Nov 1st -3rd - update & photos (Final Set)

Stairs - well here is a story to tell..potential disaster, which actually does not bear thinking about! When the upper main flight of stairs (from bedroom level to attic) were being installed they were accidentally dropped. They fell all the way to the ground floor..damaging, miraculously, only 1 tread on the main stairs below, and majorly damaging itself. At over 600 lbs in weight had anyone been standing in the hallway they would for sure have been killed!! The damaged tread has been replaced and the upper flight have been rebuilt in situ. They look fabulous I have to say, and the hallway has a really nice open feeling to it.

Attic- all mechanics now installed. the mechanics room, walls either side of the stair well and door frame will now be framed. Flooring to be extended to front of house. Safety balustrading to go at end of floored area. We certainly will never lack storage space in this house!!

Stucco - final coat, which contains colour, almost all on now..just the west side to finish applying. Very happy with the result!

PHOTO DESCRIPTIONS:

1. Main flight of stairs, from ground floor to bedroom level

2. The rebuilt attic stairs.

3. Two thirds of the attic - now awaiting framing.

4. Final coat of stucco - rear view of the house.

5. Final coat of stucco - east end of house. Scaffolding left up in order to
install bird proofing on the chimney pots.

Nov 1st - 3rd - update & photos (Set 2)

Other activity this week:

Garage floor - photos show floor on Monday....prepared ready for concrete on Nov 1st, then with concrete floor poured and polished (Nov 2nd)..and finally the side porch floor..poured but not polished, as flagstone will be lain on this step to match the other porches.

Basement Shower - do not fear..the green is only protective film..the shower itself is white. Shown here in relocated position - allowing for wall space for towel ring to left of shower, and bath robe hook and open shelving for towels to the right.

Holiday Lights - photo is proof that the holiday light package has been installed (see yellow wiring)!

Central Vac System - almost totally installed, as of Nov 3rd (1 outlet outstanding). No photos to post (yet!)

Nov 1st - 3rd - update and photos (Set 1)

The main activity of this week at 3086 Merlin Rd has been the excavating of the septic field, and installation of the tanks. The system has now all been tested (with I believe 800 gallons of water) and inspected, at each critical stage, by the Chester County Health Dept. The seal of approval was granted on Nov 3rd. The septic system will now be buried, leaving just inspection covers allowing access to the pump and for emptying the system when required. This area will be back filled tomorrow with top soil, and afterwards sown with grass seed. Before long the only evidence of what lies beneath the "front lawn" will be these photos (& several others I took!).

Here are a series of photos of the process..just to confuse you they are posted in reverse order..so if you want to follow the "story" (I cannot imagine anyone other than Ian & I will have the slightest bit of interest in our sewage system!!?) start at the last photo and work upwards!!

October Photos

Photo Descriptions:

1. Top half of front of the house.."Shutters or no shutters?"..that is the question!

2. Fall Foliage fom our porch..not yet at it's peak but begining to turn.

3. Siding paint colour sample No. 1......rejected!!

4. View of the front of the houes..2 paint splurges by now..neither of them right! How come paint swatches are never truly representative?

5. Mud Room Shower installed.

September Photos

Photo Descriptions:

1. The "West Side Story" - base stucco application in progress. Siding on dormers

2. Rear of the houes..all of the base coat of stucco applied

3. Basement stairs installed

4. First Core Gin Club Party (thanks to the Macartneys for the champagne & pasa palos) - note how we grouped togther..the "fun size" folks to the left..the taller ones to the right!!

5. Washing machine plumbing.

"Neglected" Blog!

Not even going to go in to the many reasons why the blog has not been my No. 1 priority this past couple of months..that would take a blog in itself!! Apologies to Ian who has become very frustrated by the lack of reporting.

I am very sad that one of the major followers of the blog died in September.... Ewart (Lisa's Dad) was always an inspiration to try to keep things up to date because I knew that during his illness he logged on regularly to see how progress on the "massive place" was going!!

In fact progress has been slow this past 2 months....for various reasons. Frustrating..but no amount of stress will change the situation. As a consequence of that, and the fact that I have been travelling for about half of the last 2 months there are not that many exciting photos to post, but I will post the best in a series of blogs. Thnaks to Alan for those he sent me in my absence.

Seems pointless to go in to detail on what has been done when I will just update things as they currently stand.

Plumbing all plumbing in terms of pipework, drains etc now installed.

Electrics- all in except a few bits and pieces in the basement. In fact some of it has been installed twice, thanks to the kindness of a vandal who decided to come in to the house late Septemeber and cut all the electric wiring (a grudge act against our builder we believe, as that sort of thing is very rare in sleepy Chester County!!) Police were involved and suspect questioned..all of which has caused delays.

Siding - majority was installed weeks ago...final pieces will hopefully be put up before the end of next week. It can then be painted. I have had a change of heart on the original colour selection so justmay be the delay here has happened for a reason?

Stucco - base and 2nd coat been on for some weeks. Final coat now on all relevant exterior walls, bar the western side of the house. Windows blend in perfectly.

Audio and Security Systems - all relevant wiring in place. Looks like big bundles of spaghetti..or extruded macaroni in some instances! Speakers still to be finally decide upon. Ian's dept!!

Sorry seems to be a glitch in the system..blog is not allowing me to upload photos tonight. Will try again tomorrow!!