Status Report, 8 Jan 2024

Big Picture: Where are we?
Vestibule plaster work is complete, and hardscape work has begun

OK, this status report is more than a bit “overdue”, but this should catch everyone up to where we are. It’s been a great holiday season, with time to visit family and friends and really enjoy the fruits of our labor. There’s a lot on tap for 2024, but we closed out 2023 in a lovely way…

I’m going to talk more about the doors below, but this year at Christmas was the first year we could really decorate well. It was very bit as fabulous as I had hoped. When I was working on the house- particularly the trim on the first floor- I had in my mind what the place would look like at the holidays. It lived up to that vision and then some. I’m so grateful for Kathryn’s support, and for all of the people, starting waaay back with Katy Pople and then the many trades that followed.

Corp Update
 

• At our last status report, the front door install had been perfected, but that was it. Since then, I’ve installed missing drywall, then I did a bunch of plaster work inside the vestibule, and it’s all flat and perfect. (or as close to “perfect” as I’m going to get). I’m pretty pleased with the results, especially since it’s the first “level 5” finish I’ve attempted. They’ll be good for wallpaper. The only hitch is that we have to wait 90 days before we can put up wallpaper due to the specialized bonding agents I used.
  
  For those interested in the details, we used Larsen’s Plaster Weld, a bonding agent that is applied directly to the plaster to increase bonding with the new skim layers. We also mixed the new plaster with more of the same bonding agent (instead of pure water) to further improve adhesion. That should help overcome the fact that we were skimming new plaster over a wall that had been previously painted, etc. Reach out if you’re working on a similar project, and I’m happy to share my resources.
  
  I’m still going to need to custom-mill some trim for the inside and outside, but that’s all taking a bit of a back burner to the hardscape project. The doors looked awesome for Christmas, though, so I’m pleased. I’m also working on rehabbing the inner vestibule door, which will tide Kathryn over until she can start putting up that wallpaper. 🙂

• The hardscape permits finally came through (with some last minute drama, but we’re there). I finalized a contract with Frank Kim of Fr Kim Contracting. He wasn’t my cheapest bid, but I felt like he would do high quality work and that we’d be on the same page about fit/finish, etc. I’ve also signed a contract with the owners of one of the neighboring properties to demolish and replace their deck.
  
  I’ve started the project already by demolishing most of the fence along the West side of our property.  This will help facilitate the installation of the retaining wall. I’ve also started the demo on the deck, and it’s about 95% done. The deck was directly over the wall, so it would have been nearly impossible to remove the wall without damaging the deck. (It turns out the deck was supported by posts that were only buried about 12″ into concrete, so yeah, it was literally impossible to tear out the wall without compromising the deck). Frank (the concrete and masonry guy) will be out on Wednesday to start with his excavator. Wahoo!!!!!
  
  Team Grey is already planning an April visit to start landscaping.
  

• Before the Christmas break, I got the last of the cabinets installed at Hack, sot he miter saw station is in. I also dropped off my router table, which is on loan to the shop. I’m in the process of securing some of the drawers and cabinets, as I am able to keep a few tools on site at Hack to use on my own projects. Unfortunately, someone has already broken into one of the drawers, but I’m going to secure them more substantially in the coming weeks. 
  

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Goals for January

• Demo all of the retaining wall and the concrete parking pad and patio
• Excavate dirt and dig footers for retaining walls.
• Get gravel installed for all footers.
• Complete rehab of inner vestibule door and mount it.
• If possible, start making some of the trim for the outer vestibule door on the Hack CNC.