Year 2 - Day 244

We have a date! (and no, it's not for the wedding! ha, ha) it's for the kitchen install. I went and coughed up the remaining balance on the cabinets this morning so that they can be delivered tomorrow for the installation to begin next Monday Oct 1.

We decided to hire a pro for the install so that it is done quickly and efficiently and any screw-ups are not our responsibility. I really hating picking between contractors and this one was tough but came down to availability. Mark Briganti could work better with our schedule than the other installer who was impressive and professional but way to busy to fit us in as soon as we would like. Although Mark is the guy who didn't call me back about moving the window that provoked me to do the framing work, I think he will be good for the install.

So I will take Mon/Tues/Wed off and Bob will be home/in the locale in general - maybe at the office but around for any decisions we have to make on site.

When I paid for the cabinets I picked up one cabinet door that is going to be a dummy door in the boxed in duct area. This way we can "ooh" and "ah" over it tonight.

I picked up 12 packing blankets from U-Haul to cover the newly finished hardwood floors so that they do not get trashed by the workmen next week. And now we have to clear all the cr*p off the screened-in porch so that the 40 or so boxes of cabinets and stuff have room to be delivered.

Then I/we have 'til Sunday night to finish installing the trim, priming, and painting (and probably a few other things that I have forgotten.)

Very exciting.

Year 2 - Day 238

Kevvie tests the duvet (or is he trying to escape the sound of remodelling?)


More floor stuff. I waited and waited this morning for Luis, the floor guy. Called him twice and left v-mail. Finally gave up and set off to work. I got maybe 1/4 of the way to work and he called "Christen (still not my name), are you at home?". "Not really," I replied, "are you at the house?" "Yes, yes, I at your house," he replied.
So I turned around and headed home. Luis was there chilling in the chair on the front porch with 2 guys that I had not seen before. We went in and he started discussing the floor with Marcus, a guy who spoke good English and very quickly struck me as Luis' Flooring Swat Team.
Luis was explaining (in Portugese) to him the area that he had taped out for the fix in the area between the new and old boards and I heard him mention "satin". So I asked Marcus if he thought the old finish was satin or semi-gloss. He took a quick look and immediately said "semi-gloss, I have some in my truck." He then also said that it was quicker by far to just buff the room and put one more coat on the whole floor rather than try to fix one area. So that was decided and I helped Luis take up his tape while telling him that I really appreciated him fixing the errors and that I had a friend that needed floor work and I could I give her your number?. (See I can shmooze just like the mayor himself!)
Then Marcus said that rather than patch fix the spill and the dull patch in the DR, it would again be quicker to just buff and recoat the entire room.
So the outcome is both rooms got buffed one more time and then recoated, I believe with semi-gloss. I had already hung the plastic drop cloths, more to keep the cats out so it was all good, and Luis et al were gone in about 30 minutes.
I'm eager to get home and check it out. I think it will look great.

HVAC guy comes tomorrow to cut the hole in the floor for the duct to the toe-kick register and MPR should have a cabinet install quote for me today. Then we will be ready to get this thing installed!!

I did learn though that if you do need to just work on a small area of a finished hardwood floor, one tip is to mask off the area with tape and run the tape along the ends and sides of the boards. So that basically you urethane only whole boards and and any difference in the finish falls on the join between boards where it might be harder to spot.

We have also learnt that the best drop cloths to hang are a really lightweight plastic like the bags you put your vegetables in in the supermarket. Adelson, our sheetrock guy used this stuff and Bob took good note. It's easy to hang as it doesn't weigh much so doesn't keep pulling the tape off the ceiling, it lets some light in, it seals nicely with blue tape and you just chuck it away afterwards. We found a roll in HD labelled "Professional Painter's Plastic". It's 9ft x 400' so it's the perfect width (height) for ceiling to floor stuff and thin enough that you pull it out and it becomes like a rope so you size up your length that you need and then just snip through the "rope" rather than having to cut all the way across and risk not getting it straight. It's .31 mil in thickness.

