Lake Breeze, Renovated

Almost, almost done...

2005-03-25T16:33:00.000-05:00

Sorry I haven't posted for a while; the remaining progress has been slow.

The siding is more or less done, but no gutters yet. And the older windows around the garage need some help. And I've decided the garage & entry doors need paint. And there's still the deck to be done. And there's a pile of debris outside my window on one side, and a pile of materials on the other.

I'm saving the pictures until at least the debris is hauled away and the gutters are up. I'm also working on what to actually put in the kitchen/office -- carpet, blinds, artwork? I've got a decent desk on order which should be showing up in a couple of weeks, but I'll still need other misc. office furniture, and I may set up an ugly temporary desk in the mean-time.

Day 37

2005-03-21T17:47:00.000-05:00

The siding's getting closer to being done. I'll save picture-taking until it is; maybe tomorrow, maybe Wednesday.

Yesterday I turned on the dishwasher for the first time and it spewed water all over the place! Argh! Seems a hose popped loose or something. They made sure there was no excess water seeping in the wrong places and bolted everything nice and tight. Keeping my fingers crossed...

Day 35: The front is done!

2005-03-17T18:02:00.000-05:00

Before...

After!

The sides and back are still being worked on. Getting there!

There's enough done inside (besides some misc touchup) that I think I'll give you a before-and-after tour throughout...

Kitchen Before & After!

2005-03-17T17:49:00.000-05:00

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After...

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Bathroom Before & After!

2005-03-17T17:44:00.000-05:00

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Day 35 misc.

2005-03-17T17:42:00.000-05:00

Where the deck will be attached. It'll be a few weeks before they'll be able to work on it.

The updated water & electric for the laundry.

Day 34

2005-03-16T17:37:00.000-05:00

Here comes the siding!
(I chose the green...)

All the electric is done, the water hooked up to the refridgerator, the dishwasher tested, and the towelbar doodads installed in the bathroom. Getting closer! (still a lot of dust & grit to clean...)

Day 33

2005-03-15T18:12:00.000-05:00

The new garage door is in. The windows up top needed to be framed-in because of the way garage doors are installed these days.

The rest of the siding is torn off, and insulation board up all around.

And that death-trap of a deck is gone. Revealing about 20 years of dead leaves built-up underneath...

The rest of the stained trim is done

And the track lights are in (but I need to buy more bulbs!)

Day 32

2005-03-14T17:31:00.000-05:00

The siding has started!

Only the batton board has been removed on this side so far. The deck's gotta go too.

Icy buildup on the shore... Brrr...

It's getting close to done! There's some miscellaneous electric work being finished throughout the house, and there'll be some touchup work and other details finished up by (hopefully) the end of the week. The only thing that may still take a while is the deck, because the ground may be too frozen to dig holes for the footings.

Day 30 & 31

2005-03-11T17:26:00.000-05:00

The new electric service is in, including the generator transfer switch. Also, my new kitchen light fixtures, and most of the stained wood trim to go with the beams in the ceiling. There'll be track lights on the soffit as well.

Days 27, 28, and 29

2005-03-09T16:58:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the gap in posting, I had a bit of "internet burnout" and didn't feel like fiddling with the computer for a couple of days. There weren't any real incremental day-to-day changes to show, so I saved them all up:

First, the bathroom is done! Well, 99.5% done -- there's still some touch-up painting and the misc. doodads like TP holder and towel bars.

The vinyl floor...

Also, in the kitchen, crown molding, base molding, and window casings/trim are pretty much done. The microwave, hot-water tap, and a couple of outlets now have power, so after I clean a *lot* of dust, I can start "moving back" into my kitchen instead of using my "temporary" one.

Finally, the new breaker-box has been started, and the new service wiring and pole outside are underway. The service will be completely switched over on Friday.

Day 26

2005-03-03T17:24:00.000-05:00

Not much visually today. There's some various touchup work in progress, and the basement is full of trim pieces with a coat of paint drying off.

Oh, and I could finally park in my garage again! Now that will guarantee that the snow will be done for the season! :)

Day 25

2005-03-02T16:51:00.000-05:00

Appliances! All GE, bought online at the GE "partners" store via work. Besides the low corporate discount, they were on sale, and there's a rebate on two of 'em. Works for me!

Also, the bathroom lights, fan & medicine cabinet are installed (but not connected).

Day 24

2005-03-01T17:31:00.000-05:00

The rest of the floor is done! I'm a little worried about the narrowness of some of the expansion gaps, because knowing how the floor in the great room expands, this is gonna definitely expand in the summer.

Otherwise, not much visible progress. To much of a snowstorm going on to do any of the outdoor stuff that needs to get done. Oh, the bathroom vanity leak seems to be fixed.

