Thursday, Week 1

We got our building permit and number on Tuesday and needed to get it put up. The inspector was understanding on Tuesday night, but I really wanted to get it put up before he came back. I had scheduled another inspection for Thursday afternoon, so I stayed up way too late on Wednesday making our sign. I had passed so many signs that were just hurried and spray painted on plywood that I wanted to have some fun with our sign.

Here's my first attempt.Nathan looked at it and said that he thought it could use some bigger flowers. So, here's the finished sign up on the fence. I'd have to agree that the bigger flowers are good. On Thursday afternoon when my inspector came by, he said that he loved it. He said he might even take a picture to let people coming in to apply for a building permit know the new standard. I thought that was funny. I had fun with it.Nathan made a permit holder so our permit wouldn't get destroyed out in the weather. He had me put letters on it so the inspector would know what it was. I had to do them pink. :)Thursday was a CRAZY day!! So, I didn't get any pictures during the day. I don't even think I was home for more than about 20 minutes all day. But, I did get pictures of the end of the day. This is the new view out my front door.Looking straight on.And off to the left.And off to the right.Here's a view from outside.And a front view of the house.

My day started with going to town to get some stuff to do my friend's hair and look at some bathroom fixtures that a guy advertised were about half price. Then I had to hurry home to volunteer in Owen's class, come home for a few minutes and go back to school to get the kids to take Jo to the dentist. Crazy day, but we did end up getting a lot of stuff for the bathroom downstairs. We got a toilet, pedastal sink, faucets for both the tub and sink, two towel hooks, a shelf for the bathroom, and doorknobs for all of our outside doors (that actually all use the same key - something that we haven't had since we moved into the house).

I didn't want to unpack everything before we were ready to use it, so here is everything in the boxes. I'm excited to find good deals on things that we need. They were for a really good price.

When the inspector came on Thursday night, he said that he was really impressed with our concrete guys. He said that they had gone over and above what the code said that they should do. I know that I've been impressed with them, but it was nice to see that the inspector was impressed with them, too.

Wednesday, Week 1

It has been a busy couple of days!!! I will try to catch up. On Wednesday, they came and poured the footings and floor. Sorry about some of these pictures. I had to take them through my dirty window. I'm worried that the contractors are slick of me taking pictures of them.

Here are the forms before they started pouring the concrete.Another picture of the footings.The concrete truck.One more of the forms.I thought this contraption was an interesting way to focus where the concrete was going.Pouring the concrete.I was babysitting that day and my two and the older two kids were fascinated with the concrete pour.Another picture of the kids at the window.Pouring the concrete.The truck with concrete pouring.The guys working the concrete.The work site.My concrete guys doing an awesome job.Spreading it out.Almost done.Done and covered.Another view.

Sorry the last two are blurry. I had to take them after dark after they left. The guys were here all day. I was so happy to see the first concrete go in. Everyone told me that when we start, there will be many days when they don't come and I'll have a lot of waiting. I'm not seeing that yet. Since they started, they've been here every day and they seem to want to get done as much as I do. I'm so excited to see it coming together!!

Tuesday, Week 1

So, it's almost noon on the second day of remodelling and nothing has happened today. I'm thinking that it's too wet. Right after they finished getting ready for the fittings and rebar inspection last night, it started snowing. Luckily they covered everything, but I'm thinking that the ground around it is too wet. But, I did take some fun pictures of everything yesterday, so here they are.

First they brought the bobcat in to move all of the snow.

The snow is moved and you can see the wimpy pile from our front lawn.Then they used the trackhoe to try and save my lilac bush. We tried all different ways to try and leave it there, but it was just in the wrong spot. We're planning on putting it back close to where it was, but probably farther away from the power lines and farther away from the house. Another shot of them trying to figure out how to pick it up and not hit the power lines above. I'm just hoping that they left enough root for it to come back.Success!! If it's able to be done, I believe these guys can do it.Goodbye porch!!When they took it off, it broke into little pieces. It was definitely ready to go.The only thing I'm kind of sad to see go is the railing. I spent a good amount of time priming and painting it last fall. But I'm not sad enough to not do it!!The sidewalk is next to go.It was also ready to go. They just had to pull and it came right off.

At this point, my plumber came to mark where he wanted the concrete downstairs cut, so I took him inside. The whole time we were in there trying to figure out all the plumbing issues, we heard horrible scraping and thumping noises. I think it even made the plumbers a little nervous. When they left, I came outside with them and this is what I found. . .

A big, fat hole in my front yard!!!

I was so excited!!And a big pile of dirt.This is now the view from my front door looking down. It just doesn't do it justice. It is about an 8 foot drop from my front door. And looking straight out. We are keeping both our door and our screen locked along with our deadbolt. Although my plumbers did try to go out there until I reminded them that I had no porch. My side door will get lots of use.A front view.And one where you can see the bottom of the hole.Everything set up for the footings.

Tuesday morning, Week 1

I hope nobody falls over dead. I know. I'm finally posting again. I told my mom that they are starting my remodel today and she said she wanted me to blog about it to keep her updated. Here are some pictures I took of the house/downstairs before the remodel.

First of all, this showed up in front of our house last night.

Nathan loved the fact that we both were excited that we had a tractor in front of our house.Here's a before front shot of our house. Minutes before they started.Looking off to the east.And off to the west.Here's the trackhoe and off in the distance the bobcat.The view from our family room door. All demolished and cleaned out. Ready for the doors to be cut eventually. This is what will eventually be the playroom for the salon and the family.More playroom looking into the future salon.This is the beast of a furnace that makes grown HVAC mean giggle when they see it. Everyone who's seen it tries to convince us to get a new one. We'll see what happens.Storing the future salon stuff (hydraulic chair ahead with two dryer chairs off to the left). Also, this is looking past the beast into the future bathroom (the washer and dryer will be moved).Another view of the future bathroom from a door that is shortly going to be gone.All of my stuff. This is looking from the future bathroom into the storage room. Hopefully most, if not all, of this stuff will go in the new storage room under the porch.Looking from the storage room into the future playroom at the window that will soon be a door leading to the new storage room under the stairs.

So that's the before tour of the house. Hopefully, I'll be able to keep up with what's happening. Both in my blog and in real life. I've already learned that there are some things that I hadn't even thought about. Luckily, I have some GREAT sub-contractors that are willling to help me out and not just do what I say even if it isn't going to work. Thanks goodness for good help!!