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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September 16, 2009: Outside lights, carpet, and seeding

I went out of town for a few days and a lot stuff happened. Maybe I should try this traveling thing a little more. Pictures are from when I went out to the house Wednesday after a red-eye into town. The garage door was functionsal, exterior lights were up, seeding had started, and.... well, you'll just have to see in the following.

House viewed from the tree in the northeast corner of the lot.

A light in stairwell going down to the basement.

A light post at the corner of the driveway and the sidewalk.

Light on the north side of the garage (it has a twin on the south side)

Preethi inspects a fan in the master bedroom.

A light in the entryway. Looks real nice at night from the road.

A light by the garage backdoor.

Lights over the basement entrance and the eventual (year, two?) deck entrance.

We're seeding the ground with creeping red fescue. (We have a lot of shade).

Some of the seeds on the ground before straw covering.

Floor padding waiting to be installed in the main level bedroom.

Floor padding was installed in the master bedroom.

Glass began to be installed in a cabinet

Glass in the cabinet doors.

The range was delivered, but hasn't been installed yet.

The floor vents were installed. We didn't want the vents that are flush with the floor to keep dirt from falling in when we clean.

Vent cover for cold air intake.

A little flooring covering to cut down on foot traffic as the floors still need another coat (and sealing).

Preethi reflected in one of the vanity mirrors in the jack and jill bathroom.

The other vanity mirror in the jack-and-jill.

That first vanity in the jack-and-jill with a wider perspective.

The shower door in the master bath was installed.

Mirrors in the master bathroom were also installed. You can kinda see both in this shot.

When you raise the grade of the land, roots can have a hard time getting the nutrients they were getting closer to the surface. One way to help this is with a tree well.

A tree well in progress.

A little retaining wall on the northwest corner of the house. The pad in front of the wall is where the propane tank will go.

Garage door from the outside.

Garage door from the inside.

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