The Big House Renovation

Well we rented a truck to pick up our decking materials this morning. We were at Menards at 6:30 a.m. to beat the heat. It doesn't look like much just sitting in a pile.



We're going back this afternoon to pick up new storm doors while they are still on sale. We decided now is the time to get quality doors, our's are junk. Should have done it right the first time but we were trying to save money.

We're getting Larson Lakeview ScreenAway Full View, with brushed nickel hardware. They had good reviews online, and I must say they were by far better quality than anything else we saw in town.



Update: We spent most of our day shopping for supplies, and got our rental truck returned. Best idea we ever had, sure beat trip after trip to the store with my little truck. Started the real work around 5pm, and for 100 degrees, it's pretty nice out back, love our shade. So far the footing holes got filled and the rest of the ledger board flashing got installed. Making the 24' beam is next, will get it started today at least.

 

Everything is really looking good and getting in place. Well done!!!

 

Got some progress done yesterday, but not as much as hoped. It was just too hot to work in the afternoon. Posts are up at least, and beam is built. Hopefully we'll get the rest of the framing done tonight.

 

Well, we are making progress, but not as much as we'd hoped. It was 105 out Wednesday, so it's safe to say we didn't get accomplished what we'd liked. It is starting to resemble a deck. We decided to run the joists 12" on center, probably overbuilt, but we don't care. Way above code (as is everything else), but the last deck (contractor built ) was so far below code we're swinging the other way I guess.

 

Overkill when building is a GOOD thing! I'm sure you'll be spending alot of time up there and don't want to have to worry about it falling in.

 

We're finally putting some decking down, things should move right along now. We decided to run two boards perpendicular to the house down the center so we could run 12' boards without seams both ways from center parallel to the house. Took some additional framing, but it should look nice. Dark colored board in the 2nd photo isn't part of the deck, it's being used as a pry board.

 

Looking very good so far! I'm so in agreement with you about overkill. We do that all the time.

 

All the deck boards are installed, yay!

 

That looks so well-built. Great job!

 

Thanks! I'm hoping we'll get the new railings up this week, and maybe get the stairs on. I know that is wishful thinking, but the weather looks pretty good at least.

My other project this past week was converting a bedroom into a waiting room for my piano students. This gives them a bathroom accessible without having to go upstairs, and a place they don't have to be so quiet all of the time. And, additional square footage for business use of the home. Win win!

 

We're finally working on the railings for the deck, but of course, it rained today. Thankful for the rain even if it cut into our work day. So, the front screen door got installed instead, it's under a covered porch and out of the rain. A big improvement.



Hopefully I'll have some finished railing photos tomorrow.

 

WOW Pianolady, That is allot of work. Looking good.

Barb in Pa.