Month: October 2026

leftovers stored

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I have enough material left over to start on another suite! 

I’ll deal with the smaller things later (bathroom fans, screws, electrical, etc.).  In the mean time, here is some stuff still in stock. 

small fridge from upstairs before renos (new 2021), range from rear of 520 (new 2022)
shingles left over from roofing the shed
flooring left over from 1403 upstairs suite
house wrap left at 1403 before purchase (c2021)
1/2″ water lines, probably 40′ (12m) or so
…and lots of lumber of various sizes, not to mention bricks

I put the refrigerator (Magic Chef) online for sale, but no one even called. 

I tried selling the range online for $100.  No one wanted it.  I dropped it down to $50.  A couple of people were interested, but no one came. 

I intentionally bought extra flooring tiles as the stairs, mid landing, and entrance for the 1403 upstairs suite are not yet done.  I hope it will be enough. 

I have no idea what to do with the house wrap.  The garage at 1403 is covered in stucco, as is the house.  The shed doesn’t need wrap. 

As for the waterlines, the house at 1403 was changed over to PEX, and this is the leftovers.  Enough to do another suite?  Probably not. 

temporary barrier

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A temporary barrier was put up at the front veranda so that Halloween kids won’t fall into the pit. 

It was supposed to be old and scary looking.  I’m not sure if I captured that. 

Reuse, Recycle, Refuse

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Going to the landfill doesn’t always mean that the garbage goes into the landfill.  Lots of this refuse is recycled. 

This refuse was from the upstairs suite renovations. 

Concrete is ground up and used as aggregate for other concrete or fill. 

White wood, they call it, is wood that hasn’t been painted.  It can be chipped up and used as biomass in garden beds, according to the people at the recycling depot (a.k.a. the dump). 

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baseboard heater fixed, faceplates added, stairway storage completed

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The baseboard heater works now. 

According to my electrical engineer friend, the thermostat was arcing.  When dialing it up and down, one can hear a kind of buzzing or hissing sound, the sound of a small arc going on within.  Likely the contacts are dirty.  He thinks it’s fine, but I think I will replace it anyway.  Arcing leads to carbon building which leads to more arcing. 

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faceplates, baseboard heaters

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More finish work was done today.  I added faceplates to most of the outlets and switches.  Double outlets / switches aren’t done yet because I bought the wrong ones.  I’ll pick up the right ones tomorrow. 

Seam sealer, normally used in vinyl flooring, was used to seal the butt joints in the countertop. 

The baseboard heaters were all installed except in the bathroom.  The heater does not work. 

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organizing

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Today is organizing day.  I brought home much of the building materials, supplies, tools, etc. from 1403 and put it in the garage at home.  Now comes the sorting, storing, cleaning, throwing away, recycling, and … the big one … inventorying.  Why make an inventory?  As workdays went on, stuff became less organized and more chaotic, so, when something couldn’t be found, a new one was purchased.  This was the case for everything from a box of screws to a laser meter.  If only I had stuck to a method of accounting for all of my stuff, my accounting wouldn’t be in such a state.

The upper suite at 1403 is not yet complete, but they are moved in, any my arms are sore, so I will spend the next while organizing. 

the other half day outside

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Another trailer load of junk. 

The rear light, previously used at the rear of 520, was malfunctional (yes, it’s a word), just as my tenant attested.  The neighbours here at 1403 said the damned thing flashed all night long.  After changing the settings, it still flashed.  “Cheap is cheap”, as a long-forgotten person would say.  So I picked up a motion sensor light from Rona along with a 2-pack of 15-Watt bulbs.  Dave held the ladder and handed stuff up to me while I scrambled up there in the wind.  I’ll have to go by the house at night to see if it works. 

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microwave, toilet light, baseboard heaters, cabinet door pulls

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After working outside for a while, the microwave was installed today.  It took a while to get it installed because of the same problem as the rear suite at 520 – the cabinet bracket screws are almost lined up with the microwave mounting screws, forcing the mount to be slightly off-center. 

However, there is a little flange that sticks out at the top left, preventing the cabinet door from opening. 

It seems to have no purpose, so…

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half day of work outside

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My arms are still sore, so today was just a half day.

I noticed some gaps in the first floor bedroom window framing where the wood wasn’t taped with flashing.  I sealed as much as is showing in preparation for window trim.

Meanwhile…

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security, cleanup

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Smile, You’re On Camera! 

Maybe this will make a difference. 

The new upstairs tenants left many of their belongings outside to sort through when they had time, but one thing was taken.  I have a video of the thief, and it is now in the hands of the tenants. 

In the mean time, more of the construction stuff is being cleaned up. 

I wonder why no one has tried taking the stove.  Or the fridge dolly that has been sitting in front of the garage for a year.  Or the ladder.  I guess because all of those things represent real work.