Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Wrecking Ball!




Wallace Disposal is onsite today and started the demolition of our old house.  Records indicate that the house was built in 1935.  We finished removing the siding this past weekend.  Joe and Nathan helped demo the garage over the weekend as well.  The week before, Joe and my dad helped demo the deck (which Suzanne and I added in 2008).
 
 
They started at the front of the house (living room).
 
 
You can see into the bathroom, the shower head and medicine cabinet are still on the walls.  You can also see Carter's bedroom.
 
 
The only thing left is the partial living room and kitchen.
 
 
 
 
Just a pile of ruble left as they finish loading materials into the dumpsters.
 
 
We can now see the road from our new front porch.  There is still a lot of grading and dirt work to do, but the old house is gone.  Sad, but exciting.
 
 


Monday, November 3, 2014

MOVING!

 
The house is done.  Below are some pictures of the kitchen and living area.
 
The Silestone Chrome countertops were finally installed and the following day final inspection passed.
 
 










Monday, October 13, 2014

Another Task Completed

 
I finished installing the hardwood this weekend, my Dad finished installing the tile around the whirlpool tub and also finished painting.
 
We started installing the toilets, faucets, register covers, remaining light fixtures and the return air covers.
 
Dave Jacob delivered some asphalt millings for our driveway and Suzanne's dad spread the millings out, so now we have a driveway.
 
We need some dry weather so that we can get the septic system installed.


Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Slamming Doors

 
Carter can now start slamming the doors.  Jeremy and his crew started hanging doors and trim today.  It really changes the look of the rooms.  This is a picture of the pantry door in the kitchen.
 
 
These are the double closet doors in Cooper's room, complete with baseboard trim.
 
 
They also  trimmed out some of the windows.  Suzanne finally said the windows look good, after I spent countless hours sanding, staining and finishing them.
 
Two more days of work and all of the trim and doors should be done.
 





Monday, October 6, 2014

Busy Weekend


 
This weekend my dad and Nathan helped install hardwood in the dinning room, living room, entry way, office and master bedroom.  We installed almost 800 square feet of hardwood over the weekend.  I was also able to get the second coat of paint done in every room except the master bedroom, which is waiting on the floors to be done first.

And in good news, I am finally 100% done with staining the windows.  I thought it would never be done, but I added the last coat of poly last might around 9:30.
 


Sunday, September 28, 2014

Locked Up



I was able to get the sliding patio door stained and reinstalled today.  I also installed the door hardware, so now the house can be locked up.
 
The stain was tough, but it really looks nice.  Nathan and Suzanne helped put poly on the windows so that we could get them all put back in on Sunday night.
 


Friday, September 26, 2014

A New Look - Part 3


 
A look into the kitchen from the sliding door.
 
 
These are the cabinets that are to the right of the oven.  The a combination wall oven/microwave will be installed in the opening in the tall cabinet.
 
 
The cabinets that are installed to the left of the oven.
 
 
The cabinets next to the pantry, with space for the refrigerator and a plate rack above the countertop.
 
 
A look at the island from inside the kitchen.  The dishwasher still needs installed and the opposite side will have a raised bar area.


A New Look - Part 2


 
Suzanne's side of the master bathroom.  A vanity and side make-up counter (the countertop was damaged in moving and new one is on the way) with her very large mirror.
 
 
My side of the master bathroom with the vanity and mirror (and outlet needs moved before the mirror can be hung).  Also the extra tall linen closet is on my side.
 
 


A New Look - Part 1


E & M Woodworking installed our new cherry cabinets (cranberry stain) today.  They also installed the vanity tops in the bathrooms and the countertop in the laundry room.  The kitchen countertop has to be templated and cut to fit since it is quartz, which could take 2-3 weeks. 



 This is the vanity and mirror in the kid's bright orange bathroom.
 
 
The opposite wall in the kid's bath has an extra tall linen closet (it has been sitting in the shop for a while and needs dusted).
 
 
The laundry room cabinets with the Formica countertops, waiting for the sink to be installed and space for the washer and dryer in the middle.
 
 
 The half bath with new vanity and mirror.
 
 

The basement bathroom vanity and mirror.
 



Monday, September 22, 2014

Window Hell

 
 
I really wanted stained windows to match the trim, cabinets and doors, so I decided I would stain them myself.  Well this task is much harder and time consuming than anticipated.
 
The window shown has been stained and is awaiting at least 2 coats of poly and some sanding.  It is a royal pain to take the windows out, stain them, let dry and the put them back in, all before it rains again.
 