Year 2 - Day 237

There has been an interesting development on the wood floor. I had called Luis, the floor guy, to say that there were a couple areas that needed some attention. One was were the guy had spilled urethane on the floor - it happened to be right in the middle of the DR. Then there was a dull spot right in the DR doorway, so very visible and then there was a general dullness in one area in the kitchen.
The guy was coming today so last night I went over the floor really well to be sure I hadn't missed anything.
What emerged was that there was a general band of dullness across the kitchen which happened to coincide with the general area where the old and new floor met. This got us thinking that even though I told them that the old floor was finished with semi-gloss, to which they said "No, it looks like satin", they had maybe finished the floor with a non-matching finish.
So Luis came in this morning, Bob was at the house and I was at work. Well, to cut a long story short Luis did not want to fix this large area in the kitchen. He argued many ways that it was "the difference in the old boards that I told you would happen and you should have had us buffer and finish the whole area".
Bob and I argued that we were really happy in general with his work and finish, that we thought that you actually couldn't tell where the new and old boards met and that it was an issue with the finish not the board color. To illustrate this I said that the dullness ran down the middle of an old board proving that it was not an old/new board thing. He said he would recoat for $150. To which I replied that I wasn't paying him anything more but I expected him to finish his work to an acceptable level.
He continued to argue that he wasn't going to do anything other than the DR fixes and that the floor was like that naturally. So then I told Bob to tell him that it was proven that you could have dull spots on the new wood as there was the dull spot in the DR doorway all on new wood. After this he started to change his tune and then agreed to put one more coat down on the kitchen and marked off the floor for his guy to come back tomorrow and fix.
Of course Bob was working from home today to be there for this guy so now I have to slide my work day tomorrow to be there at 8 a.m. or whenever he arrives. Hopefully this will all work out OK and our floor will be 100% good instead of 97% good. Too bad it wasn't in an area that would be under the cabinets or I would just have let it go but it's right where you walk into the kitchen.

Year 2 - Day 234

At the first house viewing









Before the Wall of Cote










I shall call it The Wall of Cote. And it shall be so.

Siding day at the homestead.

The before photo is not quite accurate as I had taken more siding down but it's a good representation. Trimmed out the exterior of the window. Wasn't sure if you should do this before or after the siding but figured before as if I had to trim back the siding I might compromise the flashing so did that first. Didn't want to use the old trim in case it had lead-based paint and didn't fancy sanding and getting that dust everywhere.
Started off running one of Cote's siding lengths the whole way across under the window, checking for level and also measuring the exposed face to be sure it was consistent. At this point I realised that the kitchen sink vent pipe was just behind the sheathing and although my nails were going into the studs, just as a reminder I measured off where the vent pipe was in the wall and put a long piece of blue tape on the wall to remind me not to nail anything near there.
I anticipated having to buy some clapboard but started getting lucky: I had 5 lengths of siding that I had taken off and kept that were the perfect length - spot on perfect, no cutting - to fill the gap to the L of the window. This was great as it meant no wastage. So I mixed old and new siding using them to where they best fit without wastage which meant generally that one row was seamless and then the row above had a seam. Where the pieces were shorter I tried to keep these in the far corner were they would be less likely to be seen.
I notched the boards around the window using the SharkSaw. I am more and more impressed with that thing (apart from the fact that with it being double-edged if you catch it on your knee, for example, you get cut). I made what I would think are some tricky notches that I would normally need a jigsaw or something for (which I don't have) and the SharkSaw's flex allowed me to do these cuts with great precision.
Looked like I would need to buy 1 x 12ft length to finish the job but calculated and jiggled around what I had left and noticed that one row near the top had much less face exposed - 5.5" instead of 6.5" like the others - this was an old row so not by bad workmanship (;-D). This meant I could use a slightly crappy long old piece I had that I hadn't anticipated using because it had been notched to go around the old window and the notch went into the face area. So I chucked that up on the wall on the last row, tucking the notch under the board above so that it was covered and didn't show (got lucky there for sure) and that left a gap of about 2 ft in length to the corner. I just needed a piece to fill that space and I wouldn't have to buy any clapboard.
I only a 3" piece left from Cote's siding and all the other siding I ripped off was outside soaking wet from rain. I found one old offcut that was too short and then I remembered the piece I took to Cote's originally to compare siding sizes. Just had to find it. Eventually I tracked it down to the junk pile in the garage and, just like the 5 previous lengths that fit perfectly, this one did too, no cutting, just nail it up.
So the siding is done, just need to caulk the window trim and fill the old nail holes in the old stuff then prime the new siding. (And add a project to the list that we need to sand all this siding and repaint this and the entire screened in porch - eee gads!) why do you always cross one project off while adding 2 more?

Year 2 - 233

The Cote Mobile

Last night was siding night at the Cote residence. Dave and I removed the 5 x 19'+ boards from the wall inside his basement. Didn't take long but I was surprised that they were single boards - I kind of expected a join somewhere along the way. I guess long cedar boards were more abundant 30-35 years ago.
Anyhoo, these were 10" boards so we ripped them down to match our 8" boards using Cote's circular with the fence installed - very nice - our circular saw does not have a fence that I know of - jealousy!
Then the challenge was getting them home. I hadn't anticipated the boards being so long so Cote lent me his truck and we strapped them to the rack and the rear and used the sag of the boards to strap them down to the front of the hood. A quick drive home and an unload and I was back driving down to Cote's.

