remodeling for geeks

To Do List

Like the story of the shoemaker whose kids have no shoes, so it goes here at casa lemurzone.  Am wrapping up the current phase  of my  clients project, being the  guest  bath,  and having  the usual situation, being time and no money, I am working  on my  To Do list. Good thing I have lots of pencils and paper. Yes I may have 4 computers and 7 monitors, a bunch of drafting software, I still draw stuff on paper.

As I have been enclosing and extending the footprint of the casa, natural light has become a bit of an issue. For example, the new temporary workshop #2, turned my kitchen into a cave.

I did install a small window in what will become my new office, between the media room and the laundry.
Makes quite a difference in the room. Even helps the kitchen. See didn't I tell ya it was a real cave?
This is why I will be installing a solar tube in here. Yes those are night lights. I am night blind and would break my neck otherwise.

Because so much of what I do is on the fly, I am moving the doorway 6'' west, so that I can mount my DVD shelves on the wall between the media room and the living room. I will get 2 units to the right of the doorway and three to the left. I already have some thin florescent fixtures for  lighting. 
Plus I have to make a trip to  to get the old shelving units out of here. So this is how I will spend my summer.

The New Temporary Workshop V2 (beta)

Last summer I won some money on the lottery, which allowed me to make some improvements around here. Block Fence, Driveway, Refrigerator Alcove/Utility Room. One of the things that I was able to build was a new temporary workshop. The old one was in the media room. The end game is a 18x36 workshop in the back.

The Table Saw
Here is the table saw in it's position. It is on wheels so I can make cross cuts as well as rips.
The extension table
The extension table is recycled from a temporary frame I built for a countertop. The deck is a leftover piece of the original T-1-11 siding. The cabinets are recycled from the Master Bath Project. On the back side I will be building a drop leaf for the miter saw. It is on wheels also.
The Far Side
The other side of the NTW has a couple of cabinets for storage of what not. I really need to get rid of those doors. I will be making a run to Habit for Humanity next week to get a bunch of stuff back into the recycling pipeline, Storage of materials remains a problem with the hallway acting as my storage depot. Now you see why I want an 18x36 workshop?

It's a dry heat. Tales of the Anti-Destination League.

Phoenix had it's first day over 100 yesterday. This week is looking to go down in the record books in triple digits.

I have mentioned before that remodeling is biblical in nature. One project begats another. Your idea is simple, replace some drywall and install a sink. Removing the drywall points out that the plumbing needs work, fixing the plumbing needs to have some carpentry, which means moving the electric, and so on. You get the idea.

The star player and cosmic trickster in remodeling is the Anti-Destination League. This occult organization is the single largest reason that time and budgets get blown out of the water. The ADL does things like making you have to go to the parts store 10 mins. before they close, and gives you red lights all the way. The material you have been looking for is mysteriously out of stock. The phone rings when you are on the ladder with one foot on the ladder and both hands full. You get the idea. Murphy is an agent of the ADL.

Of course, the Anti-Destination League had other plans. First up was the A/C unit which did not fire up. Good News! It was a thermostat. Second up was taking the herd, Flo the slavering jaws of death, Walnut, and Blackie to the vet for shots. What should have been a couple of hours, turned into an all day marathon of shots and surgeries, and prescriptions. Why the hell can't they make dog meds liquid?

Moving on...

Having gotten my tax refund back, and having a little breathing space between Projects for Others, I am hoping to work on the casa.
Specifically the movie room. The movie room has been framed up since 2005.

The west wall is where I am mounting my 42'' HD TV. The window will be getting a stained glass panel. This is also the room where I am installing a 'coffered' ceiling. I am still not sure if I am mounting the TV to the wall or if I will build a popup cabinet to hide the TV that will cover the window when the TV is raised.

The north wall is probably going to be bumped out a couple of feet and the archway made opened up a bit, and the DVD Cases built in to the walls. The other day I designed and built a DVD case. I need at least 2.

I still need to figure out what I am using for a door or drape for this opening. Plus I need to run the speaker wire for the surround sound.

The hall wall will get a pocket door, solving that problem.

