At long last, theme music has been chosen for the remodel project. And as is the style of the Webmaster, if you know the tune, your viewing pleasure will be enhanced. Those of you viewing this with Bill's browser (3.0 or later) and a sound card, you already know this. If you are a Netscape user... GET WITH THE PROGRAM!
Over the past two weeks construction focused on installing the remaining windows and beginning the process of wrapping the house in preparation for stucco. The electricians were also busy installing Cable and Satellite dish wiring into a central control panel. In addition, we took the opportunity to run stereo wire all over the house and back to the entertainment center in the new Family Room. The idea is to at-will connect cable TV or Satellite TV to any room in the house from a patch panel in the garage (this was Adam Malnove's idea... Good save Adam!). Stereo will be controlled from equipment racks in the Family Room (Vicki's idea for solving the same-music-throughout-the-house problem).
You may want to print this page for reference before viewing the pictures. It's a bit tedious to switch back and forth if you don't.
| Pic 1: The Biffy truck comes every Thursday. Missed him last week and almost again this week. Couldn't have visitors to the remodel Web wondering if we run a sanitary construction site... of course we do. Anything else would be uncivilized! |
| Pic 2-3: The next two shots of the rear of the house were taken 10-Jan and 18-Jan respectively. All the new windows are now installed and flashed ($20,000 please). The old roof tile is being stripped off in order to frame a larger overhang and then re-roof with some kind of new fangled composite tile (More $$$). Also note the solar pool heater panels have been removed. The pool company wanted $500 to remove and re-install. "Usurious," declared the Webmaster, "I can do the job in a couple of hours." ...And he was right! |
| Pic 4-5: This picture pair was also taken 10-Jan and 18-Jan respectively. In the foreground of the first shot is a stucco mixer. I'd say the stucco contractor was a bit optimistic on that day. It will be a month before they get a chance to fire the sucker up I'll bet. By the 18th, more wrap had been completed and chicken wire applied over the building felt. ...Now all we need are some chickens! The odd shaped window on the north side of the house finally arrived and was installed. The window guy is still smarting from having to eat several windows he miss-measured. "Now let's see, when a cutting plane intersects a parallelepiped at 45 degree angle diagonally from opposing corners, the window angle which follows the roofline is???? ...Oh hell, guess I should have paid more attention in Geometry class." |
| Pic 6-7: The fireplace has been moved from the front wall to the common wall with the Office. A last minute switch-a-roo saved it from occupying center stage (who needs a fireplace in San Diego anyway?) and put it in a less obtrusive spot. The save this time goes to the builder and cabinet guy. Now the entertainment center is to the right of the fireplace, centered on the South wall. Note the sofit at the 8 ft level extending across the fireplace to the right, ending where the bar will be. The carpenter calls this a 'pot shelf'. I'm not sure what kind of 'pot' he was referring to... this being California and all. |
| Pic 8: Paws inspects the new room. She can't see or hear so a construction site, especially one on the second floor is dangerous. She's already fallen into a 4 ft deep hole dug around the foundation. Fortunately, she wasn't physically hurt, just traumatized for a few days. I gotta get these workmen to stop tossing chicken bones on the floor. Paws has dragged more than one back into the house. |
| Pic 9: This picture was taken from floor level upward toward the corner of the new addition so you can see how the ceiling works. It's hard to explain but if you've mastered standing on you head and spiting nickels, you can also grasp what is going on with the compound ceiling. If your mind is boggling, visit us sometime. I'm afraid a still picture is only worth a thousand words... inadequate for describing the mess of angles that we have here. However, we did learn many new colorful words from the carpenter who had to build it, though. |
| Pic 10: This shot is toward the old bar and where the new one will be. The left had window wasn't there before. I can see already that with the investment in all these windows, we're going to have to take action against certain flora blocking the view. Anyone want a 40 ft rubber tree. It's yours for the price of digging it up and shipping. Now let's see, at $10 per pound shipping overnight air (you wouldn't want it to wilt would you), times 10,000 lbs... that's a pretty expensive, 'free' plant!! Cash only, no checks, please. |
| Pic 11: A shot from the kitchen sink toward the bar, and another chance to unravel the mystery of the roofline. |
| Pic 12: Here's a better angle on the entertainment center (South wall) and fire place. Note the convoluted sofit design... more choice words from the carpenter. Forgot to mention that between the floor and the sofit is a wall of cabinet work. "Oh mister contractor, I thought that was all part of the bid." "No, mister homeowner, that's extra. Now where would you like the shaft this time?" |