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Over my head in Sauerkraut Bend.

131,974 Views | 685 Replies | Last: 15 hrs ago by p_bubel
p_bubel
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Still waiting on foundation quotes so I'm not really moving very fast on anything but I couldn't help but tear into some drywall.


[url=https://flic.kr/p/HRqyBC][/url]2016-07-04_10-58-14 by Paul Bubel, on Flickr

Found this, which while not surprising is very cool.

"From Ed. Steves and Sons"

Edward Steves

The company is still around too.

The Steve's home a couple of blocks away from my place:



Lumber was good.
The Fife
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Pic doesn't work
p_bubel
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Effin Flickr.
p_bubel
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So, the chimneys never had fireplaces which kind of blows. Just a connection for the stove pipes.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/HRmNep][/url]2016-07-04_10-57-55 by Paul Bubel, on Flickr
p_bubel
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[url=https://flic.kr/p/JmTxLs][/url]2016-07-04_10-55-49 by Paul Bubel, on Flickr

So the Ed Steves board is up top and upside down. My plans to completely remove the wall have changed. I would like to keep the top 3 or so boards exposed, so I might go with a large opening instead of complete removal.

I'm trying to decide to leave as is or put the board right side up too.
p_bubel
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[url=https://flic.kr/p/JCBWrq][/url]2016-07-04_10-57-41 by Paul Bubel, on Flickr

Some old termite damage. It runs clear across the wall at just that height.
p_bubel
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The ceiling boards aren't tongue and groove so there are gaps into the attic which means drywall is going back up.

I just realized the boards are single piece the length of the wall too. Crazy

That's it for this weekend. Looking forward to getting the foundation done so I can make some real progress.
p_bubel
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Photos showing up now?
The Fife
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Yep!
The Fife
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Now that I have a spare moment I can actually type something out.

I knew the ceilings there were high, but I never expected to see this! Shame there aren't any transoms. Are you planning on adding any or putting it back as-is? I'm not seeing any floorplan changes I would personally make anyway. Seems like it's a halfway decent layout to begin with. Doing anything with the utilities while you have access or leaving any conduit in the walls for A/V wiring upgrades later?
p_bubel
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Yeah, 11 foot ceilings. Pretty cool.

The layout is fine, really. The bathroom location still bugs me as does the two front doors. I haven't decided if I'm going to move the bathroom yet. The wiring itself isn't very old and I haven't given any thought to A/V stuff. I am going to install can LEDs in the living room and kitchen. I'm sure I'll re-plumb to the sucker before the new skirting is installed, which should be fun.


I would absolutely love to put transoms above the doors. I have an unhealthy fascination with them.

This place was built as a rental with no real big frills I suspect, so I'm going to have to get creative in putting stuff in.

I appreciate the feedback.
will.mcg
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AG
No posts in a month? I pray you haven't already run out of money.
The Fife
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Vatos Locos showed up
p_bubel
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Nothing done that's post worthy, really. Work has gotten nuts. Really nuts. Expired professional license nuts. I've spent the past month jumping through idiotic hoops and dropping nonrefundable coin with the state agency getting it back.


An error on their part has cost me around $2k and several trips up to Austin so far. I should be back at work making money on Monday. Fun Times. That's been priority one.
p_bubel
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[url=https://flic.kr/p/L1tytY][/url]

So, with the chimney on the left side of the wall in the closet I'm going to leave around 2 to 3 feet of wall there and open up the door way to the right another two foot or more. The height should be another 2 feet higher for the opening as well.

If I still had photoshop I would show you.
p_bubel
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I'm going to lose about 2 vertical studs in the process. While I seriously doubt a header will be required as there is currently none above the door already and no structural reinforcement above in the attic, I'm still going get a qualified second opinion.

I'm going to pull the drywall off the back of the wall and reuse the long boards back there to replace the termite damaged sections on this side. The chimney appears to be lightly coated with grout which comes off easily. That will be exposed in the dining room once the closet disappears.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/KTXJY7][/url]
p_bubel
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Upon closer inspection the ceiling drywall is in very good condition so I'm going to scrape the glittered-popcorn ceilings instead of tearing them out.


I had a chance to pick apart this beautiful place that is being torn down:

[url=https://flic.kr/p/L4gw5z][/url]

But it's all tongue and grove and an inch wider than what I currently have. My buddy is pulling it down to make way for a small store front.

Where once he wouldn't think twice about it, he's a little bent out of shape that it can't be saved. I'm getting to him slowly. He even priced out moving the home, but it wasn't economically feesible.

