Days 47 & 48, More mud, More new windows

Days 47 and 48, follows the same schedule as the days before. Stacy sets up his trim saw to cut all the cedar wood boards to be installed around the replacement windows exterior.

The builder discuss the next work task and discuss best practice. They take lots of photos of past jobs to compare with our job site.

Here, the living room window getting ready for the replacement process.

The new window is staged inside the Living room as the builder dismantle the old window trim,  damaged wood and finally the old windows

Key to any work day is the Country Music reminding the the listeners of the epic struggle of the genders trying to make sense of their relationships and fortunes. This is also the power supply for all electrical needs.

Below, is an assortment of power tools fully charge to drill and screw all work assignments. Another favorite tools are air powered including the nail guns to tack and secure all the wood material.

Above Stacy follows a process of window replacement. He first must erect the scaffolding. Then he removes all material holding the old window in place. He then prepares the opening to weather proof the new window. Then the new window is placed in position the he buttons up the window including re-trimming the windows. Later the house painted will re-paint exterior and interior walls.

DeWalt is the builder's tool of choice. Below, Darrell is ripping wood planks for installation.

The builders are constantly cutting wood to be installed each window replacement. 

The new window sliders open effortlessly and had a very clean look. The old window were always sticking, cold to the touch and where never very weather tight.

Lunch hour allows Stacy and Darrell to discuss the work process and share buddy talk.

Here's is the worker finishing the last of the smoothing process and beginning the old world texture toweling.

This week concludes with Will and Grace taking turns grooming one another as we head into next week. 

Still left to-do is finishing the texture process.

There are two windows left to replace.

NEXT is more of the same with painting to begin on Thursday or August 1st.

Day 46, T&T plus New Windows

The 'Tape and Texture' Workers consume an enormous amounts of tape and mud (joint compound). We have 2200 sq. ft. of deconstructed walls and ceilings. This takes a lot of effort. In between the multiple applications of mud and toweling stokes.

While the T&T team is doing their thing on our walls and ceiling, Darrell prepare to change out old windows for the extremely efficient climate control glazing.

Below, the ceiling get their first evening coat of mud to provide a smooth surface for the the final texture pattern application.

First step to re-placing our six windows is a stable platform. The solution is mobile scaffold that can be placed in front of the windows needing replacement.

Replacement means you have to dismantle the old window trim, remove any damage wood and finally remove the old window.

Below you can see the empty cavity as the builders prepare to install the first of four 5'x5' picture windows. Also there are two 3'x10' windows to be removed and replaced with a new high tech window.

Here the builders discuss how best to install some of the interior windows and what level of tape and texture is needed to be done before the windows are installed.

Above Stacy removes the old glass and ready the space for the new window.

 

Kyle measures out the weather proof paper that the new window will sit on for its useful life.

Now the new window is floated into the hole and attached to the building frame. Kyle holds the window steady while Stacy attaches the window to the house.

Here Kyle uses his foot to stabilize the window while Stacy nails the window into position.

Darrell prays that these window installation goes without a hitch. Kyle stands tall keeping window alignment during the installation process.

Avove, Kyle takes a break with Pasco, Ben and Tamika, our CCI breeder dogs and co-PMs.

Everyday we would see Darrell calling, sometimes he was checking on his dad's progress with a medical treatment. This was his make shift office as he coordinates schedules and materials.

Day 44, Tape and Texturing Begins, New Windows Arrive

 Day 44, ends the sheet rocking and signals the start of the 'Tape and Texture' of the newly incapacitated walls, ceilings and insulation.

I was getting ready to go on a five day road trip. I was spending three days in the Chico area. On the fourth day I drove up into the mountains to audit two remote service center sites. Then on to visit my Dad for a couple of days. I got back Saturday noon to see the weeks progress.


In my absents, Sandy, Co-PM and wife, meet with builders and contractor every day, discussing scope and photographing the work.


Here, Craig and Stacy joke about some of their mutual adventures on road trips. That afternoon, Craig drove to Chico about 3-1/2 hrs away to begin his next adventure.

  

 

 Tape and Texture team was organized around three tasks. One member applies the tape to sheet rock seams and holes created my screws.

