It Is Way Past Time For An Update On The Basement

All the electrical has been completed and poor Jim had to install 29 pot lights in the bulk heads of the rec room area, as well as, 2 other overhead lights. 


As the framing is complete and the electrical, aside from the bathroom, is also done, we are at a standstill as the county has to inspect before we can go any farther.  I applied for the development, electrical and plumbing permits 3 weeks ago and we are still waiting for approval.  Until they are approved we can't call for an inspection.  Oh well...it's spring and the yard awaits.

Welcome to 2012

Happy New Year! After a break for silly season, Jim is back at it in the basement. Our mechanical room is becoming a nightmare of equipment. The newest addition is the Vacuflo Hide-a-Hose, built in vacuum system, that has to be installed before the drywall can be started. It has taken several days to get all the piping laid out properly to allow for the hose to suck back into the wall for storage.

To accomplish this, Vacuflo has created a long 90 fitting (2nd picture) that makes a 90 degree turn over about 1 foot. The first picture is the black vacuum unit itself.

The last picture is the extra large outlet that allows access to the hose. Jim has put one outlet on the main floor, as we can reach all areas of the main floor and the loft with the 50 foot retractable hose. In the basement, we have 2 of the original outlets as we have a 30 foot hose that does not retract for that level. Obviously, the salesman realized that I am not the type to devote my life to constant housework and, that the cheaper installation in the basement will be more than sufficient. There is also an outlet in the garage in case Jim decides to vacuum out the vehicles...Yes, Jim...I am even less likely to devote any time to cleaning cars.

The Basement Finishing Begins

We can put it off no longer. The basement is now officially under construction. What you see in the picture is the future bedroom on the far left. Yes, it's full of junk. Next to that, featured in the centre of the photo,where the saw resides, in front of the ping-pong table, will be the bathroom and next is the storage room. Why have a workbench when you can have a ping-pong table? Judging from the amount of "stuff" we have acquired, the poor storage room is going to be taxed before it's even finished. On the right side of the picture (which you can barely see) is the mechanical room aka the furnace room, where the money spent on all the equipment to keep the house warm, dry and carbon monoxide free makes you long for the cold, damp, CO filled homes of old. Oh right...it's only money.

Are We Blind?

The poor blog isn't being neglected so much as we have moved to construction from savings to construction from earnings...much slower pace. After a vacation in Nova Scotia (thank you Ron and Carolyn) and Newfoundland (thank you Ron Jenkins), we came back with renewed resolve and some new ideas for finishing the house. We have to admit that the spirit is not always willing but it seems to keep pace with the earnings.

First, we ordered blinds for the sunroom to cool it down. Then, in a seemingly contradictory move, Jim built a duct, housing a fan, that draws the heat from the ceiling of the sunroom into the cold air return that will allow us to heat the house, more easily, from said room. Split personalities are not responsible for this...no, no... For the most part, we leave the blinds up to allow the sunroom to create as much heat as possible but, occasionally, we like to sit out there. The blinds drop the temperature down so that we can enjoy the space clothed and without personal fans. It should be noted that we have had an inordinately long period of cloudy days since their installation. I should probably question the amount of money spent but, as we learned long ago, it's only money.

I Love My Door!

My beautiful, new door...our much needed, beautiful, new door.

The heat in the sunroom can get so intense that we had resorted to hanging a black curtain from a tension rod in the doorway between the sunroom and the kitchen to try and keep the rest of the house livable. Although unsightly, this system worked, relatively, well even if the house was dark and dingy. The new door, however, is amazing in its ability to moderate the temperature transfer between the rooms AND it's pretty, too. Plus, we have light!

Why Is Parking Always Such An Issue?

Originally, we thought we had enough parking to suit our needs. We were wrong. After spending 2 years juggling our vehicles and trailers and visitors vehicles and old tractors and construction equipment, we finally saw the light and dug up more yard and are in the process of expanding the parking/driving area.

Jim acquired some fiberglass cloth which he is putting down before spreading the gravel. Hopefully, this will stop the weeds from growing through and also help retain the gravel keeping it from burying itself in the clay.

We have another triple load of gravel coming this week that should complete this job.

I Have Been Negligent

We have been quite busy with outside work and a little finish up inside work and I have not been keeping up with the blog.

First, "Thanks" to Jim and John Cormack for the August visit. We were at a bit of a lull in the construction...that bothersome "no money, no equipment or materials" thing...but my Jim had built the platform for the washer and drier and John helped muscle them into place. The job wouldn't have gone so smoothly without Jim's (Cormack, that is) supervision, I'm sure.

There is still a little sink to plumb in and the bottom of the platform to finish before the laundry room is complete.