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.