Taping and Mudding and Sanding... Oh My!

The first round of taping and mudding started on our drywall yesterday! The crew managed to tape and mud the entire house all in a day! We're glad that work can continue thanks to the "nice" weather we're having since our electricity has yet to be hooked up. And because it was finally not raining, progress was made on the exterior too! There is a lot more siding on the front of the house and our retaining wall was installed in the back of the house!

All in all, things are looking great! But this might be the last week that we can get to the house before sunset - daylight savings ends this weekend and it's always dark by the time we leave work this time of year. Hopefully, the electricity will be installed soon so we can at least keep tabs on the interior progress during the week. I guess we'll see (or maybe we won't!).

Just Like That, It's Done

On Saturday while we were at the house, the drywall crew was working. This was a first for us in the house building process - a group working the weekend!! We were glad to have them there, but it did make picking out grout a little noisier. Fortunately, there was plenty of room and light in the basement so we could spread out down there and stay out of the crew's way.

On Sunday when we went back to check on the progress, the drywall was complete! Amazing how fast it all went up. Even more amazing was how it made the house look! It really seems like a house now with actual rooms! We also had the pleasure of giving Dave and Sandra the tour as they were able to stop in and visit us on a whirlwind trip from Detroit back to the Twin Cities. Luckily for us, their motto is, "there's always time for pizza" so we were able to grab some Balistreri's and check out the house.

Wet Outside, Dry Inside

We have drywall!! Despite the fact that it is apparently monsoon season in Wisconsin, the indoor crews are able to keep working. On Thursday night, we stopped by the house just before 6pm and the drywall crew was still there. They had covered all the ceilings downstairs except the living room and had completely drywalled the upstairs bedrooms. They were working on the loft and upstairs bathroom while we strolled around and took pictures. It looks amazing! We can't believe that it went up so fast. We're meeting one of our flooring people at the site this morning (if you need anything related to floor coverings, check out Advantage Flooring!) so I can't wait to see the progress the crew made yesterday.

Maybe next week, the rain will hold off long enough for us to get more siding and a retaining wall finished. I guess we'll see!

Come to the Dark Side... We Have Cookies!

We made it to the house on Tuesday, but didn't bring any lighting with us, so we had to rely on our cell phones to illuminate the floor and inspect the inside. Between that and the flash from the camera, we were able to discover a whole host of changes! All the insulation was completed and the final preparations were done so the drywall can start!! There were even stacks of drywall in the house!

In addition, we stumbled (literally!) onto the fact that we now have basement stairs. My parents will be glad to know that they no longer have to climb a ladder to get from the basement to the main level - we can walk like civilized human beings. It might be the only time we get accused of being civilized, so we better take advantage!!

Bond... CorBond

We checked out the house on Saturday and our walls have insulation. And not just any insulation, but secret-agent-sounding, closed cell foam insulation. It is called CORBOND and is a green building material that provides a much higher R-value (aka better insulation) than traditional bat insulation. It was a brisk day with lots of wind, so we were glad to have any additional insulation we could get!

Our house is also completely closed off to the elements now. The final doors were installed to the screen porch on the main level and to the basement on the lower level, so now we don't have to rely on wind-stressed plastic to keep out the elements! We are considering keeping it just for it's aesthetic value, though...

I'm So Ex-Sided

It is getting increasingly hard to get to the house before the sun goes down, but we made it there tonight after work and slowly but surely, our siding continues to go up! The south side of the house is nearing completion and the north side is definitely starting to take shape. Even the chimney is looking good (betcha didn't notice that!). Inside, electrical inspections are taking place and preparations are being made for insulation. Hopefully, the next post will be pictures of the house looking a whole lot warmer!

It's Electric

On Saturday, we walked through the entire house and reviewed all the outlets and junction boxes to ensure that all the lighting was correct and ready to go. I know what you're thinking. And yes, we ARE the most exciting people you know!!

We also decided that we didn't have enough stuff crammed into the apartment yet, so we spent the weekend shopping for our cabinet hardware and bathroom accessories (towel bars, hooks, etc.). After only eight trips to stores, including two exchanges, we were done and back at home piling up our loot in the entryway! And although it's somewhat inconvenient right now, I know those things are going to look awesome when they are finally installed at the house!!

I've Got the Shakes!

Not only do we have the start of some shakes... we also have garage doors!! There were all kinds of things to see at the site last night. The well is complete. The electrical work has started. More siding on the back of the house. It's really coming together!

Seeing the electrical wiring got me really excited for some reason. I guess it's because with running water and electricity, it's practically livable. Plus, with all the junction boxes where the light fixtures are going to go, it was easy to imagine a day when those fixtures are hanging in their rightful spots rather than taking up floor space at our apartment!

Side View

We have a section of siding that is complete!!! The south side of the garage is completely sided... and looks fantastic, I might add! Progress has continued this week on the exterior as well as the interior. More work was done on vents/ducts and the concrete was poured in our screen porch! I included a pic of the porch, but I'm not sure how popular pictures of ductwork would be... The equipment was also onsite for drilling our well, so that is in progress too! Very soon, we'll have running water and heat. Depending on your definition of bare necessities, that will meet or exceed it!!

Here is another view of the back of the house - the siding continues to go onwards and upwards.

A view of the screen porch with the new concrete floor.

Times they are a changin'

It's been more than a week since our last update and there are many things to report about the house. Most notably, there is a lot more siding on the exterior since last week. The outside is really looking good!

But that's not all! There are a lot of changes to the interior as well. Many crews have been busy over the past week and a half. Here's just a little of the progress below!

Rough plumbing has started

The guest bathroom shower was installed

Vent holes are being cut for HVAC
And the septic system has been installed! (I know - it's a strange thing to be excited about, but it's one step closer to having everything done!!)