Home Remodeling Step By Step

Step 37 - Flooring

2011-10-07T19:07:00.001-07:00

The major construction elements of the project are essentially completed. Our focus now is on the flooring, painting, and interior decorating. Let's start with the flooring.

We already had laminate flooring (by Wilsonart) in the living room, and we wanted to buy more of the same for the expanded area. However, we learned that Wilsonart decided to get out of the flooring business, so we had to go to Plan B.

Plan B consisted of taking up all the existing Wilsonart flooring, re-using it in other rooms, and buying all new laminate for the living room. Our contractors (Mark, Al and John) took up the Wilsonart and determined which pieces could be reused in the new office and Sheila's sewing room.

But before any flooring could be put down, it was necessary to get the floors level, especially the office. John Etchells did the leveling. First, he ground down the high spots. Next he mixed up some "dry pack" which is cement mixed with very little water. Instead of the usual mud consistency, dry pack comes out looking like corn meal. John spread it over the area to be leveled and packed it down firmly. When dry it gives a very hard and perfectly level surface. In other areas, self-leveling concrete was poured.

Now the flooring can go down. First is a layer of plastic vapor barrier. This keeps moisture from coming up through the slab to the flooring. Next is a layer of padding. Lastly, the laminate flooring was laid down. There is no gluing or nailing. This took care of the office and sewing room.

For the living room we bought Pergo laminate. The installation process was mostly the same as described above except that the pergo has padding already glued to the underside of the boards.

The end result is a good reuse of old material and a great new look for the living room.

Step 36 - Miscellaneous Interior & Exterior Details

2011-09-14T15:40:00.000-07:00

The exterior of the house is nearly complete. At this point, a lot of details are getting finished both inside and outside the house.

I did a bunch more sanding of 4x4's for a trellis over the kitchen door on the back side of the house. Board and batten siding was also replaced there.

Mark and Al installed French doors on the office. They also installed craftsman style trim around the windows and doors.

Al shingled the post that holds up the trellis over the front walkway.

Al installed the railing for the garage loft.

Les installed the lanterns on either side of the garage door. Sheila and I installed the house numbers.

The house is really looking finished on the outside, but there is still work to be done on the inside.

Step 35 - The Laundry Room

2011-09-14T15:09:00.000-07:00

It has long been Sheila's dream to have a laundry room to call her own, and now she has one. The construction details are very similar to a bathroom. Water resistant drywall (greenboard) is used on the bottom half of the walls. There are hot and cold water supply lines and a sewer drain line. As you can see, the color scheme is heavy on the white with black as an accent. The cabinets are from Ikea which was inexpensive and fit perfectly with the color scheme. To the right of the washer/dryer is a broom closet. The tile was done by John Etchells. The counter top is coming from Home Depot. Not shown is nice window and door trim by Mark and Al. I did the caulking and painting.

Step 34 - Finishing the Fireplace

2011-09-13T15:35:00.000-07:00

Turning to the interior of the house, we tackled the slate and tile for the fireplace. This is John Etchells' specialty. We bought several pieces of irregular slab slate in Obsidian Black from Modern Builder in San Marcos. John cut them to fit the hearth and the surround for the firebox opening. He grouted the slate with black grout to give a uniform appearance, so it looks like one solid piece even though it is put together from several pieces. When the slate was complete, he laid out the green tiles (from Encinitas Tile) and the yellow insets (from International Tile in Solana Beach) on the floor to make sure the pattern was right. Then he applied tiles and grouted them with a terra cotta color grout. There was a lot of cutting and fitting involved, and John did a great job. Mark Stanfield is now working on the oak mantel/shelf above the tiles.

Step 33 - Garage Door

2011-09-07T18:07:00.000-07:00

I don't have a lot of pictures for this step because it is so straightforward. We bought the garage door from John Brannon of Garage Doors West who also did the installation. The door is manufactured by Wayne Dalton. They have a lot of different styles to choose from. Ours is the Providence style with 12 windows. It is a steel door that has the appearance of wood but is not as heavy and easier to maintain. We got a Liftmaster motor. I think we're going to paint it but we'll deal with that later. It's really exciting to have a garage door, even if we can't drive into the garage yet.

Step 32 - Undergrounding the electrical line, part 2

2011-09-06T20:30:00.000-07:00

I picked up a nasty computer malware somewhere in the ether and it has prevented me from posting anything to the blog for several weeks. It's fixed now, but so much has happened on the house that I don't know what to talk about next. I guess I will pick up with the completion of the electrical undergrounding. It's pretty mundane but it will maintain the order of steps that I have been trying to follow.

A contractor working for SDG&E came on the appointed day, equipped for everything. Using their cherry-picker, they pulled the new electrical line through the conduit and connected it to our new panel. Next they disconnected and removed the old line from the pole to the house. Finally, they installed a new "smart" meter and energized the new system.

Les Wannamaker took it from there. He installed all the circuit breakers and labelled them. Then he completed the installation of all the light fixtures, switches and outlets in the house. We are now electrically complete and up to date.

Step 32 - Underground Electrical Line, Part 1

2011-08-06T10:31:00.000-07:00

Our existing power line, cable TV and phone line go overhead from the pole to an old weatherhead near the south side of our house. Our electrical system has always been deficient, with two separate and obsolete panels and lots of oudated wiring. So now we will have one new electrical panel which will be on the north side of the garage. That would be problematic for running the line overhead, so we decided to put all 3 lines underground. San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E) is our electricity provider and they oversee the undergrounding process.

Mark Stanfield painted the route on the ground, then he and Miguel Gomez jackhammered the asphalt and dug the trench.

After SDG&E inspected the trench, Les Wannamaker (our electrician) laid the conduits in the trench from the pole to the new electrical panel. There are separate conduits for electricity, cable and phone. The electrical conduit has a rope in it to facilitate the next steps.

SDG&E came out again to "mandrill" the conduit. They run a torpedo-shaped device through the conduit to make sure there are no obstructions. We had no obstructions, so the end of the rope was tied off inside the panel.

The final steps will come next week when another SDG&E crew comes out to disconnect the power line from the pole, run it through the conduit, connect to the new panel and energize it. At that point all our electricity will come through the new system. Les will remove our two old electrical panels and Mark can put new siding over those walls. We will work with our phone company and cable provider later to get their lines in the new conduits.

Step 31.1 - Hanging Drywall

2011-07-28T20:17:00.001-07:00

Henry Repsher and his 2-man crew arrived bright and early this morning and started hanging drywall. They started with the ceilings and then went to work on the walls. Henry focused on the more detailed areas such as the arched doorways and patching the holes that were made here and there.

In the laundry room green board was used on the lower half of the walls. It is water resistant drywall and is used in kitchens, bathrooms and other places where there is a high probability of walls getting wet.

It is amazing the effect that drywall has. It makes a room look almost finished even though there may be lots more work to be done. It also affects the perception of space and size. The office looks smaller to me now while the living room looks larger.

