No more oil heat! New Gas Boiler and Water Heater

I signed contracts for a new gas boiler and water heater on August 26th, 2011 after getting 3 bids to replace my 25+ year old oil fired boiler! National Grid (local utility company) says normal installation time of the gas line from the street takes 6-8 weeks. So, I figured by November 1st (worst case scenario) I would have new gas heat and hot water before the weather got cold. I began calling the contractor and National Grid weekly for a status update 2 weeks after I signed the contracts. No one could ever give me an installation date. FINALLY, on October 26th...7 weeks after the contracts were signed, National Grid says they can get the gas line in the next couple of weeks?!!?!?!

The problem was caused by the fact that my property is exactly divided by the city line and 1/8th of my property is in Newport, 7/8ths in Middletown, RI. So no permit was ever pulled to install the gas line because they were not sure which public works department to send the permit requests to!?!?!?!

Finally, on December 16th (Friday) National Grid sub contractors show up to bring the gas line in from the street. 6 guys standing around on shovels, closed the street down for 4 hours. Good news is they did not have to "trench" my entire front yard!  Then, 1 week later, the new Gas Boiler and Water Heater are installed.  SUPER QUIET compared to the old, smelly, stinky loud oil burner that was on it's last legs!  Now I can take nice long hot showers.  ONLY TOOK 4 months to get it installed almost TWICE as long as I was told! Good news is that we had the warmest fall in almost 20 years...

BEST PART OF ALL...  My annual heating costs with oil were averaging almost $4,000 a year!  With new natural gas heat (baseboards and radiators) and gas hot water, I could save between $2,000- $3000 a year!  National Grid estimates based on the size of the house, the new equipment, and the projected usage, maybe $1,200 year total heating cost!

HERE is the OLD oil heated boiler. It broke down once last year and I had to make an emergency call to the service company as I had NO HEAT or HOT WATER with temperatures below freezing!  This one boiler also had an internal heating coil for hot water so even in the summer time to have hot water for showers, laundry and dishes, you had to burn OIL! 

In the basement also is a 275 gallon oil tank!  The current cost for one gallon of #3 heating oil is approximately $3.96!  (close to the same price as diesel fuel) Over $1,000 to fill the tank!

OIL TANK GONE!  They cut the tank in half, then hand scoop all the waste oil out before hauling it out.  Also, 60 years of sludge in the bottom of the old tank.  Where is Mike Roe (Dirty Jobs on cable tv?) this was one nasty dirty job!

1/3 smaller than the old unit...  The other bids I got for a new 96% efficient boiler with a tankless water heater were almost $5,000 higher than the low bid I got for an conventional 85% gas boiler and stand alone water heater!

BRING ON THE BLIZZARDS AND SUB ZERO CHILL!!! I am ready!!!!!!

Pink 2nd Floor Bathroom has to go!

Pink tile, really?
It's fake tile paneling actually...
November 2010

 pink walls too!

 Classic 1950's medicine cabinet...
gotta love that florescent lighting!

 nice sink too!

 OK, at least that stuff is gone...

 tore up the old linoleum pink tile floor

 and ripped out the metal shower stall

 can you see the fiber board drop ceiling panels?  those have to go too!

 and tear out the old insulation

 gotta move that wiring too from the old vent fan...

 I need storage space, so I am cutting out the wall back into the eaves under the roof...to create built in shelves and storage...only way I can do it.

 here you can see the cut out for the bathroom storage between the wall studs...

 drop ceiling partially removed...

 gotta move that old duct work from the old ceiling fan and light

 I need to ADD framing to support the built in shelves and storage

shelves are almost 48" high on the top left, and 20" deep.  I plan to have 3 shelves approximately 10" apart to get the additional storage for towels, and all the other bathroom storage.

Granite Countertops and Travertine Tile Installed

Granite Counter tops and Travertine Tile Installed!

I found a granite quarry in New Hampshire that normally does commercial or builder installations. Because it was slow, I could go direct and save almost $5,000 over what Home Depot and Lowe's quoted!

After the granite tops were installed, I could install 2" x 2" travertine tiles. I had to cut out for all the outlets and switches. The electrician did not install the electrical boxes at the correct position for the tile, so each electrical box had to be extended.

And finally grouting all the tile. Grout is premixed and colored cement and sand which has to be "floated" into all the gaps in the tile. Then, it has to be sponged down to remove the extra grout for a professional finished look!

• Appliance are going to be delivered April 10th!

Cabinets Installed! Ready for Granite Tops!

It took a week, but I got all the cabinets installed. The trick is getting each one perfectly level and plumb. And cutting the miters properly for the crown moldings. Because I have granite counter tops, I have to put in extra supports and bracing to support the granite.  

* Remember, you can scroll down or look at the older listings to see my progress...tearing out the old kitchen, putting new oak floors and walls, etc.

22 cabinets, each has to be assembled!

This is the start of putting in the cabinetry. I got bids from Home Depot and Lowes for the same style cabinetry. $12,000 and $13,000 respectively from both companies. I found a company in Providence that had the same style and all plywood construction, solid wood drawers, etc., for $6,000 for the same layout as Home Depot and Lowes. The difference is that these cabinets have to be assembled! Each one!

Drywall in kitchen done, Painting tomorrow!

Finally, got all the new drywall in the kitchen done. The ceiling had an old Nutone Ceiling Fan over the old range which I had to tear out and patch the hole, along with some water damage and falling plaster in one corner. It was a trick getting the ceiling patch perfectly smooth, flat and matched to the old plaster so you will never see either of the repairs.

  

I am going to install Crown Molding and a New Door this weekend also!

Then, new cabinets next week!

200 sq. ft. White Oak Floor installed in Kitchen

200 Square Feet of solid oak hardwood floor installed in 1 day!

I had air compressor in storage, and tried to use it with the nail gun, and it would not work, so I had to go rent one.

I originally thought I would install Travertine Tile, but with all of the work with the subfloor, and cutting and setting all the tile, the floor would not have been the same height as the other floor in the hall and dining room.

So, the oak floor ended up looking and fitting better.

Next step, drywall, then paint the ceiling and walls....hang the cabinets!