One member will float the wall and ceiling to give the surface a uniform non-ripple surface.

The last member focuses on key wall edges or wall and ceiling angular transitions.


The drying and curing of the taping mud is critical to each day's work progress. Every night the electric fans were left on to dry the mud before it is re-worked the next day.


     

Here, Darrell and Stacy has Mikey add some new AV enhancements to re-locate the Flat TV screen over the fireplace plus adding five new speakers installed in the slanted ceilings. The Builders raise their hands to speak on the next discussion note. "Not really!!!!"

Mikey make the first snurf gesture to signal time to communicate.

Below, Craig take a standard snurf tube to communicate with Mike, our job electrician. Darrell suggested I use this technique to have a more well rounded conversation with Mikey. 

Sandy suggested I make the blue snurf tube into a hula hoop to get his attention. I did not try her suggestion.

 This day saw the delivery of our ten new windows. They are top of the line products that are double glazed and able to keep the heat in during the cold season and the cold inside when the temperatures outside soar above ninety degrees. They are tailored made for the Sonoma County climate.

We have four new 5'x5' fixed windows and two 3'x10' with end slider windows. The window replacement was not in the original scope of work.




One characteristic of remodeling is weighing rather do the work now or delay it till after the remodel is completed. In this case, we opted to install six of the ten windows now. Darrell and Stacy will install the rest of the windows after the main scope of work is complete.

Above, Paul, our AV guy, shares his thoughts on how to revamp our entertainment system and where all the gear and wiring will reside.

Paul and Craig have shared many changes in our TV systems and video/sound technology changes over the last five years.

Sandy and I are excited about re-doing our family room with a new flat TV and adding the latest computer streaming techniques.

DAY 43, Friday brings the end of the Rock and beginning of Tape & Texture

This is the Hall bathroom sheet rocked. Notice the different color rock in the shower area. This is a special sheet rock material designed for use in shower stalls.

Below is the utility room closed in. The gas line in now hidden in the wall and the new plumbing hook-ups are now very handle to connect.

Here, Stacy trims out the excess sheet rock. 

Note his red Sonoma County tattoo peeking from his tee shirt. I asked him if he could not talk, he could point to that tat to get him back home. He had no comment.

Below is the completed pony wall a down stair well. The Family room as stand alone space has really transform from it original condition. Go back to the first blogs

Here are our Rock Stars, they worked three hard days to measure, cut, screw, etc. to wall-in the insulation, wiring and plumbing. 

 

Another chore they accomplished was re-attaching the old sheet rock with a better fastener, the screw rather then a nail.

This is the new opening from the back porch into the new Kitchen and Dining area. We will be adding three wall lights and two matching ceiling fans in the back porch

Below is our new store pipe installed. Note the new door into the family room.

Here's our first remodel job, a new front door. 

Now this will greet our friends and family into a new space of fun and joy.

Darrell hides from the madding crowd to line up future contractors to tape,  texture and paint the ceiling and walls.

As the rocking is complete, our focus is preparing for the next phase of construction. Darrell reminded me that from now on out the building process will start to pick up lots of momentum.

The space get a floor covering that reminds me of a race trace.  Above is view from the Kitchen into the Living room, soon to be the antique room. Below is the family room. I love the foot prints it reminds me of the driveway.

This the other side of the front door showing the clean and spacious entry. We passed our last midterm inspection and will not see the inspector till the final in late August. 

As I was viewing the the family room, I can to the same realization as Sandy. We separately decided the TV needs to be over the fireplace. I told Darrell and Stacy and they both agree. So I called Paul Hughes our AV guy. He can over and verify our decision. 

Monday, we are assembling Darrell, Mikey and Paul to wire the Family room before the Tape & Texture guys do their thing. The flat screen will fit over the fireplace. Six speakers will be imbedded in the slanted ceiling and a new cabinet to store all the components and wiring. Off to the right of room pictured below, where the bundle of wires is coiled where a five foot cabinet is planned. We are even going to purchase a new 65" screen plasma. The old unit will be moved too the studio.

NEXT: Tape and Texture, see you next week