Our house is an older (1930) house. A little craftsman cottage. It doesn't really fit with this site too much, but I thought there might be good ideas or inspiration for people in a thread about the work that I have, and am doing on it.
Background:
In February of this year (2007), my family and I moved from New Hampshire to Knoxville, TN. My mother took out a credit line against her ranch, and financed us to buy a 2900 square foot craftsman in a run down part of town. We got down here after 19 hours of driving, and went to the rental we had set up. We had been told by our friends that it was alright, and kinda cute, and when we got to it, it was nothing of the sort! So my wife, our four kids, and I, moved in with Marc, his wife DeLacey, and their two kids (three every other weekend when her son is with them), in their 2200 square foot house. The plan was to live with them until our house was livable, but after just a few weeks of working on it, it was quite evident that there was a lot more needed than could be accomplished in short order. My wife was going a bit crazy there, so I drove around the neighborhood and came across this little 2 bedroom 1 bath that was for sale by owner.
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/Housefront.jpg)
I had met a guy a few days before this, who is a real estate broker, and investor, and so I took a shot in the dark and gave him a call. Two weeks later, I had received a private money loan from him, and we signed on the house. I started working on it, it was the beginning of March, and I have been working on it since.
The inside was carpeted, had dropped ceiling tile, and fake paneling in every room except the kitchen and bath.
Living room
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/100_0358.jpg)
dining room
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/100_0361.jpg)
bath
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/100_0364.jpg)
Originally, we were just going to take that stuff off, paint, and cute the place up so that I could get back to work on the big house. When I pulled the ceilings though, I found that all of the plaster ceilings were horribly bowed. I made the decision to rip them out, and reframe everything but the kitchen ceiling. Thats when the snowball started rolling, and got bigger. I have this problem, where good isn't good enough, unless its close enough to perfect that nobody except someone else like me would notice. even if it isn't seen, I can't just put band-aids on things. before too long, the whole place had new sheetrock, electrical, plumbing, ceiling framing, a loft over 3/4 of the house, vaulted ceiling in the living room, new floor framing in the bathroom (which used to be a porch, and so had a dropped beadboard ceiling, and a plank floor 2 inches lower than the house), and more ideas for built-ins and extensive stained trim, than a house this size has a right to. There was a window in the dining room, but when the plaster got messed up, and had to be replaced, I decided to build a 2x8 foot bump out, with built in cabinets in its place.
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/100_0394.jpg)
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/100_0405-1.jpg)
from kitchen looking to front door
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/100_0403.jpg)
from dining to kitchen
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/100_0397.jpg)
vaulted living room
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/100_0396.jpg)
loft, only about 5 ft to peak, enough for kids for now
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/100_0419.jpg)
So there is the start of this thread. I am going to take some more photos today, and be able to get up to date. The hard part is, not only do I have to work on other peoples stuff to pay the bills, but we are living in it as I work on it, and my DW keeps changing my priorities for me. I can't think of a single project I have been able to actually complete! Bathroom is almost done, windows are built and in bump out, kitchen is thrown together and semi functional, beams going up in living room, aluminum siding removed, fireplace ready to be prettied up with tile and a new hearth so we can get woodstove it it.
I am going to go now, and continue on my beams, maybe I'll get the rest of them done today! will do my best to update regularly, and I hope you'ns (obscure sothern term) are interested.
For some reason the first three photos are sideways. I'll try to fix the problem later so you can actually see them.
Looking good! HGTV has nothing on you!
Thanks for posting this, Jens.
Anything others can learn from is welcome here. I know you like to do things first class. Remodels are another way many may be tempted to go in this economy.
Way to go! Quite impressive so far 8) I'm looking forward to seeing the ongoing progress :)
Here is what the bump out has ended up looking like so far.
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/P1010887-1.jpg)
And from the inside...finally built the windows and got them installed! That only took like 6 months.
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/P1010903.jpg)
And here are some updated photos of the interior. Same angles, more or less, as before.
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/P1010904.jpg)
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/P1010902.jpg)
I was going to take a photo of the bathroom, but it is bathing day. The my wife would kill me if she saw a photo of it today on the web. Some of you may call me a good husband, you may be right, I prefer to think of myself as simply a self-preservationist in these matters.
