Monday, September 28, 2009

Day 17

We've been really busy, and it isn't that I've been neglecting the blog.  I just haven't had anything to report!  Jason had his first Symphony season concert this weekend, a recital, and Jason's cousin Allan is staying with us as he is taking the french horn audition today.  Jason also has had many contract negotiation meetings.  I've been working a lot as well, so we haven't done much work at the house.  We've had an electrician come look at the place, but he hasn't started working yet.  We rented a dumpster and with the help of Eric and Jon, Jason emptied the garage of plaster, cabinetry, flooring, etc.

Yesterday we moved in!  With the VERY generous help of Eric, Gini, Jon, Adam, and Allan, we moved the piano into the basement and the dining room furniture into the garage.  We also couldn't have done it without the furniture and appliance dollies that we borrowed from the Omaha Symphony.  We had to move EVERYTHING into the basement since we are still working on the upstairs.  Luckily, there is a bedroom in the basement that we can use until we are ready to move upstairs.  What do you all think of the knotty pine?  I've always thought we would paint it, but some say we shouldn't.  At the very least, we plan to replace the carpet. 

It's a side view, but you can see that we have a big fireplace down here.  It's currently surrounded by a wall of boxes.


This is our utility room.  This is the fridge from the upstairs.  Jason, Eric and Jon had to remove the doors and carry it around the house to get it down here.  We also had to move our washer and dryer the same way.  You can see that we have a lot of room down here!  I think we will survive until the upstairs is finished.  Thanks for all your support!  It really means a lot to us.  

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Day 11

We are so excited!  While we were at work today, the professionals we hired put in the header!  Finally,the first step toward putting our house back together! 


It only took them three hours to do it, plus however many hours it took us to demolish the wall before that, but it was worth it, don't you think? 

Jason surveys the work. 

Obviously, an electrician is needed to help us with these random hanging wires.  That, and we need to turn those wall air vents into floor air vents.  Those are the next projects for the next couple days, and then we can start putting the drywall back up with insulation!  

Monday, September 21, 2009

Day 10

Today was Jason's birthday!  We didn't want to do any work today, but since the professionals are coming tomorrow to put in the header, we had to do some last minute cleaning. 


We tried to clean up the drywall by cutting off the wire netting.  However, Jason's sawsall blade broke off!  We did as much as we could.  Hopefully tomorrow, I'll have a picture to post of the header.  After this, we had birthday cake at the Magnusons!  They are awesome friends.  

Day 9

After recouping a little from our Kansas City trip, we resumed work on the house.  Mike and Kristy came over to assess our work.

After showing us his vintage can modeling skills, Mike gives us some bad news.


Mike and Kristy think that the drywall is too gross and tattered to save.  We can all agree that it is definitely gross looking, but also there isn't any insulation behind it.  We made lots of holes in it removing the cabinets, and they think that it would be easier to just replace it all at once and add insulation.  Drywall is not expensive, we hear, and our friend Scott also had a similar opinion. 


So we started right away!  This is what I did all by myself!  While I was doing this, Jason ripped up some installed carpet in our utility room that had gotten wet.  Who puts carpet in a utility room?  I guess the same person who paints their walls pink.


These tables and counter are installed in the space, so it was a chore for Jason to rip up the carpet while not destroying the work space.


Jason then helped me finish!  For all of you who thinks destroying drywall is a glamorous and fun project, think again!  We're exhausted and covered head to toe in white dust, but also pretty darn pleased with ourselves!  

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Day 8

We didn't get a chance to work on the house at all because we went to Kansas City for Dianna Robinson's wedding!  Dianna is the older sister of my dear friend Karen. 

Here is a picture of us NOT all covered in dust and sweat.


Reconnecting with Karen is always a blast!
 
The blushing bride!  Dianna was a GORGEOUS bride!  Not that she could ever be anything less than gorgeous :)
 
We had a great time seeing Karen and Mike and witnessing Dianna and Kameron's marriage.  These guys know how to party!  It was also really nice to have a break from remodeling!  



Saturday, September 19, 2009

Day 7

It's day seven, and there's no resting for us! 

Jason finished ripping out the flooring!  Now we're waiting for the professional type to come and put in our header.  In due fashion, he now says he won't be able to make it until Tuesday.  Argh!


In the meantime, there is still PLENTY of stuff to do.  We started to clean up the drywall so that it will be ready after the header is finished.  First, Jason had to remove a large wood beam to which the soffits were attached.  He assured me it wasn't structural.  Then we trimmed the edges of the drywall.  I think you can actually see drywall flying in midair in this picture.  It was difficult to do this because our house has drywall with metal netting mixed in.  We had to beat out the drywall with a hammer and then cut the metal with the sawsall.  Good thing it saws all!  (Just laugh anyway.) 
 