Almost half the windows have been stained, but a considerable amount of work is left before the window trim can be hung.
 


Sunday, September 21, 2014

Master Bath


The master bathroom got a final coat of paint (Sherwin Williams Waterscape) today.  You can see the finished tile and the hardwood.  The tub should be installed this week.
 
With any luck the cabinets will be installed this week also.  It is really starting to get down to crunch time.

Friday, September 19, 2014

Wood

 
We started installing the solid  hardwood in the master closet today.  It is taking shape and looks great, it is Great Lakes Prefinished Natural Maple from Menards.
 

Thursday, September 18, 2014

It Glows!


Carter begged and begged for his room to be orange and we made it blue, so we caved and let him make the kid's bathroom orange (Sherwin Williams Kids Stuff).  It is bright, almost makes your eyes hurt when you are in there for an extended time.  But he loves it so it will stay.
 
 

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Tile Setter

 
My dad finished installing the tile and grouting in the kitchen.  This is the Mitte Gray tile from Lowes with Sherwin Williams Online Gray paint in the pantry.

Saturday, September 13, 2014

Open Space


The living room has a coat of paint (Sherwin Williams Site White) and the pendant lights and ceiling fan are installed.

Friday, September 5, 2014

New Addition

 
We had a new addition to our family today!
 
Cooper Joseph Whalen
 
5 lbs 7 oz, 18 inches
 
September 5, 2014 at 1:45 PM
 
He is in the NICU at Union Hospital since he was 6 weeks early.  He is healthy and trying to learn how to eat from a bottle.


Sunday, August 31, 2014

One Step Closer

 
The first coat of paint is done.  One less thing to worry about.
 


Saturday, August 16, 2014

Great Timing

 
Today we wanted to pour the concrete pad for the heat pump and water trough and we also decided to pour a pad to sit the goat barn on.  The concrete pour was going fine until it started raining just as the last of the concrete was pouring out of the chute.
 
 
Carter was supervising the pour until it started raining and then he took off running for the garage.
 
It eventually stopped raining and we were able to finish the concrete.


Friday, August 15, 2014

Paint Crew

 
Today painting was supposed to start, so we hired a paint crew to do the work.
 
 
The paint crew just wanted to run around and play.


Thursday, August 14, 2014

Drywall

 
All of the drywall is hung and finished and the ceilings have been textured.  It completely changes the look of the interior, it is amazing.

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Looking Good


The brick work is complete, the concrete porches are done, the exterior doors have hardware, the fascia and soffit are done and the gutters are done.  The outside of the house is mostly completed. 
 
We just need to get the site graded and the septic installed and the outside of the house will be ready for landscaping.


Monday, August 4, 2014

Just Keep Digging


This past weekend we installed the water line from near the road to the new house and installed water line and electrical from the new house to the new cattle water trough.
 
We borrowed an excavator and dug the trench ourselves.  It went pretty slow, but it is done.

 
Carter and Pops digging away!

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Energized

 
Duke Energy was onsite today to install the transformer and make the final connections.
 
The house is now energized and the temporary receptacles are now usable.

Monday, July 28, 2014

Rachael Says "Looks Like a House Now"

 
They finished hanging the drywall today.  It really makes the interior look more like a house and you can easily see what rooms are going to look like.
 
Even my niece Rachael said it looks like a house now.
 

Friday, July 25, 2014

Inspector Carter

 
Lubovich Excavating was onsite today trenching in the electrical wire for the new service to the new house.
 
Carter is inspecting their work from the front porch of old house.  He loves watching the equipment.

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Knock Knock!

 
After several delays by the supplier, the front door was installed today.
 
It is Steel Craftsman Door with Dentil Shelf by Masonite painted with Sherwin-Williams in Software Gray, to match some of the inside paint colors.
 
Speaking of paint, Sherwin-Williams had a 40% off sale this weekend and we bought 48 gallons of paint and 30 gallons of primer so that we can start painting as soon as the drywall is done.
 

Thursday, July 10, 2014

Foam Everywhere

 
The spray foam insulators came today and sprayed a 1/2" of foam on all of the exterior walls and 4" of foam on the basement rim joist.  Another contractor will be coming soon to install 4" Batt insulation over the 1/2" of spray foam.  Hopefully this helps seal the house better than just Batt insulation alone.
 
 
Here is a closer look at the 1/2" foam in the master bedroom.