The last few days I have been working on the beams in the living room. I couldn't afford nice thick beams, or nice clear 1x to build mitered boxed beams, so I layered up 3 pieces of 2x, dropping the center one an inch. I figured instead of trying to hide the true composition of the beams, it'd be better to celebrate its form, regardless of its original utility.
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/P1010906.jpg)
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/P1010905.jpg)
The strange looking cuts in the half beams (on the walls), are an ode to the post and beam tradition of lap joints. A 1.5x1.5 inch piece of contrasting wood will go in the hole there, and sit proud of the surface of the beam. I am working on the post and beam work that will go around the fireplace now, but I drew it in google sketch up so that others could understand what is in my head. That is the hardest part for me with building a house. I have to explain what the finished product will look like. I see our house with all of its woodwork, and built-ins already finished. Much of the things I am doing now in here, are things that I planned for, and prepared for in the framing process, so it is quite nice, and about time others get to see some of them.
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/fireplacepostandbeam.jpg)
Got my hot tea now, going back down to the basement to work on the beams some more. BTW, the green on the front of the fireplace will be tile, they just don't have green tile in the program.
I have most of the pieces for the fireplace beams cut out and pre-assembled in the basement. It looks so cool! I'm excited, and I can't wait to get it installed. I have gotten to where I am so often surprised by the things I build. A lot of the woodworking I do starts off with a plan, some just an idea, then I buy some stock and get to work. Mistakes get made, pieces get cut wrong, this part changes, and so the other side must too, and "look at that...that would look really cool" starts happening over and over again. Its almost like God is the one building, and I am just holding the tools. For those of you who don't believe in God, go ahead and replace with your higher power. Gotta go to Home Depot and get a coupla sticks before they close, then come back and sand all 36 separate pieces. You know, back in the day, I think I could handle being the carpenter who had to cut all of this stuff by hand, but I wouldn't want to do the sanding!
I think it will look great Jens. Nice work.
Some updated photos of the post and beam project. The in progress one is blurry, but gives an idea of how the thing goes together.
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/P1010930.jpg)
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/P1010950.jpg)
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/1119082018.jpg)
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/1119082017.jpg)
Still have the mantle to build, and the metal straps that will go around the posts, and square oak pegs at the joinery locations. The whole thing will be stained a medium brown, and covered in shellac, then waxed.
very nice! there is so much nice work by so many people here. i hope i don't get embarassed when i start my project.
Quote from: apaknad on November 20, 2008, 12:38:10 PM
very nice! there is so much nice work by so many people here. i hope i don't get embarassed when i start my project.
Hey, then you just call it "rustic" heh
Jens, beautiful work - I love the bump out, too - the way you put the windows.
i can do rustic, thanx sassy. Rustic...ie., ididn't mess up, it was designed that way. ::)
WOW! Very nice! I wish I had that kind of carpentry skills - or any carpentry skills for that matter. LOL!
Nice work.
Thanks for the kind words everybody. Nothing wrong with rustic, nothing wrong at all. In fact, one of these days I would love to have a rustic cabin, with log furniture, hand hewn with an axe. I would also like to build that cabin with nothing but hand tools though, so I know nobody is going to accuse me of being sane anytime soon. Sassy, the bump out is based on a design by Gustav Stickley. His design however, did not have the side lights, and the three windows were art glass. My mother is going to build some art glass windows for the sidelights for us, which is great since it means that is one less thing I have to do! The exterior of the bump out is based on some that I have seen in town on Craftsman houses, made to look more like cabinetry than just another contour of the house, it will not be painted the same deep red that we chose for the siding on the main body of the house. I am thrilled to see all of the work on this site, and to know that I am not the only one who can at the same time be very proud of it, yet wishing I had done some things a little differently. Happens everytime. Just remember too, if you mess up on one side, turn the mistake into another contour, and match it on the other side. You think Michelangelo broke down all of the plaster when he messed up? You gotta just be patient, and nurture the new form as it takes shape.
I like it alot Jens, are you using a router for the carpentry?
