August 17, 2009: Staining and drainfield

Over the weekend, we visited the lot and ran into Dan where we found out the drainfield wasn't actually quite done as the number of required drainage lines had doubled, so that now the builders and the survey engineer think the drain field is ridiculously overdesigned (large enough to accommadate a 8 bedroom house - it's 4 bedrooms).

However, by Monday evening, the additional lines had been dug (cheaper than fighting the state for a few months while simultaneously delaying our certificate of occupancy) and some staining had begun on the railings.

View of the house at sunset.

Rebar that will be used to reinforce several concrete pourings in the near future.

The stained railing. Note neither the steps nor the floor have been stained yet. That won't occur until virtually everything is done.

Another view of the stain on the stair railings

Over hte weekend, Preethi and I picked out some tile and made a little pattern for the doorway. It'll be laid tomorrow and presumably grouted on Wednesday.

The larger (twice as big now) and graded (again) drainfield.

A better view of an inspection pipe on the septic tank.

The distribution box with ALOT more pipes. Originally, 4 holes had been left unfilled so that if there was ever a problem with the field, the same box could be hooked up to the reserve field. Now, every hole but one is taken.

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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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August 7, 2009: Tree falls, and more painting

On the 6th, a storm came through and knocked over a tree onto the house. Nothing significant happened to the house (a gutter got banged up). Preethi said it meant the choice of brick paid for itself.

In the meantime painting continued.

The tree, now laying across the drainfield.

Where the tree broke off.
In addition to the painting, the pipe for the culvert was delivered. Eventually, it'll look like this.

View of the great room where the first coat of the wall paint has been made. It's kinda blotchy at this point, but will look better later once a second coat is applied. You can also see some of the trim beginning on the fireplace (the firebox is pretty big - 42").

View of the kitchen.

View of the dining room. Basically, the kitchen, dining room, and great room are blue while the rest of the house is off-white.

Deer came right up to the backside of the house to munch on leaves. Never left even though they saw me standing 5 feet away (but inside the house).

Another view of the deer.

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Aug 3, 2009: Paint and tub tiles

On Monday, we visited the house in the evening. Painting had begun on the ceiling and the first coat on the walls was up in some rooms. Also some tile work was still going on in the master bathroom.

View of the dining room. As painting traditionally starts with the ceiling, that part is about done even though there's not yet any primer on the wall (which will eventually be bluish grey shade you see in the corner (top part). The railings will remain covered for quite a while.

The ceiling in the kitchen.

A railing was measured and cut for the stairs. It'll go down as soon as the painting begins on the walls.

View looking up the stairs. Here you can see where some of the walls are beginning to be painted an off (yellow) white. That color was chosen mostly because we don't really have the furniture we want for the house yer and thought it would be a nice neutral color.

View of the walls in the master bedroom. If you look closely, you can see a gap between the walls and the ceiling. That'll be filled in eventually, but a little gap makes spraypainting the walls easier.

View of the walls in a different second-floor bedroom.

Tiles around the master bath tub. The little row of small tiles uses the same tiles as on the floor of the shower - in theory tying it all together. That's actually the last of the tile except for the foyer.

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July 31, 2009: Steps, tile, and paint prep

We actually visited the house on Thursday and Friday, but I didn't get around to posting pictures until after Friday's visit, so there will be some progress shots of the same room in this post. Work focused on completing the steps (done, except for staining), tile work, and prepping for painting, which begins in earnest on Monday.

The completed steps (well except for staining, which is why the feet are above the steps) viewed from a low angle in the great room.

View of the great room. And Preethi.

A couple steps were built in the garage to lead into the main house.

Some casing around the garage opening was added.

Tiles in the laundry.

Tiles on the floor in the master bathroom.

Another view of the tiles in the master bathroom.

Yet another view of the master bathroom. You should generally stay off of the tiles while the thinset is curing, hence the slight barrier.

Tiles in the downstairs bathroom.

A view of some of the channels in the drainfield from the master bedrooom.

In prepration for painting, the tiles were covered.

Covered tiles in the laundry.

Actually, from the painters' perspective. they've already started painting as they caulked the trim around the house, which you can see if you look closely at trim around this closet door on the second floor.

The caulk is a little easier to see when the trim isn't also white (it will be painted white along with the rest of the trim).

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