Both sides sided – front started

Ayesh and I have both been sick this week, and I haven’t had much energy to go for very long walks with Dot in the morning, so I haven’t been stopping by the house.  From a few check-in calls with our contractor, Mike, we’ve known that our construction guys got all the drywall up and early this week got the heater up and running so that they could start taping and mudding.  Apparently the mud won’t dry if it’s too cold.

Ayesh stayed home from work today and shortly before sunset, decided she had just enough strength to go check on the progress of the work.  So she suited herself and Dot up (you’ll see her below in her yellow winter coat) and took plenty of photos for me.

Scaffolding in the master

Dottie lurking in the front hall

Long view of first floor

Living room taped and mudded

Southeast corner

North side finished

Wall to wall

Yesterday we walked in on a crew of six going to town on drywall installation.  When we walked in to the house I would say that 60% of the drywall was up.  It was an amazing and dramatic difference from just a couple of days ago when all we saw on the walls was new installation.

This morning I walked by and was surprised to hear drywall screws zipping away from the outside. Our guys sounded like they were back and still going at it – fantastic for a Sunday! (I’m wondering if the beer we brought the guys yesterday helped? Uh, yeah. We felt guilty for busting in and interrupting thier work flow with all of our questions so we delivered a big case of brews at the end of the day.  I guess the guys appreciated the gesture).

At 4:00 p.m. – the scene looks like 95 – 98% of the drywall is up. Incredible.  It’s starting to feel like an actual house again, and not just a cave of framing.

Master bath

Master ceiling & skylight

Inside master bedroom

Upstairs front room

Living & dining area

Looking back toward kitchen

View of the front door

Front entry

Drywall delivered; footings dug

Yesterday, on my regular morning walk with Dottie, we rounded the corner to view our house just at the moment that the last pallet of drywall was being delivered.  Dot and I looked on two of our construction guys started immediately carrying it all into the house one board at a time.

I always like to check out the back of the house as well, and I had a feeling – a hope really – that since we’ve been having a series of above-freezing, sunny days that perhaps we might have some work starting in the back yard for the new porch to be built.  And, ta-daaa! Big holes in the ground! One at the back door to make room for stairs into our new basement back entrance; and three about 8 feet or so out from the house where the edge of the deck will be.

Three big footing holes

Carrying in the first piece of drywall

View of framing for new back stairs to be poured

Hello, loads of drywall