… I thought I’d take the PITA phone out and attempt to get some pix of where things stand now. They’re not particularly good pix, and please understand that everything is still in progress. But here you go.
North wall and exterior of the new screen porch as of today:
For reference, here’s what the north side of the house looked like four years ago:
The excrescence on the right is the infamous not-a-garage, gone but never lamented. The deformity sticking out on the left was … well, its purpose takes paragraphs to explain, but basically it was composed of pure rot. Only its window was salvageable. That horizontal window between? That was the back of the bedroom, now the location of the screen porch. And that window is now on another wall.
Sure, still a ways to go. But the north wall is now straight and solid and sturdy. And well off the ground. Unlike it was in May:
Yeah, you remember what it looked like in May. That’s now the right-hand corner of the screen porch. About which I could say all kinds of cliches like “sound as a nut,” “safe as houses,” “solid as a rock,” etc.
And here’s how the interior of the screen porch is shaping up:
There will be a wide trim strip above the shingles and a tongue-and-groove wood ceiling above that
The ceiling is the next step and I’m quite excited about it. I got some pretty, lightweight pine that I can install myself without help. It’s the prep work I dread.
When The Wandering Monk pulled down the two layers of bedroom ceiling, we found 1 x 4 planks above the defunct fiberboard and acoustic tiles. At first I had hopes of rehabilitating and using them as the new ceiling. But they’re in ruinous shape, will have to be extensively patched, and at best will work as a substrate for some other more presentable material.
My next job begins with yanking out or pounding in the hundreds of absurd nails Jim Beam and Jack Daniels used to put up the now-departed ceiling coverings and picking off the papery fiberboard remains clinging to those sad little planks. Icky job. And worse, the 1 x 4s are not T&G, so crud from the attic sifts through their gaps as I work. I must bundle up in hat, goggles, breathing mask, and scarf, and still end up wearing blackface from the powdery leavings.
Once that’s done, I get to wrestle sheets of tarpaper over my head.
Once all that’s done, though, it’s just cutting and nailing that nice little ceiling. If it works for the screen porch, I might also install it in the bedroom … where there are twice as many ridiculous nails and scraps of fiberboard to pry off first. Ick ick ick ick.
But that’s for a later day.
One last pic before I go. You know how I’ve mentioned my garage-sale magic? How when I want something it tends to turn up, often quite quickly? Well, after the electricians last left, I discovered a bit of obviously modern wiring sticking out of that north wall in a location perfect to light the eventual patio. You can see it in the first photo, looping above the small window. I don’t know where it came from. It’s not something I asked them to do. In fact, I asked them to remove old, unused wires. But there it was. So I decided, oh well, might as well put a motion-sensor light there. So at the next yard sale I hit …
It’s obviously been sitting in somebody’s garage for a long time. But it’s new-in-box and sells for $60 + shipping on Amazon. It also has multiple settings, including motion-sensing only and dimmer mood lighting + motion sensing as needed. So that’s nice. All sturdy and metal, too.
About that wire sticking out: Since you asked the electricians to remove stuff, have you checked that it’s actually live (or would be if the breaker were turned on)? Be a pity to install that fixture only to discover it won’t work.
I started a comment and halfway through the computer sent it to an ethereal place I can’t find. Anyhow, as I was saying “you’ve come a long way Baby”. Looking good!. I would suggest that you tack some heavy visqueen to your 1X4’s both to keep the dirt and dust from the attic from penetrating your living space, and to act as a vapor barrier to help keep the house warmer in the winter. Then you can add your ceiling. Wish I was there to help. 😎
Fred M. — Thank you. I’ve got tarpaper to tack up for a vapor barrier/crud controller. But come to think of it, 6 mil plastic would be a little easier to handle & I’ve got a bit of that around here, also. Now, if I could only find such a simple way to avoid dealing with all those nails and stray bits of old ceiling!
Bear — They capped the wire off with wire nuts, which tells me they consider it live and useable. I haven’t personally checked, but the one other place they left a stray wire (for a future heater), they neither capped nor connected it to a breaker. The electricians have to make one more trip out here after I’ve done finish work on interior walls (for that heater and a couple of fixtures); worse come to worst, I could leave them to do any final connections for that light.
This renovation is great fun to watch, but I can’t help but wonder about how one-in-a-million it is in the US.
A cost analysis surely has a hard time accounting for your own efforts and time, but how unlikely it seems that ye olde wreck survived the bulldozer.
Great work, it looks like a lovely place to live.
Thank you, ILTim. 🙂
NOT counting my labor, this renovation is actually surprisingly cost-effective (and made possible in large part by Friends of the Blog).
And of course we CAN’T count my labor because it isn’t labor at all. I’m having so much FUN!
You have in interesting, if quirky, definition of “fun”!
It couldn’t have been fun at first. Can’t imagine taking that first look around the wreck and not hastening away.
Hi Claire, I love when you blog your building projects. I would love to see more. I’ve set it up to get notifications next time, and I can’t wait!
P.s. you are making good progress with the house!
It’s come a long way since the real estate agent wouldn’t even go inside for fear of the black mold.
Such an impressive transformation, and thanks for the pictures!
Builder Manchester — I must confess I’m both honored and a bit intimidated that a professional builder, from one of Britain’s major cities, yet, has an eye on my humble blog and even more humble project. But thank you. I’m glad you’re here and liking the progress.
Well, I’ll admit I may have had my tongue ever-so-slightly in cheek when I said “fun.” But the progress is soooooooo gratifying, especially this summer, and I’m glad you guys appreciate it.
And Joel, if I knew then what I know now I might indeed have hastened away. But my ignorance saved me from making that practical, but boring, decision.