This Old House

Here is the house stripped down to the original clapboard siding (which has been covered with strips of tar paper). It's a mess, but it looks a million times better to me already...so much more like the 1940s photo. Ain't it a beauty?

And they just put up crown molding in my over-the-top girlified princess bathroom:

The difference a little paint can make.

Time to be a little more positive.

There's been some improvement in the molding installation...sooooo...that's good.

Almost Naked

Here's the house after the first layer of siding was pulled off. I know it's crazy, but I kind of like the color...better than what was there anyway.

How To Hobo-ify a House:

Step 1: If the brand new floors are buckling from the errant roof leak, don't worry! There's no need to replace the boards when you can hide the lumpiness with artistically placed trim.Step 2: When the new basement stairs that you mistakenly ordered are too wide so that the metal mechanicals door can no longer open... Just remove the door from the frame! Who doesn't like to look at boilers?
Step 3: If you start off mistakenly using the ridiculously expensive wide molding and find it doesn't fit all the way around the door frame...be creative and just slice in to it! Symmetry is so "yesterday".

Doors, doors, doors.

The new doors came today!

Entry to Parlor Fl:
My kitchen (exit to backyard steps)
Entry to living room
Entry to tenant ap't
Basement entry under stairs:
Double doors from bedroom to back yard:

Just a little bit of molding.

Cheers up the sheet rock, donthcha think?

The Roof Saga Continues.

We've been complaining about the shoddy hobo-style roof job for weeks now, and it's been promised (many times) that it will be taken care of...but of course it wasn't soon enough. We had a heavy rain this morning, and guess what...it leaked. All the way down, 3 stories. Ceiling is bubbling, sheetrock is damp...and tile in the basement bath is coming off.

I know I do more than my share of complaining on this blog...but come on. This is just a nightmare. Now we're worried that the windows will warp, some of the new floor is water stained...I'm just at point where my head might explode.

Floor "stain".

Now, we wanted to stain the floors....but not like this! Paint??? Oils? You've got to be kidding me.

It's like this in places throughout the house. I just don't know what to say.

Odd Hatches.

They had to include hatches to have access to the water pipes in the ground (in the office/guest room)...but like many things on this job, they're not exactly what I had pictured. Weird, aren't they? I'm trying to think of what kind of furniture I could put over them.....

Tenant's bathroom!

We found the sink and toilet (both working) had been installed yesterday. Woohoo. It means the other bathrooms can't be too far behind. So clean, and so white...and I'm so glad Todd thought to add the sky light.However, the shower plumbing is installed lower than we would expect..and if you're over medium height you may have to crouch to get your head wet. Is it illegal to advertise for small tenants only? Does that make me a heightist?

There ain't enough bandaids in the world...

Soooo...I think there might have been a tiny mistake when they ordered the metal treads for the backyard steps (leading down from the kitchen).

Can't you just see me in my summer short shorts enjoying a glass of wine, sitting on these babies?
I'd almost be safer sitting on their little hand built stool. (see post below)

Of course they insist it's what I've asked for, but the folder of past emails I've been keeping says different. Guess who's going to have to order new ones!

Tools of the Trade

Thought you guys might like to see the "table" saw the flooring guys are using. It may be hard to see, but in the slot on the top of the stool the blade of the circular saw sticks out. I couldn't get closer because I didn't want them to see me taking a photo. I have never quite seen anything like it.I really think it might be....handmade.

Genius? Or crazy? You tell me.

Oooohh la la!

When we stopped by this afternoon, the floors were almost done!!

Todd and I have been playing with stains, waxes, oils, sealers, picklers...for 2 days now, and we just can't get it right. Or at least not right for me. Everything we do turns it yellowy...and I'm hankering for neutral to grey. Or even just as it is. Arrrrrr. Frustration.

It was kismet.

We were at the salvage yard back in April and there, at the top of the stack, was this door. So perfect. It's been in storage so long I almost forgot all about it!

Three photos might seem excessive, but it makes me happy.

Spoiler Alert!

The flooring will start to get installed tomorrow! I smell potential disaster, don't you?However, it's good for 3 reasons:

It wasn't stacked right and if it doesn't get installed it might start to warp.

They won't be able to continue to use the wood as a cutting surface...for metal. Yes, it's true.

They'll have to put their greasy ring staining lunch on something else.

Halleluja.

I'm officially a slave driver.

On one of the hottest days of the year--already steaming at 9AM...my flooring arrived straight from Tennessee! Three tons of flooring, needing to be unloaded from the truck. The contractors hate me right now.But look how pretty!! Knot-holes....I love them.
And they started tiling the bathroom floors too.
Yep. It's all starting to come together.

Tile, tile, everywhere.

It's always a little nerve wracking, going out to the house after having been away a few days, but happily today when I dashed out I couldn't find any major problems! Instead, it seems that they've mostly wall-tiled the bottom floor and the 2nd floor bathrooms...

Bottom floor (off the bedroom, and view to the yard!):

2nd Floor:
At least it's looking neat and clean....so that's something.