Windows and Floors

For about the last 4 weeks, we've been in an HVAC-inspired lull.

On the down side, this means we've been in an HVAC-inspired lull.

On the up side, it gave our contractor time to install 11 new windows, install sub-flooring in the bathrooms, install flooring in the closets, and replace / repair the sketchy floorboards in our hall.

Dumpster Diving

I will be the first to admit that one of my greatest pleasures of remodeling is being able to dumpster-dive our own dumpster.

I've mostly limited my treasure to wood scraps from the original pine floors, which I plan to use to make a headboard for the bed in our guest room, at least once I clean off 119 years' worth of grime and lead paint and mouse droppings.

Beam Me Up!

As it turns out? The way that one keeps one's house from falling down is to build two temporary support walls and then install a steel beam supported by posts that run from the second floor all the way down to the basement.

Let's just put it this way: we would have rather spent the money on an 8-week luxury camping trip in the wilds of Bhutan.

The "beam-fore" pictures: (groan)

Temporary wall #1, in the living room on the first floor (note the Alice-in-Wonderland effect re: our couch, coffee table and television): 

Temporary wall #2, in the basement:





To support the posts, they had to dig into the foundation and build new cement footings. Here's hole #1:





...and hole #2: 

Here's the support post along the chimney in the living room: 

And the one in the wall: 

And here are the support posts in the basement:

All of which brings us to one fairly badass steel beam, which will feature prominently in our steampunk library.

Lights, Camera, More Plumbing

Next up: electrical!

...which meant taking down all of the old knob-and-tube wiring and putting in a bunch of outlets, sconces and recessed lighting.
















With the floor firmly secured, the next step for the small bathroom was rough plumbing and a replacement soil stack, which they excavated via the cabinet on the staircase landing.








This is the closet where the soil stack was hidden: 

...behind the lath and plaster:

Old stack:





New stack!



...because it doesn't get much more exciting around here than replacing soil stacks!

Here's the plumbing, framing and electricity for the medicine cabinet and sink in the small bathroom:

Last but not least, the plumber installed the guts of the wall-hung toilet in the master bath: