House Stuff

Where is it?

Sorry, the mapquest map is gone because the people at mapquest are idiots. Try Google Maps
15 Cpl William Dickerson Pl
Troy, NY 12180
(518)271-3802

Directions

Links to all the pictures

Links to all the various blueprints


Running Commentary

(I refuse to call this a blog, as that sounds like something you call Roto-Rooter for)

November 20, 2016

The room has been painted for a couple weeks. The important bit of progress, however, is that today the heat got reconnected and turned on. Sadly, painting took until later in the year overall than I'd hoped it would, so I can't do all the mouldings now because it's too cold for me to have the windows open and have the varnish cure. The varnish is far too stinky to apply without the windows open. So I'm going to have to go back next spring, disconnect and drain the heating loop, then varnish all the mouldings, then put it back together again.

September 3, 2016

Contractor finished a week and a half ago, the outside looks *great*. I need to get pictures, but I haven't even taken any yet. Kid was born, I'm busy and distracted.

Interior is drywalled, but the joints aren't mudded yet.

August 21, 2016

I'm starting to wonder if I'll ever get back to updating regularly. Given everything that's been done lately, it isn't like I'll ever have more to say than I currently do.

So the contractor has been going for 2 weeks, other than the days he's been rained out. Exterior came off on day 2 and was immediately replaced with sheathing. Windows were installed on day 3. Since then he's been working on rebuilding the exterior to look like it did 110 years ago.

Since the end of his day 3, I've been trying to finish up the interior. Drywall just finished going up today. Some of it has been taped and mudded (1 coat). I've fixed the room door so it hangs right and doesn't hit the floor. I need to pull the closet door and shave a hair off the bottom so it doesn't hit the floor either. Should get on the door stop moulding and strike plate for the room door, since that won't take long. Then joint compound until I fall over.

July 10, 2016

Progress has slowed dramatically. Most of what's left is waiting on the contractor who is doing the exterior wall and installing the windows, so I have less incentive to keep up the pace. The ceiling is sheetrocked, except right at the windows. I've just managed to finish stripping all of the mouldings that weren't still attached to the house. Next I rip out both door frames to replace them, and while they're out I'll be sanding and refinishing the entire floor.

In other news, the claw-foot tub has been installed in the bathroom. It is glorious.

June 17, 2016

I've gotta get better at updating this. Since the last update, the insulation has arrived, as have the new windows. Three of the walls are fully sheetrocked. The electrical for the room is long done, other than installing the permanent light fixture - that comes after the ceiling is installed and insulated. Baseboards are long done, although I haven't done any of the other mouldings at all yet.

June 8, 2016

As of today, I've gotten all the blasted tiny nails pulled from all of the beams, spoken to a roofer about fixing the leaks (and found the problem myself), ordered the new insulation, and gone through and stripped the baseboards - 2 passes. I'm debating a third pass to really get them clean.

June 6, 2016

I'm in the process of taking a week off to gut and rehab 4. It's Monday, so I've already spent the weekend working on it without updating here. There is no plaster or lathe in the room, and all of the insulation above 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 is out in the dumpster. As long as I've got the front-and-center room ripped out I'm taking advantage of the opportunity to get rid of fiberglass and replace with denim.
And then yesterday evening it rained. I've found 3 leaks in the roof over 4 so far.

April 8, 2016

It's been 7 months since I had something to post here. I really need to not go this long. I'd like to finish some day. Does anyone even bother reading this any more? So few updates...

So, $4400 later, what we have is a completely unusable porch. I'm bringing in a contractor to do some work on the house, because I'm clearly making so much progress and because we're expecting in August and kind of need some of this done. Task list is: front facade of the bay is falling apart, so complete rebuild and new windows; install clawfoot tub; fix the porch rail and roof. First reaction to the porch roof was that he wanted a structural engineer involved.

So the engineer took a look and said: "We'll be getting an emergency building permit for this." Contractor was expecting to start in August, and suddenly he cleared his schedule for the stabilization of the roof. Not much was holding it to the house other than habit and good manners. The porch is now a forest of posts and crossbraces.

I haven't even gotten the estimate for doing the final work yet. Ow.


2015 Archived Commentary
2014 Archived Commentary
2013 Archived Commentary
2012 Archived Commentary
2011 Archived Commentary
2010 Archived Commentary
2009 Archived Commentary
2008 Archived Commentary
2007 Archived Commentary
2006 Archived Commentary
2005 Archived Commentary
2004 Archived Commentary
2003 Archived Commentary
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