Shortest board is 19' 4". I'm not sure but the length of the wall I'm covering is that same length give or take an inch - hopefully it's an inch in my favor rather than the other way around. 97.5 lin ft of clapboard would cost $279 at Ring's End. Thanks Cotes!

Year 2 - Day 233

Day 82











Day 1


The floor guy is done. I left yesterday morning as he packed up so the floors still looked glossy as they were wet but when I got back after the trip to get the cedar clapboard from Cote they had dried to the satin finish.

The join between the old and new parts is really imperceptible. You can see it if you look at the tightness of the boards - mine are tight and snug and the 55 year old ones are a bit more gappy but color-wise the match is perfect. A very good decision to have the guy do it (thankyou Bob! for the subtle prod on that.)

Year 2 - Day 231

"Kirnee, I can't stretch out in a cat crate."


Interesting day today as the guy comes to sand and "finish" the floors. I have not used this guy nor have any recommendations on him other than he was recommended to us by our sheetrock guy. I have a certain uneasyness about him but we shall see.

He does not turn up at 8am as promised and I call him at 8:30a.m. "Ah, yes, Christina" (not my name) he says "I'm just getting materials." So I say I'll see him at 9am. He turns up at 9am with his hair very precisely combed down. "Christina, you have materials?" Hmmm, I can see it's going to be an interesting day. "No, Luis," I say, "You are getting the materials." "Ah, yes, he says, I get, no trouble. I go wait for my guy and come back 20 minutes." Luis is Brazilian as are almost all the guys who have worked on the house. For promptness he ranks in the middle of Marcone (our carpenter), very busy so never calls back and Adelson, our sheetrock guy who is super reliable. Maybe its because Adelson speaks a little English but it's hard to communicate with him on the phone so he can't call to try and change the time. Luis and his guy do return.

11 a.m. - so far so good. The guy - don't know his name - he's another Brazilian that doesn't speak English other than be able to talk about flooring has finished the sanding. Sounded like he used 3 or 4 grades of sandpaper. Now he's buffing, then he'll vacuum and put down 2 coats of water-based finish. "Then 2 coats tomorrow." He says. Yikes! - I am meant to be at work tomorrow - maybe I can change it so that I work the afternoon evening instead.

Maybe I'm being picky but I will say that with Luis, when you're ready to book him you just call him 2 days before you need him and he turns up. A slow start for a quick turn-around is probably a fair trade.

Throughout all this the cats are in their crates in my car in the street wondering what the hell is going on. I didn't think they would like the sound of the sanding and fortunately it's a lovely cool, breezy fall day. I have been popping out every so often to check on them. They are not impressed at being in their crates. Kevvie, ever the softie, seems to "meow" a pitiful "Kirnee save me." Whereas CJ, ever the firebrand, seems to "meow" "WTF Kirnee?, what is up with the f'in crate?."

Soon they can come back in and all will be forgiven I hope.

It's shortly after noon and it's gone very quiet. A quick peek out the window and the guy has gone. 2 coats are on. I call Luis to see when he will be back. "Tomorrow." He says. "What time tomorrow?," I ask. "Sometime tomorrow morning." He says. "9 o'clock." He adds.

Year 2 - Day 225

Random pic of nephew Rob styling it up.


Something about the Ring's End "gouge" ticked me off. I also realised that I could cut Cote's 10.5" siding down to the 8" size I needed with my circular saw if needed. So I sent Cote a text message late last night saying I wanted to come look at it again and I called in this morning with a scrap piece of my siding in hand.
I wanted to check that the lower edge of the siding would be the same thickness once cut down. He is happy to get rid of it - it's a bit of an anomaly in his basement - it is extremely random that the previous owner's of his house chucked up some nice cedar siding on an inside wall in the basement. I just have to go over and remove it.
He has 5 rows with a 19ft run so that's almost 100 linear ft. I had ordered 146 lin. ft from Ring's End. I called up and cancelled the ($400 siding) order and the guy said "oh, so you must've got it somewhere cheaper". "Yep" I said and he waited for me to explain where but I never did. (Ha!) I'll probably have to go and buy a little from them to make up the difference but I'll see how far I get with Cote's siding and the stuff I saved of the old siding.

Also decided that I'll have Luis put the finish on the wood floor (good thought Bob). It will cost me at least $400 in materials/rental (and perhaps a bit more in massages and knee ice packs!!) and his quote is $600. I also found the quote for the original refinishing of the other floors in the house so I can tell him exactly what the finish is so he can match it.