Henry and his crew have at least another day of hanging, followed by a week or two of taping and mudding.

Step 31.0 - Preparing for Drywall

2011-07-27T10:13:00.000-07:00

Getting drywall (aka sheetrock, wallboard, plaster board or gypsum board) is a major milestone for any remodeling project because it finally puts the walls back together the way they are supposed to be. Also, drywall is fire retardant so it is important for home safety and code compliance.

A lot of older houses like ours did not have drywall when they were first built. Instead, they used button board lath and plaster. We will have several places where new drywall will have to butt against old plaster. The drywall hangers will have to be skillful to make it look seamless.

Before the drywall is hung the stud walls have to be straight. No matter how hard a carpenter tries to get the studs straight, they will twist, warp and move around after they are nailed in place. Drywall has a surprising amount of sag or flex so if it is hung over uneven studs, the resulting wall will be wavy and unattractive. In order to have straight, flat walls the studs have to be checked and either planed or shimmed if they are not perfectly flat. Planing is done with a small hand planer. The shims are thin strips of gray cardboard that are stapled to the studs to fill gaps.

Another preparatory step is protecting all surfaces that could get damaged during the drywall installation. The really messy part is the mudding when joint compound is applied. After that, sanding creates a lot of dust. So the floor and other surfaces are covered with paper, cardboard or plastic sheet and taped really well.

Today the drywall was delivered by Escondido Building Supply. We got 95 sheets of 5/8" drywall. The sheets are 4' x 12'. About half of it was stacked in the garage and the other half was stacked in the living room. Tomorrow is drywall hanging.

Step 30 - Insulation

2011-07-25T19:24:00.000-07:00

Drywall is just a few days away, so today was insulation day. J&L Insulation did the job for us. Previously we had insulation only in the walls of the bedroom addition that we did in 1995. We had none in the attic, and that was a moderate problem. This was our opportunity to get the whole house insulated well.

J&L started with caulking all the exterior walls at the plate line. At the same time they started hauling in huge bales of insulation material. They did the existing attic first, then the new roof area and finally the walls. We didn't put any insulation in the garage. We noticed that the house became a lot quieter with the insulation in place.

I took on one task while the guys where putting in the insulation. I went around to all the new anchor bolts and checked them for looseness. Some of the nuts had become looser since we first put them on due to a variety of factors. So I cranked them down as tight as possible. After the drywall is up it won't be possible to do this again.

J&L finished the whole job by noon. We now have R-30 in the attic and R-13 in the walls. I think it will make a tremendous difference in our comfort both summer and winter.

Step 29 - A Couple of Details

2011-07-23T16:31:00.000-07:00

This post will focus on a couple of details that don't fit into other categories. These are the gable end vents and the ladder for the garage loft.

The vents were built of redwood by Mark Stanfield according to a special design by Pat Sheehy. The smaller of the two was finished first. It went into the front of the California roof. The larger one went into the front of the garage. These types of vents were typical of houses from 100 years ago, before metal and plastic became the preferred materials. They contribute to the illusion that this is a house from 1900 rather than 1950.

The second detail is a pull down ladder for accessing the loft in the garage. We bought it from Industrial Ladder Co. It makes the loft feel like a secret hiding place. Mark and Al installed it.

Step 28 - Front Door

2011-07-23T15:41:00.000-07:00

Our new front door was made by T.M. Cobb. We bought it through Sierra Padre Mill in Encinitas. It features red oak veneer and classic craftsman styling. The sidelight is openable. Mike Gregg has stained it and put a first coat of urethane finish on it. He will complete the urethane finish after the drywall is done and there is less chance of getting it damaged. We think this door is the perfect complement to our windows and shingle siding.

Step 27 - Siding, part 2

2011-07-23T15:20:00.000-07:00

Over the past week Mark Stanfield, Mark Oleson and Allen Frazer have completed about 90% of the siding. We have decided to use more shingles and less board-and-batten because the shingles look so great. There are a few areas that still need to be sided, such as the rest of the chimney, the north wall of the laundry room, and the master bath wall that had to be opened up to fix the plumbing. Those areas will be finished in the next week or so. Mike Gregg has put one coat of paint on the board-and-batten.

Step 22 - Roofing Completion

2011-07-23T14:58:00.000-07:00

Brown Roofing had only one task to complete their work. This was edge treatment of the roof over the entryway. Because this area has a flat roof, rolled roofing was used. This material had to be finished in some way at the edge and Pat Sheehy, our architect, designed a special edge treatment, as shown in the photos. Copper flashing was used both to ensure its longevity and to give it a very classic retro look. The flashing was secured with copper nails. Our roof is now 100% complete.

Step 27 - Siding

2011-07-17T19:00:00.000-07:00

Our siding is a combination of board-and-batten and cedar shingles. Both are a very authentic Craftsman look. The existing part of the house has been board-and-batten since 1995 (it was stucco before that). So the combination will blend nicely with the rest of the house.

The board-and-batten is rough-sawn exterior grade plywood with 1x wood battens spaced 16" apart. It is an economical way to go, and we will use it on the north side of the garage where it is less visible.

Shingles are somewhat expensive to install, so we went with an engineered unit from Shakertown. It is a row of real cedar shingles glued and stapled to an 8 ft. strip of plywood. This provides a lot of advantages. The backs of the shingles are really well protected from weather by the plywood and glue. They won't warp as much as individual shingles because the plywood holds them very flat. And they go up more quickly so there is a savings in labor cost. Even so, there are some intricate cuts that have to be made to fit the shingles around beams and other features. Mark Oleson has been doing most of that work.

Corners are usually a trouble spot for shingles. The Shakertown units come with corner pieces which makes that part of the siding much stronger and weather-tight. Overall it gives a beautiful look, and we are really happy with them.

Underneath everything is 60 minute building paper. All window openings are protected with a combination of Carlisle air and vapor barrier and Protecto-Wrap or Moistop. Everybody that looks at it is impressed with the level of workmanship that goes into every step.

Step 22 - Roofing, Part 2

2011-07-17T18:23:00.000-07:00

Now that I'm back from vacation, it's time to get caught up with the status of construction.

This is the final stage of roofing. Brown Roofing completed it while we were gone, and it looks really great. The gabled roofs (over the garage and the California roof) have been shingled with regular asphalt shingles that match the rest of the house. The office and the cricket are flat so they got rolled roofing. We decided to put a few vents in the roof of the garage to keep the loft from getting too hot. There are a few details left to be taken care of, but otherwise the roof is done.

What I Did on my Summer Vacation

2011-07-14T15:37:00.000-07:00

A departure from construction details - here are some pictures from our trip to Reston, VA. We had a great time. You can probably tell from the pictures who was the focus of attention.

Step 25 - More Trellis Work and Painting

2011-06-30T20:45:00.000-07:00

The entry trellis is essentially finished. Now we have 4 other trellises to build. This begins with more lumber delivery from Dixieline. Unlike the entry trellis, these other 4 trellises are going to be supported by arched corbels that will come out from the wall. Mark cut the arched part of the corbels some time ago and now each one being put together with a 4x4 and a 4x6 to create a solid brace for the trellis.

