A Victorian Renovation Project
No Bathtub-Shower – YET
Well, we had hoped for the bathtub and shower install this week, but it didn’t happen!! Perhaps next week!!
We did see some progress, definitely slower than we want. Electrical is going in well and has gotten as far as they can get for the moment. More to come on Monday, now that the garbage is out of the upstairs bedroom.
There was also a little bit of progress on the structural repair on the side of the house. The space is totally opened up and the sill has been rebuilt. This week, they should be able to close the rest of that up and install the new window.
Plumbing
Plumbing is in for each radiator on the second floor and bathroom is ready for install of tub/shower. So again, hoping that is THIS WEEK!!
Several great bike rides exploring the area.
Beautiful roads, a few hills — here and there, and lots to explore. So many covered bridges. It is great. It’s part of why we moved here. So despite all the work that WE should be doing, we are also riding.
Many Projects all at Once
In addition to the porch roof, the gutters, we have the ongoing projects: replumbing the heat system for the radiators, rewiring the entire house, and tearing walls out to allow for that, and repairing the structural damage from the lack of gutters.
Rewiring
We are three weeks in on the rewiring of the entire house. Residential Remedies is doing a fantastic job!! There is new wired everywhere!! Or so it feels. Not yet connected but in the walls and ready to connect once the new drywall is up!!
Everyone asks how we are doing with no electricity — and we are fine!! We have electricity we just have OLD OLD OLD electric and it needs to be replaced. We knew if going in and had planned for it. Some rooms only had one outlet. Now we will have outlets on each wall and sometimes more than one outlet on a wall!!
We’ve been picking up fixtures, driving far to get them!! Electric ceiling fans in each bedroom, and on the front porch. New outdoor lights (there really aren’t any in the back), so now we will have lights on the garage and at both backdoors in addition to motion activated flood lights. Very exciting!!
We have porch lights currently and will be keeping those.
We took one chandelier in to get rewired and it turns out it is both electric and gas. So only part of it can be rewired. I will post a pick when we get it back!!
Heat System
Great progress on the heat system.
The boiler is in and put together. And now pipes are being run INSIDE the walls instead of outside. Any piping on the outside is copper, so that it looks good. Inside the walls is white plastic (pex) piping. Much improved.
So right now, the new piping is run for all of the radiators on the second floor and many on the first. We haven’t pulled the walls out in the kitchen yet. We are all waiting until other things are done and it can be coordinated effort to get it demolished and replumbed, wired and back together as quickly as possible.
Structural Repair
The structural repair is moving along as well. Weather has been a factor in getting it completed. But this week they actually pulled out the window, cut out the sill and the posts (?). Robear Construction is completing this job.
Thankfully, they closed up the hole with a piece of plywood to help me sleep!!
They have built supports on each floor of the house during the repair. You can see in the pictures the damage on the sill, and other parts of the wall. This was a result of the gutters being off the house and the volume of water that was hitting this particular wall from the roof.
Coming soon…. we have found a few cool things in the house… and will be sharing those soon!!
A bone, a secret bathroom, letters in the wall, photos…. so check back soon to see them!!
2nd Project DONE!!
Our second project complete is the porch roof. It was a tin roof with many leaks. Now it’s a rubber roof with no leaks!! Also came in over budget as the wood underneath the roof had to be replaced. Adding several thousand to the cost.
Lesson learned: ASK –>> what are the other potential things that could be needed to complete this job and what are the costs. This added cost was predictable and we should have planned for it.
These pictures … well there’s not much to see really!!
First Project DONE!!
I am far behind on this. But the first project is done!! Gutters are ON the house!! The house has endured so much damage as a result of the gutters being stolen years ago.
The neighbor told us that years ago the house was being painted and that the painter had taken the beautiful copper gutters off the house and they were in the back yard. They were stolen. So sad because copper gutters are beautiful, but so expensive now.
We had white gutters installed. They are large 6 inch gutters which really fill the space and make the house look so much better.
It was also our first surprise!! This is going to cost more!!
The fascia was mostly rotten and needed to be replaced. They tore it off and replaced it with a white plastic “wood” product. So, not painting and will never rot!!
They cut and make the gutters right on site out of this truck. It only took a couple of days for the crew to have the new gutters up with downspouts. We have on leak that they will come back to repair.
Not my best picture, but… if you look closely at both the porch roof and the upper, you can see clean new gutters finishing off the house!!
They really clean it up well.
Completed by RoofsR Us.
