connect things in the basement. The techie recommended a multi-switch which will allow us to connect up to eight receivers, but requires four lines coming in. The cost is less than $100 but there is a shipping charge. The advantage of ordering it through Shaw Direct is that the installation is free, though running any cables will cost extra. Since there is no way that I am going to go up on my roof, I would have to pay someone to come out and run the additional lines anyway, so I am probably not spending any more money by purchasing the multi-switch.

I did finally get the guest room television working (and it works very well, thank you very much).

While I was messing around with the television, the landscapers made a surprise visit. I wasn’t expecting them until Monday, but they came by Sunday morning and finished trenching the drainage for the sump pump and downspout. Another job accomplished!

It was late afternoon by the time I got over to Home Depot to pick up a couple sheets of drywall for the basement. It was late evening by the time I got around to hanging it. Only there was a small problem. The HVAC guys had pulled down some of the vapour barrier in order to run the plumbing, so there are now additional staple holes which will reduce the effectiveness of the barrier. The solution is simple enough– some red technical tape (Tuck Tape) will cover the holes. I bought a new roll a few weeks ago, but it is nowhere to be found. Likely what happened is that the contractors used it and it got mixed in with their supplies. Yay! Another trip to Home Depot. I’ll have to go first thing Monday morning and hope that I don’t hold up the HVAC guys too long.

Days 56 and 57: The renovation is (almost) finished

7 June 09

On Thursday and Friday, the contractors worked to finish up as much as they could so they could move on to another project next week. They will be returning here in a few weeks to install a window and complete any finishing touches such as grouting the kitchen backsplash before we can say that the renovation here is complete. For me, that is a little frustrating but from a financial perspective, it works in our favour to have this break in the action so our bank accounts have a chance to recover.

Our new front door was installed on Thursday along with a new storm door. The new door lets in a lot of light and of all the work we have had done, it is just about the only real change to the curb appeal of our house.

In the kitchen, the plumbing was hooked up for the kitchen sink and the dishwasher. Once you live without a kitchen sink for a month, you realize just what a luxury it truly is.

I had to reverse the doors on the refrigerator before it got moved from it’s temporary spot in the family room to its new permanent home in the kitchen. Then, once the fridge was in place, it took me way too much time to get it levelled and balanced.

On Friday, one contractor put up the tile back splash in the kitchen while the other one installed aluminum capping around the basement window and front door and cleaned up the last bits of the previous owner’s ugly plumbing in the basement. There are still a few finishing touches left to be done– some minor touch-ups, a piece of trim here and there, and they intend to take care of them when they return to install the front window. However, I may take care of some of these things myself to save some money. We’ll see if ambition prevails over laziness.

The HVAC guys finished on Thursday, sort of. They still have to install a take-off for the AC vent in the bathroom. There is also a leak in the heating line– a repair that will require the system to be drained again. We had planned for the new baseboard rads in the workroom and storage room to be installed in the fall, but instead they will be installed on Monday when the system is drained for the leak repair. That way, we will be completely finished with the HVAC guys on Monday. The only downside is that I have to install a couple of pieces of drywall, something that wasn’t a priority before but that now needs to be done this weekend. Just add that to my punch list.

And yes, as much as I didn’t want to have one, I do have a punch list. It has now come down to nickels and dimes and it just makes more sense for me to finish some things myself. In retrospect, there were probably a lot of things I could have done myself to save money, but it wasn’t obvious until a couple of weeks ago just how badly we blew our budget. At any rate, our money is depleted so it’s not like we have much choice now but to roll up our sleeves and take care of some of the finishing touches ourselves. Once the contractors return to install the front window, we want absolutely everything associated with the renovation to be completely finished by the time they leave. Amd that includes any expenses….

