Fireplace

This took a lot of figuring out and head scratching. Plus quite a few calls about delivery.

The hearth was the first and easiest decision. We had leftover black slate from doing the entry, and carrying the color into the living room seemed the right idea. But we still hadn't figured out how to surround the fireplace and all I knew for sure was that we had to put in a mantel. Keith Potter and I bolted a piece of dug fir to the framing and I finished it the same as the entry door (same wood). But after we installed it, everytime we walked by, you were forced to duck you head. Not because you would hit your head, but the board was right in the corner of your eye. We had some leftover material from framing out the windows and doors. So Ed was able to fashion pillars to dress the ends of the mantel, no more ducking. And it made it easier to continue the same tile pattern from the floor onto the wall.

Basement Stairwell

The railing material is hemlock. It took the finish carpenter (Ed) and his friend a day and a half to install.

Start of House Tour

Start with the entry way. We don't use it yet. The steps will be installed when we do the driveway. Inside the entry, for the flooring we used black slate tile. The first photo was taken before the door hardware and stair railing was put in. But it shows very well the layout of in entry.

Start of Landscaping

The next major project is the landscaping. We have a year (from May) to finish it, but we had to rough-in the irrigation system so we can pour the driveway. So mind the ditches until we get it covered back in.

Yes Mary, Lyle did work while he was here. Maybe not that hard this day. I think he was really playing here.

The Garage

The garage is 1200 sq ft. Enough space to park two cars so you can open the car doors and they won't touch. It includes the golf cart area, an 8 X 20 shop area, and Eileen's hobby room.

Outside Painting is Done

We moved in in May. But the work continues. It only took three days to spray the body of the house and garage, but almost a month to finish the trim.

Belated Update (cont'd)

Seem to be a limit on picture space. So here's more

Belated Update

We are officially out of the house in Elk Grove. We rented the house to Amy and the girls, and moved all the stuff out. We left a lot for Amy, hope she can use it.

The hardwood flooring (bamboo) arrived, and so did the floor tiles. We had to pick them up at Direct Buy, that took four trips to Lacey and Polsbou. Good thing there is a brewery near each location.

Ed finished installing all of the cabinets, and Sean has started installing the hardwood. He will be also doing the carpeting in the bedrooms and office.

Gary and I (mostly Gary) laid the bathroom tile. Neither of us could figure out how to install the slate we picked out for the entry, and fireplace hearths. So Sean agreed to do it. The pictures above include Sean (Hollihan) he's Irish, and his partner Joesph. Two more people to invite to the party.

The wood stove is finally installed. We ordered the stove in October, with a promised delivery in November. It finally arrived in January, with a promised installation in a week. This week it was finally installed, so I could request county inspection. Next week we might have our first fire. The heat pump is great, but right now the wood is free.

In preparation for the installation of the millwork, I have been finishing the windows. Each window requires cleaning and sanding to get all of the construction crap and raised grain off. Then five coats to finish: 1 conditioner and sealer, 2 coats of stain, and finally 2 coats of spar urethane. Never buying wood windows again. Beautiful, but....

Cabinets Installed

Some good news. Matt and Jeff figured out the connection problems between the heat pump and the air handler. Just a problem with the wiring diagram, and we now are heating with the heat pump.

The cabinets arrived on Tuesday morning. 112 separate cartons, unloaded and opened. Cardboard is everywhere. Ed Kallas is doing the installation. He figures it will take about a week and a half.

Joe and Tony worked on the final excavation work, including compacting the fill under the porch and patio. They also finished the gutter drains, keeping that unwanted water away from the house. I here there is a drought in CA.

Heading south for the week. Time to pack up the house.

We Have Heat (sort of)

Joe, with Tony and me, installed a curtain drain between the house and the golf course. This drain starts at 4 1/2 feet deep (just below the hard pan) and goes down hill around the corner of the house. Then ties in with the apron drain we put in last spring. The drain has perforated pipe in the bottom, fabric on the up hill side and 6 mil solid plastic on the downhill side, then filled with gravel. So we now have 3 drain systems: the gutter drains, an apron drain at the footings and a curtain drain at the hard pan level. Water, water everywhere. With a automatic sump pump in the crawl space, we should have no more water problems.

Matt and Jeff installed the heat pump this weekend. But there was a problem in connecting it to the air handler. So we are heating the house using only the heat strips in the air handler. Just in time because the cabinets are coming in on Tuesday.

Basement Problems

The electricians continued wiring and installing fixtures this week. Next week we will have to have them install the disconnect for the heat pump and connect the septic tank. The heat pump will be installed next weekend, and Joe will be starting the final excavation on Wednesday.

Joe will also be installing an additional drain field between the house and the golf course. The storms over the last few weeks identified a weak point in the house. John, from Paul's Electric, discovered water in the basement, about 2". And when I checked in the crawl space, I found about 6' alongside the basement wall. All the water draining off the course soaks into the ground to the hard pan then runs down hill across our property. Last spring when we dug the basement, we went well below the hard pan level, so all the water is accumulating around the basement. Even though we installed an apron drain around the footings, water is still coming into the crawl space, and with 6 feet of water pressure, is seeping into the basement. As you can see in the picture, the apron drain is working quite good. With Joe installing a rock drain field along the back of the house and out around the north side, most of the water will be diverted away. I also put a submersible pump in the crawl space to prevent any build up there.

Going south today. The bathroom vanity came into Sacramento, and I want to bring it up. Along with as many cases of wine I can load into the pickup.

Happy New Year

I went to Sacramento for the holidays, couldn't get much done here as it was anyway. There was 10 inches of snow on the ground when I left. Another 2 feet fell, while I was gone, and another 8 inches last night. But this morning it warmed into the 40's and everything is starting to melt.

Before I left, the electricians had installed most of the lights, switches, fire alarms, etc. but PUD hadn't switched power from the temporary pole to the permanent meter. That still isn't done yet today, but they should be out tomorrow. I've laid all the backer board for the floor tile, and I've found a new product (new to me) called Wendi Board for the showers and bath tub area. Supposed to be completely waterproof when installed correctly.

The fireplace finally arrived at Direct Buy while I was down south. Everything came except the blower for better heat circulation. I talked to the distributor, and the fireplace can be installed and used before the blower is installed, so I will be picking it up tomorrow and the installer will put it in Thursday. We still won't have the cap for the chimney, so no heat from that until later.

The electricians will be coming out Wednesday, so maybe then we can have power in the house and use the strip heaters in the air handler to heat the house. More expensive, but we can have the cabinets delivered.

When I got back from Sacto, the snow was so deep on the property that I had Joe Fazio come up and plow. And all that snow has to melt before he can work on the final grading. Slow Slow Slow