Meanwhile I am looking at a solar tube for the kitchen, since putting the workshop on the back, the kitchen is almost as dark as a coal mine.
I am also learning how little space 10' really is, when you have a table saw and are cutting and ripping 4x8 sheets of plywood.

The New Temporary Workshop Episode 8

Work continues at a slower pace, as I am working on the client Master Bath Project. However I managed to get some stuff done around here.

This is the East wall, which I covered with 1/2" 5-ply plywood. I used 5 ply which is more expensive, but much more stable for mounting cabinets and holders of various sorts I have been collecting over time.
This is the wall between the shop and the alcove for the reefer and the utility room. It is insulated as well.

The majority of the taping and sanding is done. The north wall and it's soffit remains open as I have not switched the electric circuit around.

The kitchen window is wrapped as well as the temporary pocket door is installed.

Priming took place the other day with KILZ2 primer. Walnut the wonder dog could care less.

I built a 'airlock' door for the dogs out of 2 petdoor flap sides. I saw one in the store, but I balked at the 75 buck price tag, and the idea that I would need to remember 2 sizes and types of flaps. Lazy I am, for sure. Dogs like it.

I am also experimenting with trimless openings. I used "L" bead around the door. "L" bead and Corner Bead on the windows. I am still muttering about the floor.
On the left is the famous electric outlet featured here

I installed the outlets at 48'' off the floor because this is a workshop, and having the outlet above your benches is a good thing.

I have a break Wednesday, as the client has stuff to do, and the Master Bath Project will be at a resting point with the rest of the solid surface going in. Hopefully, my son and I will get the electricity moved, and get the soffits buttoned up. Plus we need to get materials for a gutter job on the other side of town.

Maybe get some of the cabinets moved, and installed on the walls. Thursday may be a down day as the Caravan needs to go to the shop to have the brakes repaired.

The New Temporary Workshop Episode 7

I managed to get some primer on the NTW the other day. The temp was in the high 60's.
I am using KILZ brand primer. Great stuff. It works best in the 70's, as in the 60's it has the consistency of sour creme. But then so do all paints.

Inside I have hung the pocket door, which I am going to cut open and install a dog door on the bottom and a piece of tempered glass salvaged from a shower removal. Putting up the NTW, turned the kitchen into a bit of a cave, so I need to get as much light into the house as I can. I am also making the trim on one side of the pocket door frame removable, so when I find or build the door I really want, I can install it.

For Christmas I received this. Oh yeah! This tops the list of christmas presents for sure. I love stained glass.

Now I just have to find the best place to put it. The windows in the casa are dual pane energy efficient units with one big drawback. The damn faux pane dividers inside. These are the standard here in arizona. I'd like to bitch slap the person who thought this was cool. I hated multi pane windows when I had to repair, refinish and paint them. Having them in the center of the window, makes it doubling maddening as replacing dual pane units are more expensive than the window in the first place.

Right now it is in my bathroom in the window.

The forecast calls for high 60's during the first part of the week. I hope so. Then I can get the outside painted, and finish the inside, and move my tools into the workshop. Start building cabinets for my DVD's and books. Then I can move down the hallway and work on getting my office setup, and the media room/movie theater finished.

The New Temporary Workshop Episode 6

I have been otherwise engaged which puts this on the back burner. But I do have an Update.
Now that I have water and ice on tap with the refrigerator, and yes I rescued the silverware out of the drawer, I have been working on the workshop.
My son stopped by and gave me a hand hanging the ceilings in the workshop and the utility room.
I have been taping up a storm.
Installed and taped the cornerbeads and the L beads that I placed on the insides of the window sills and around the doors. This back wall is plywood so that I can hang anything anywhere. On the right side of the photo is the window that goes into the kitchen. The outlet box contains Cable, Phone and Network Cabling.

I placed the majority of my outlets 48" off the floor, as this is a workshop, and I am tired of bending over.

My soffit is still open as I still have a bit of wiring to do for the various switches.

The Utility Room which was originally going to be a 4x8' pad for the reefer and water heater is drywalled. I have a fresh air vent for the heater which is gas.