There are 7 corbels and each piece requires a lot of work. The straight pieces have to be notched. The corners of everything are rounded with a router. Then the pieces are sanded. I've done a bunch of sanding but John Etchells has been doing most of it lately. The ends of the wood that will be hidden are painted before assembly in order to prevent moisture from entering the wood. The three pieces that form each corbel are glued and screwed together.

Where a corbel is attached to the wall there is a 4x4 in the framing to give them lots of support. A steel L-bracket gives it support from the top. Moisture barrier membrane goes between the corbel and the wall. Finally, the unit is securely bolted in place. The whole assembly must be extremely strong because several hundred pounds of wood are going to rest on top of it.

Mike Gregg is our painter. On the trellises, rafter tails, and starter boards we are using Behr solid stain in Forest green. The stain protects the wood very well while allowing some grain to show through. So far he has painted the entry trellis, the corbels for the other trellises and the fascia all around the house. There is lots more painting to come.

Step 24 - Electrical

2011-06-30T20:16:00.000-07:00

It's time to start getting the wiring put in. Les Wanamaker is our electrician. Our house is old and has a lot of things wrong with it, one of which is the old wiring. It's a mess. So Les is going to get it straightened out as much as possible, starting with a new panel. Right now we have a line coming from the pole at the street to the middle part of the house. We're changing that to be underground, going from the pole to the northeast corner of the garage. Our plan is to get the TV cable and phone line underground too so we won't have any overhead lines coming to the house.

In the photos Les is working primarily in the garage and office. Since the new panel is on the garage, all lines to the rest of the house have to run through the garage to get to the proper rooms. Mark and his crew built a "chase", which is basically a box made of 2x4's and drywall to carry the wiring. If it's necessary later to get into the chase to work on something, we just have to open up the chase rather than cutting into a whole wall.

The mass of wires is totally confusing to me. Les has each wire labeled so that when he connects them to the panel we can label the breakers as to what they control.

Step 26 - Going on Vacation

2011-06-30T12:34:00.000-07:00

It's probably not a good idea to take a vacation while you're in the middle of a remodel, but this is our opportunity to visit our son Kelsey and daughter-in-law Michelle and granddaughter Ada. So I won't have any blog posts for a couple of weeks and I'll miss a lot of the action that is going to take place. On the other hand, maybe it is a good idea to be gone for awhile.

While we're gone Mark and the crew will work on the living room. There is a decorative beam that goes into the ceiling and a bunch of electrical work needs to be done. Mark is building a special window for the garage. On the exterior, the trellises can be finished, the siding can start going up, and everything can get painted.

Steve Schwier has been doing a lot of plumbing lately. He is giving us new gas lines throughout the house, and the cold water lines still need to be figured out. I don't have a lot of pictures of his work, so I'll put some in here.

The bottom picture shows the house as of today. It will be very interesting to see how it looks in 2 weeks.

Step 22 - Roofing, part 1

2011-06-29T21:43:00.000-07:00

This step is different from the roofing details that I have described previously. This step involves putting on the roof covering that will protect everything from the weather. Construction people call this "drying in" the structure.

Brown Roofing is doing the job for us. It is a bit trickier than an ordinary roof. The garage is pretty straightforward because it is all new. There is a skylight in it but that is no big deal. However, the rest of the roof involves attaching new plywood roof to old roof boards. There are also multiple roof planes. The tinted skylight is over the office area. Notice the number of different roof planes. Just below the skylight is something called a "cricket". Its purpose is to tie together 3 or more roof planes. In addition to that we have some flat roof sections over the entryway and part of the office.

Andy and Steve Brown installed the first layers of material. The gabled roofs get a layer of 15 lb. roofing paper that is nailed down to the plywood. The flat roof areas get an updated version of a "torch down" roof. This used to be done with a torch that heated the tar causing it to stick to the wood, but that procedure is dangerous for obvious reasons. It's also really smelly. So Brown Roofing is using a new adhesive material that is applied at ambient temperatures. It sticks just as well and doesn't stink.

Andy and Steve are going to stop at this point to allow the painter to work. Then they will come back after the painter is done to finish applying the roofing material.

Step 21 - Windows

2011-06-25T17:39:00.001-07:00

We bought Marvin windows from Bob Lipsey at Suncoast Window and Door in Carlsbad. The windows are well made, have a great craftsman look, and they're exactly what we wanted.

They are casement style, clad with anodized aluminum on the outside to stand up to the salty air of our neighborhood. Instead of crank mechanisms, you just unlatch it, swing it outwards and lock it in place where you want it. Very nice. They have special screens on wood frames that swing inwards when you want to open or close a window or for cleaning.

Mark and his crew got them all installed in just a couple of hours, so there isn't a whole lot more to say about the windows.

Step 20 - Entryway Trellis, Part 2

2011-06-24T20:41:00.000-07:00

After the 8x10 beam was put up and the four 6x8's were laid on top of that, the trellis now gets two layers of 4x4's. The first set are long ones that run parallel with the 8x10 beam. They are the three pairs shown in the photos. The second set are shorter and run parallel to the 6x8's. Not all of the second set have been put on in these photos. When they are all in they will go all the way out to the end of the trellis.

The part of the trellis closest to the front door is covered by a small area of roof for weather protection. This roof is only 8 ft. x 12 ft. but it was very complex to build. First, a layer of decking was put on top of the 4x4's. The decking is 2x6 tongue and groove spruce where it will be visible from underneath, and plain 2x6 Douglas Fir where it will be covered up.

It's tricky getting a small, flat roof like this to drain properly, so Pat Sheehy gave it a special design. A tapered ridge board runs diagonally across the decking, and tapered framing was added all around to fill it in. Then plywood was nailed over the whole thing. The result is a roof that will shed water in two different directions. All these layers of trellis and roof had to fit into a tight space that also contains the roof coming off the garage and its exposed rafter tails. It was quite a bit of work for Mark Stanfield and his crew, and they did a great job of it.

There is still more to be done on the trellis. It will need a hot mop roof (more on that later.) The painter, Mike Glenn, will be coming to stain all the exposed wood. We already stained some of it because there are areas that would be difficult or impossible for Mike to reach after it has all been put together. The final step for the trellis will be putting a special copper adhesive tape over the tops of all the trellis members. This will prevent water from getting into the wood and rotting it.

Step 20 - Entryway Trellis, Part 1

2011-06-24T19:18:00.000-07:00

On most houses a trellis is just a minor accessory that is added after all the major work is done. In our case it's different. We will actually have 5 trellises - one over the entryway, one over the living room windows, another one over the garage door, and small ones over an office window and the kitchen door.

The one over the entryway is a major architectural element and a major construction task which I will describe here.

