The Red Brick House, endless floor refinishing

The day we took up the carpet could have been one of those drama filled moments.  Imagine something on a home show where we discover something so awful that we would have to replace half of the floor.  The only drama was me happily hauling off carpet and discovering each room looked great.    

This is where the monotonous work starts.  I rented the drum sander from Home Depot.  It took at least five passes to just get the finish off of the floor.  Ugh.  It was the longest day on the job.  Maybe because it resembled vacuuming.    

Here is the trap door for the basement storage area.  I don't have a before picture because I didn't know dad was going to tackle this until he was done.  The door was raw and a bit of a mess.  Dad took it all apart, labeled each piece of wood so they line up with the floor, and mounted it on another foundation piece.  He then framed the door and the opening, so it looks perfect.  Instead of an area we would have to throw a rug over, now it is a cool detail. 

The next step was the buffing machine, also a rental from Home Depot.  This thing was a dream compared to the other sanding machine.  It helped even out where I used the drum sander and the edge sander and prepared the floor for the finish.

Here is the floor after the finish was applied.  The change was so refreshing.    

The Little Brick House Euphoria

Once or twice a year I will be working on a gown and the detail I am trying to manipulate will surprise me and become extraordinary.  It is a surreal moment and I will tear up a bit.  Those moments feel like a gift.  Maybe it is the high that compels me to keep creating.  

Well, it happened with the house on the day I tiled the bathtub.  

I wasn't planning on doing the tub that day.  My plan was to finish the kitchen floor and pantry.  Those areas came together well and the saw was set up, so I moved onto the bath surround.  After walking passed that room day after day, it was such a relief to see something clean and beautiful covering the messy looking wall.  

The sun was streaming through the west facing window.  The bathroom was bright.  It was the perfect tile moment and there was euphoria in the air.  I am well aware that I sound goofy.  

Anyway, before I ramble on any longer, here are some photos of the moment.  Wish you could have been there.   

My grandpa's drill on D-Day

I was working on the kitchen tile and my drill was burning out while I was mixing the mortar.  Dad brought his father's drill over who was involved in part of the organization of D-Day.  It was such a beautiful tool and using it while commemorating the anniversary seemed too good to pass by.  

It was a dream to use.

Hank tried his hand at the tile saw.  He was ripping through these like nobodies business.  I love his no fear attitude and how hard he works when he has a purpose.  So so cute.

He did most of the cuts for the second day of the kitchen.  So on D-day, we used my grandpa's drill, Dad was working away, and I was laying tile that my son cut.  Makes me sort of teary eyed.   

Little Red Brick House... the walls

Just a few pictures and stories about the walls....

  

The plan was to seal up this wall so we could create the master bedroom again.  The other rooms were too small to fit a queen sized bed.  When dad was working by himself one Saturday, a woman came by.  She had offered on the house when it was on the market.  She was quite outspoken about sealing up that wall.  She thought we were crazy, because "people need a place to do things".  She went through the house and bluntly criticized everything we were doing.  

I wish I was there for that interaction.  

My dad's cousin, Jim Harvey, is our drywall guy.  He helped with the last house we did.  Everything I know about drywall and mudding, I learned from him.  Whenever he shows up, it is a good day.  He is happy, full of energy, and progress is always made.  His allergies would act up around this house, so he hasn't been around as much.  I am so grateful for him and for all he has shown me.  I would have been at a loss otherwise. 

This is the view of the dinning room on the left side and the hallway.  Silly, but just getting texture on the walls made such a difference for the house.  

Mudding and texture seemed to take forever.  I was so happy to finally be done.  It is funny, though, because once you accomplish something, you have a moment to analyze all of the other things you need to do.  

The Little Brick House's Floors

 There has been such a push to get things done before the boys are out of school, I haven't had a second to post.  Because I have so many things to show, I thought I would focus on the floors today.  

We took out the kitchen floor to the joists.  

This is the view of the basement room underneath the kitchen.  

Plywood and cement board.  Love the clean, non-creaky floor.  

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This slanted picture is the before shot showing where the wall of the bedroom used to be.    It was centrally located, so every time I walked through, it would bug me.  

 I shouldn't have worried.  It was a bit tricky but smoothly executed by my dad.  The channel is one inch wider on one side than the other.  I always laugh at how critical he is of his own work.  We have refinished the floors and you can't tell where this was channel was located.  Another great job by Paul C.

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Sigh, the bathroom tile job was the best ever, because of the previously owned tile saw I picked up.  I might be more excited about this than anything else on the project.  I can tile until the cows come home because I won't be in a hurry to take it back to the rental place by the end of the day.

Isn't it pretty?

I am still really enjoying the project.  I can't believe how lucky I am to be doing this.

Red brick house windows

Out with the old, in with the new!  

A few details from window day.  We ordered the windows from Wholesale Windows and Doors in Orem.  They were fantastic to work with and delivered before the time quoted.  Fernando, the installer, rocked!  He is an artisan tiler who happens to install windows.  The exactness he employs while laying tile is used when working with the windows.  They were perfect.    

He also generously offered tips for my large format tiling jobs.  

I have already used his advice and it made the bathroom floor install with ease.  

The shock of the day was the clarity of the new windows.  There was a discussion of keeping the old shed.  After the windows were put in and you looked out the kitchen window, that idea was thankfully put to rest.  Funny how clear and bright windows can change the view so drastically.  

The Little Red Brick's Shed

Introducing the shed.  It occupied about two thirds of the back yard.  The previous owner used it as his workshop and spend countless hours on his woodworking projects. 

I think during the last few months, this shed has been hanging over Scott's head.  He is the demolition guy. Two of his brothers mentioned helping and Scott took them up on it.  Of course my dad was also on board.  By afternoon of the first day, most of the structure was gone.  I will repeat, in one morning, four guys took the thing down and hauled the materials around to the front of the house.  

I don't have a complete picture of the shed because it wouldn't fit in the frame of a camera.  Yes, it was that large.

This is one of the rooms of the shed.

Matt, Scott, and Klint pausing for the photo.  I am so grateful for those guys and my dad.  What a huge difference they made in such a short time.

Stage 1

Stage 2

Stage 3

Stage 4

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The other aspect to this shed and the backyard is the firewood.  We think there was about a 10 year supply of wood.  The previous owner's children have been coming by and taking trailer loads away.  I estimate they have hauled away 13 loads to date.  That is probably a conservative amount.  I am so grateful for all of their work and I do love the idea that their dad's firewood will be keeping them cozy next winter.  

I can't say enough of these great people.  Pictured are two of the daughters, their husbands, and a friend.  (The two sons and their wives are not pictured here)  This family has been so supportive of what we are doing.  This is where they were raised.  It must be a bit unsettling to see their childhood home all ripped up and in disarray.  Thankfully they seem happy about the changes we are making.  

This house is not a flip.  It is much bigger than that.  It is a chance to make something better while learning so much.  It is a moment to be with my dad each day.  It is a chance to eat at the Purple Turtle for lunch.  It is a moment in life that will never be repeated.  It is the most empowering thing I have managed to do.  Hum... I do wonder if feeling empowered is a good thing for me.