Day 23

2005-02-28T17:25:00.000-05:00

The new kitchen floor has been started! It's Wilsonart "Estate Plus" laminate tile in the "Eastern Quarry" color. Good stuff!

Also, the shower door is in. It's a tad shorter than I expected, but it should be okay. The vanity is hooked up, but the drain still leaks a bit, so I won't be using it until it's fixed.

From day 22...

2005-02-26T15:43:00.000-05:00

The bathroom vanity is in, but not hooked up yet. Also, the walls now have a coat of paint. Two sides get dark blue, the other two sides get a lighter blue. All the trim will be white. I think it looks fine, though I wasn't really trying to acheive any sort of look. Kind of a whim I had, I guess

The kitchen sink is hooked up now. That faucet is definitely substantial. And that leak was actually a leak in a nearby pipe where they installed a new shutoff valve, and it was quietly spraying up into that area. The guys fixed it in the morning and cleaned up the mess.

Day 21 -- Looks like a kitchen!!

2005-02-24T17:57:00.000-05:00

I got home today and the countertops and sink were installed!!

All black, with a pull-out Moen faucet and an Insinkerator instant hot-water dispenser:

The old 'fridge is temporarily there for now...

A big smile on my face today. For a bit. Then I heard a "drip-drip-drip" down in the basement. Something's leaking pretty bad from my wall and I don't know what it is. I'll get more info in the morning.

Still, the kitchen is really taking shape, and I'm pretty happy about it!

Day 20

2005-02-23T19:35:00.000-05:00

I've got pictures, but the computer I use to upload them is down, and it'll take me some time to get it working again.

The new paint color is on the walls, and the rest of the cabinets are in place! The bathroom will get a coat of primer tomorrow, then hopefully completely painted on Friday.

One big thing that is going to start soon is that where the electrical service comes into the house has to get changed. Where it is now (sticking out of the middle of the roof) isn't allowed anymore. Plus the meter down in the basement has to be outside. So there's going to be a big ugly meter next to the door where my house numbers currently are. No biggie, the real "front" of the house is supposed to be the lakeside anyhow.

What I don't know yet is how quickly the change can happen or how long I'll be without power.

*EDIT* Here are Wednesday's pics:

Day 19

2005-02-22T17:34:00.000-05:00

Cabinets! A test fitting is underway to make sure everything works as it should.

They're a simple natural maple shaker-style. Very solid (and I should very well hope so considering what they cost!)

I also opted for the built-in trash/recycling bins. Since I don't want to have a lot (if any) small appliances, it makes sense.

Finally, after staring intently at the wall color this morning, I decided it was way darker than I intended. So I spent 20 minutes at the paint store trying to find something that was lighter, but not as light as the tinted primer. Hopefully the change will go up tommorow. This room is dark enough as it is without dark walls to boot.

Day 18

2005-02-21T17:20:00.000-05:00

Not much along the lines of dramatic progress today. More coats of paint; the wall color is coming in quite nicely now, and the ceiling has a touch of almond to it. The paint fumes are quite strong, though...

Also, my garage is now officially stuffed to the gills with crap!

(not that I should be calling $8000 worth of cabinets and appliances "crap"...)

Day 17

2005-02-18T16:14:00.000-05:00

Paint! A primer coat using the wall color (or white primer in the case of the ceilings) has been applied. It's pretty close to the color I was thinking of, though it looks a tad different in the photo.

Also tape 'n mud with the bathroom drywall. The color only coincidentally looks the same because it's mold-proof "greenboard". They really are different colors. Really!

Day 16

2005-02-17T18:09:00.000-05:00

Drywall in the bathroom! And even better, a working shower!

Tomorrow the appliances show up, and the kitchen gets prepped for the arrival of the cabinets (Monday). Paint colors have been chosen, but I'm not 100% sure when painting starts...

Also tomorrow the septic tank gets pumped. Seems that all the melting snow and rain has gotten too much water in the system and that's causing my slow drain problem.

Day 15

2005-02-16T18:29:00.000-05:00

The tub surround, faucet hardware, ceiling fan, and electrical rough-in. By Friday, I should be showering again! :)

Day 14

2005-02-15T17:33:00.000-05:00

Just one visible change today -- the rest of the old insulation is out, the floor is in and the tub temporarily in for a fitting. Various bits of plumbing has been replaced.

Tomorrow: Appliances are going to be delivered. They'll pretty much need to hang out in the garage for a while.

Day 13

2005-02-14T17:35:00.000-05:00

Not much visual progress. Some more drywall mudding, and there was a drainage problem with the new waste line -- the ventilation pipe fell in when he was replacing stuff, and it's possible some extra debris got in there. Everything seems to be draining correctly, but I'm not going to put it to a torture test if I can help it.

