no longer on the fence

by

The decision was made a few days ago to redo the fence line at the rear of the property separating the two suites.  Why?

The concrete area that used to house the gazebo was not used well.  It will be allotted to the rear suite, and a new walkway will be put in for rear parking and garbage access for the main suite (house).  It won’t affect the back decks of the house. 

Also, the rear suite gate would not close because of a) constant perpendicular pull and b) my incorrect decision to use a type of hinge ordered from the States. 

old fence

previous main suite walkway shared with rear suite patio

Read more

a shift (or is it?)

by

I’ll be drywalling the kitchen ceiling soon, so cleanup begins in there.  Where do I stash the fridge, stove, cabinets, etc.? 

Mostly cleanup and organizing today.  I’m tired of working in a dump. 

  

As it turns out, the fridge leaks.  The evaporator tray is rusted through and leaks water all over.  I’ll find an appliance shop somewhere and order a new one. 

I’m not sure why someone would put a wood screw into an electrical box that takes threaded machine screws.  That’s not true – I do know why – taking shortcuts.  Unfortunately, I’m the horse’s *** who gets to make it right again.  I know – there’s no profit in taking care of such minuscule details, but I’m not a Ferengi. 

Short day today. 

light, shim, bath fan, weeds

by

I wasn’t supposed to come in today as I had other obligations, but I was called away to a sewer problem at another property.  In my spare time between tasks, I came here.  Light duties today. 

 I found out why the kitchen light only sometimes worked.  Here was the pattern: 

bedroom light turned on

Read more

new ceiling fan, floor holes

by

I started to put up the ceiling fan.  Floyd came by, and I asked him to finish screwing the fan blades to the blade arms for me. 

Later, I removed the superfluous wood in the hallway / kitchen doorway. 

There will never be a door there again, so it is reframed. 

Read more

laundry and toilet shelving areas

by

The laundry shelving area has unsightly seams.  I should have changed saw blades on the table saw but didn’t.  Too much of a hurry to get it done, I guess.  Now I must buy some filler. 

The bath fan bulkhead area is drywalled.  The fan will go into the hole at the end.  The fan is side-vented, louvred. 

Now I have to find a 6″ to 4″ reducer for the bath fan. 

old lumber

by

There was a rather unattractive pile of seemingly junk lumber stacked outside the back door while we worked on the mudroom.  I restacked and organized it all in the front porch (sunroom).  It is all usable. 

 

Many of them have yet to be de-nailed. 

laundry shelf, laundry bath bulkhead

by

The laundry shelf area framing was completed, and panelling was begun. 

So this is how it will look, minus the shelving.  They will be adjustable. 

I drywalled the laundry / bath add-on bulkhead, and Dave taped, beaded, and mudded it. 

The shelving hardware was added. 

living room fan, LED lights, laundry framing

by

Today I see if that old living room fan works. 

As it turns out, it is too noisy.  I don’t want to do that to my tenants.  Dave found some fans on sale at Canadian Tire.  I need the one (the only one) without built-in LED lights.  Why?  When LEDs burn out (so to speak), they cannot be replaced.  The fixture looks ridiculous with only some working and others not.  When an LED light bulb burns out, it is easily replaced. 

The laundry (washer) receptacle was re-installed. 

The laundry area framing was continued. 

 

shower blocking, mudding, drywalling

by

Blocking was put behind the shower faucet.  I had to purchase more machine screws from Canadian Tire – like I don’t have enough at home! 

Dave the Drywall Magician came by and mudded the area between the shower and vanity / bath window.  Between uneven framing and shower flanges, there are lots of areas that the drywall doesn’t match up perfectly.  This is life. 

Narrow pieces of drywall were added to all the ends of walls and such.  Lots of taping and mudding here. 

Next, try to sort out that plumbing wall.  The goals are to a) make it useful, b) reduce the ugliness, and c) house the washer plumbing. 

I’ll keep you posted.