We finished the top part of this project, but obviously, we have the bottom edge left to do.   Tomorrow, we won't be doing a lick of work here!  Don't worry, we have a good reason. 



Thursday, September 17, 2009

Day 6

Hello All, today Jason removed the rest of the cabinets and started ripping out the floor! 

This stuff is even worse than the entryway because it has a layer of linoleum, then another layer of linoleum, then the plywood before we get to the subfloor. 


I don't know if you can really tell by this picture but there are maybe a million staples in this little chunk alone.
 

He has his work cut out for him tomorrow!  Hopefully I can lend a hand after work, since Fridays aren't as late for me. 

Jason even found a vintage oil can!  25 cents.  Ah, those were the days.  

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Day 5

The destruction continues!  Unfortunately, there are no action shots today because I didn't get home from teaching until 10 tonight.  But Jason worked very hard and I was able to witness the aftermath.  Here's what our "kitchen" looks like:

Don't you want to cook a meal in here?!  Wonderful and generous Eric came over and helped Jason today.  Jason says he really needed his help getting the cabinets down.  Jason hopes to salvage some of these to create more storage in the utility room. 
There is an exhaust pipe running from the ceiling through the cabinets below.  Jason hopes he can cut the cabinets to fit around at least the top portion.  Does anyone know if you can move the bottom part over?  It certainly would be nice to not have a pipe running through our new cabinets...

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Day 4

Jason did pretty well while I was at work.  He destroyed one of the soffits above the wall we are tearing out.
 
He also had a professional come over and take a look at the wall.  It is load bearing, which means we need a header put in.  That is ONE thing we thought better left to someone who actually knows what they are doing.  Otherwise, we'd have a saggy house if we tried to do it ourselves.  (most likely)  Jason said the guy commented on how "clean" our job site is. 

And this one's for Shane:  a sweaty dirty picture of me involved, proof that I am really doing something and not just saying I am!  (I'm even wearing my Tualatin High School Senior t-shirt.)  I tore out that wall to the left single handedly after work today.  (I just peeled a piece of drywall stuck to my forehead as I type this!)  And yes Maria, we're trying to avoid breathing in deadly 1950's dust particles, which Jason so artfully captured looming in the background of this picture.  

We're still excited and having a good time!  Though Jason did hit his thumb with a hammer.  Twice.  

Monday, September 14, 2009

Day 3

We could only be there for a couple hours today, but we think we made some good progress.
 
We both worked on the last bit of plywood that we had to take up in the entry.  It was difficult because it was covered in linoleum tile.  Jason used his saw to cut it into small pieces and then we pried it up with crow bars and hammers.  But good news, we're done with that part!  

Yes Eric, we ripped out the wall with no experienced supervision.  We like to live on the wild side!  

Jason is very proud and so am I :)
Tomorrow, I'll be at work for most of the day, so we'll see what Jason can get done in my absence!  He plans to start in on demolishing the kitchen.  (unfortunately, there is more subflooring to find... bleh.) 

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Day 2

Hello All!  We just completed day 2 and we're EXHAUSTED!!!! 
 
Here is the exterior, obviously.  I hated the yellow when I first saw it, but it's kind of growing on me now.  We have plans for the porch also, but that will be down the road a bit.  
My boss and mentor Mike came over this morning to check our handy work and to show us what to do next. 
 
See, naive little me thought we were learning how to put the hardwoods in today.  But no, Mike points out that there is subflooring UNDER the plywood, and we have to rip that up also!  

 
Mike was smart and purposely wore his dress clothes so he wouldn't get roped into doing anything.  

 
The hardwoods were in the garage, but we moved them all into a bedroom so they could get acclimated.  Here we are taking a break on the only place to sit.  I was tired after this!  
  
So this is what we did ALL DAY.  We managed to pry up the plywood with crow bars and hammers.  Each board had at least 20 nails in it.  

 
Jason even found a reason to use his new sawsall!  Doesn't he look powerful :)

Saturday, September 12, 2009

We're homeowners! Day 1

Hello all, we closed on our 1950's house on Friday, September 11th, 2009.  Our first meal there was champagne and pizza with the Magnusons that night in celebration.  Today, we got down to business. 

 
It was too dark after work today to take a picture of the outside, but here is a picture of the living room/dining room.  You can't really appreciate it from this picture, but the carpet is a lovely pinkish grey hue.  

We considered keeping the mirror above the fireplace.  It's really classy, don't you think? 

 
Okay maybe not.  Eric provides a much appreciated hand.  And he knows our new neighbor from high school!  But that just confirms Jason's theory that Eric knows EVERYONE.  

 
Nice work, boys!  

 
Not bad for a first day of demo, don't you think?  Tomorrow, the kitchen!