This was built using a router with 7/8" and 1/4" round over bits, circular saw, table saw with regular and dado blades, chop saw, jig saw, belt and orbital sanders, and hand chisels. Basic light duty shop set up. I say light duty shop, because no planers, jointers, or band saws were used. could all be done with a decent router, skil saw, and hand tools, would just take longer. It is actually a pretty simply concept, the design just kept growing.can take some cross section photos of post assembly if interested.
the wife decided to take a photo of the bathroom, some time ago. I've been kinda lazy with the posting. Putting the stuff on the computer, then on photobucketet, then on here, just remembering to take the photos is hard enough for me to do!
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/P1020094.jpg)
It's amazing what you've done to that place, Jens... Have you ever wished you just started from scratch? ;)
All the time! Doesn't make much of a difference though, after all, I can't change that. Would be about 10-15k more to go from scratch. See my thread about needing mental help to read about how difficult it is for me to not just abandon this, and focus on a homestead. It will be the right time sooner or later.
Jens:
Such a great project. Thanks for taking the photos, filling in the story and letting us come along for the ride.
You are a very good craftsman and I enjoyed reading your comments on your process of evolving ideas. I wrote this article about "thought experiments" that I observed from my father: http://www.countryplans.com/thought-ex.html
I think you must do something similar - but you have a much finer appreciation of detail and design than my father did.
Most impressive and I love how your wood stove is coming along.
Jens what was involved in framing your bump out? How do you make it so the floor of the bumpout has structural integrity? Or do you assume since there will be a built in it won't really have any extra weight on it. I was thinking of making a bump out for our living room, because our couch doesn't really fit with the love seat we have. I wanted to make one big enough to slide the couch back about 2 feet.
Thanks so much for the kind words John, I think I might be blushing.
Mike, the joists in this house run perpendicular to the wall that is bumped out. I used 8' joists, stubbing them out 2', and sistering them on to the old joists. These are the joists for the bump out, they cantilever over the foundation wall. The rule of thumb on cantilevers, is to have 2/3 inside, 1/3 outside the fulcrum point. So these could have been 6 footers. Sistering on, I run nails on a 16 inch pattern, 2 in a 2x4, 3 for 2x6, 4 for 2x8 and 2x10, five for 2x12. So every 16 inches along the length, there are four 16d nails connecting the joists together. Yes it doesn't have much load on it, but from everything I've learned through the years, this method is still sound for a load bearing wall too.
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/bumpoutdetail.jpg)
If your joists are parallel to the wall you want to bump out, it is more work. First, you still have to come back 2/3, which usually means two joists need to be cut off. The stub joists on the outer part of the bump out should be doubled. Then, the joist to which they mount should be doubled.
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/bumpoutframingdetailver20.jpg)
Hope that clears it up a bit. If anyone has any additions, or modifications to this advice feel free. This is just how I have been taught.
Little tip: when you have to run a doubled header joist, with other joists coming off of it (or in rafter systems), put up the inside part of the header alone first. Raise your joists into place, and end nail through the first layer of the header into the joist. Then come back through and double up the header. In some areas, this negates the need for joist hangers, in others it'll just hold that much better. Joist hangers get expensive in a hurry!
Oh yeah, install blocking between the new stub joists where they exit over the foundation mudsill. Let their inside edge be flush with the outside of the sill, seal the gap with caulk or foam to block drafts. Now you have more strength, and something to attach the underside plywood of the bump out to.
Nice, thanks. I can't for the life of me think of which way my joists run without going to check.
The project is looking great.
Jens...you do really great work! I can't wait to see the pictures of the art glass your mom is creating. That will be such a special tie in. The bump out window was a smart move. I bet it makes the space feel really nice.
Thanks Dog. Yeah, the bump out makes a dining room that is 11x13 really spacious even though two doors, and the main walkway through the house travel down one side. Once we have all of the built-ins in there, we will have plenty of storage, so that our small kitchen is not beleaguered with too much service and dinner ware.
It's really beautiful Jens. Craftsman style homes have always been one of my favorites. I'm really excited to see the art glass that your mom is working on. DW must be thrilled with project even though I can't imagine how difficult it must be living in a work in progress and caring for the family at the same time.
Great idea with the kitchen storage. That is important.
Don't forget about the chair/table idea! Space saving and multi purpose usage is key in tight spaces if you want to maintain a nice clean open feel.
When you have time down the road...possibly consider designing and creating a few beautiful pieces, take quality pictures, start a website and take orders from customers. Only if cost effective of course. People like the "custom" sort of thing and you have some good ideas.
