Remodel Update Continued

Steel Beam Installation

It has been awhile since I've done a remodel update and certainly the last week was very busy and a bit over the top so I just worked at trying to stay focused and keeping me and my pets safe.  Monday I got ready for the steel beam installation by moving everything from the center of my living room back into the area by the washer-dryer.  Then on Tuesday the pets and I were banished to my bedroom so I took my recliner and a lamp back there, along with dog and cat food bowls, dog water bowl (the cats prefer the dripping bathroom faucet), and a litter box and we hunkered down to a day of reading and petting.  It did get a bit confining, but I read lots of books which was great.

Finished Beam!

This is the beam and post which were original.

Steel Beam Installation(the original beam and post are still
in place.  The beam always will be but the post goes!

End of Tuesday!  Nearly done!

By the end of Tuesday the steel beams were welded and in place, and then on Wednesday they were secured with enormous bolts and then the final post came out.  The beam was then encased in wood so it can be sheetrocked down the road.  The whole space is open and airy as I hoped it would be.  The beam installation wasn't completed until Thursday morning, but I did manage to get my refrigerator moved into the living room on Wednesday night and also do several loads of laundry (in case my washer/dryer were disconnected during the flooring phase) so I had less to move back on Thursday when I have a busy day tutoring first at Student Link (Vashon's alternative high school)  in the morning and then at the library at Study Zone in the afternoon.  But I was successful, if exhausted, so that by Thursday evening the living room was back, and then some, because the center of the house, including the kitchen area, had to be emptied out for the flooring project which started on Friday morning! 

And now for flooring!  Poosa is napping on the boards
which are not fastened and rattle nicely but are smoother
than what's underneath.

Turns out on Friday, for whatever reason the flooring gods decided, all that happened was the removal of the old flooring and a bit of patching where walls had been.  It was just a 1/2 day's work, but that suited me fine.  The flooring guys put down some of the boards which are going to be used for underlayment, to give me and the pets something safer to walk on, but the boards aren't fastened so they make a lovely noise when we walk on them and Poosa can really get them bouncing when she runs across them!  I was able to roll my kitchen island back in for the weekend, and then tomorrow they will be back to lay the underlayment, including some kind of leveling concrete which dries "really fast" (I hope as it will have pet paw prints otherwise!), and maybe start putting down the scarlet marmoleum, but the flooring won't actually be finished until Tuesday.

Chauncey (left) and Poosa (right) are checking out the
utility trench which will bring gas and electric to the house.

Lots of fun to dig!

Chauncey and Poosa exploring during the guys lunch.

And if that wasn't enough for one week, outside I had lots of digging.  There are two projects going on there--first the drainage off my roof and into my downspouts was going nowhere, so that all had to be dug up and new drain lines put in.  Then we received word that the gas and electric companies are finally ready to bring my utility lines in.  I don't currently have gas and my electric is above ground.  As long as we had to dig a trench for the gas, I decided to bury the electric as well.  So starting on Thursday I've had 5-7 guys in my front yard digging frantically.  They have overall done a very nice job, if ripping through my gorgeous yard can be considered nice, and they have kept the trenches covered so that I don't have dogs falling in, but it has been a lot, especially since they are in full view of my bedroom/bathroom area.  I've had to be up, showered, and dressed much earlier than I like, and the last straw was the fact that the digging crew wanted to work on Saturday!  But blessedly, no one is coming today for anything and I slept in until 10:30AM which was definitely needed!  I did have to get up briefly at 7 to let Poosa out, and then again at 8 for Chauncey (of course they couldn't go together!), but went back to sleep both times.  And now I get to have a day of peace and quiet at my own pace where I don't have to talk to or deal with anyone!  That's the update and there are lots more photos on my remodel page (use the link at the top of this page in the header region).  Enjoy!