Day 54 and 55: structure, drainage and granite

4 June 09

Tuesday: There was yet another company helping out on our project. The contractor arranged for a landscaping company to come out with a rather bulky piece of machinery to dig the trench for the sump pump drainage. Appropriately callled a trencher, it is basically a large chain saw that can cut a narrow four foot deep ditch. ABS pipe is run from the sump pump, out through a hole in the foundation about 40 inches below grade and then transitioned to larger perforated drainage pipe, commonly called “big O.” Unbfortunately, the trencher bit the dust after about 25 feet, or half of the planned length so they were not able to finish the job. As an added bonus, we discovered the location of the leach field, as the machine sliced through 3 drainage tiles (so far), resulting in an additional repair bill. The damage was easily fixed with couplings to join a new length of big O to the old sections.

While this work was going on, the contractors drilled a hole through the basement wall for the new pipe and prepped the rest of the plumbing inside. And somewhere along the way, a third coat of paint was applied to the kitchen.

The HVAC contractors were also on site for part of the day, doing whatever it is they were doing. I am certainly glad that I am not paying those guys by the hour because they sure seem to be taking their time.

Wednesday: Our dishwasher was delivered in the morning, ready to be installed whenever the contractors are ready. The contractors grouted the tile in the hallway, installed the new sump pump and tied in the necessary plumbing, and installed a new window in the basement.

The new window was no small project. The previous owner had cut in a larger opening in the basement wall and installed a picture window. Unfortunately this was yet another example of how he messed up the structure of the house. The framing inside was no longer properly supported. This was fixed a couple of weeks ago with jack posts and angle iron. Outside, the bricks were not properly supported. This was fixed today with another piece of angle iron for a lintel.

The old window was also installed at ground level and the landscaping was a bit lower around the window, which had been a source of water infiltration on several occasions. The new window is smaller, and the contractors built the wall up so the window is now several inches off the ground. Now I can build up the landscaping so it slopes away from the house.

The old basement window (shown here with the new lintel to support the bricks) was installed at grade without proper structure.

The new basement window (with the concrete forms still in place) is now several inches above grade.

The new basement window (shown here with the concrete forms still in place) is now several inches above grade.

Granite counter tops!!

The granite counter tops were delivered and installed on Wednesday. The installation took a couple of hours. Upon completion of the installation, the installers took the time to educate my wife and me about the maintenance and care of the countertops and offered to answer any additional questions that we may have had. I am confident that we made the right decision to spend the extra money for granite as opposed to selecting a cheaper laminate top. The granite is absolutely stunning. I doubt I can throw around enough superlatives to properly convey how thrilled we are with how thrilled we are with the new kitchen.

Granite countertops installed.

On Thursday, the contractors will be finishing the plumbing and installing the appliances, including our new dishwasher. We will finally be able to use the kitchen Thursday night, even though the back splash may not be installed for another couple of weeks. Just being able to do dishes in the kitchen sink is cause enough for celebration at this point. Getting the refrigerator out of the family room is just gravy!

Day 53: Painting and grouting

2 June 09

Monday June 1. The beginning of what will be the final full week of construction on our renovation project. The contractors have made it clear that they will be on another project starting next Monday, and any loose ends remaining on our project after Friday can be tied up in one day within the next couple of weeks. I totally understand their desire to be finished here, I am not impressed with their apparent impatience to move on. In fact, my wife and I talked at length about some of our gripes that have been simmering just below the surface for a while now. More on that later.

The contractors finished the painting in the hallways on the main floor and second floor, installed the tile at the back door and grouted the floor tile in the kitchen. Meanwhile, the heating and cooling guys worked on the plumbing in the basement. The in-floor heat is finished and has been tested. They also continued work at roughing in the pipes for the rads in the workroom and storage room. They should be finished on Tuesday. Then, when I am ready, they will come back and connect the rads in those two rooms.

Now that the drywall work is finished and the sanding is done, I can finally get the air conditioner ready for the season. That will make it much more comfortable upstairs for when I finish the closets and connect the QuickPort jacks. I just need to get off of my lazy butt.

Day 51 and 52: We’re finally in the home stretch

1 June 09

The end is near, and by “end” I not only mean the end of this renovation but also the end of our savings. On Thursday, the walls were primed and on Friday, the first top coats of paint were applied. The tiles were cut and installed for the baseboard in the kitchen and other tiles cut ready to be installed for the baseboard in the hallway. The washer and dryer have been moved to the laundry room giving us more storage in the family room. The punch list is getting smaller and the contractors hope to have most of the work wrapped up by the end of the first week of June (this Friday).