Year 2 - Day 224

Adelson, our Brazilian sheetrock guy, came this evening. He didn't think he wold makeit as he was stuck in traffic but he and the guys turned up at 6:30pm to do the 2nd coat. So far they have worked the Saturday of Labor Day w/e, then Adelson worked a few hours Labor Day Monday and then this evening. Sorry to say it but I don't think an American guy would do that.

Luis, his flooring buddy, came over to quote on finishing/polyurethaning the floor. Bob (ever the voice of reason) suggested we use Luis so here is my dilemna: I would like to do the finish as well seeing as I laid it however the opportunity cost of having Luis do it for $600 is tempting as I would spend, at first estimate, over $300 on materials and sander rental alone.

Varathane Random Orbital EZ Sander rental - 1 day - $35
3 gals (minimum) Varathane Diamond WB Floor Finish @ $47/gal - $141
Sand paper for the orbital sander- low estimate - $64
Lamb's wool applicator - $35
Respirator - $37

Add in rags, rubbing alcohol, dish bowl for the urethane, an orbital hand sander for edging, sand paper for that and you can chuck on another $100 without counting $65 for a nice DeWalt hand sander. So then I'm up to $400. So I'd only save myself $200.

I had an earlier quote for everything - installation and finish of $2200 from Bischof Flooring. By installing myself I spent ~ $800 so take of $600 for finishing and I've saved $800 already.

Do I want to finish it myself and make it a nice round $1000? Or is the time I would take to do it worth more than the $200 I would save?

Also got gouged a bit at Ring's End. Catalog say $2.05 / lin ft for cedar siding and they billed me $2.70 / lin ft when I paid tonight. I called them back to say I think you over charged me and he said that prices have gone up. I did get him down to $2.45 / lin ft which is probably just the contractor price that I should've asked for anyway.

Bumped into Cote in the hardware store and he said he had a wall in his basement strangely covered with cedar siding and I could have it for nothing. So I went up and scouted it and it is 10.5" and mine is 8" so I said no but after talking to the Ring's End guy I figured I could just get Cote's and cut it down to 8" with my circular saw. I'd do it on a table saw but I don't have one. Maybe I could lug it up to Macaluso's and rip it there?

Another dilemna as Ring's End are scheduled to deliver $360 worth of cedar siding on Friday. The more I think about it the more I think I might take Cote up on his offer - I can use it on one side of the window where if there's any edge thickness differences it won't show. And then buy the remainder that I need from Ring's End.

Year 2 - Day 222

Was flicking through the photos that we took of the house the first time we viewed it, when the past owner's shite was still "in situ". Wow, I had forgotten alot of the horrors. Somewhere there is a pic of Bob and I in the DR during the walk-thru' but I can't find it to compare to now so I'll have to make do with these. These ones however do not do justice to the fake crazy paving/stone linoleum that is now forever banished to the subfloor!

When DIY goes wrong ...

from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=479267&in_page_id=1811

Year 2 - Day 221

Even though they are not swollen, my knees feel like tight balloons. I've already been starting the past couple days with 3 Advil!. I can envisage 2 large ice packs on them tonight. I guess that's my olympic career gone! Although I might be permanently bent over enough to do curling!

Year 2 - Day 220

Wasn't sure if I'd have enough wood left to do the office so I added a threshold in the doorway from the dining room to the office. The board nearest the camera is a piece of scrap that I have screwed to the floor to hold the piece in front of it secure. I used this technique (that I read about on hammerzone.com) in the kitchen/dinig room doorway where I set the square for the whole room.


While Adelson did the sheetrock I continued laying the hardwood in the DR. This is slow progress. I changed my mind about going over to the other wall and flipped a board around and nailed it down to the two boards I had squared up in the door jamb so that hte "tongues" were pointing into the area to be floored. Then I just got going. Had quite a few cuts to make which I didi with the SharkSaw (a pullsaw) that thing is great. Continued laying floor until about 10:30pm as progress was slow and I wanted to get at least halfway across the room so that I could get it finished tomorrow and take the compressor back to Jeff.

Year 2 - Day 220

This is turning into the super productive weekend. Adelson and his boys came and sheetrocked the kitchen. He was meant to mud the first coat as well but decided that he wanted to get a different compound as he has to ease the transition between the 3/4" thick old plaster and the 1/2" sheetrock he hung. He could've used 5/8" 'rock but the green moisture-resistant boards only come in 1/2". I know he'll do a great job hiding the transition. That happens on Monday.