Master Bedroom Drywall

Check out the lovely blue nautical wall paper I covered up! Dry walled the walls and ceiling, plus the closets. Lots of angles and cuts to get all the dry wall hung. Then, you can see all of the "taping" the joints, and plaster over the nail holes.

2 closets, one large with 8' of hanging storage on either side.

Next is sanding all the plaster, one more coat of plaster, and final sanding, then primer painting.
I also have to upgrade all the outlets and added a light switch to the closet.

I plan to refinish the floors also! Hardwood oak throughout!

Laundry Room 'TEMPORARY Kitchen Complete

I have not updated the Blog since Dec.13 on the house construction.
Here is a view of the finished Laundry with the temporary kitchen.
Finished all of the DRYWALL and painted with walls and ceiling with a white semi-gloss.
The floor is painted with sand colored enamel for concrete.
I installed the cabinets, counter, sink and faucet, plumbing, etc.
Installed a bi-fold door on the closet for the sump-pump.

Blizzard Dec. 19-20, 2009 w/ 18" of Snow!

18" plus accumulation! With blowing and drifting blizzard conditions starting at 9pm on Saturday 12/19/2009 and ending at noon on Sunday 12/20/2009. Wind gusts close to 50 mph!





They brought in earth moving equipment as the plows were not getting through. I live next to a large open field, so it drifted across the road to probably 3' deep!
My house from the street after 3.5 hours digging out!
The city plows were stuck in front of my house until the earth moving equipment showed up!

This shows how deep the snow is by my garage. Close to 6' after digging out the driveway!





Here is the snow piled up at my back door when I opened it this AM to go get the paper.

Drywall almost done in Laundry Room

Saturday, I got all the wiring completed. 6 new outlets and 2 new lights. The previous owner had taken lamps apart and one hanging over the washer/dryer and one in the closet under the stairs.

The trick with wiring is to start at the very end (the last, new wire each outlet back to the point where you make the connection t the outlet) and to the "live" power.










































Sunday morning, I went to home Depot and rented a "Dry Wall Lift" It would be impossible for one person to hold a 4' x 8' sheet of drywall over your head while you attach it to the floor joists, so this "lifts and holds" the drywall in place while you put about 25 screws in to hold it in place.

The other challenge is that you have to measure and cut out the holes where the "recessed can lights are". I use a "paint can" to trace the outline, then a drill to make a hole, and a jig saw to cut the pattern out. Plus, you have to cut out notches for pipes, or any other obstructions.

All New Laudry Room Plumbing in 12/4/09

Before I can tear out the kitchen, I have to build a temporary kitchen downstairs in the basement.

The laundry room in the basement is 12' x 15' but unfinished. So, I am putting in walls, cabinets, counters, and a sink as the "temporary kitchen" in the basement.

Before I can do that, I had to have a plumber come and tear out the old cast iron drain pipe, add 2 new drains, and ADD new hot and cold running water for the sink as there was none before. $1,200 for the plumber! I think I am going to be a plumber in my next life. Now you know why I do this stuff myself!

*A little "perspective" on Newport Colonial Era homes, first. Most home are 200+ years old, with hand dug basements and only 5-6 feet of head room. Filled with mold and water as the foundations were built with beach sand masonry and rocks. It's rare to have a "laundry room" in the basement of a Newport home! My house is only 60 years old, so I have a real basement (unfinished).

So, the new laundry room will be dry walled with a drywall ceiling, white cabinets, white counter tops, white appliances. I plan to paint the floors with gray epoxy paint. It will be really clean and bright. Most basement laundry rooms are so dark and dingy. I already have a new washer and dryer I bought when I lived in Dayton.

This weekend, I installed and wired (6) recessed CAN lights, rewired the 220v Dryer outlet, and added and wired 3 GFCI outlets. ***You didn't know I was an electrician, did you? I purchased the counter top, sink and faucet today, along with (24) 2 x 4's and 20 sheets of drywall.

So, here are the PHOTOS of before the drywall goes in.
Next are cabinets and tops.
*There was one ceiling light before.

bought my new kitchen today!

After shopping for 2 weeks for kitchen cabinets...I got quotes from Home Depot and Lowes for $12k and $13k respectively for just the cabinets. I found a place in Providence, that is a builders supply warehouse. Anyway, Black Friday Sales was an extra -12% OFF and I got the entire kitchen PLUS the laundry room base cabinets AND this MAPLE BUTCHER BLOCK island cabinet for $6k! These are all plywood, BUT, I have to assemble the cabinets (like my I did at my house on Greenlawn)! Anyway, saved $6k! I probably won't install them until January, but could not pass up the extra discount! I had to rent a truck and pick them up today.




The photos are so you can see the COLOR and Construction DETAILS from the showroom sample display.

I am
planning on putting in Stainless Steel appliances and a TRAVERTINE tile wall behind the counters.

Now, I have to find a good deal on Granite!


OK, enough with the kitchen....now back to Dry
walling!

Thanksgiving 2009 Hanging Drywall

Here are a few interior shots of Today's episode of "This old House"! Today we are hanging drywall in the master closet. The room is 20' x 8' dormer on the front of the house. It was unfinished and unused when I bought the house. Planning on putting in 8' of wire shelving on either side carpet the floor. Also, framing the basement for the laundry room. Need to move supply and drain lines, so I can put a temporary kitchen downstairs while I remodel the Kitchen upstairs. Tomorrow, I may go buy the kitchen cabinets! Maple with a dark cinnamon finish.















This is the master bedroom...nice wall paper eh?















This is the 1st floor guest room, my temporary bedroom. The living room above.














Kitchen before remodeling...hey at least I have a refrigerator, sink and a stove!
















vintage 1950's stove! Like the floor tile? Here is the messy basement with the new shelves.















Here is the framing for the new laundry room. New cabinets counter and new floor will be going in soon! I nee a plumber to come and move the drain and supply lines.

well, there you go! I promise new photos soon!

Chip