Day 12: Bathroom Demolition

2005-02-11T18:29:00.000-05:00

Pulling in the driveway, I could tell "something was up"...

OMG! :)

(at least my new toilet works...)

Day 11

2005-02-10T17:57:00.000-05:00

Drywall!! The room feels a whole lot smalle... uh, cozier now...

There's Dan, finishing up a little later than usual.

This is the little nook where the bamboo was. I'm trying to figure out if I want it to be shelves, or a little reading area. Or a little drawing area. Hmmm.

Next is definitely the bathroom. I've decided that instead of wasting a day of progress just for my so-called "comfort", I'll let them go ahead and demolish it tomorrow. It'll be a loooong weekend...

Day 10

2005-02-09T19:44:00.000-05:00

No real visible progress. The back garage door is in. And the temporary sink is fully hooked up now. But apparently Dan caught that nasty flu, so his assistant has been taking care of some of the miscellaneous stuff still hanging out, but can't start on the drywall by himself.

So the bathroom probably won't get demolished until Monday, which is fine by me. :)

Day 9

2005-02-08T17:27:00.000-05:00

Not as much visible progress today. The new entry door is in. (Code requires it to be a fire door because it goes to the garage. Even though the rest of the walls aren't fireproofed.)

And just enough drywall was put up so he could put back my old sink temporarily while the bathroom gets demolished. Which starts tomorrow, I think!

Choosing the color of the siding...

2005-02-07T19:43:00.000-05:00

Which one do you think? Red or Green?

I don't think either of these are really accurate, though...

Day 8

2005-02-07T19:37:00.000-05:00

The rest of the insulation is in, and the soffit frame over the sink is built. The sink plumbing is roughed in. One surprise is that the replacement windows for the bedrooms and great room were put in -- had I known he was going to do that, I would have moved all my crap out of the way!

Winteresque

2005-02-05T14:02:00.000-05:00

The view from my new window just now. The sun is out!!

Past the trees on the bluff, that's actually a pile of ice. (Click to zoom it, it'll be more obvious) When there's a cold snap, the near-shore ice builds up, and as the waves splash over it and freeze, they build little mountains. Eventually they break off to form mini-icebergs. You can barely see them off in the fog.

Bathroom plumbing -- "Before"

2005-02-05T14:00:00.000-05:00

I had the line out to the septic tank replaced with PVC 3 years ago to fix a problem. The rest of the iron stack is going to get replaced with PVC when the bathroom starts. Also, you can see my new oil tank, which I had to have replaced along with my furnace 2 years ago. So in a way, these were actually my first "remodelling" projects.

My electrical service -- "Before"

2005-02-05T13:56:00.000-05:00

The box on the left is actually that crazy low-voltage junction box; the breaker box is the one on the other side of the meter with all the wiring pulled out. The meter is going to have to go outside, and the rest of the hodgepodge (there's a fusebox and an old GFCI standalone circuit there too) are going to be scrapped and the new box moved a few feet to the left.

Day 7 (belated)

2005-02-05T13:49:00.000-05:00

Insulation! And the Cat5e/RG6/Phone wiring for where my "studio" is going to go.

2005-02-05T13:48:00.000-05:00

Day 6's pic

From Day 5

2005-02-05T13:41:00.000-05:00

Electrical rough-in.

Windows - outside

2005-02-05T13:25:00.000-05:00

Some outdoor shots from a couple of days ago.

Sunrise. :)

Day 6...

2005-02-03T18:17:00.000-05:00

...and while I did manage to take a few pictures, my batteries ran dry on the camera so I can't upload them yet. I used to have a drawer full of AA batteries, but with all my various wireless gadgetry, I've already burned through them. A brick of NiMH batteries and a charger are on their way! :)

Anyway, not much visible progress today; a bit of plumbing rough-in, and the contractor needed to talk to the power company about the current location of the meter (it's currently inside in the basement, though there's a data port outside) and find out if the current location of the service box is going to be okay, or if it's going to have to be moved. Which I really don't want, but if it won't pass inspection, then I don't have much choice.

I will probably catch up with my backlog of photos over the weekend!

Day 5...

2005-02-02T20:14:00.000-05:00

...and no pics yet. Today was "electrical rough-in day", which required that the unholy mess of wires you saw in a previous picture had to get torn out. So no lights in there, so no pics until I can take them in the morning.

That mess of wires was apparently a low-voltage control system -- most of the switches in the house actually are wired to a junction box in the basement, which is controls the various lights and outlets throughout the house. An ancient predecessor to X-10, I guess. Anyway, it'll be good to get rid of it.

