OCTOBER 2003
October will be the end of the demolition and waiting for the final plans to be submitted
to the city planning dept. and approved for building permits. Hopefully that will be done
by the end of the month. While we're waiting for that, there are a few things planned.
All of the existing windows will be removed and the block walls cut for larger windows.
The sandblasters will return to do some touch-up work (more cleaning!) and the
new windows and rolling doors have been ordered. If we're lucky, they will be installed
by the end of the month.BACK TO SEPTEMBER GO TO NOVEMBER
10.06.03—The window's are being removed a few days before the wall cutter guy
arrives. This is one of the master bedroom windows. The painted blocks will be
removed to create a 8' wide by 4.75' high window.
Here I am drilling holes in a sheet of plywood to board-up the missing windows.
And here it is all boarded up. As easy as 1, 2, 3, right? Actually the whole process
took about 90 minutes, not to mention the time it took to find 12" long bolts at
Ace Hardware. By next weekend, all the windows will be boarded up for the rest of
the month.
The nearly completed new floorplan. You could take out bedrooms 1 & 2, the family
room, pantry and bath, and it would still be bigger than our current house! The
living room, kitchen, dining room and foyer are all open floorplan. The doors
leading to the master bedroom and office will be obsured glass walls with sliding
glass doors.
The elevation drawings show the the added flat-roof dormer above the front half of
the foyer. This element requires some creative engineering. It may need to be
scaled back in size, but we're crossing our fingers that it won't blow the budget.
Also note the two new doors on the front of the house where there were only
windows before. These will lead out to a enclosed patio.
10.10.03—Chris from B&H Concrete Cutting wields a hefty blade as he cuts through
a bedroom wall like it was soft butter. Kids, don't try this at home. And if you do,
wear eye protection!
Michael from B&H sledgehammers out the old wall where one of the living room
doors will be. Don, of course, can tear down concrete walls with his bare hands.
Exterior views of the front walls with the newly enlarged window holes.
The two living room / outdoor patio door spaces. What kind of doors they will be
is a closely guarded secret... you'll have to wait and see. (The plan above provides
a clue.)
10.13.03 When the building was constructed in 1957, it was common to only fill the
blocks with concrete every third hole. The sawcutting exposed some of these
hollow spaces. So Don has to fill them back up before the final sandblasting can
happen. 10.15.03 John's Sandblasting returns to touch up the new window and
door edges. Oh boy, more clean up!
10.25.03 The Queen of the house, Diana, makes her weekly inspection visit,
escorted by her chief of security, Srgt. Quinn.
Quinn lays down his arms to take up the vacuum, clearing sand and dust from the
floor. After power washing all the exterior walls, Don sprays a industrial-strength
concrete sealer over the blocks.Click here to go to the next month...
Also visit Don's portfolio site: www.designbutton.com
