Unpacking and shopbuilding

Unpacking is not fun.

But having a new house with your beloved things in it is fun.

And so we unpack.

We must make better progress in advance of Oct 1, when we are featured in the AIA Design Matters home tour (http://designmattershomestour.eventbrite.com/). Yikes. That is really soon.

Here are key things that'll happen in September:

• Shop is to be framed, roofed, sided, wired, and fitted with a custom garage door. This is already in process. If I were less lazy, I would post pictures.
• Backyard is to be leveled out--the current surface texture is what I'd call "moon-like"--and areas behind the house and beside the house are to be excavated a few inches and filled in with gravel. Vendor is hired, work to begin this week.
• The front door's concrete stoop will be re-poured so that it's a lovely smooth surface again (also currently moon-like, which is not very welcoming). I believe Andrew's setting us up... Andrew, do your magic!
• Betsy's kitchen wall in her mother-in-law suite will start to come together: countertop, sink, refrig, burners and dishwasher will join recently-installed cabinets.
• 1,397 things will be put away in their proper places (or stashed in a closet so as to temporarily disappear from sight).

Later in October, we are supposed to lay down grass seed and straw. And hope for rain. Oh, also we need to transplant some roses. Oh, and master our holiday music compilation. Sh*t. October promises to be as busy as September. Well, at least there's Halloween.

First inspection passed!

As reported by Greg, the sub-floor plumbing in the lower level passed inspection this morning. Dirt is being back filled this afternoon down there and all will be ready for concrete by end of day. Yay!

Next up: concrete for the shop pad and exterior stairs. Then we back fill all concrete areas, remove excess dirt, and attempt to clean up giant muddy mess.

Excavation extravaganza

Holy moly, our back yard is now a giant mess of holes and dirt. They've excavated for the new great room extension, the shop foundation, Betsy's new stairwell, the drywell (as discussed in the previous post) and will be digging a trench so that we can bury the electric service.

Cement pour scheduled for late next week. Who-hoo!

Check out the disaster:

Dry well in the works

The excavation crew is busting out a dry well today. "What is a dry well?" you may ask. It's a giant hole in the ground that collects storm water and allows it to dissipate in the ground rather than run off and wreak havoc. A dry well we shall have.

Day 1

It has begun! Excavation is happing in earnest at the house. Tree stumps have been removed. Ground has been broken. Hallelujah!

1-11-11

If the permits make it out of the city today, we're slated to start excavation tomorrow, which happens to be binary day. Those of you who know me know how much I love such days. I think this is a good omen. (Please let it be a good omen.)