Our renovation project is now in the “punchlist” phase, in which our builder slowly chips away at the remaining items. Since my last post several months ago, slow progress has been made and our house and life has mostly returned to normal.
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Porch roof and gutter carpentry
The porch on the front of the house was not originally enclosed. It doesn’t have a basement under it (who knows how it is supported), and it has sagged and settled over the years. Its roof sank in the middle, causing the internal gutter to pitch backwards. Little rain reached the downspout at the very front of the roof, and during heavy rains, most water overflowed onto our heads as we walked up the sidewalk to the front door.
I had walked on the roof several times to clear out gutters and downspouts and inspect the second floor gutter, and noticed that the roof felt rather spongy in places, so I was expecting this to be a major job.
Our objective for the porch was to repair the damaged spots and cosmetically fix the roof to create a straighter appearance. Ideally, we would also pitch the roof for a sensible downspout location.
Insulation and drywall
After looking at bare framing for months, it is a dramatic change to see the walls finally insulated and covered with drywall!
Second floor roof and gutters complete
The roof and gutters for the second floor are now complete, which leaves only the roof and gutters for the front porch, and downspouts.
Roofing update – addition roofing is complete (almost)
The roofing for the addition is finally complete. Well, almost.
Here’s a photo from a few days ago that shows the shingles are complete. The lead vent pipe flashing and the kitchen exhaust vent are also installed.
Continue reading “Roofing update – addition roofing is complete (almost)”
Windows have arrived!
Today was an exciting day. Our custom Marvin windows arrived and were installed.
How much water can a sump pump pump?
Water continues to be our enemy. The new basement has flooded twice more since the original flood.
After re-routing the sump pump into the existing discharge pipe, our front yard has become a swamp. Water constantly drains into the street from our discharge.
Two steps back?
Work had been progressing at a good pace.
The street, driveway, and yard were patched and repaired after the water service was upgraded.
Electrical and other updates
This morning, I met with our contractor and electrician to finalize the placement of can lights, switches, and outlets. We had done all of this in detail in the blueprint phase, which was an incredibly helpful process, but there are always a few tweaks.
One of the things I’ve realized is that internal structure (framing, joists, ductwork, etc.) can obstruct ideal placement.
Basement carpentry and plumbing progress
The carpenters returned last week and have virtually completed the basement framing work. The plumbing rough-in is also nearly complete. Electrical work should begin next week.
