July 2002 Construction Progress   (July 4, 2002)

This is the view from the top of the driveway.  It started to rain a bit yesterday so we had to stop our work on the siding.

From the southwest corner standing in the driveway this is what you see.   Note the duct for the combustion air that feeds the furnace above the ladder.

From the clothesline in the yard you can see how convenient it is to walk out of the future bedroom and fall ten feet into the yard.
We've left the railing off so that we can have an easier time moving large materials into the bedroom later on. 
I've got just enough of the railing that was removed previously (to make room for deck expansion) to cover that void with
decking that will match the rest. 

Sadly, it'll be a couple of years before we'll have the deck floor match between old and new.  
Note too that the siding is dirty. This siding shown here (and in the entryway) has been gleaned from
the former west wall of the house and should perfectly match the existing siding.  Doing things this way
the changes between the old-batch "original" siding and the "new" siding occur only around certain
corners and will not be immediately evident.   Sadly, the Reynolds company decided to change their
siding products a few years ago and the new siding (Ashland Davis) while of the same color, has a
very different grain.  The difference is subtle, but they should not be mixed on the same wall.
We lucked out and had just enough to complete the important matching walls-- still with  some left for later
repairs.

This is the view from the front door showing what will be the "main floor laundry". 
This could also be a nice coat closet if we leave the washer/dryer downstairs.
Since the bathroom plumbing was in the wall, it wasn't much to add the pieces
for the washer.

This is looking into the bathroom from the doorway.  You can see the socket for the
toilet on the floor to the right.   It's not a large bathroom, but it'll do the trick.

This shows the plumbing that attaches the stall shower to the system.
You can see that fine white vent pipe that I had to change, and at the
very top a piece of firestopping that was added per the inspectors.

This photo of the bathroom light/vent-fan shows the dropped ceiling over the
shower stall.  It also shows more of that redone venting and firestop.  If you
look closely, just above where the air duct leaves the building is a cutoff
piece of 1 1/2" vent pipe-- my earlier shower vent.  This pipe will likely
see use as a wire raceway bringing radio/LAN/TV between the old section
and the bedroom (saving my having to navigate the cramped wire runs
in the furnace room).

Here is the view of the future bedroom from the doorway in the hall.
On the right you can see the 8" stainless steel "MetalBestos" all fuel
chimney.  Just past the chimney the wall will continue and that will be
a closet.   To the left is the south wall with it's larger window and then the
door to the deck to the left of that.

It's amazing it all fit in.   This is from the basement looking up underneath
the bathroom.   There's not only drainpipe in there, hot and cold water,
heating ducting, but also the dryer vent pipe too!

This is another view of the conglomeration of piping that's under the bathroom.

Underneath the shower stall is a little less complicated, but not a simple
job to plumb.  You can see the cutoff white vent pipe that I changed. 
Above the heating duct on the right is where the new vent is connected.

Above the bathroom is the main vent stack for this bathroom and the ancillary
vent pipes connecting into it.  Perhaps I overdid the venting a bit, but, pipe is
not that expensive and I'd better error on the safe side.  As I learned from doing
the plumbing in the old house, it's easier sometimes to use more pipe and locate
the fittings "in the clear" (as I did here) rather than some other method.

Ahh, the furnace.  This item still impresses me every time I gaze on it.
It also impressed the inspectors (or so it seemed) as it's much larger
than most modern residential heating plants.  I still maintain that it's
the greatest thing since sliced bread!   While it broke the bank, it was
worth it.

Everyone has to have one of these.   Aside the driveway across from the addition,
yet up the hill a bit so as not to be right in the view from the new bedroom window
resides the trusty 275 gallon oil tank.   Note the blue wire hanging on a sapling
next to it-- that's Cat5 network cable-- someday I'll be able to check my oil level
online.  ... er, umm....

Seeing these three stickers (which represent four inspections-- electrical, mechanical, plumbing, structural)
gives me a big sigh of relief.  It's as if I passed the mid terms.   Now we can close up the walls and continue
until it's done.  The inspectors all return for final inspections when we are through.