November 30 - Exterior is Coming Along

The guys were on site most days last week...a couple of stormy, windy ones kept them away. They are doing a great job and are working around the house as to ensure that the corners line up.

Alanna & Marc came out today to move some HVAC parts out of the living room to the basement as all of the cabinets are being delivered on Wednesday & we need the space. They will be installed on Thursday & Friday. Cuda came outside with me to pick up some bits of siding. He's a great puppy - very friendly & lovable. 

November 25 - Moving Right Along

The siding guys did a bit more today. It was very windy which is why we think that more wasn't done. Went right from work to have a look in daylight then back after dinner to do some work. It was still very windy tonight...30 km/hr with gusts to 50 km/hr. Wish our wood stove was in and we could just sit by a toasty fire!

The painter started today and sprayed all of the inside with the primer coat. So now it is all white. It might not look like much but it is very exciting to see this happening! :) Marshall will meet him at the house tomorrow to confirm what colour is for what room. Painter said he will do all ceilings tomorrow as they will all be white.

The plumber was on site today and plumbed for the washer & laundry sink in the faux wall that Alanna & Marshall built last week. Since this is on an outside wall the pipes can't go in the wall (they'll freeze) and a little 'wall' had to be built.

We put the drywall up tonight and got one coat of mud on. I must say that with my wonderful teacher (Marshall, of course) I did ok with my first drywall attempt of cutting the holes & screwing on the sheet. We didn't want to hold up the painters for this little area, it will be painted after. Laundry tub will be on the right, washer in the middle and dryer on the left. (This is under the window).

I ordered all the light fixtures today. Most are in stock but some might take about a month. Once the painting is done, the electricians will be busy installing plugs, switches & the fixtures we can get right away.

November 21 - Update

Things are moving along again...so wonderful.
This is as far as our HVAC guy got last week. He was supposed to be on site 2 days this week, but there was a big 'push' on a big job he's doing so he put us off once again. ARGH!!

Our electrician apprentice was working today in the garage and brought her helper. His name is Cuda (Alanna's boyfriend Marc has a 1965 Barracuda so this is where his name came from). They got him last weekend at 12 weeks old. He's a Rottweiler/St Bernard cross. Good thing they live on 10 acres...he'll have lots of room to run. He is such a sweetie and still very timid but Alanna can do anything with him...and she does so he gets used to it while he's a pup.  He's going to be a big boy...look at that paw!

The siders were on site yesterday & today...very exciting!! It was -15 (with a windchill of -21) today and tomorrow it will be even colder so they won't be back til Monday when it's supposed to warm up to about -4 (with windchill of about -12).

The windows & doors have a 3" trim which will accentuate the contrast between the siding & the white of the windows & the garage door trim has been clad in aluminium. A lot of intricate work to get started but once this is done the siding will go up quite quickly. The colour is called Castlemore - a grey/green, like a castle stone.

November 16 - Update

As mentioned in the last post, the drywall has been taped & mudded. I have vacuumed out the electrical boxes, around the edges & under the drywall, just have to vacuum the rest of the floor before they start painting.

All the dirt & gravel has been spread. We will be topping this up in the spring to make the slope more gradual & even everything off.

Today Karl & his helper installed the 2 man doors.

I spent a few hours today finishing off digging below grade along the 3 walls. I (my back) was so happy to be done, but then Marshall tells me that the wall under the dining room window needs to be dug as well. Ugh! Guess I will be back out there tomorrow with my shovel as this has to be done for the siding to go up & before it freezes!!!

The duct work has been started with the hopes for the heating, HRV & plumbing to be completed within 3 weeks.

Painters have been booked to start on November 25th. They spray on the primer and first coat of paint and roll the second coat.

Cabinets (kitchen & bathrooms) are ready and will be delivered on December 4th with install scheduled for December 5th & 6th.

November 15 - Overdue Update

Thanks for your patience waiting for a new post. 

The last 'few' weeks have been pretty crazy. We moved out of the house we lived in for just over 19 years & into an apartment with the majority of the 'stuff' being stored at the new house! 
This would not have been possible without the assistance of the 4 kids (who have been over the top awesome) and the astounding help of Gerry, Cheryl, Sandy, Terry, Garrity, Susan & Glenn!!!

Somehow through all of the crazy we managed to keep the build going (at a somewhat slower pace though).

•  taping and mudding of the drywall is all done (pictures to follow)
• 3 overhead doors & garage door openers were installed (Thanks Henri)

The tractor is now inside the garage for the winter. Alanna never misses a chance to have fun with her Dad.

• took a truck load of garbage to the dump
• a dozen or so more truckloads of fill were delivered and a few loads of gravel for the driveway as well. Although we built 6" above grade, we don't want the house looking like it's up on a hill. Working towards creating a gradual slope from the house.

• The siding has been delivered (sitting in the garage) waiting to be installed. In the mean time the dirt that was put right up against the house, at grade (orange line), had to be shoveled away so that the siding can be started just below grade. Our siding guy told us last week that he should be on site next week. Fingers crossed this actually happens.

• The HVAC/plumber guy has been onsite casually the last while as he has a big job with deadlines to be done. We've chatted & now hope that we see a little more progress on our house! He has started the duct work & we have told him that we want a working toilet asap. As you can see below, the furnace is in the basement and there are stacks of duct work around...just have to attach it all and we'll have heat (once the electricians are back on site).

This is all the pictures I have for now. I will take more over the weekend and will post them asap to show you what else has been done.

:)