September 23, 2009: Closets, Backsplash

I went out of town at the beginning of the week again and dropped by the house Wednesday evening. The backsplash, outside ground spots, logs for the fireplace, and closet shelves were all installed while I traveled.

Outside lights, including ground spots were installed.

The light post and the garage lights.

The ground spots used to light up the outside of the house. We'll eventually hide them in the landscaping. The boxes are there to limit mud splashing back on the bricks while the bricks are washed (to knock off excess mortar) on Thursday.

We have a street number! Which makes this a real house.

The house from the road.

Backsplash - a mix of marble with absolute black granite insets and some random 1" tiles we found at Home Depot for trim at the bottom.

Another view of the kitchen with the backsplash. After we move in, we'll track down some outlet covers that match the marble so you don't get the jarring white/black combination on the backsplash.

Closeup of the backsplash.

Pantry. Closet shelves were installed.

Coat closet on the main level. With shoe racks at the bottom.

One of the closets (his / her) in the master bed room.

The tub was installed and tiling touched up around the tub.

The covering paper was also pulled up so you can see the master bath floor for the first time in a long time.

Fireplace, now with screen and gas logs.

Switch (Fire switch?) for the gas logs.

The gas line to the outside of the house was hooked up. It'll run to the fireplace and to the range. We don't have a propane tank, yet, however.

To get a Certificate of Occupancy, we had to put railings to block exit from the main level doors that will eventually (year? two years from now?) open onto a deck.

Grass is coming in.

Glass shelf in the main level bath.

Perhaps the most important thing to be done - the water is all hooked up.

Outside faucet on the backside (basement). We can mix and match hot and cold water so we can bathe the dogs in the winter.

The driveway with surface treatment (tar and gravel). We'll pave next summer (not to save money which is why we delayed other things, but to let the ground settle first)

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August 27, 2009: Granite and front steps

On Thursday, we went to the house twice. Once during lunch to meet with the granite guys and then again in the evening to inspect the results and go on a walk. Work was also proceeding on the sidewalk and the front steps had gone in on Wednesday.

The granite in the kitchen in the evening after installation (all in). Preethi's playing "find the seam".

Your turn to find the seam. I promise it's there. What is easier to see is where the installers intentionally tore out a little drywall. Basically, the granite is perfectly straight, but drywall is not and if you'll be putting in a backsplash you can cover over the hole later.

Earlier in the installation process with the granite around the sink and dishwasher going in.

Same piece as in the preceding pic, but just after being dropped in (not yet glued and the sink has not yet been attached).

The granite around the sink post installation.

A closer view of the island. The island has a 1/4" bevel edge while the rest of the granite has a pencil edge. (granite edge types)

Another view of the installed granite in the kitchen.

We also put granite on top of fireplace. Oddly, the granite and the crown was cheaper than a traditional mantle piece.

The brickers were back installing the front steps the day before and while they were there I asked them how hard it would be to tear out some bricks rebrick a part which I thought didn't look right. (see the vertical line in the mortar in this picture). Turns out it's not that hard for the masons to knock out selected bricks and re-lay a few.

Preethi, Danny, and W.D. discuss the exact path of the sidewalk during lunch.

The sidewalk later that night. The curved wood is actually masonite.

This is mostly to see the bricked floor in the entryway. Still has to be cleaned.

Dan drops off a fresh load of dirt to build up the support around the piers that will support the garage backdoor pad.

Dirt filling in around the pillars. Eventually, the concrete blocks will be covered.

Glass samples we were considering for the cabinets. The left is "ridged" the right is "bubble". We're going with the ridged.

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August 13, 2009: Drainage and fireplace

When we visted on Thursday evening, the rest of the molding on the fireplace had been added.

A close up view of the crown molding on the fireplace. Before this is done, there will be a piece of granite on top. Longer term we'll finish out the fireplace in stone or tile, but haven't decided yet and didn't feel the need to commit to it yet.

A further away view of the fireplace.

Drain pipes from the downspouts. They have to release below the drainfield and will eventually be underground.

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August 12, 2009: Paint and drainfield

On Wednesday, we went to the house with Kate with a subsequent walk around the neighborhood. A second coat had gone on and the drainfield had been graded.

Preethi and Kate inspect the fireplace. You can see where the paint on the wall and the paint on the trim has been touched up and is looking much better.

View of the pantry in the kitchen. At this point, the paint is starting to look neat.

The graded drainfield. With the fallen tree.


The mostly repaired gutter. The gutter guys forgot the cover (lots of trees = lots of leaves = lots of clogs)


I think this an inspection pipe, through which you (or someone you hire) stick a long pole to determine the depth of solid material in the septic tank. When it's "deep enough," the tank needs to be pumped.

The distribution box is mostly covered.

The tile in the bathroom all together.

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August 10, 2009: Painting and Drainfield

Actually visited the house a couple times on the 10th (took some pictures to the carpenter), once midday and once in the evening. Work was going on for the drainfieldpainting, and some light trim work.

A drainfield ditch with a chamber at the end from the middle of the day.

By later in the day all of the ditches and chambers had been hooked up to the distribution box.

The basement still had some balloons from a party (Preethi's birthday) the week before.

The trim around the top of the fireplace will be a multi-layer crown molding. Here you can see the dental pieces whose corners had been a particular concern for me (turned out well).

Another view of the fireplace.

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