The main structural component of this trellis is an 8x10 beam, 17 ft. long and weighing about 500 lbs. At one end it is supported by the wall of the house. At the other end it is supported by a craftsman-style pillar. The framing of the house already has everything needed to support its end of the beam. So our first step is to dig a hole and put in rebar. This was inspected before we could pour the footing for the pillar. Then 4 column blocks were stacked up, grouted together and filled with concrete. Finally a Simpson steel bracket was cemented into the top. Mike Rossi and Mark Stanfield did this work. (I dug the hole).

Next a pressure treated 6x6 post was stood upright in the bracket and braced. Then the big beam was put up on top of the post and secured. We didn't have a crane this time so the beam had to be lifted manually. I missed that whole action because I was at Home Depot buying sandpaper.

The next layer of the trellis consists of four 6x8 beams that rest on top of the main beam. These 6x8's were notched so they go over the big beam somewhat like Lincoln Logs. I should note here that all of these pieces of lumber required a lot of work before they could be put together. All the edges were rounded with a router to give them a traditional craftsman look. Many were notched and drilled, and all were sanded multiple times to make them smooth while also bringing out the grain. Although this wood is Douglas Fir, typically regarded as a utility wood, the effort we put into it has made it as beautiful as redwood or cedar.

Step 23 - The Fireplace

2011-06-14T21:06:00.000-07:00

The fireplace will be in the southeast corner of the living room. We decided to not make it a traditional masonry fireplace because of the cost, so it will be a prefabricated metal fireplace that will be inserted inside the framing shown above. It will be a Lennox RDI-36 that will look quite a bit like a traditional fireplace. It will burn gas. I'd really like to be able to burn wood in it also, but it appears that's not an option.

We bought the fireplace from Fireplaces Plus, and they did the installation. Later steps will include the wood mantel, slate hearth and tile front that will be done by others.

The chimney will be finished on the exterior with wood shingles. The chimney will flare out at the bottom with river rock below that. It should be a fair imitation of a 1911 craftsman chimney.

Step 17.9 - Framing the Office

2011-06-14T20:34:00.001-07:00

We've had some detours into roofing and plumbing, but now it's time to finish the framing. The office is the last area to get framed because we first had to move the water heater out of that space and into the garage. And before we could move the water heater, we had to have the garage slab poured. Now that those tasks are done, framing of the office is underway.

The office is replacing a couple of rooms that used to be there, so there is already a slab to build on. Mark Stanfield started the office framing by marking the locations of the windows and the size of the rough openings. One window that will face west will have a small trellis over it, so there will be 4x4 posts in that wall to give the trellis the structural support it needs.

This framing is going up fast since one side of it already exists as the garage wall. The top picture shows Sheila standing at that wall. It will have to be a fire rated wall so it will get drywall when we get to that stage. The office will be 10 ft. by 16 ft. and will have a flat roof with a skylight in it. Next to the office will be the new laundry room. The office will connect with the living room via a pair of french doors.

Step 17.8 - Roofing Details, Part 2

2011-06-10T23:17:00.001-07:00

In the old days, large wood beams were important structural elements. They were the main things holding up the roof. Nowadays with plywood, engineered beams, and all sorts of steel hangers and brackets it isn't necessary to use all that wood. We are doing it strictly for appearance. We really want this house to look like it was built in 1911 instead of 2011.

All of these roofing details take a lot of hand labor. Whether it's an 8x10 beam or a 3x3 stick, each one has to be routered and sanded. Mark Oleson is doing a lot of the routering and I am doing a lot of the sanding. The purpose of the routering is to round off the corners and edges of the lumber so it doesn't look like it just came out of the lumber yard. the purpose of the sanding is to remove any pits and discoloration and to make the wood ready to be stained.

Mark Oleson built a temporary work bench in the garage for our use in working on these boards. This is a lot easier than bending over a couple of sawhorses. And it's nice to be able to work inside the garage now. It gives me a hint of what it will be like to have my complete workshop here. While I'm on the subject of the garage, it's delightful to see how much the garage resembles an old barn with a hayloft.

Back to the roofing, one of the defining characteristics of a craftsman-style bungalow is broad eaves over those exposed beams and rafter tails. Most of the roof gets plywood over the rafters. However, the eaves need something other than plywood in order to look right. The underside of the eaves is very visible, and plywood is both unattractive and not in keeping with craftsman style. So "starter boards" are used instead of plywood as the roof over the eaves. These are tongue and groove wood boards of spruce, pine or other wood that give the illusion of old style roofing, from the days before plywood came along. The starter boards will look really good with the outriggers and exposed rafter tails. They will also be used on the covered area over the front door, but that comes later.

Step 19 - Plumbing, Part 1

2011-06-09T20:51:00.001-07:00

Steve Schwier, our plumber, did some work previously during the demolition phase and replacement of the gas line. He also ran a new sewer line across the front of the house. Now he is back to work on water lines.

The main task right now is to relocate the water heater to the garage. The slab in the garage is 5 days old and is hard enough to work on and to support the weight of the water heater. We needed to get the water heater out of its old location so that framing of the office and laundry room can commence.

The first task for Steve and his assistant Max was to extend a new cold water line to the garage. In the old days when this house was first built, water and sewer lines were put under the house, either in the slab or under it. But not anymore. Now the water lines are put overhead in the attic space, so they are less prone to corrosion and easier to get to if repairs or modifications are needed. At some point in time a previous owner of this house ran new hot water lines overhead in the attic, but they are a mess and will have to be replaced

So Steve and Max ran the cold water line over to the new garage wall and up into the joists, then over to the corner where the water heater will be placed. In doing that they needed to add a shutoff valve on the outside of the wall as required by code. The new water lines are all copper and secured with high quality brackets. These brackets are cushioned to help minimize noise transmission from the pipes.

Next, Steve and Max ran new hot water lines to the kitchen and bathrooms. Following that, they ran a new gas line from the meter over to the new water heater location. The gas line is iron rather than copper, and it is very easy to distinguish the two where they run side by side. The final task was to drain the water heater, move it to the garage and set it up. This included the required seismic tie-downs, a vent up through the roof and an emergency drain line out through the wall. Everything went well and they were able to finish in one day.

Several plumbing tasks remain to be done later. I am going to add insulation to the hot water pipes to help keep the water hot on its way to the kitchen and bathrooms. Steve and Max will be back later to clean up the mess of old hot water lines in the attic. Since the water heater is now further from the house, it may take the hot water a little longer to get to where it's needed. Steve is going to add a special pump and valves to the water heater to get the hot water to the house a little faster. When the laundry room is built Steve will hook up the water lines for it. Last but not least, the kitchen stove needs a new gas line. When Steve is done, the house will essentially have all new water, sewer and gas plumbing.

Step 18 - The Garage Slab

2011-06-05T20:58:00.000-07:00

Our structural engineer, Dave Groverman, recommended that we pour the garage slab sooner rather than later. The strength of the slab will help the retaining walls resist pressure from the earth on the outside. So Mark and his crew took a break from framing to work on the slab.