Damn shame, it's in excellent shape and was once a great house.
powerbiscuit
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That is a shame.
powerbiscuit
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Are you fixing this up to sell or to live in for a while?
p_bubel
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To live in. I'm thinking it's going to take close to a year before I'm officially in the place.
87IE
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AG

quote:
But it's all tongue and grove and an inch wider than what I currently have. My buddy is pulling it down to make way for a small store front.
Can you rip it down to the size you need?
p_bubel
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Sitting next to my buddy right now, it's possible, but the color is lighter since it's around 50 years newer according to him.

Good idea though.
will.mcg
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AG
Are you gonna throw a big "Home Improvement" board housewarming party when you're done? Obviously we would come bearing gifts.
p_bubel
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quote:
Are you gonna throw a big "Home Improvement" board housewarming party when you're done? Obviously we would come bearing gifts.

(last years poster)



I'm not in the closed off section, but I have parking for 20 or so.
It's the best Fiesta event, IMHO.
p_bubel
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So, I had a big "pause" for a bit. Been offered some good money for the place which I really considered, hit a couple of lows with the amount of work needed and got wrapped up with a mess with my work license that cost me several months of income. But here I am, again.

Plans have changed, a bit. This is now a quest to get the crack house into livable condition versus "perfect" condition. I need/want to move in before winter is over. (fingers crossed)

So, I've pulled the old, termite ridden 1"X6" boards off the main living room wall for a future swap with good condition stuff off the back of the wall. I'm going to wait to install the boards until I run a new power and cable outlet on that wall. (Going to leave this area untouched and raw) The opening will be smaller than planned. I'm leaving the rest of the floor plan as-is for now. Focusing on the bathroom, windows and kitchen for now.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/P3rzo6][/url]2016-11-13_02-42-15 by Paul Bubel, on Flickr

So, I've started tearing into the bathroom. The suggested fire damage was less than expected. ( An old electrical fire ) The wiring is worse than expected. Ain't it always? So, I'm going to start over with that. I'm going to make the small space work as best I can.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/HkF3r8][/url]2016-05-20_11-55-06 by Paul Bubel, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/PbeHJp][/url]2016-11-13_02-42-39 by Paul Bubel, on Flickr

Tomorrow I'm searching for the siding and apparently learning how to replace siding while I'm at it. (it's the worst section of siding on the house) New 2x4s for the exterior joists and new decking for the floor. The bathroom is by far the worst room in the house.

The water was finally turned on and there are no current leaks in the place. So, a minor victory for now.

I spent Halloween at the house and it was absolutely insane. I've never, ever, ever, ever, seen a crowd like that before. It was something out of a movie. I had to get a second round of candy at 7 and wound up spending just over $100 to be finished again by 8:30. A success. Can't wait till next year.

So, what else? I think that might be it for now. There's some other minor stuff that's not worth mentioning like removing the popcorn ceilings, but it is alive and while not "well" at least on life support.

I've applied for a conservation society grant for the foundation and should find out in a couple of weeks if I get the money. I have my problems with the estimation to repair and in talks with my friends to just replace a couple of piers ourselves at this point. (not something I want to do) They're trying to convince me to just do it ourselves (3 obvious bad piers) but I'm still not buying it.
The Fife
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Looking great! Just yesterday I was wondering what happened with this thread.
p_bubel
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Yeah, I was on the fence with this one and seriously looked at taking a nice pay day and running.
p_bubel
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She might not have a working bathroom, kitchen, and well, just about everything else but she's ready for Christmas.

And I didn't die on the ladder.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/PBGtV8][/url]2016-11-26_09-01-48 by Paul Bubel, on Flickr
p_bubel
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And apparently I'm not keen being this high up on a ladder:

[url=https://flic.kr/p/Pywbjq][/url]2016-11-26_09-00-59 by Paul Bubel, on Flickr

Oye.

Fortunately, I placed permanent hooks for the lights and should be able to remove the strands far easier than the initial installation which took me 4 or 5 hours.

Took the remaining rusted out gutter down and patched a small hole in the porch while up there too.
The Fife
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Bud Light cans. Puro San Anto
dubi
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AG
Again I wish we were closer so we could help. What a fantastic piece of history!
p_bubel
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[url=https://flic.kr/p/PMvZGL][/url]2016-12-03_05-25-00 by Paul Bubel, on Flickr
p_bubel
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[url=https://flic.kr/p/Ph7hH5][/url]2016-12-03_05-25-30 by Paul Bubel, on Flickr
powerbiscuit
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Are you living in the house now?
p_bubel
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Little busy work while waiting for the water to soak into the glitter popcorn ceiling went wrong.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/PMHtjC][/url]2016-12-03_08-07-25 by Paul Bubel, on Flickr

I had just about finished up scraping the paint off the transom window when it broke. The last freakin' corner.

D'oh!

Got some replacement panes on hand, hopefully will get it done tomorrow.
 
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