Regarding the grilles in the door windows, those can be replaced, but it'll cost me a smidge more. I've (finally) worked up a spreadsheet to keep track of these little extra costs. Because they're adding up quickly and I'm only 5 days in...

Finally, the appliances are at the local delivery center, but the 'fridge is still backordered and they said they can hang on to the rest of them until it shows up. Cool, I can still use my garage for another week or two!

Day 4

2005-02-01T18:02:00.000-05:00

The temporary braces are gone, the new beam is up, and surprise! Windows!

This wasn't entirely what I imagined. I thought we had discussed new-construction windows instead of just replacements. Maybe these are. It just seems a whole lot smaller than I thought.

Also, the new front door is installed in the garage. I didn't really want that divided-light grille though; I hope that can be removed! I'll find out tommorow.

The garage is filling up! Most of the new appliances are going to be here Thursday, so there'll be even more stuff jammed in here.

Day 3

2005-01-31T18:33:00.000-05:00

A temporary brace is in place so the header between the main house and the addition can be replaced

Plus some of the studs have been replaced or reinforced temporarily

And the bamboo is gone, but has left it's crazy remains behind!

A hidden find!

2005-01-30T15:35:00.000-05:00

My contractor left one thing behind, because he knew I'd want to see it -- it's a fake-bamboo wall panel. Those are actually raised bamboo bits, probably plastic of some sort. A little ancient history. There was also a picture of a puppy taken in 1972 which I'll scan in when I can set up all my computer equipment again.

Day 2

2005-01-28T18:30:00.000-05:00

The flooring and the rest of the panelling are gone. Also, all the insulation was deemed pretty lousy, so that's all gone too. I've got no place to stick the refridgerator, so it'll be moved around until the new refridgerator arrives and can be installed.

Day 1

2005-01-27T18:30:00.000-05:00

Demolition begins in the kitchen. The cabinets and appliances have been yanked, and half the panelling has been removed.

Time to start inside!

2005-01-26T22:10:00.000-05:00

Before shots of the bathroom...

2005-01-26T22:00:00.000-05:00

Before shots of the kitchen...

Before the winter...

2004-11-21T14:29:00.000-05:00

The start of my project: Replace the roof. It's a small roof, so I splurged for Owens Corning "Oakridge" 30-year architectural shingles in the "Brownwood" color. Total cost: $4400

The To-Do List

2004-10-01T18:17:00.000-04:00

Replace the roof

Replace the siding

Replace the deck

Replace most of the windows

Replace the garage & entry doors

Replace the kitchen

Replace the bathroom

Upgrade the electrical service

...and some other miscellaneous electrical upgrades.

Budget: $53,000.

I had already gotten the furnace replaced, and my mom came out and helped install a new laminate wood floor in my great room in 2003.

After this, if I have any money left (I've got a chunk of contingency $$ saved), I want to replace the carpeting in the master bedroom & hallway, and paint over all the panelling that I still have. But first I need to concentrate on the giant, disruptive, expensive undertaking that I've listed.

Deciding to do the project!

2004-09-30T14:37:00.000-04:00

When I bought the house, it was very much a "fixer-upper". Built in 1956, and probably last remodelled in 1980, it's a small, drafty, wood-panelling-clad shack. But it has a full, dry basement, and very solid fundamentals. And, of course, the view is worth more than the structure.

Anyway, I bought cheap and planned to remodel within 5 years. Unfortunately, the company I work for hit a financial snag just before the internet bubble burst, and all the bonuses and stock options I was enticed into working there for evaporated. So it took me a little longer to build my career and income to afford to do anything with it.

2004 became the year to start. Firstly because of the very, very low interest rates. But more surprisingly was the amount of equity in the house. When I bought, lakefront property was in a bit of a lull and values were depressed. These past two years, the real estate market has been white-hot. Every little patch of land has been snatched up, new houses are springing up on them, and even little cottages and modest places like mine are selling within a week, and the construction crews immediately go to work on them.

The value of my house doubled, and I hadn't done anything major to fix it up yet!

So I got a loan and a quote from a contractor, and away I went!

2000-01-30T14:22:00.000-05:00

A couple of winter shots...

1999-06-30T18:00:00.000-04:00

Here's a couple of more sunset shots to reinforce why I'm going through this headache.

1999-06-30T13:00:00.000-04:00

When I bought the house, there was actually information on the real estate agent's web page, including a picture! It doesn't look like much from this angle.

But from the same position that picture was taken, if you just turned around a little, you would have seen this!

You can see my house from here!

1999-06-30T04:00:00.000-04:00

I'm back-dating these intial history posts so they show up first, but it only goes back as far as 1999. I actually purchased this house on June 30th, 1997!

Let's zoom in on that photo a little:

That's better. Welcome to Lake Breeze Point!