May 7th

Quick update given we are in one of those rapid changes phase.

I am absolutely giddy over the way the look of the house is shaping up...the cedar shake siding went up today on the gables, and boy, does it add some great contrast. The siding firm recommended using real cedar for the shakes versus fiber cement (as the siding is). I was leery at first, thinking it was going to look off...but they were right. Not only was it muccccch cheaper, the cedar has a different "grain", "texture" to it that adds some depth.

Roofers are set to finish up the porch roof tomorrow, and the siding guys should finish as much as they can. They plan to come back to complete the job once the stonework is done on the bottom 3-4ft of the house.

The beadboard porch ceiling went up to day...the drywallers also got started. I thought the drywall would make the house feel smaller, but its actually the opposite.



Thankfully, the drywallers were a day behind, which let me get a problem solved that I figured I would have to live with for 30 years if this ends of being the house we stay in. Each volume control knob in rooms needs 4 speaker wires run to it. This one, in the master bath, had only 3. Which meant I F'd up somewhere when running wire. With the insulation blown in, I noticed it too late to change. Or so I thought. Drywallers being behind meant I got an extra 2 hours to go up into the attic, balance across the studs, and dig into 3ft of insulation looking for a needle in the haystack (the wire I didnt drop down from the attic). Low and behold, with my iPhone in hand as a flashlight, I was able to feel out the wire, drill the hole an drop it into the wall.

I also added sound control insulation between some rooms to cut down on noise...


A lot of drywall mud stocked by the drywall firm...having done a basement...thank god I wont be doing this.


Giant 4x12 sheets of drywall are stocked in the house...


Drywall progressing...and actually begining to look like a house...


Bead board porch cieling - once again, trying to add in some of the tried and true historical touches...a very small cost item with a big impact...it will be stained darker to match the door.



Cedar shakes look very good...


Wider shot.

May 3rd

Some great progress since the last update. Siding is finally going up and wow, do we like it. We (or at least I) was always concerned we were taking a bit of a risk going with a more "old school" arts and craftsy style (dark windows, light window trim, darker siding) but it looks real good.

Been fighting the rain/t-storms the past week - so hopefully we make up some time this week (lost 4 days, the last 7).

Drywall starts on Wednesday, so have been making sure anything we want "in" the walls is done (things like any speaker holes, cut outs for alcoves, cut outs for soap/bottle ledges in showers, etc). Am also going to throw in some insulation in the interior walls seperating the master bath from the bathroom, bedroom 3 from the 2nd bath and some of the laundry room walls. At $25 for 100sq ft...its a no brainer. There was nothing I hated worse in our old townhouse - being able to hear the shower/hairdryer plain as day, even when the door was closed.

Pretty sure we are going with a Jatoba (brazillian cherry floor) - it will be one of the only areas not true to the arts crafts style - but adds a nice contemporary feel. Had looked at rift and quartered white oak - but doing that on the staircase gets pretty pricey - plus we would need to stain it to get it darker, and that is somewhat of a crapshoot. With the Jatoba - its dark enough right away.

We are going with Stile and Rail type doors - meaning they have squar sticking - or in other words - no molded sections. All lines are straight and clean. http://www.builderonline.com/Images/0808shelfCMI_2_tcm10-80517.jpg
Very much like these, but 2 panel - not 3 a the pic shows.

The molding/trim work will also be very arts and crafts - much more squared off and straight lines. Our rental house (built in 1920's) has the basic design we are going to do (s4s molding with a back band around it).


The small areas of copper roofing are on...I am not at all a fan of the way it looks now...it should patina to a deeper maroon color within a couple months...

I am knocking out some of the insulation in the shower areas to create ledges (for soap, bottles, shavers, etc.) Basically, these will be tiled, so there sould be a 3-4 inch ledge for stuff once all is done.

The siding is going up...a prefinished custom job from a local supplier.

I love the look - exactly what we were hoping for...can't wait to see the front, where some additional details will come into play...the gables (peaks) will be staggered shakes, bottom 4 feet will be a stone.