And the end doesn’t come a moment too soon as our savings has been depleted and our money is running out. My plan to have some money left in the bank as “seed money” towards the addition and garage is a pipe dream. We will be saving towards that project from a starting point of zero.

I did manage to get some cash flowing back our way on Thursday and Friday as I returned some unused materials that I had purchased but I also managed to spend most of it again on some new needed items.

One thing we have not done on this project is go into debt, unless you count a “six months same as cash” purchase from Home Depot which I will pay off during the interest free period. That’s something to be thankful for.

We should be getting the countertop this week, which will allow the contractors to finish tiling the back splash and for us to finish moving into the kitchen. Most of all, I’m looking forward to being able to use our oven again, rather than being confined to preparing meals on the grill or in the microwave.

And I still have to install the shelves and rods in the closets upstairs. I also want to replace the ivory switches and plugs with white ones to match the trim. Plus I want to get the satellite hooked up in our bedroom and the guest room, which means the tedious job of wiring up the QuickPorts. And my wife still have to shop for window coverings, lest I forget to get changed in the walk-in closet one of these days.

Yes, the end is near, but for every major item we tick off of the punch list, another small item pops up. But at least we will be getting relief from the constant outflowing of money.

Day 48, 49 and 50: adjusting to life in a construction zone with the in-laws

28 May 09

Four adults, one child and three dogs. Under one roof. In a house that is a still a construction zone. In a perfect world, the work would have been done by now. Alas, a perfect world this is not.

On Monday, we were still recovering from the 11-hour road trip. I headed out to the kennel to pick up our dog in the morning so we could establish her dominance in her domain as early as possible. Meanwhile, the contractors were working on the back door and the cabinet maker was taking care of some finishing touches in the kitchen. It was a hectic morning.

In addition to installing shoe molding around the kitchen cabinets, the cabinet maker also installed the re-worked linen cabinet in the bathroom. Except for a little more tile work, the bathroom is now finished and we have tons of useable storage. Best of all, we have now paid him in full, signalling an actual end to one of the phases of the renovation.

The re-worked linen cabinet-- downsized, reoriented, but still lots of useful storage space.

The other major accomplishment on Monday was the installation of a new back door. I have installed a pre-hung exterior door before. In fact, it was one of the very first projects I tackled as a do-it-yourselfer. Since moving into this house, I had always assumed that I would be able to replace the back door myself, but after seeing experienced contractors taking most of the day on this element, I am glad I left it to the pros. The old door was completely covered with paneling that did not let in any light. Now our back landing is flooded with light from the laundry room and the new half-lite back door.

Framing out the door opening

The view from the front door towards the new back door. Picture was taken at night, so you cannot fully appreciate the amount of light now let into the house....

On Tuesday, the contractors continued applying mud to the transtion between the old and new walls. It will take many more coats to blend everything together. The new electrical pony panel was also installed in the basement. Where I had a six space panel previously, we now have 24 spaces for the kitchen and possibly the rec room in the future. This abundance of space means we can have each kitchen plug on its own circuit. Not only does this exceed code, it also means we will probably never pop another breaker (something that happened with anger-inducing frequency in our old kitchen).

On Wednesday, two of the three contractors were on another job, leeaving one guy to work alone applying additional coats of mud. Meanwhile, the HVAC guys returned to finish installing the in-floor heat, which had been roughed in at least a month ago or more. They are also installing radiators in the laundry room and bedroom on the main floor, and in the bathroom, workroom and storage room in the basement. Unfortunately, I am not quite ready for rads to be installed in the workroom and storage room, but at least they will be roughed in.

Now that the in-laws have started to settle in, and all the dogs get along okay, I am going to have to get my butt back in gear and get some things done. On Thursday, I’ll start by taking care of a number of returns and getting some money back in our bank account.

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