House Fire Update-Day 143 - Page 6 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

t walgamuth · #76 01-26-2015, 10:22 AM

The vertical stacks look like standard galvanized round.

SwampYankee · #77 02-26-2015, 10:04 AM

We've got sheetrock! When someone told us it'd probably be year before we were back in our house, I thought they were out of their mind. Granted, we're not in there yet, but the contractor is now pretty firm with a complete cleaning and detailing by March 28 and move-in ready by 29-30. No, that's not a year but it'll be a lot closer than I thought.

Supposed to be done with the taping, filling, sanding and priming today or tomorrow. Trim work goes up early next week then paint. Floors and carpeting the following week followed by cabinets, vanities and bathroom fixtures.

We're overwhelmed by the number of outlets! We're used to one or two (if we were lucky) in a room with power strips and extension cords. Sometimes meeting code is a good thing.

It's been a very long, stressful road. We really need to get my 12yoS (w/Ds) back in the house. He's been having a very rough time with anxiety (has been diagnosed with PTSD after the fire, plus a week of poking and prodding in the hospital back around Thanksgiving, plus puberty) which has affected his behavior and we're all hopeful that getting him back home will be a big relief to him. Again, not quite there yet, but at least we can see the end now.

View from dining room looking back through kitchen towards mudroom.

View from kitchen forward to dining room. Original, refurbished windows on the sides and front of the house. A peace offering to the Historic District Commission.

View from bottom of stairs towards living room. I swore I'd never be a flatscreen over the fireplace guy but it frees up enough usable space for another couch.

View from middle of living room towards dining room. The Mrs. got her nice and open floor plan.

Master bedroom (first floor) facing rear. Double windows are new, side window to left is re-cycled from the old back wall.

View up the stairs. Compare to old picture when the roof was removed.

The two original bedrooms upstairs will be for my youngest two. While they look small in the pics, they're actually each about 11.5 x 12' and they now have closets, which we didn't have before.

8yoS's room. He picked a light blue. I can deal with that. (Access panel in ceiling is for very tight access to the mechanicals for the second floor if needed-needless to say I'm not able to get in there!

).

12yoS's room. Contractor is making a new window panel, original was damaged when the FD ventilated the house. He wants purple. We figure an purple accent wall on the wall with the windows might suffice. Might add some designs to the other walls if they're not purple enough for him. Again, he's the one we want to be very comfortable with all of the changes so if he wants more purple, he'll get more purple.

The two new bedrooms off the back are for the oldest two. Quite a bit larger with decent sized closets. Again, not something we're used to!

17yoS's closet and room. Some lighter reddish color.

New window on back, recycled window to right.

15yoD's closet and room. Of course, she wanted a black room. That won't work for any number of reasons. The compromise was a black wall (opposite the closet, she wants to do a splatter effect) as you first enter the room and the rest will be a pale bluish. I can deal with that.

New window on back, recycled to left.

Needless to say with two adults and four kids, we're looking forward to having another bathroom in the house. Upstairs shower (bath on the first floor off master bedroom).

Here's a better pic of the new electrical service panel for all of those outlets!

And finally, perhaps what I'm most excited about. A 12x28' space to do whatever I want!

I'm thinking I'll need to put a lockable door on it that only I have a key to!

JB3 · #78 02-26-2015, 10:42 AM

Wow this is really coming together
Looking good!

Hopefully the contractor finishes strong

t walgamuth · #79 02-26-2015, 10:51 AM

Wow, Bill that looks great! Nice looking spaces with good openness.

I don't wanna be negative but be prepared for it to not be ready by the 28th.

SwampYankee · #80 02-26-2015, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JB3

Wow this is really coming together
Looking good!

Hopefully the contractor finishes strong

Thanks, JB! It's good to see stuff getting banged out pretty quickly. Of course we're nearing finish and detail stage so the visual progress will slow quite a bit now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

Wow, Bill that looks great! Nice looking spaces with good openness.

I don't wanna be negative but be prepared for it to not be ready by the 28th.

It'll be a little more modern than I'd like but I want the Mrs. to get things how she wants them. As long as I've got the basement, garage and shed, she can do whatever she wants in the house!

And, ya think?!?!

The "By the end of February" has all but passed at this point.