The reefer alcove was not a deep as the water heater opening, so I built an alcove on the back side for shelving for the rest of the crap that will end up in here.

The Refrigerator Adventure

As part of the New Temporary Workshop Project, one of my goals was to open up the wall and build an alcove to tuck my reefer into, opening up my kitchen. Having discovered that the PO left the original door in the opening and drywalled over it, I was ready to slash and burn.

My reefer is 36'' wide, and the concrete block finish was 36''. I had to blast the block away on the right, install a post and fill the area up to some semblance of square. I did this so that I could drywall the alcove. The other reason is that it allows me to insulate the walls in the utility room. I am also running a water line to use the ice maker.
I pulled the electric for the reefer from the outlet on the wall, which presented its own challenges in getting the romex through the walls.

I dropped the ceiling in the alcove so that the reefer will tuck in.

Cornerbead and a bunch of mud, the alcove is almost ready. Quick prime and paint, it is time to move the reefer.

It is a tight fit. The door hinges and the room I gave myself does not completely let me put the reefer in. Thats okay as I have a whole lot of room in my kitchen now.

Proving that I can't see the forest for the trees, here is a detail of the silverware drawer.

The funny thing here, is I showed photos of my progress to a friend, and the very first thing she asked was, does that drawer open?
I will be building new cabinets once I get the workshop done, so I am not worried about what's in the drawer.

The New Temporary Workshop Episode 5

Having gotten the tar paper up, my son came by and gave me a hand roofing the new workshop.

Just in time, as the rain arrived and pointed out two things.
1. A 1/4'' per foot drop is fine for driveways for water runoff, but is a disaster for shingle roofing.
2. Coffee Cans are real handy.

So I ended up re roofing.

Water runs off much better now.

Great Clients

My posting as of late has been spotty as I am working on the New Temporary Workshop at the casa, and am up to my neck in the Master Bath Project for my client.
Currently on the MBP, the walls are down, decisions are being made on stuff to go places. There have been a few surprises like the ceramic tile being laid directly over sheet linoleum, (this required three scrapings, 1 for the tile, 2 for the thinset and linoleum, and a final to get the glue and cutback adhesive off the floor.) I love the Makita Electric jackhammer!

The Great Foam being used as a spacer for the supply valves, the party wall and hidden cleanout.
The bath tub which has been a it stays, it goes, ...

In any case the experience has been pleasant as the client is amenable to ideas as well as having no problem pitching in or picking up materials.

But what makes a client great is, this morning, after meeting with the plumber, I told her I had to go home and dry in my roof, as it was beginning to rain. You never, never, ever leave OSB aka chipboard exposed to water, unless your pain threshold and dumb index is in outer space.

She followed me home and dug right in, from trimming flashing to rolling paper, nailing it off, and doing all these things while it was sprinkling and the wind was blowing. She is not the sort of person that normally uses ladders. She braved the elements and also was on the roof with me. Great Client!!

Saved the roof, she did.

In other news I got the windows in.

The New Temporary Workshop Episode 4

Yesterday, after working on the Master Bath Project, I thought I could get some work done on the patio. I only got one wall up as it gets dark at 6.

Today, the painters are painting the master bedroom so I had the day off. This means I had some serious time to devote to the new temporary workshop 2. I have been staging materials for weeks, so that I could get some progress going.

So this morning I started framing. This is a view of the bottom of my walls. the bottom plate is pressure treated lumber (the green stuff) with sill sealer attached. This works remarkably well in preventing moisture disintegrating the frame over time.

Attaching the walls to the slab are my favorite fasteners, sleeve anchors. Like I said, if this lifts up in a storm I will already be in Kansas. The posts are pressure treated as well, only because when I was buying lumber they were the only 4x4'' that were straight. Unless you have worked with pressure treated lumber, you have no idea how weird this is. Most pressure lumber looks like it belongs in a boatyard.

So by 1, I had the framing up, and went off in search of some new movies.

By 6, i have gotten this far. I sheathed, I cut out and set the door, and sheathed across the front and down the west side. I will cut out and install the windows tomorrow evening.

There is only so much you can do with a 150 watt light bulb.