I just picked up a whole bunch of lumber, rough cut, anywhere from 3-8 inches wide and about 12' long. Some of the boards are 3/4" thick, most are 1" or greater. All of the pieces are weathered, and are going to need quite a bit of cleaning up and re-milling, but they are beautiful. One of them had it's face to the house today, and was wet from rain, and the grain was just gorgeous. I cut one of them, to see what the grain looks like, and I think it is all walnut! I got a truckload for $25! That is gonna be some furniture alright. A friend of mine has some quarter sawn white oak too, that I am going to use for some stuff. Thanks a lot Dog, as if I needed any more encouragement! :)
I have taken to making a list of items I am going to build to take to the farmers market. I figure that for a $15 fee, I should be able to do some business. I am also trying to work out ways to flat pack a lot of the furniture, and simple, yet not cheesy ways for the fustomer to then assemble them. Mortise tenon and tusk wedges are one good way I can think of.
I got the loft painted last week, and we are trying out colors on the front porch. I got about half of the front of the house primed, and we are trying out different reds for the siding, browns for the trim, and blue for the accent. Thats the only news right now.
Hope all of you are doing well.
just finished totaling up all of the receipts for the house here...well, almost all of them. to date, we have spent about $7000 on our little house. Not so bad, considering that all of the walls and ceilings are new sheet rock, new plumbing, new electrical, tiled bathroom, all new ceiling framing, some trim done, and all of the paint has been bought for the exterior. Probably be another $7k by the time we are done I would think.
So that brings us to about $40,000, including the purchase price. Still more expensive than building from scratch...if we already had the land, that is, and it's cost weren't included.
Loft is still awaiting its railing, built in beds, and stairs/storage unit in the bedroom to get up there. We have been testing out paint colors on the front, and have decided on a nice red for the siding, brown for the trim and framing, and blue as an accent color (window sash and such).
Finished the ceiling fan mount in the living room last week, will post photos soon.
ok, so here is the ceiling fan mount.
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/0307091458.jpg)
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/0307091458a.jpg)
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/0307091458b.jpg)
Here is the little wood stove we picked up last month. it is a Waterford 104. Made in Ireland...pretty good little stove. We may end up pulling it out of the fireplace, as a lot of the heat comes from the back 1/2 of it. A fan could help too. It is kinda nice that it warms up the brick, which then continues to radiate.
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/0307091459.jpg)
thought I'd show a few of the property too. This is the tree that will eventually have a tree house. Hopefully "eventually" doesn't mean "years from now, when the kids are too old for it"!
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/0307091506.jpg)
this is where the chicken coop and run is going to be. Still have to figure out a way to dupe the building inspector into not thinking it is a chicken run when he comes to check off the house!
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/0307091505a.jpg)
This embankment had a rock wall. The rocks had all kinda grown into the dirt. We are going to use the rocks for the bases of the pergola in the front yard, and the foundation of the earthen oven and cook top in our outdoor kitchen that we hope to build this summer.
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/0307091505.jpg)
oh yeah, to replace the stones in the retaining wall, I am going to build a new wall out of old tires...Earthship style. They will step back a bit with each course, and be used as planters.
I really love your woodwork.. Amazing detail! If you ever have some time on your hands (yeah right.. ;)) a tutorial or two on how you did some of those pieces would be awesome...
That's a well-built little stove. A while back I posted a thread about rebuilding one just like it for my cabin. Mine has a shiny black enamel finish. Will use it for the first time when I make my first trip over, maybe next month, when snow is no longer an issue in the Cascade passes.
I lived in a house in Mpls for 26 years of the same vintage as yours. It was only 5 blocks from that bridge that collapsed. Installed a bay window in the dining room, but I like your bump-out better.
You do some real nice work. Good luck on the rest.
Very nice work, Jens - I really like those dragonflies!
I will be making another one of those mounts for the dining room. It won't float, as there is a ceiling in there, but will mount to the ceiling. If I can remember, I'll take photos during. Don't know if there will be any carving though, it took a lot of time for the dragonflies. That's the biggest part, time and patience.
beautiful wood work !
you are an artist !
Those dragonflies look amazing! What a nice gift for your wife! They look like they took a lot of time. They're BEAUTIFUL!
