House remodel

[Chuck Nukem]

After lots of scraping, joint compound, sanding, more joint compound, and hammers it is starting to get somewhere....

The side by side shot of the texture shows the old (rough stuff) vs the first coat of plaster. I am going with the smooth look throughout. I think it will be a big improvement. I also picked up about 800sf of travertine tile as a discontinued item on clearance for the hall/kitchen. Still need to order my solid cherry for the bedroom/livingroom.

Windows should be installed in a week or two...

Will I ever get to drive a lotus??? right now I don't think so.

[andy harwood]

Wow, a lot of work, but is taking shape and looking great!

[Chuck Nukem]

Wow, a lot of work, but is taking shape and looking great!

Thanks!

[BDA]

Looking good, Chuck! At some point, you have to work on something you can drive!

[Chuck Nukem]

More sanding....
More plaster....
More sanding...
More plaster....

As it stands I have one coat left to do in the kitchen including ceiling. I have one coat left to do on the living room ceiling. One coat left in the guest room, one coat left in the hall bath....and then the windows go in!

[BDA]

It's starting to look livable. That fireplace looks great! Keep the building materials companies in business!

[Chuck Nukem]

Been a while since my last update. We moved in at the end of June. Took the better part of a month's worth of weekends to get all my non running cars over here. Turns out I was quite modest in my plaster coat predictions last time...Since then I have been doing the following;

More sanding....
More plaster....
More sanding....
More plaster...

I have managed to get 10 of the 15 windows installed. Started plastering the fireplace. I am hoping to get the first coat of primer on the walls this week. This is ecstatic news for me because it means a break in plastering and sanding! After this I am going to tear the old vinyl floor out and tile the kitchen. Then we are going to move in to the living room while I tackle the master and do the bathroom...back to plaster and sanding

Fun jobs for my future include;
Putting a roof on
Raising the floor in the living room to meet the level of the kitchen/hallway.
Installing solid hardwood and finishing it in place
Making trim for the house
Making solid hardwood doors.

A haiku for you all

When will I Lotus?
When will I work on my truck?
When will this be done???

[BDA]

And I thought building a car was a big job!

It looks great! Even if you have a lot of work to do on the interior, at least you're in air conditioning... You do have an air conditioner, don't you?!

[Chuck Nukem]

Thanks BDA. Air conditioner works, but unfortunately I have to cut it off when I sand.

[Chuck Nukem]

Big news is that I got the first coat of primer on the walls and ceilings....The drywall.....it is finally over!!! For now anyway

New project is putting a roof on. I got screwed with the insurance company in more ways than one (like that has ever happened to anyone??) Long story short we had a hail storm which I took out a claim on. They said they would give me the full amount if I could prove the roof was newer than 15 years old. Previous owner swore up and down that it was 10 years old....he even gave me the name of the local contractor that did it. I asked the contractor to take a look and he "did not remember" putting it on. It is very possible that he did not because the owner was on the pro circuit for malt liquor consumption. There is more to the story on the insurance side, an agent got fired for negligence (state is filing charge) and lets say my policy was one of the motivating statistics in the case against her. Because of her slip up I have to put a new roof on to get renewed coverage.

Either way I got a check to cover materials so that means I get to do the labor. I am actually looking forward to it. Everybody thinks I am crazy to do it myself....Its not rocket science. I am going to get some help for the tear off. If I can Tom Sawyer a friend or two to help me with the install I think it will go well.

Stay tuned!

[buzzer]

Oh what fun! am sure you're enjoying it really..... well will when it's done. just taking on a smaller project here in the UK. a 600 sq ft holidays home flat needs refurbishing. a weekend's job compared to yours!!

good luck with the roof!

Dave

[BDA]

Chuck, you're my hero for doing this work on your house, but I can't wait to see you work on your car!

[andy harwood]

The remodel is looking great. Roofing? Well, it's bound to be cooling down a bit there. That will help. Flashing. Pay attention there.

[Chuck Nukem]

Wow...doing the roof has been a tremendous amount of work! The thing I cant fathom is how all those guys do this during the Texas summers!!?!!?! It has been in the low 90's and high 80's during mine, and the shingles get absolutely scorching hot at 3'oclock.

I got 3 day laborers to do the tear off with me last Thursday. The next day I went back to get 3 more to help finish....but they did not want to work. "No roofing!" "No quieremos tabajar con techo!" I couldn't believe it....Then some old crusty white guy walks up and says, "You roofing? I'm old, but I'm fast."
I reply "Okay, lets see what you've got...nobody else wants to come." He motions over to one of the Mexicans who had helped the day before. "Jimmy, I need you to throw for me!" So Jimmy gets in the car. I had called one of the guys from the day before previously so that made 4...

We get back to the house and finish out the clean up. I see the white guy pull a few nails out and then he squats down. I say "Hey, if you want to pull nails you can pick up trash." (there was plenty....) He gets off the roof....looks around....squats down... I continue to work. Next time I look down the dude is gone! He just left and decided to walk 10 miles back to his hang out....I couldn't believe it!

So end of day 2 we get everything clean, all nails pulled out, the flashing up on everything but the gables, and ice and water barrier in the valleys.

Day 3 I call back the guy who has been coming every day now. Side note about him, he only speaks Spanish. He thinks I am paying him to help me roof, but really I am paying him to help me practice Spanish. I had a friend come out as well and we manage to get all the paper down and lift every bag of shingles on to the roof. I estimate it was about 6,000lbs...

Day 4. F&#*king hot! We get all the starter strip down and get one side of the garage covered in shingles. Hardest day for sure. There were 4 of us. Definitely a learning curve to putting shingles down.

Day 5. I had to skip 3 days for work, but I took yesterday off. Now it was just me and my Spanish helper. We managed to cover about 3/4 of the house in shingles. So far so good!

I don't know why I was complaining about sheetrock work...I will be glad to get back to it...

[BDA]

You just can't get good help now a days! I guess you should be glad you aren't blacktopping a road in that heat!

It certainly looks a lot better with the shingles on!

When you're finished, you'll have to invite us to drive our Europas over there for a beer party!