Somewhere in Week 2

Did I mention that there is a 4-6 week project plan?

We are in Week 2 :: Reconstruction

I should explain who we are as I have a tendency to speak in the 3rd person. "We" are Christian, my architect and carpenter and patient new friend, Jose Luis Hernandez (reminds me of Princess Bride), handyman extraordinaire (actually a construction worker I borrowed from a construction company) and his crew of Manual, William, and Santos (whom I'd to call Santos de la Rosa! but he may take offense), Lyon, the electrician, and soon to be Ky, the plumber, whom I've yet to meet and nickname. And of tomorrow I'm sure he'll have a nickname. We are a very Christian group, you may notice by the names, said Lena Christine with a grin.

Week 1 was demolition, of course, in case anyone was confused about the order of things. Christian demo'd the kitchen in one day. One day. It took the previous homeowners 80 years to yuck it up, and Christian did away with it neatly in one day. And then came off the base trim and crown molding, which exposed water damage, stink, and 80 years worth of cob webs and other unnamed fuzz. The previous homeowner told me she saw all of 2 spiders in the 3 years that they lived there. I don't like to call anyone liar, but I saw a spider the first day I was there and I sucked it up with a Dyson. Jose Luiz and crew were on site soon after to do all of the plaster and dry wall work. Yes, both, it's complicated. This is the best thing that has happened so far...to the walls and ceilings I should say. There were 1-2" gaps between the floors and walls on the north wall. Not to mention 12-20 cracks in the plaster. Not anymore. My request was "baby butt smooth" and Jose Luiz and crew delivered. Now the walls and ceilings are fresh...newly skim coated and skim milk white. While Christian furred in a new wall (see Week 2), I demo'd the bathtub, which was scope creep but detail oriented people will appreciate my decision. People, that bathtub was made up of 3 different wall systems. There are only 3 walls to the bathtub! Alas, they are gone and so is the 3 layer floor. (Hmm, there's a pattern developing.)

Photos from demo will be posted. Sorry, again, for the delay. I keep forgetting the camera at the 505.

Week 2 ::

Reconstruction has begun. Quite exciting. I suppose demo and reconstruction overlapped. To do the skim coat, for example, they had to tear down 3 layers of wallpaper, patch, and then skim coat (2 layers in case you wondered). Anyway, we are nearly finished with demo. Christian tore out 3 layers of flooring in the bathroom today. That required a jack hammer and I'm really impressed that he managed it so well, not a scratch or dent in the piece of crap bathroom. The floor remnants are on display, like show and tell. People, 3 layers for starters, and what was the sub-layer in 1932? 3 inches of concrete. I kid you not. I cannot believe the bathroom never fell into the basement.

Highlights of Week 2 ::

1. Christian is furring in a new kind of fake wall in the kitchen - required super mack daddy bolts in the brick exterior walls - the upper cabinets shan't be coming down
2. I used a Sawzill
3. I demo'd the bathtub walls (and Santos helped a little for giggles)
4. Among many things, Christian taught me to build a wall, and so the knee wall is up in the kitchen
5. Lyon is working on the electricity and so far no fires
6. The exterior brick has been tuck pointed and essentially restored by Brother's Brick Restoration (says it all in the name)
7. Painting begins

August 31 :: I've just remembered that I forgot to call my nephew this evening. It's his 5th birthday. I called him this morning, but turns out he goes to school. I dunno, something about educating the boy.

Photos have been posted to their respective rooms. The demolition is 99% complete. A few things to finish up tomorrow. The entire first floor has been primed for painting, thanks a ton to Alexis. Tomorrow the real painting begins. Jose Luiz and Manual have been invited back for painting because they like to hang out with us so much. Lyon is progressing on the electrical, still no fires. Plumbing may begin next week. The hardwoods get refinished next week, too. Holy, holy. Things are taking shape!