MARCH 2005
BEFORE (8-03) & AFTER (11-04) – click images to enlarge
Well, February passed and we're still not done, but getting closer. Don't laugh! Stop laughing.
Believe me, we know how redundantand ridiculous that's starting to sound. But we really
are nearly done and you'll see... March will be the month we pass final inspection. Or at
the very least, the month we call for the final inspection. Whether we pass or not, we'll
just have to wait and see. The metal details, the stucco and the shower tile are the only
things left to pass (as far as I know).
03.03.05 Back to work on the red metal facias. Don Sr. installs the "hidden" dormer
drainpipes and Don Jr. works on the roof corner pieces.
Andy from Stampede Concrete arrives to pour a custom stamped shower base
inside the hot mop tar shell that was put in way back in August. We had originally
planned on tiling the basin, but decided to look at other options. It took months
to finally find someone to do it. On the right, Andy mixes up some colorant to
add to the concrete.
Andy mixes up the concrete and pours it into the basin.
This guy can multi-task... talking on the phone and sprinkling on some textured
stone material at the same time. Then he trowels in the mix.
Meanwhile, Don Sr. begins installing the corrugated metal sheets on the exterior
ceiling of the dormer.
Andy uses a rubber textured mat to stamp in a slate pattern... and the final look.
03.09.05 Don Sr. nails on some wood shims to help stabalize the metal post covers.
The back patio looks like a real sheetmetal workshop.
The lower roof drains are done in two ways. At the entry, below the dormer, the
drains come down inside the red metal post covers and into the concrete patio,
draining underneath toward the street. At the outer corners of the house, the
drains are made of heavy galvanized steel chains hanging through a small
drain pipe and attached to an underground mount to keep them stiff.
A great view of the front with all the red metal and nearly all the corrugated steel
in place. Only the sides of the dormer eves are left. When the sun hits the front really
strong like this, the house just looks like it's somewhere in the Palm Springs desert.
A slightly blurry night view. The four inground lights in the patio (you can see two
at the corners of the doormat) shine up on the silver ceiling and make the whole
patio glow.
03.10.05 Dana and Cathy Lehmann of Lehmann & Sons Plastering arrive and begin
prepping and masking the garage and front fence walls for stucco.
03.11.05 The next day, Dana sprays a tan primer coat that helps the stucco adhere
to the concrete boards. The two fence panels and gate in the right photo are the
only sections of the rear yard fence getting covered at this time because we wanted
it to look finished from the patio. The rest of the back yard fence will probably just
get painted to save money.
By the end of the day, the sorth corner fence and gate are completed, but the
garage and north fence still need their second coat.
03.12.05 Saturday morning, Cathy preps the wall for it's final coat and Dana sprays
the acrylic stucco material on the front of the garage for the last coat.
Dana worked real hard to get a smooth coat over our poorly prepped and caulked
concrete boards. His attention to detail was well appreciated. On the right is a
roof view of the back of the garage and the parking court area, as well as the gate
to the back patio.
The stucco is finally finished! Yet to be installed are the galvanized steel trims on
the garage door jambs and corners, and edge trims on the top and front edge of
the fence walls. It looks good now, but it'll look awesome when that's done.
03.13.05 With the concrete cured and sealed, Don Jr. begins installing the shower
tile walls.
03.17.05 The corrugated metal is finally installed on the eve overhang at the back of
the garage. From the North end of the house, this extended roof line can be seen
from the street and mirrors the cantilevered dormer roof line on the front of the
house, creating a very cool architectural flair
.
The front eves and corners on the garages are now finished too. Don Sr. finishes the
very last of the corrugated eves on the side of the dormer and re-installs the drainpipe.
Interior view looking up to the dormer ceiling to see the eves outside the windows
finally covered.
03.24.05 Picked up a whole bunch of new steel pieces from Saber Sheetmetal and
quickly installed some fence cap trims and garage door jamb trim. A very nice
finishing touch
.
Also worked long after dark to get the new galvanized metal trim around the
master bath's raked window exterior trim.
03.25.05 Worked late into evening for the second night in a row to get the interior
side of the bathroom window done as well. Tomorrow morning we have a building
inspector coming to tell us how close we are. I knew this exposed wood window
trim would be an issue, so I was determined to get it done.
03.26.05 The inspector came and went and only called for 4 minor fixes. He said
not having the shower done wasn't an issue—which was a big relief. Spent Saturday
workin on more bath tile, finishing the whirlpool access end and beginning the tile
at the base curb around the shower.
Here's the shower unit that will hang on the tile extension in the shower. It's very
happy to be out of the dusty box it's been in for so many months. In the far corner
of the master bedroom, we've installed a new IKEA unit to serve as shelves and
Diana's sewing table.
03.31.05 Installed the new custom sheetmetal display case box into the old wood
frame near the front door and mailbox. There will be a sheet of clear Lexan
(plexi-glass) attached to the front soon. Above the front door, a new address plate
has been screwed onto the wall (building code requires a permanent address on
the buidling with 4" minimum height numbers).
04.02.05 On this, the second day of April, witness the city building inspector (one
of the cool ones) signing the Final Approval on the permit!!!!!!! What's really wierd
is that not until he signed it did I realize that April 2 was the exact date, one year
ago, that the building permit was issued. I guess it was meant to be.19 months ago, we bought this big box with a dream. It took seven months (Sept.
to March) just to get the plans, permits and demolition done. Then we worked
feverishly for five months (April though August) to get the house to a state that we
could move into. And then, the same slow seven months (Sept to March) a year later,
to get it done to a point that it could pass final inspection. Maybe in the next five
months we'll find the time to get all those little details and a good portion of the
landscape actually done by the end of the second year. I know we'll be ready
for a real rest by then.But now, everything we do from here on out is strictly on our own terms and timeline.
In the next 2 weeks, we'll be trying to finish the master shower and a variety of details
to make the best impression on the next really important person... the appraiser.
And then, of course, there's the upcoming grand opening parties!Stay tuned...
Also visit Don's portfolio site: www.designbutton.com