Skid Row Joe · #81 02-26-2015, 02:55 PM

So, what would the total construction renovation cost be, if it was rolled into one invoice? I realize the insurance company is catching a portion of it. How many square feet are you gaining?

SwampYankee · #82 02-26-2015, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skid Row Joe

So, what would the total construction renovation cost be, if it was rolled into one invoice? I realize the insurance company is catching a portion of it. How many square feet are you gaining?

The insurance settlement was for $110K and we're chipping a little more than 1/2 again. Not including the basement, which could be converted to living space, we're adding about 670 sq.ft. (about 1/3 more living space). Essentially going to have a brand new house with an old front fascia in a great, historic neighborhood with an 1/8 mile commute to work.

Even with our out-of-pocket, we'll still be on pace to be mortgage-free in about 6 yrs.

Skid Row Joe · #83 02-26-2015, 03:34 PM

That's just awesome. It's a shame you can't get replacement windows to pass muster, with today's R-factors to replace the old ones.

SwampYankee · #84 02-26-2015, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skid Row Joe

That's just awesome. It's a shame you can't get replacement windows to pass muster, with today's R-factors to replace the old ones.

There are replacements windows that are approved but they're way out of our budget right now so I'm happy to make-do with the old ones. That heat shrink plastic on the windows in the winter works pretty well so I'll just keep up with that routine.

Besides, between all of the additional insulation (in place of the sparse and settled blown-in stuff) and a high-efficiency furnace and central air unit (in place of the 40yo furnace and 4 window AC units), it should still be noticeably more efficient even with the additional space. We used to be the first on the street to have the snow melt off after a storm, it hasn't been bare yet and the furnace was cranking when they gave it the shakedown run.

I'd still like to get a woodstove insert for the fireplace to supplement it and as an emergency backup for heat and cooking.

barry12345 · #85 02-26-2015, 11:29 PM

The more open concepts always have seemed more livable spaces to me. I try to keep the color décor on the lighter side to increase the apparent space even more usually. Another to me important factor is the lighter shades of colors bounce the available natural light around more rather than just absorbing it. I suspect you will enjoy the changes

Skid Row Joe · #86 02-27-2015, 03:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SwampYankee

There are replacements windows that are approved but they're way out of our budget right now so I'm happy to make-do with the old ones. That heat shrink plastic on the windows in the winter works pretty well so I'll just keep up with that routine.

Besides, between all of the additional insulation (in place of the sparse and settled blown-in stuff) and a high-efficiency furnace and central air unit (in place of the 40yo furnace and 4 window AC units), it should still be noticeably more efficient even with the additional space. We used to be the first on the street to have the snow melt off after a storm, it hasn't been bare yet and the furnace was cranking when they gave it the shakedown run.

I'd still like to get a woodstove insert for the fireplace to supplement it and as an emergency backup for heat and cooking.

Sweet.

I blew-in Johns-Manville R-45 in my Texas home several years ago. Incredibly comfortable in the 100F+ heat around-the-clock. Winter? Below 30-F, Fuhget about it with the single-pane Southwestern windows. My Nebraska home had Andersen Windowalls in most of it. Extremely comfortable 365.

Simpler=Better · #87 02-27-2015, 08:59 AM

Looks good!

Get a door & lock on your new workshop ASAP

SwampYankee · #88 02-27-2015, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barry12345

The more open concepts always have seemed more livable spaces to me. I try to keep the color décor on the lighter side to increase the apparent space even more usually. Another to me important factor is the lighter shades of colors bounce the available natural light around more rather than just absorbing it. I suspect you will enjoy the changes

We're (she's

) keeping it light. She always wanted a nice, open floor plan. Every room used to be very separate and closed off from the others. The Mrs. had wanted to play around with some different colors in the different rooms except that is far more difficult when every room is visible from the others with less clear definition so things will be a little more uniform in color than she was initially envisioning.

SwampYankee · #89 02-27-2015, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simpler=Better

Looks good!

Get a door & lock on your new workshop ASAP

You're not kidding! The trick will be to make it as uninviting as possible while still being comfy for myself. Might start some spider breeding or something.

Simpler=Better · #90 03-02-2015, 07:30 AM

Are you going LED? I've been really happy with warm white recessed units in my basement. IIRC they're ~15W but put out the same light at a 60W incandescent. Much cooler in the cans too