I got to borrow a rototiller today, and tilled up the veggie gardens! The weather has been nice for the past few days. This is the first day in a while, that I actually did enough sweating to smell at the end of the day! It's hard being a housewife, and not getting dirty and smelly, I am too used to it after all these years.
To come next, a greenhouse, garden fences, composter, and chicken coop/run. Then probably back inside to finish the loft. I gotta get the food production situation taken care of before we run out of time.
Thanks for the kind words all, but Without evangelizing too much I have to say that none if it would be possible without the help of the first builder the world has ever known! It's his talent, just my hands.
Dragonflies-about 2-4 hours each I think. Done in the kitchen while learning Hebrew from the Pimsleur language series, "Hine hisa Ivrit. Hakchivu, vishan'inu". Don't know if that is spelled right, but I learn a bit more with every lesson!
You carved them by hand? I figured it was router work...
you're amazing, Jens
Seriously, not just humbleness, as that is not my forte at all, it isn't me, I am just the one that ends up getting the credit. But thanks just the same :)
Thanks for those links, I will check them out later. Your house is pretty nice too! I lived in Barrington, NH (near Portsmouth) for a year, and know that in that area building a house as nice as yours for the cost you did it is a pretty good feat! Good job!
Joinery...well, I am a big fan of through mortise and tenon with wedges, or regular m&t with pegs, although I don't get to do too much of it! I don't have the money for beams, so I have had to figure out a new way to dress up 2x lumber and make it neat looking. I am happy with the results. I am a big fan of Greene & Greene, and Stickley. I look at my style as a kind of mix of the two, with Eastern influences (one of my original architectural loves). Japanese joinery is great, as is nordic. The stuff done with simple tools is awesome, I am hoping on, and working toward using/making more hand tools. I am going to set up a small blacksmithing corner in the yard, so that I can make chisels, plane irons, axes, and such. Not to mention, if the wife needs a new spatula in the kitchen...
I am mostly self taught, the library is a dear friend! I have been working construction for the last 6 years or so, mostly on my own. Started doing metalwork almost 13 years ago, building hot rods, and most of the skills I learned there come in very handy working wood. As far as source material goes, Fine Homebuilding, and any book (or mag) by Taunton press. Books on Greene & Greene, Stickley, Arts and Crafts in general, as well as natural building books (cob, straw, stone) are favs. Any book that has good homestead stuff in it has good basic material. The Foxfire series (both my wife's Grandfather's copies, and new) occupy our bookcase. Anything on fine furniture is a good reference for both home design, and construction of finish work. There are also a bunch of video tutorials you can watch about furniture making on Finewoodworking.com, and even youtube.
Thanks for the words. I have some new photos, mostly the garden prep, seedlings getting started in the dining room, chicken tractor, and composter. Gotta get the outside stuff done so we can get to growing! I don't think I have actually done anything on the house lately, except replace the window panes the dog has been breaking out when he tries to eat the mailman!
There's a whole series of books featuring James Krenov's work. I don't know if they are all still in print. I bought several of them 25 + years ago. He taught in CA for a time; I think he still lives there.
Well...between homeschooling four kids, cooking, cleaning (with mad help from the wife), trying to keep the house from exploding, doing side jobs here and there, and doing a little bit on the house, I haven't really had time to update in a while...imagine that!
I have, however, painted the house (trim still not painted), and tilled three large gardens which we then planted, and done a few small things here and there.
I can't find where my wife put the new pictures with paint on the house, or the new pics of the garden (which has gone crazy with this rain and then heat here).
here is our chicken tractor, five hens (was six, but tragedy ensued)
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/0423091640a.jpg)
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/0423091641.jpg)
one garden right after planting
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/0423091634.jpg)
and a couple of weeks after, with the fencing started
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/0525091430.jpg)
the other garden just after planting
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/tomatoespeppersonions.jpg)
and more recently
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/0525091429.jpg)
this little guy almost got eaten by our cat, but we nursed him and re-released him
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/bunny3-26-09.jpg)
we needed a shovel to clean out the woodstove ashes...thank you state of New Hampshire!
