The Front of My Hacienda Is Finally Back Together!

Yesterday Carlos finished the stoop and siding. He repaired the siding and installed the railing. Finally, something in this remodeling project is finally done!

This is shot of the stoop in late June 2006. Lori and I were getting the place cleaned up for the 4th of July pool party with her kids.











Here's what it looks like today.

The planting might even start today.

Some difference, huh?

The Adventure Continues

Yesterday Frank, my bathroom contractor, finished putting up the dry wall, applying the first coat of spackle and laying the cement board on the floor.



It was a long day yesterday for the guys working on the stoop. They didn't leave until after 8:00 PM just about the time the mosquitoes came out in force.


Around 6:00 I got a call from Phil, the guy that's going to build a custom vanity for the half bath. Yesterday I told you all about that problem. He arrived around 9:30PM and we went over what I needed. He explained a few problems and came up with a new design. I loved his idea! I'll hold off telling you what it is until we work out a price and I contract him to do the job.

When he left I was beat so decided to go to bed. I tried turning on my TV. Yes, I tried, but it didn't go on. NOW WTF IS WRONG!!!! To make a long story short, the electrical outlet had no power. It did this morning before the contractors showed up, but not now. I'll bet they cut a wire when they worked on the front wall footing. Oh well, so I went out to the garage, found and extension cord and plugged the cable box and TV into another outlet.

Lori called and we chatted until a little after 11:00. The contractor at her new place finally got all of his stuff out of her garage yesterday, so Lori and her kids moved tons of stuff into the garage to get it out of their way and finally start to unpack.

A bad thunder storm came through early this morning. It delayed Carlos and his crew from continuing on the stoop early. That was great for me, because I got to sleep in and didn't get up until 10:15AM when I heard them tamping down the fill in the stoop.

Frank arrived soon after that to get back to work. I explained the electrical problem to him. He said he'd take a look at it before he left. I did a little trouble shooting myself and narrowed it down to, yes, the wiring they had to move yesterday when they replaced the footing. I found two places where the wire could have been cut. Just before he left today, he found the cut wire I found and spliced it back together.

Today Frank laid the floor tile and put on another coat of spackle. What do you think?


Carlos and his crew are still at it. I really like how this is turning out. Wait until you see the stone they are laying on top.

Remodeling Update

I guess you heard about the footing for the front wall of my house being rotten. Here's the before of the footing for the front wall of my house.


Here's a closer look.


Frank my contractor said that it wouldn't have been long before the front wall of the house would have broken through the rotted wood and dropped 7". Then I'd have been looking at BIG BUCKS to repiar the damage.

He repaired the footing first thing this morning. Here's what he had to build to hold up the floor of my house while he replaced the footing. But first I had to clear out that side of my basement so he could build the temporary wall. If you saw this video tour of my basement, you know that was easier said than done.


Then they removed the rotted wood in sections.


Then cut the wood to fit.


All done! I am the proud owner of 12" of pressure treated wood footing.


With an aluminum flashing to divert the rain water, just like they should have done in the beginning. You can see that the other contractor for the stoop went back to work.

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Now the continuation of my half bath saga.

Last night I picked up a medicine chest, light and storage cabinet for the half bath. When got home I measured the spacing for them and the toilet and sink. I discovered that the toilet and pedestal sink won't fit side by side. The half bath is only 4'x4', so there is no other layout possible.

This morning I explained the problem to the contractor. He verified the problem then said he could get the plumber in if I wanted, but it would be a lot of trouble, and money, to move the plumbing for the sink and toilet and I'd still be very closed to the sink when I sat on the toilet. Even if I tried a smaller pedestal sink, moving the plumbing would still be required.

So I decided to go back out this morning and search for a small vanity in black. I went right out looking for a 18" to 22" black vanity. I looked everywhere I could think of, but no luck. Either they were too wide or not in black. I even checked a cabinet store, but they would take 4-6 weeks and the vanity wouldn't be black. When I got back to the house, I told Frank I couldn't find anything, expecting him to tell me I had to move the plumbing. But he had one more idea.

He told me to check on line or in the phone book for custom cabinet makers. He said an 18" vanity is very common and white, black and brown are very popular. I called around and found someone that would make one. He'll make a 18" vanity to look like the medicine chest painted black for about $400. But he will take at least two weeks. So he called a friend of his and his friend can do it sooner. His friend called but I was out. I returned his call and left a message. He just called me back and will come here late tonight so we can discuss what I want.

Today they put up the dry wall in the half bath and first coating of spackle. They'll be back tomorrow to do another coat and do the floor tile. They should be done with the half bath on Friday.

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Now back too the stoop.

The contractor is still here working on rebuilding the stoop and will be here until about 7:00 PM. They should be done by Friday too.



Frank is planning to start on the master bath on Monday. I'll give you the update on that tomorrow.