Miguel Gomez brought in 9 inches of gravel for the base. As before, Stego was placed on top of the gravel as a vapor barrier, to keep any ground moisture from getting into the structure. The edges of the Stego were overlapped and taped so there are no gaps. Rebar was laid out on dobies over the Stego and wired together. The concrete needs to be 5 inches on top of the base, and a line was snapped all along the retaining wall showing where the finished height of the slab needs to be. Although the line looks totally level, it actually has a slight slope toward the street for drainage purposes. On the front where the garage door will be there is obviously no wall to pour up against. Here Mark placed a form board. The top of this board is at exactly the same level as the line on the walls. The form board has to be very firmly secured so it doesn't blow out when the concrete is poured up against it. Tape was applied below the snap line creating a seal between the Stego and the wall. This is as moisture tight as you can get. The whole thing was inspected and we were given the okay to pour.

On pouring day we had the usual crew - concrete from Superior with pumping by Kennedy. Mark had ordered a stronger concrete mix for this slab (3,500 psi) because of the extra weight and side forces it will have to withstand. After the concrete was pumped in, two finishers went to work smoothing it. We did not have expansion joints put in by the finishers. Instead we decided to have them cut in the next day with a concrete saw. The end result is floor that is as smooth as your kitchen table.

Step 17.8 - Roofing Details, Part 1

2011-06-05T20:06:00.000-07:00

Our architect, Pat Sheehy, stopped by to see how the job is progressing. It was good to see him because he has been on vacation and we had a few questions for him. He reviewed the plans and gave us the answers we needed.

The California roof over the living room expansion will add more weight to that part of the rafters. To give the roof extra support, additional bracing was added. These are called purlins and there are 6 of them under the California roof.

Among the most important Craftsman details are outriggers and exposed rafter tails. The outriggers are 4x4 or larger beams under the eaves. They are notched, then routered and sanded. The barge rafter (an exposed rafter on the outside of the house) is supported by the outriggers.

The rafters run at a right angle to the outriggers, and they do the majority of the work of holding up the roof. The rafter tails are angle cut at the ends in the style of bungalows from the early 1900's.

As viewed from the street, the garage is looking very large. This is partly because of the extra height needed for the loft, and it is one of the reasons we excavated so much dirt to lower the floor of the garage. The structure feels so large that I am now naming it the "Garage Mahal".

Step 17.7 - Living Room Framing

2011-05-29T19:18:00.000-07:00

It's time for the expansion of the living room and the new front entrance to be framed. There will be a peaked roof with craftsman details over the new windows and entrance. A fireplace and chimney will be in the southeast corner. The roof over the expansion area will tie into the existing roof in a way that is called a California roof.

Step 17.6 - Sheathing and Shear Panels

2011-05-29T18:10:00.001-07:00

The stud work for the garage is completed and we can begin enclosing it. For the walls, this consists of shear panels made of oriented strand board (OSB) which is an engineered wood product that is as strong as plywood but somewhat less expensive. The purpose of shear panels is to give the wall additional strength and rigidity. OSB isn't the best looking material, but it will be totally covered up by drywall on the inside and siding on the outside.

For the roof, the sheathing is tongue-and-groove plywood. This same material is used for the floor of the loft. The plywood as well as the rafters will be visible from inside the garage so our plan is to paint it at a later time. Mark and his crew had to construct a temporary platform above the roof to hold the plywood until they are ready to lay it down.

Step 17.5 - Hoisting Beams with a Crane, Part 2

2011-05-24T19:23:00.000-07:00

The second beam goes into the space above where the old windows and front door were. When the living room is expanded, this beam will be inside the room. It needs to be installed now where the front wall of the house used to be in order to hold up the roof structure. The crane didn't have to lift as high as the garage ridge beam, but it had to reach further from the street. The crane can extend to 50 ft. and it took all of that to get the beam where it was supposed to go. Once again, it was a perfect fit.

Before putting this beam in place it was routered and sanded. I did the sanding myself. This beam is 6x12 and 22 ft. long, which was a lot of sanding. I'm very pleased with the result.

There will be another beam of the same size in the living room, but that one is purely decorative. It won't be holding up anything, and it will be installed later.

Step 17. 5 - Hoisting Beams with a Crane, Part 1

2011-05-24T18:33:00.000-07:00

The two biggest beams we have on this job are the ridge beam of the garage and the beam that goes over the old living room wall. They are both 6x12, very heavy, and they have to be lifted up and carefully placed in position. A crane is the only safe way to do that. Bob's Crane Service did the job for us.

Our street is very narrow and our site is very tight. There are overhead lines and a big pepper tree on one side, so it took a little jockeying by the driver to get his rig in position. The ridge beam went up first. It had been measured and cut very precisely so that it went right into place.

Step 17.4 - Starting on the Living Room

2011-05-24T18:04:00.000-07:00

We are now ready to start working on the expansion of the living room. Mark and his crew started by building a false wall inside the living room. They lined it with plastic sheet to keep dust out.

Next the old windows and front door and all their surrounding framing came out.

The window and door headers were important structural elements helping to support the roof. With those headers gone, we need a big beam to go in their place. We also have a big ridge beam that needs to go into the top of the garage roof. To lift those beams into place we will need a crane, so that will be our next step.

Step 17.3 - Framing Details

2011-05-22T20:24:00.000-07:00

As framing continues, there are a multitude of details to be taken care of, aside from keeping everything straight and plumb. There is a big header that goes over the garage door. Instead of regular wood, this is an engineered beam which is less expensive. It isn't as attractive as a regular wood beam, but it will be covered up so the appearance doesn't matter.

Another detail is the 16 ft. high 8x8 post that will help support the ridge beam and roof of the garage. The length of the ridge beam is too great for a single piece of wood so the beam will be in two pieces. The post is positioned where the two pieces meet, and there is a big steel Simpson bucket to tie the two beams together. The post and the ridge beam will be visible for inside the garage, so they are good looking Douglas fir that has been routered and sanded to take off the square edges.

Since we are going for a Craftsman look on the exterior, there will be outriggers extending out from under the roof. These are notched, routered and sanded in the style of houses from 100 years ago.

Mark and his crew now have all the joists in place and have started laying down the plywood decking that will form the floor of the loft. The plywood is 3/8 in. tongue and groove that will form a smooth floor surface.

Step 17.2 - Rain

2011-05-17T15:53:00.001-07:00

It's a fact of life that construction generally needs to stop when it rains. The workers are using power tools that are hazardous in wet conditions, and slippery surfaces would make a bad fall more likely.

We've had more than expected rain this year. Most of our rain comes in December and January, and most years the rains stop around the end of February or March. This year we have had 8 days of rain that interfered with work since the project started on Feb. 21. And more rain is expected tomorrow. That's pretty unusual for around here.

When it rains it's important to keep the lumber covered up as much as possible, and even more important to protect the parts of the house that are opened up. Plastic tarps are about the only way to go.