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/homestead/0318091354a.jpg)
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/homestead/0318091354.jpg)
and I built a large, three bin composter as well, that's the bottom
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/homestead/0311091946.jpg)
I have also been splitting and stacking firewood, about a cord so far. Washing machine broke, so I get to fix that. kitchen drain is clogged, so until that is fixed, it is back to the five gallon bucket drain...really makes you conserve water when you have to carry it outside and dump it! I am considering draining it through the wall and into some storage tanks for watering. My wife wants it to go to a pond with fish (small pond, not enough land for a big one) that would help to clean the water some. We got a new dog too. I will post pics of all that stuff (dog, paint, garden now, etc) when my wife is awake and can tell me where she put the photos on the computer!
Just thought some of y'all might like an update. Cheers.
DW woke up long enough to let me know where to find the photos.
Dog... (edit, put the wrong photo here, here is the dog)
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/0528091710a.jpg)
"There's a red house over yonder..."
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/0603091505.jpg)
gardens
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A lot has happened in the last few months! :P
Modern homesteading in new millennium?
A fine bit of creative work in any case.
Wow! The house and the garden look amazing!
Quote from: Dog on June 05, 2009, 03:36:40 PM
Wow! The house and the garden look amazing!
I agree! [cool]
Looks great, Jens! I like the ash scoop.
Those gardens are quite a bit ahead of ours! We're still getting frosts..
Looking good Jens. What color is the trim going to be?
Thanks for the comments everybody. Frost still? Ouch! I guess you can still expect to get peas and potatoes in though. Our nights are still getting cool, but needing a jacket is quite rare.
Trim is going to be a dark brown, the same color as you see the fascia and the "beam" of the porch. The porch ceilings, window sashes, and accents will be a dark blue. The foundation will be a dark slate, or charcoal type gray.
We went up to the Smoky Mountains last weekend for three days of camping, and to see the synchronized fireflies. For those who have no idea of what I am talking about, there are two places in the world, where blue fireflies will come out by the thousands, and blink at the same time. Unfortunately, it rained, and we didn't get to see them!
We did, however, get to come home to find 12 eggs in the chicken coop, and fresh veggies ready to be picked!
Zucchini and yellow squash, beets, and radishes.
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Jens,
What have you been up to since June? Love your garden!
Very cool. Killer garden, loft and woodworking. Great work.
[cool]
BK, haven't been doing too much since then. Had good harvests, work has been slim, but finally sold our big Craftsman to and am remodeling it for friends. Done a bit on our house, ceiling fan, cieling in the bump out, built a sukkah in the yard. Picked up some vinyl replacement windows on Craigslist for $200. Enough to do about 2/3 of our house, but will take some good remodeling to get them installed (they are smaller, and there are multiples that are replacing 1, etc). I will have pics soon, but not until I have more done. Re-doing the hearth on the fireplace, to relocate the woodstove out in front of it, and then tiling the hearth and fireplace. Making some light fixtures soon, and doing loft railing. Most of this stuff is just projects that are related because they are the same process...drywall at the same time, carpentry at the same time, paint at the same time, etc.
got some updates. First off, my wife quit her job in the bakery about May, and we switched roles back. I found work for a month, then had nothing for a couple of weeks, then gutted (all except lath and plaster) and remodeled this bathroom. 49 hours, in 3 days, because he had tenants moving in.
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after this job, I basically had no work until the end of October. We sold the 2800 square foot craftsman that we bought in foreclosure 2 years ago.
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and now I am fixing it up for our friends who bought it. I had about 4 weeks off while the lead abatement crew was doing their thing, so I got a few things done (or rather, started) Photos are kinda grainy, low light, camera phone.
the ceiling fan was first
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then I worked on the curved ceiling in the bump out.
first framing with two layers of 3/4" plywood cut to the curve and screwed to the sides of the rafters.
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then followed with two layers of 1/4" sheetrock
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then the loft railing was requested before we hosted a get together the night after Thanksgiving with 5 students from UT's Hillel, and three friends.
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wife was cutting in a bit, and decided to write this on ceiling so that "you could read it when you are sitting on the couch and look up". I guess she didn't realize she'd written it mirrored
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here is the view toward Patrick's (10 years-old) space.
