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04/03/2010 Archived Entry: "House Addition"
Summer/Fall 2009: One summer weekend, I was sitting on our back concrete patio area, enjoying the afternoon. Janet walked up a handed me some papers and said, "I've been thinking." Now, you must understand that I have learned to dread these words especially when she initiates a conversation in that manner. Then she just walked away. The papers were of a few sketches over photos she had made of the back of our house (admittedly not the most attractive side of our residence). It was really a mostly windowless high elevation of vinyl siding. It took me a few weeks time to think about those sketches and talk to her about what she wanted. Of course I knew that much time, effort and money on my part would be needed. But the bottom line was -- she had a good idea. I drew up the plans and was able to secure a building permit in late September. The initial pricing was not favorable and Winter was approching, so I decided to wait till Spring of the following year to try and get the project started.
March 27, 2010 -- After a long cold winter, we finally got to break ground on our new house addition. It consists of adding a 130 square feet screened in porch off the dining room and a 130 square feet bedroom/Janet's new studio addition on the second floor. Then there will also be a new second floor deck addition. As they say, March went out like a lamb and the first couple of days of April were very nice, too. Excavation was finished in a couple of days. And the city inspected the trench and form work on Tuesday afternoon. Concrete footings were poured at noon on Wednesday. Thursday, block and brick were delivered and it took most of day to muscle all of that to the back yard. On Friday, three masons and two helpers laid the concrete block. Brick was scheduled to start on Saturday, but the rain in morning forced the crew to cancel until better weather.
Rain delayed the brick installation until Tuesday 4/6.
The porch and second floor framing takes shape.
Second floor walls go up.
Roof framing started at 4 p.m. on Monday and after a few false starts they were able to get half of it framed by 8:30 p.m. when it was just too dark to keep going. Tuesday, work progressed smoother and they were able to get the deck sheathing on and new valleys flashed.
A little less than 4 weeks into our project and we have reached a milestone. The shingle roof got installed so any rain we get from now on should not really slow up the progress. I have a lot more respect for roofers after seeing them in action. It's back breaking and dangerous work. We've been very fortunate that the last time it rained was April 11th. And to go 10 days in Indianapolis without rain, let alone being in April, is pretty remarkable.
We're at the end of April and you can start to see how this thing is really going to look. Wall sheathing and house wrap were installed as well as the upstairs windows. Now if only the doors would get here.
The porch has gotten screened in and the upstairs doors got installed on Tuesday, May 11. Also, the old windows inside were removed, which really opened up the space.
Doors and siding. May has been a very rainy and hot month so far.
It's the first week of June and we are finally finished!
Janet is moving into her new second floor studio space. Today, June 11th, we painted the inside of the addition. Here are just a few more pics taken from the north field.
It's the day before our extended family reunion, so I guess I would say we are finished.
This is, by far, the best week of weather we've had since April. So I took a few more pictures of the project. Now, if only I could get some grass to grow....
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