The Wood Boats Move Upstairs
We are storing the plastic boats on the trailer outside for now. Actually will probably always be that way, upside down with hatch covers and a tarp.
But the wood boats need to be inside and both need to be refurbished!
So, for now, out of the way and upstairs in the barn. But it was dramatic looking.
The Open Floor Plan!!
If you know me, then you know that I LOVE doors. So an open floor plan is a temporary situation. But we are way beyond what people that love open floor plans dream of!!
We have an open bathroom in our current state of destruction!!
From the toilet you can see into a bedroom on each side and into the stairwell. Needless to say, you choose carefully when to use it!!
So things are moving.
This week, the electrician started. And he has the house laid out with new boxes for outlets, switches and ceiling lights. Wire is pulled partially in the basement!! Not tied in yet but run. All directions, and a variety of colors!!
The bathroom demo is obviously fully underway. The toilet and sink remain usable at the moment, but I don’t think that will last long.
We wanted to get that project moving so that we could see what real options there are for a layout change. But it looks like not many. That space by the toilet and bath is huge but not truly accessible. There had been shelves and there probably will end up being a linen cabinet in the back of the space but it certainly isn’t ideal.
The Boiler is IN the House!
Not an easy feat. The new boiler is probably 1/3 the size of the one that they took apart and pulled out of the house!! But it was not easy getting it into the house.
Looks simple enough! But it took time, engineering and creativity to get it down safely.
Adam, from Alpine Plumbing led the effort, building a ramp (soon to be my new bike shop bench!) and the truck and a chain wench (?) to pull it into place.
Once in place they were able to reconfigure the set up to safely lower it down the ramp.
Great engineering and patience to get it down safely for everyone and in one piece.
Next step is to start the replumbing of the house from the new boiler to each radiator. That will get started in about a week. Meanwhile…. I need to get a few of the radiators cleaned and painted.
A couple are in desperate need of paint but several just need cleaning.
They are all too big to move out of the house, so with walls out, NOW is the time to get them done and ready for the next phase!!
Patience will be the key to this entire project!!
Heat System Rebuild
Moving in we knew that the heat system needed to be rebuilt. At some point it had been replumbed but the pipes were all running on the exterior of the walls. Since we are pulling the walls for the new electric, it made sense to upgrade the heat system as well and move all of that plumbing inside.
So this week it started.
First the boiler was broken down and removed!!
And next all of the radiators were drained and disconnected and the orange red and blue plastic pex lines were pulled!! BIG progress!!
So excited to have radiators again!! Love the look of them and the heat they provide. Cleaner heat than forced air for us. Forced air always seemed to cause breathing issues!! So hoping that this will be better.
Today the new plumbing starts going in for the heating system!! The new boiler is on order and will be delivered next week!! Progress is being made!!
The Fleet Arrived!!
Graduations, dentists and back to New Jersey!! Life keeps moving right along. We all celebrated Sadie’s graduation with her Master’s in Worcester!!
Ken returned to Rutland and Donna headed to Jersey!!
Great visits with friends, dentist appointments and a van load of stuff from storage!!
And the fleet!! Thanks to Katie for letting us stash the fleet at her house for a couple of weeks. All the boats made it back and are drying out!! Tons of rain on the ride back and the covers didn’t totally hold up!!
Looking forward to some paddling soon!! It looks like there are some great lakes not too far, for us to explore!!
Week #2: Walls are falling, new appliances….and more!!
We are wrapping up week #2 and heading to week #3.
Walls and ceilings are coming down all around us!! Prepping for the new heating system and electric. The plumbing for the radiators was run on the outside of the walls in red pex and looks terrible. So we have a new boiler on order and new plumbing getting started this week. There’s also plumbing for the bathroom which is getting a total makeover!!
Turns out the appliances that we thought we bought with the house, we didn’t actually buy — go figure!! When will the drama end?? We decided to let Rent-A-Center pick up the partially paid for appliances and buy WHITE appliances that have been on the list for years!! New frig, stove and washer and dryer — all arrived!! But oops!! Failed to order the parts needed to install. Why on earth do you have to buy the plug separate from the appliance??
Well, Ken got it done and we are madly doing laundry!! Donna was gone most of the week in Jersey. Brought back a van and trailer load from storage!! But everyday there is something we need that isn’t here!! It’s not just that we can’t find it, it’s just not here!!
The refrigerator is HUGE but IF we ever go shopping will be useful!!
We confirmed our electrician hire!! So most contractors are on board!!
