Much Carpentry Progress -- 98% Plumbing Completion

Another truly amazing day. Jeff Sparks along with John and Bill were on site before 8:00. And the Keene Lumber truck dropped off more lumber just as I arrived.  Jeff split the work for his guys. He worked on installing trim boards on the previously sided west and north walls of the addition. He also finished the siding and trim between the exposed rafter ends on the north wall.

Jeff installed trim boards along the corner, under the roof overhang
and around the window. I need to get on my ladder and keep painting. 

On the north wall Jeff needed to install sheathing and siding above the wall header.
The siding went up to the exposed rafters. 1x4 boards filled in between rafters.
This will match the look on the rest of the house.

Window trim and corner trim finished off the work on the north wall.

At the same time, Bill started working on the entry deck to the back porch. He needed to install posts and framing before the decking could be installed. John manned the saw and managed to keep up with the needs of both Jeff and Bill.

Bill started by setting the post at the south east corner and the easterly joist. 

Eventually all joists were attached using joist hangers.

John used at least three different saws to make the cuts needed for
siding, trim, deck joists and decking.

As the carpenters worked outside Ben arrived to finish up most of the plumbing inside.  He made final connection from the well to the pressure tank. He then worked room to room and made final connections to laundry, bathrooms, and kitchen. Water connections to the main bathroom sink, tub and shower are all complete.  In the addition, the shower valve in the bath is in place, and the water and drain lines are roughed in. In the kitchen the water lines to the sink and dishwasher are attached, and the drain lines -- including a new garbage disposal -- are complete.

Ben posed for me as he was attaching the shower valve assembly.

Plumbers spend a lot of time in awkward positions.
Ben is attaching the water line to the dishwasher.

Ben is working to complete the drain line under the kitchen sink.
3283 will have a garbage disposal for the first time.

Back outside, Jeff dug into the pile of siding that I primed a couple days ago. As john cut the boards to length, Jeff worked from scaffolding to install the siding on the east wall of the addition. I'm pleased that I won't have to both prime and paint the siding on this wall.

Jeff has worked his way well up the east addition wall.

John seemed to do a good job of hiding behind the saw when I had the camera in my hand.

After Ben finished up inside, he moved to the garage where he cut away the old supply piping and reconnected the water piping to the new supply lines that were run on Tuesday. I only got pictures of the disconnect. One is shown below.

Ben is cutting away the water supply line where it has entered the garage for decades.
In the hand-hole is a valve that had been used to drain water in winter.
I will never have to deal with that valve again.

Bill continued to work away on the back entry deck. It was a steady somewhat slow effort. Posts for rails needed to be installed. The deck material we chose uses a system of hidden fasteners so only minimal nail or screw heads will be visible on the surface.

Bill is preparing one of the posts for railing on the deck.

The second post supports the deck and the railing.
We decided to have a wide set of steps leading up to the deck.
They will be as wide as the opening between the posts on the left.

Bill is working his way across the deck.
Each 'board' is attached to joists with special fasteners.

Bill is closing in on the final board which will have to be fastened with small screws.

After finishing the siding on the east addition wall, Jeff turned the corner and began work on the walls that will enclose the re-configured porch bathroom.  The old bathroom was a very cramped room stuck at the end of the porch. It never looked the same as the adjacent parts of the cottage. The siding was different from that on the main building, and was installed parallel to a formerly sloping floor -- not level. It needed to be fixed. We decided to move the toilet and sink out of the corner to a place on the porch; use the old room for storage; and build new walls to enclose the entire area.

Jeff and John demolished the old walls, repaired some of the old studs, and began to frame the new walls that will enclose the bathroom and storage area.

It was just like the cable TV home makeover shows.
John took the sledge hammer and 'gently removed' the old bathroom siding

I had to include this one....since I actually caught flying siding  in the picture.

Jeff quickly had the north wall of the old bathroom covered with siding.
They used my pre-primed boards up high. Thanx!

On the east porch, where we relocated the bathroom, it was necessary to rebuild the wall. A half wall with screens above will be replaced by the new full height bathroom wall. Jeff had to cut away the old half wall which was simply framed by 2x4 top and bottom boards with a single layer of bead-board serving as the wall.  Once this was removed studs were installed. Siding for this wall is scheduled tomorrow -- weather permitting.

It was amazingly simple to cut through the porch wall.
I saved the section that was removed.
A year from now I may wish it had gone in the dumpster.

Here's what the back porch looked like with everything removed.

Studs for the new bathroom outer wall are in place.

It was another very productive day at 3283. Jeff and crew said they will be back bright and early tomorrow to finish up the carpentry work that is remaining. TV weather is saying rain overnight and into the morning. I hope this doesn't stop the progress.  The pictures below give a overview of how the east side of 3283 looked at the end of the day....and proof that Mother Nature is still looking favorably on the project.

Siding complete on the addition. North wall of porch bathroom re-sided.
East wall of porch framed and ready for siding.

Tulip Time continues in Holland with millions of blooms.
Tulip Time at 3283 will consist of nine blooms...when the last one  opens up.