Step 17.1 - Joists

2011-05-17T15:04:00.000-07:00

With the side walls up, we can begin to assemble the roof. The joists are the members that go horizontally between the two side walls. Usually these can be 2x4's or 2x6's, but in this case the joists are going to be the floor for a storage loft. To handle the extra weight load of the loft we are using I-joists that are an engineered wood product.

First the joist hangers are screwed into position, after careful measuring so that they line up with each other properly. Then a glob of a super strong adhesive is put on the bottom of the joist hanger. Finally, the joists are lifted up and pushed down into the hanger and nailed. Our garage will require 13 joists to support the loft. Mark and his crew got 9 of them installed yesterday.

Step 17 - Framing

2011-05-11T16:43:00.000-07:00

The slab that was poured five days ago is now cured enough for us to work on it. It sits on top of the retaining wall and ties together the garage and the house. The top of the slab is exactly the same elevation as the slab of the existing house, so there will be no bumps or ledges between the old floor and the new.

Our first task was to install the sill plates (pressure-treated 2x4's). They are drilled to fit over the anchor bolts that are anchored in the concrete. Then they are fastened down with 5/8 inch nuts that are tightened with an impact wrench.

While that was being done, Al started measuring and marking all the 2x4's and 4x4's that will make up the framing. Al's markings show where each piece goes so there is no confusion once the nailing starts. John stripped the siding off the front of the house in preparation for the later removal of that wall, installation of new beams, and construction of the new living room wall.

The garage is going to be extra tall to include the storage loft that we want. From the current base of the garage, the walls are almost 12 ft. high. They won't be that high when it is finished because the concrete floor will be about 14 inches higher than the present dirt floor. However, the concrete floor won't be poured until after the framing is done. So for now, scaffolding is needed to allow the guys to get up to the top plate of the walls. By the end of the day Mark, Al and John had framed the north and south side walls of the garage. Now the real size and shape of the project are starting to become visible.

Step 16 - Lumber Delivery

2011-05-06T18:55:00.000-07:00

In preparation for the start of framing, we need to get our lumber on site. We are getting the majority of our lumber from Dixieline. They brought two loads and dropped them in the garage/driveway space. We have the usual Douglas fir 2x4's for studs, I-joists for the loft area of the garage, plywood for the roof of the garage, and a 16 ft. 8x8 post to help support the garage roof. We have a third load on order but no place to put it right now.

Framing will start in earnest next week.

Step 15.5 - Pouring the Slab

2011-05-06T18:01:00.000-07:00

With all the forms and anchor bolts in place, we are ready for the concrete pour. The forms have been given extra bracing so they don't blow out when the concrete is pumped in. As before, the pumper was Mark Kennedy and the concrete came from Superior. Since the majority of this slab will be subfloor for the room addition, we had a finisher (Gerardo) to make it nice and smooth on top. In addition to the slab we poured the footing for the post that will help support the roof of the garage.

After the concrete was poured and finished, it needs to dry and harden but not too fast. It needs to be kept wet on the surface the rest of the day so that it will cure slowly and not crack. Since today is Friday, it will have the weekend to cure, and then all the forms will be removed on Monday.

Step 15 - Pouring the Slab

2011-05-04T08:21:00.000-07:00

This step involves pouring the slab that will become the foundation for the living room expansion and the office. The slab will be poured over part of the backfilled area and will rest on top of the block wall. To get ready for this, more gravel is placed over the backfilled area and made level, then covered with a layer of special plastic sheet that serves as a barrier to keep ground water from coming up into the concrete. The sheet is called Stego and it is made of 15 mil polyolefin. Mark says it holds up better than Visqueen which was the old standard for this purpose.

Form boards have been set up on top of the retaining wall, and these have been measured precisely so that the top of the boards is exactly at the desired floor level. The concrete will be poured up to the top of the boards and finished so that the new slab is perfectly even with the existing slab of the house. This will give us a flat, level surface for installing the flooring and it will tie the addition into the existing structure to make it a single unit. John Etchells has started working with Mark and Al to help build the forms, lay the rebar and place the anchor bolts.

The final task before actually pouring the concrete is inspection. The inspector looked everything over, asked a few questions, and signed the inspection card giving us to okay to pour the concrete

Step 14 - Backfilling

2011-05-02T16:50:00.000-07:00

With the waterproofing completed, the job today is to install the french drain and backfill. The pipe for the french drain is perforated 4 inch schedule 40 plastic pipe. It is heavy duty and will resist being crushed by the gravel that will be placed on top of it. The corner joints must be glued and taped. Then the entire assembly must be covered by a fabric sleeve that prevents dirt from entering the pipe. The pipe must also be sloped from the back of the garage toward the front so that water will drain out of it and not just sit there in the pipe.

With the pipe in place, a rigid foam board is placed up against the wall to protect the waterproofing from damage by the gravel. Finally, the backfilling can be done. Miguel Gomez did most of the work with his bobcat, picking up the gravel that was stockpiled inside the garage area and carefully dumping it over the wall. It has been a full week since the wall was grouted, so the wall is plenty strong now, but we still want to be careful not to do anything to over-stress it.

Part of the backfilled area is topped with sand so that Mark can get a very smooth and precise finish on the top. Our next concrete pour is going to go on top of the sand.

Step 13 - Preparing to Backfill

2011-04-27T19:25:00.000-07:00

All of the area outside the wall must be backfilled before the next steps of construction can proceed. We are going to backfill with gravel and some leftover broken concrete block. Miguel Gomez delivered the gravel from RCP and placed it in the center of the new garage where he can use his bobcat to pick it up and dump it over the wall.

However, before we can backfill we have to apply waterproofing to the outside of the wall and we have to install a french drain. It will take a couple of days to do that work, so for now we are just stockpiling the gravel for later use.

The waterproofing material is like a cross between paint and tar. It is applied with a roller like paint, but it is incredibly sticky and messy. It's good to wear some protection so you don't get it all over yourself. Several coats must be applied to get good, even coverage of the block wall, and all the little cracks and crevices must be thoroughly filled. Mark says you only get one chance to do this so you better do it right.

Step 12 - Grouting the Retaining Wall

2011-04-27T19:02:00.000-07:00

Our second concrete pour was very much like the first, but faster. We only needed about 3 yards of concrete, so a smaller mixer was sent. Mark Kennedy did the pumping again. The purpose of grouting is to fill all the blocks of the wall from bottom to top with concrete. The pictures show Mark Kennedy aiming the hose down into the block as the concrete is pumped in. Al Frazer filled in some of the low spots by hand from a bucket. Mike Rossi did the trowel work to get the top smooth and to clean up the spills.

Some rebar is left sticking out where it will go into other concrete that will be poured later. While the concrete was still wet but starting to firm up, Mark Stanfield and Al placed threaded anchor bolts into the top of the blocks. When it is time to start the framing, the bottom plate (a pressure treated piece of lumber) will be secured to the top of the retaining wall with nuts and washers. But that's later. For now the concrete just has to dry and harden a few days before we move on to the next steps. Concrete reaches 90% of its maximum hardness after 7 days and we don't want to risk damaging it before then.