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They totally dig it. It is like a fort. All three kids have built in beds, which will have 3 drawers underneath them. The girls beds are head to head, separated by a bookcase for each, and have special valances to make them, well, girly. I will get photos of the beds soon.
the impetus for getting the kids into the loft, was the 4'x4' puppy corral that we couldn't figure out a place for. They couldn't stay in the kitchen.
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there are 8 American Stratfordshire Terriers
we also had 3 kittens born.
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we now have 21 souls living in this house, and 5 outside (chickens, we only had 4, but a friend gave us one of hers)
today I started refinishing the front of the fireplace, so that I can get the woodstove back in. It is now ready for the coats of thinset, in preparation for the local tile we are going to have made. The heath will be slate, and herringbone slate tiles will be on the panel that blocks off the fireplace opening.
This job I will be doing first, since we need to put the woodstove back in
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The main reason I was doing bits of each project, is because an insurance inspector is coming out next week. Had some things to button up, but not enough time to finish them.
working on getting my contractors license too, and have been spending a lot of time at our kids school. Three kids, who are honors students...it takes a lot of time to go to all of the awards ceremonies, teacher conferences, spelling bee for 1 today, etc.
Hope all goes well with your license and you can get some steady income. Nice work.
That's the trick, not just the license, but getting the work, and having income. ??? Still have a hard time finding that a lot of the time.
Jens if you do good work (which you have shown you can) and you keep your commitment of starting when you say you will there then there shouldn't be a problem. Most contractors in this area are so independent and in short demand they don't care if they show up when they say they will or not. I guess that is my biggest gripe not only with trades people but in general. If I say I will be there you can bet I will be on time or early. If I can't I have the decency to call ahead and let the person know I can't make it. When and if they do show up the person hiring then are so alienated that it wouldn't make any difference what kind of a job they do it is still in the back of their minds.
When we moved here to the land of mañana, a quarter century ago I had a chance to do some finish carpentry work for a contractor who lived across the street. When I showed up for the first job when I said I would he seemed surprised, which puzzled me. He told me some time later that he decided there and then that if the quality of my work matched my timeliness, he would use me or as long as I wanted to work for him. I did all his finish work, trim, doors, cabinets and the like for three years until he passed away.
That's just a little personal story to illustrate that, like John said, if you do everything you say you will, when you say you will, and do good work, you should be on your way. O course the general state o the construction business at present adds to that challenge. Best of luck on all fronts.
I have fired guys for not calling, and not showing up. It's one of the first things I tell new guys, and one of the only big things I request. I have not always been perfect on the other end of the scale, and have paid the price too. The biggest problem I usually have, is just that most people don't trust somebody with less than 50% gray hair, and a brand new truck, to hire them for working on their house. Either that, or everyone already has all the help they need. Or they want cheap, fast, and high quality. You can't have all three though!
Quote from: Jens on December 04, 2009, 12:35:15 AM
.... and a brand new truck,
That's funny, because a couple years ago when we were getting estimates for the polybutylene re-pipe job, I found myself mentally marking down the guy who showed up in a quite new dually pickup with Alcoa wheels and a bunch of other shiny stuff, including some very fancy sign work. The guy who got the job had an ex-Ryder rental box truck, still yellow with painted over Ryder signage. He also had superb references for getting the job done when and as promised. Less than half the price as well. So that time cheap, fast and good did materialize. The fancy truck guy also had the biggest splashiest yellow page ads. The one we used was word of mouth advertising.
Nice work Jens, thanks for the update.
Great curved ceiling. Quality work on the railing too. I wish I could even think of details like those. Great job.
d*
Squirl, Pick up cottage magazines, and bungalow magazines, they are full of neat little touches, and different styles. Bungalows are especially eclectic (sometimes), and were quite often designed by a creative carpenter, or very good architects.
I just finished the oak border around the hearth, and will mud the front of the fireplace on Sunday, hopefully. until then (next pics), gut Shabbos!
Maybe a little off thread but a couple books that came very highly recommended to me because we are really in to Craftsman style homes.
Shop Drawings for Craftsman Interiors by Robert W. Lang
Shop Drawings for Craftsman Inlays and Hardware by Robert W. Lang
Lang also has several books of furniture plans from Gustav Stickley as well as Greene and Greene.