Step 11 - Building the Retaining Wall

2011-04-27T17:23:00.000-07:00

Not every project will require a retaining wall. In our case it is necessary because we did all that grading to lower the floor level of the new garage. This means that the bottom 3 feet of the garage wall will be below the surrounding grade of the front yard. A concrete wall is required to hold the dirt back. Mike Rossi is our masonry expert, assisted by Sam and James.

The first step was getting the block delivered from RCP. Next, Mike and Sam laid out precise marking lines to indicate where the blocks will go. It's critically important for the blocks to line up with the vertical rebar so that the rebar ends up inside the cells of the blocks. They began laying blocks on the corners and then filled in to complete the first row. Our design called for 8 inch wide blocks on the first row and 6 inch wide blocks after that which was a little trickier to do. The blocks are put together with mortar which is like concrete but has no rock in it so it's not as strong. Its purpose is to hold the block together until it can be filled with concrete. The mortar was mixed on site in a small electric mixer.

After the first row was done they began building up the corners to the top level. Then they filled in the rest. In about 3 days it was all done, but at that point the blocks are hollow and only held together by the mortar. We can't fill them with concrete (grout) until the wall is inspected again.

Inspector Steve came the next day and gave the okay to grout the block. Mark called both Superior and Kennedy pumping to schedule a pour for the following day.

Step 10 - Pouring the Footing

2011-04-27T16:54:00.000-07:00

With approval by the inspector, we can proceed to pour concrete for the footing. Mark Stanfield estimated that we would need about 12 cubic yards. The big concrete mixer trucks hold 10 yards, so we would need two deliveries. Our concrete comes from Superior Ready Mix. Mark Kennedy handled the pumping duties. The photos show how the concrete comes out of the truck and into the hopper, then into the hose and into the trench.

Some of the vertical rebar and threaded anchors need to be held in place while the concrete is poured so they remain perfectly upright.

Once the concrete is in the ground, most of the form boards can be removed and the surface of the concrete can be smoothed. It needs to be smooth because a concrete block retaining wall is going to be built on top of it and the concrete blocks need a flat surface under them. Mike Rossi who will be building the retaining wall did a lot of the smoothing of the concrete surface.

In order to keep the concrete mess out of the street, we converted our erosion control pit to a washout pit. That's where all the tools are washed and small amounts of excess concrete are tossed. When it dries out a bit, we shovel it out and let it dry before hauling it to the dump.

Step 9 - Putting Steel in the Footing

2011-04-26T21:23:00.000-07:00

A really key element in the strength of a foundation is the amount of steel reinforcing rod (rebar) that is used. Our engineer calculated how much we would need for this job, and it is a lot. The corners have more rebar in them to give them added strength.

I have included a lot of pictures here to show the scope and complexity of the rebar installation. We used 3 different diameters in different locations - 3/8 inch, 1/2 inch, and 5/8 inch. We also used some 3 ft. long threaded rods (called all-threads) in a couple of key locations.

The small concrete blocks are called dobies and they hold the rebar off the ground so that when the concrete is poured the rebar will be in the middle of it. All of the rebar is secured together with wire so that it becomes virtually one solid unit. There are also a lot of wood form boards to help hold everything in place until the concrete is poured.

When all the rebar was in place, the vertical rods were capped with those orange plastic things to prevent anyone from being impaled on one. This has happened a few times in the past, so the caps are really important for safety.

The last step in this phase is inspection of the trenching and rebar by the city's building inspector. Our inspector (Steve) gave us the green light to pour the concrete.

Step 8 - Digging the Footing

2011-04-26T17:55:00.000-07:00

The footing is the part of the foundation that extends down into the ground. The depth and width of the footing are usually determined by a structural engineer based on the size of the structure that will rest on it. The trench for our footing was dug based on the specifications determined by our engineer, Dave Groverman.

Right at the start of the trenching we got some rain which turned the whole area into a mud puddle. Fortunately our soil drains quickly so it didn't delay things too much. It's important for the sides and bottom of the trench to be as square as possible and to hold their shape until the concrete is poured. Again, our soil behaved well and kept its shape unless we stepped on the edge and caused a cave-in.

The corners are dug a little deeper so they will be stronger when the concrete is poured in. The corners take more of the weight load of the structure, so they need the extra strength.

Step 7 - Measuring and Marking

2011-04-26T17:18:00.000-07:00

With the grading completed (for now), Mark Stanfield and Al Frazer could begin measuring everything and marking on the ground where the footing for the new garage will go.

It is extremely important to get all of the measurements correct before starting to dig the footing, as everything else is built upon it. Carpenters have an old saying about measuring twice and cutting once. Mark and Al measured each side of the foundation more than twice. They also measured the diagonals and did the math to make sure the corners were perfect 90o angles. They built a number of small structures with stakes. These are called batter boards, and strings are run between them to use as a guide lines for marking on the ground and various other purposes. The batter boards stay in place until they are no longer needed so that measurements can always be made from exactly the same place, day after day.

The marking is done with gypsum which is a white chalk-like powder. The white lines show the outline of the footing but obviously not the depth, so they have to measure the depth as they dig.

Step 6 - Grading

2011-04-26T16:59:00.000-07:00

With the concrete removed, Miguel could begin cutting down the slope to the level needed for the new garage. Our plan calls for taking the floor of the garage down about 3 feet compared with existing grade. This of course produced a lot of dirt that had to go somewhere else. Miguel took the first load to El Corazon in Oceanside, but then he discovered a grading project on the next street over from us, on Daphne St. This project, called Beacon's, needed dirt so Miguel was able to get rid of our excess dirt only a block away. After a couple of days of digging with his Bobcat, and a certain amount of hand shoveling, we were down to the correct level.

Those round stakes with the pink bristles are called "guineas". The Urban Dictionary calls this the most vile racial slur that can be used against Italian-Americans. However, it is also a region of Africa and is used in reference to certain birds. So please don't harass me for using this word. It's just what they're called. The purpose of guineas is to indicate the desired level that the grading is intended to achieve.

Grading operations can put a lot of dirt and debris onto the street which can then make its way to a storm drain and out to the ocean. To prevent this we installed some erosion control and sediment trapping measures. These types of measures are called BMP's (best management practices). We already had a small pit in the front yard near the street for the gas line work, so we utilized that to catch runoff from the graded area. We also used plastic tarps and a straw wattle to further prevent any dirt from getting out into the street. At the end of each day of work I sweep the street to pick up dirt that was carried out there by the bobcat's tires.

Step 5 - Concrete Removal

2011-04-26T16:36:00.000-07:00

Our carport and driveway are located on a slope, which meant that our driveway was kind of steep. We decided that the new garage should be recessed below grade a few feet to make the driveway closer to street level. This required removal of the slab for the carport. And this is where we ran into our first big obstacle.

When our carport was built in 1995 it was required to have beefed up footings. There was also some concrete underground from when the house was originally built. This turned out to be a massive amount of concrete. No one can figure out why there was so much concrete buried there, but it doesn't matter why. It just has to get jackhammered and hauled away. Miguel Gomez and his crew did the majority of the work, but Mark Stanfield and others took turns on the jackhammers.

It took 3 days to get it all out. Jackhammering is incredibly noisy and dusty. I'm sure my neighbors hated it, but we had not choice. We just had to get it done as quickly as we could.

Step 4 - Sewer Line Replacement

2011-04-26T16:17:00.000-07:00

Similar to the gas line situation, our old sewer line was cast iron and in a bad location. In accordance with the building standards of the 1950's it was embedded in the concrete slab of the house. In theory the sewer line would be somewhat protected by the concrete that surrounds it. In reality, concrete is very porous to water, so any cast iron pipe in the slab is going to rust. If it starts to leak in your slab, you have to take up whatever flooring you have and jackhammer your slab to expose the pipe. Or you can abandon the old pipe in place and run a new plastic pipe outside the house, which is what we did.

For some unknown reason our sewer lateral (the line going from the house out to the street) was buried very deep. It took a lot of digging to find it. Our plumber, Steve Schwier, and his assistant laid the new line which goes from the kitchen through the future laundry room and across the front of the house to meet the lines coming from the bathrooms. Now the new sewer line is in place and ready to be connected as soon as the inspector okays it.

Step 3 - Gas Line Replacement

2011-04-26T15:41:00.000-07:00

One of the problems with an older house is that often the utility lines are old and need to be replaced. They are also sometimes in the wrong location. This was the case with our gas, sewer, water, and electrical lines. Often these lines are cast iron pipe which deteriorates over time.

Our gas line was both old and in the wrong place. It was located right underneath the carport, which is bad if you ever need to work on it. All utility lines should be out in the open where you can get to them. Aside from our gas line being old, it was wrapped with a tape that contained asbestos. Not good. In San Diego County, SDG&E does all gas line work including removal of the old asbestos wrapped pipe. You have to dig to expose the old line and then dig a new trench on your new alignment according to their specifications. It's important to work closely with the planner at SDG&E to make sure your new pipeline route is okay with them and to get all necessary inspections done in a timely manner.

When we had everything set, a crew came and completed the replacement in about 2 hours. We had to pay a fee to SDG&E for this work but it was worth it, especially getting rid of the old line. One thing that amazed me was that they weld the fitting for the new pipe onto the old pipe while it still contains gas. Apparently this is safe as long as gas is not leaking out into the air. The new pipeline is yellow plastic which is supposed to last longer than the old cast iron. In places where it is not feasible to remove the old cast iron line, the new line is sized to slide right inside it.

Step 2.9 - And Yet More Demo

2011-04-23T22:19:00.001-07:00

As parts of the walls came down, temporary support had to be added to make sure the whole thing didn't just collapse.

A lot of past mistakes get uncovered during demo. One of our discoveries was the fact that somebody prior to 1989 had taken a 220 volt line and split it into three 110 lines. I didn't even know that was possible. It's a miracle that the house didn't burn down.

There was a lot of stucco and plaster that had to be removed, especially in the old bathroom. Mark discovered that the drain line from the old shower did not connect with the sewer. Instead, it appeared to just go out into the side yard and disappear into the earth. No wonder it never drained right.

Step 2.5 - More Demo

2011-04-23T22:11:00.001-07:00

As demolition proceeded, it became necessary to start hauling stuff away. Miguel Gomez handled the hauling and also helped with the demolition. The water heater will eventually move into the new garage, but for now it has to stay where it is. So this part of the old structure will not be demolished immediately in order to give the water heater some protection.

Step 2 - Demolition

2011-04-23T21:40:00.000-07:00

Before work could get started, I had to rearrange things in the front yard to give Mark room to work. We also had to make room for a porta-potty.

We gave Mark the go-ahead to begin construction on February 18. Of course, construction must start with demolition. Mark and his assistant, Al, began taking down the carport. The carport was connected to the old garage/bedroom/junkroom, so his demolition removed everything back to the point where the new construction will meet the existing house.

Step 1 - Getting Started

2011-04-23T20:49:00.000-07:00

We launched this project well over a year ago. We began by selecting Pat Sheehy as our architect based on other houses he has designed in our neighborhood (Leucadia). Prior to working with Pat we had entertained ideas of building a rentable apartment over the garage. Pat developed a cost estimate for that project which was well over our budget. We scaled back a bit and Pat did another estimate - still too expensive. We scaled back again to arrive at our current project.

Our carport worked well for what it was, but it gave us no secure storage area. The house was originally built with a one-car garage. At some point in time, somebody converted it to a bedroom and added a bathroom and kitchenette. These rooms were used as bedrooms by our two sons when they lived at home. After that they became miscellaneous storage (i.e. junk rooms).

In order to have space for storage in the new garage, Pat designed it a little larger than normal. It will have a loft with a pull-down ladder for storage, and it will have space for a small workshop. It will be wider than the carport so that we have room to get in and out of our cars easily. In the side yard of the house I had built a shed for surfboard storage. Pat's design called for the new garage to take up some of that space, so the shed had to go. It was so termite eaten that it practically fell down.

After Pat had a complete design that we were happy with, he submitted it to the City of Encinitas for building permits. Fortunately we did not need any permits from the Planning Department. That would have added significantly to the cost, time and headache to the project. The building permit process, on the other hand, is relatively straightforward. The plancheck consists of people looking at the plans to ensure that all building codes are complied with. We got one comment from the Engineering Department saying that they wanted us to incorporate some type of stormwater capture into the new driveway. No problem.

The final step in getting started was to select a contractor to build it. Pat gave us the names of three contractors that he has worked with previously. He said any one of the three would do a good job for us. We sent the plans to all three and asked for bids. They all took their time because it is a tricky and time-consuming process to bid on a job. When they submitted their bids we interviewed them, which was a very instructive process. We were impressed with Mark Stanfield who turned out to be the low bidder, so we hired him.

We wrote a check to the City for the building permit fees, and Mark pulled the permits on January 31, 2011.

Introduction

2011-04-23T20:25:00.000-07:00

My name is Don Rideout. My wife (Sheila) and I live in a 1950's ranch style house in Encinitas, California. We have lived here since 1989. This blog is all about a remodeling project that we are doing. The project consists of building a garage in place of a carport, expanding the living room a bit, and converting some existing space into a laundry room and an office. In addition, we are giving the exterior a facelift to resemble an early 1900's craftsman house. On top of all that, we are updating the plumbing and electrical. I think it's a good project for illustrating the various phases of a home remodeling project.

The photo shows our house before the project began. This blog will be heavy on photos because I think that's the best way of showing what and how things were done.

Our project was designed by Pat Sheehy, an architect in Encinitas. Our general contractor is Mark Stanfield.