I did pick up a book of Lang's titled The Complete Kitchen Cabinetmaker. I found it well written and easy to understand. No color photos but good line drawings and B/W photos. Picked it at Woodcrafters but Amazon carries them as well. Also Barns and Noble does carry a good selection of interior design books for the bungalow style homes. Or check out the library for more ideas. I am planing getting the Craftsman Interiors Book right away because we are starting to get some ideas down on paper for a home.
Quote from: Jens on December 04, 2009, 12:35:15 AM
Or they want cheap, fast, and high quality. You can't have all three though!
In a previous life, my wonderful boss had scrawled on the chalkboard that covered a whole wall of our shared office:
"Good, fast, and cheap. Which two do you want?"For the benefit of the miracle-seekers who regularly visited us. He often answered their questions by pointing at the chalkboard.
I got the fireplace ready for tiling. The face is going to be custom made 5x5 tiles from a man at synagogue, the hearth 12x12 slate. The opening to the firebox will have a panel of 2x6 herringbone slate. Border is made out of oak salvaged from the big house.
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this is one of the built in beds in the loft. Still needs to be painted, and build the drawers, and add a curtain. A bookcase for each girl separates the two beds.
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Jens nice work on the 45's of the transition. I hope you allowed the distance of the grout joint. I always lay my tile first then the transition but that's just me.
Also the last picture did not show up. It had a Photobucket notation that it had been moved or deleted.
yeah, ok, Syd's bed
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Didn't figure for grout, will cut tile to be what it needs to be. The border needed to be what it is to replace some bad floor boards, and get me the dimensions that I liked for the tiled area. Didn't have time to do tile first, and didn't quite know where it was going to be. I also find it easier to massage individual pieces of tile, with grout joints, than pieces of wood which need to fit tight.
Almost ready to visit ya!
Nice work, Jens.
The kids totally love being in the loft. I still haven't built the stairs for them, so they go up and down my 8' ladder. Great part is that if they piss us off, we can take the ladder and then they're stuck! :)
Great Bed. I love the idea.
I like all your beautiful wood working, too, Jens. Would have loved a loft like that when I was a kid - and the neat bed - you can be a part of what's going on in the rest of the house & still be in bed - best of both worlds!
lol about the ladder [rofl2]
Great work Jens.... Quite the wood worker you are d* . Also cool loft area. I remember a loft we had that my dad built ...they will remember it also... Good stuff 8)
Quote from: Jens on December 27, 2009, 09:22:42 AM
yeah, ok, Syd's bed
(https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hobbiest/adams%20ave%20house/1224091307-1.jpg)
Didn't figure for grout, will cut tile to be what it needs to be. The border needed to be what it is to replace some bad floor boards, and get me the dimensions that I liked for the tiled area. Didn't have time to do tile first, and didn't quite know where it was going to be. I also find it easier to massage individual pieces of tile, with grout joints, than pieces of wood which need to fit tight.
Almost ready to visit ya!
You ready to install a 1.000 pound staircase?
You ready to install a 1.000 pound staircase?
no, not really. The front bedroom is going to become a family room/tv room type of thing, and we are going to be moving into the bedroom the kids were in. In the front BR, there is a closet that I am going to put a simple staircase/ladder in. Might even put a door up, so we can close the stairs off (makes it seem more like axillary space). I really need to do it soon, but the tile on the hearth must come first so that we can get the woodstove back in.
I spent about 5-6 hours sanding drywall today in a customer's house. Boy am I whooped! Yesterday was spent sanding, mudding, and then going over to the big house to line up with the plumber and jack up the floors. Tomorrow we are going to Chattanooga for Shabbat supper at a friends house before he leaves for Israel and the IDF. Maybe tile on Sunday, don't know.
Well, never got the woodstove back in, and have the gas bills to prove it! I was too busy working on the big house to do just about anything here. Trying to get gardens in now. The wife had me build a bunch of raised beds, and we had 12 yards of soil delivered. Will have a few hundred corn stalks, cucumber, squash, tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, beans, peas, potatoes, broccoli, artichokes, and I am not even sure what else. I leave that up to her. Have a bunch of photos of the big house-we ended up reframing half the roof, and maybe 25% of the walls-to post soon. Spray foam insulation, roof, electrical, plumbing and drywall are done. Now it is on to finish work. I did take a week off over spring break to refinish the floors while the family spent the week in New Hampshire.