Old House My House

Finishing touches

2010-01-22T16:36:43-05:00

It's been a while since my last post, but we're still here! The last weeks of the renovation were a whirlwind, from the extraordinary push to complete the work in time for the wrap party, to the subsequent photo shoots (you can see a story about our house in the current issue of This Old House magazine), the holidays,compiling the inevitable punch list for Tom, and simply unwinding after our nearly year-long adventure with This Old House.

In the run-up to the wrap party on November 19, there was quite a lot of finish work left to do. This included final carpentry, painting, as the painters burned the midnight oil to try to get everything covered in time, landscaping, and installation of light fixtures and hardware (finally, some doorknobs!). All hands were on deck during these last days.

Here you can see Kevin and Tom finishing up the living room bookshelves. This wall used to be the outside wall of the house, with a window that looked out to the jalousie-glass porch. It's also where Bill's desk used to be. Now, a pocket door separates the living room from the new family room on the other side.

On the day before the wrap party, electricians complete the wiring in the living room bookshelves and in the ceiling above, where we added new down lights. Painters are working feverishly on the landing to finish painting all those shelves and cabinets.

Somehow order emerged from all that chaos and things got done! Bill's desk has found a happy new home in his upstairs office (with fireplace), and we are all enjoying our "new" living room (BELOW) with its beautiful wall of shelves. Someday I hope we will be able to put a baby grand piano into this corner.

A Tom Silva original

2009-11-17T14:53:25-05:00

Remember the three-season porch with jalousie glass we demolished to make way for the new, two-story addition? Well, it actually sat a little bit below the level of the rest of the house and below the grade of the rest of the property. We wanted the new addition to sit on the same level as the rest of the house. The problem came in trying to marry the second-floor addition and stairway with the old hallway to maintain enough ceiling height on the first floor. The biggest problem area was in the first-floor hallway where the new stairs to the library landing would have to cut into the ceiling height across the new entry. This presented a big challenge in trying to build the basement stairs with enough ceiling height to meet code requirements, and it was also going to be an aesthetic issue in the entry hall next to those stairs.

Tom's ingenious solution was to match an existing archway in the front hallway using a barrel ceiling to mask the disparity in ceiling height from front to back. We thought it was a great idea to take a problem and make it into a distinctive feature of the house using an existing architectural element. And now we'll always know that we have a "Tom Silva Original" design in the house! Next we need to consider whether we'll add any lighting inside or rely on the existing hallway lights on either side of the barrel to cast enough light on the area. It might be pretty to have small sconces on either side to cast a glow on our distinctinve barrel ceiling. What do you think?

Master craftsmen at work on the library

2009-11-12T11:28:34-05:00

Tom and Norm put their heads together to build our library bookshelves

From the beginning, the library landing has been the heart of our renovation. Paul Rovinelli spent countless hours with us designing it. He knows Bill and I are book lovers—to put it mildly—and wanted a special space to enjoy our collection with our children. The library isn't large, but it will be a congenial space, full of light, and the warmth of books. The window seat will be an inviting spot to curl up with a book, do some homework, or play a board game. I can't wait for it to be finished!

And that day is drawing closer. Last week, Tom and Norm put their heads and hands together to craft the cabinets and built-ins for this gorgeous space, and it was a thrill to watch. Knowing that two masters put their combined expertise into this space will make it even more special for our family. Thank you, Tom! Thank you, Norm! We couldn't be happier with how things are shaping up.

With a seasoning of plaster dust

2009-11-11T16:35:33-05:00

In case anyone was wondering, we still don't have a working kitchen. Sure, we're making do with the old range down in the basement and various small appliances set up here and there around the house—but it's getting old! Yesterday director (and amazing cook!) David Vos took pity on us and brought over one of his signature roast chickens, and a container of his special red beans. What a treat that was! We must have been on the same wavelength, because I chose the same day to bake a few trays of cinnamon rolls for the workers and crew assembled at our house.

So we're not going hungry. And I'm starting to see signs that the new kitchen will soon be up and running, too. The beautiful cabinets from Crown Point have been in for more than a week now, and the appliances are here, though they're still sitting in the living room. There's still plumbing to do and light fixtures to install. On the bright side, yesterday was counter day! Our kitchen will soon have two types of countertops: Caesarstone for the wall cabinets, and mahogany for the island with a food-safe finish so we can use it for cutting. Both look just beautiful, and I love the combination of wood and stone. Unfortunately, at the end of the day the counters all had to be covered up and protected for work on the subway tile backsplash. Lucky that I snapped these pictures first. Might appliances be next?

End of an era

2009-10-29T07:37:00-04:00

So far, with the exception of electrical work, most of the work on our project has been restricted to the new addition, the kitchen, and the basement. Well, recently all that ended as Anne Brady began removing wallpaper from the hallway, upstairs and down, and repairing some old water damage to the ceiling of our dining room.

We debated long and hard about removing the paper, which was actually in very good condition, and seemed to fit the character of the house nicely. Once we decided the paper should come down, we spent many hours looking at new wallpaper samples with the help of Robin Abber at The Four Walls in Newton. Her books, her eye, and her instinct for quality and color are amazing! After a lot of soul searching, we decided that we will paint the space rather than replace the paper—at least for now. Robin, we'll be back! So it's back to the paint fan deck. What do you all think of the Benjamin Moore color "Philadelphia Cream" for a hallway?

When will things heat up?

2009-10-28T18:00:00-04:00

Ronnie sets up the new boiler in our basement

Winter is just around the bend. And this worries me, since we don't yet have a working heating system to take the edge off of the chill. We have our fingers crossed that it'll be up and running soon.

Once complete, the system will consist of our old radiators in the existing parts of the house, as well as new radiant floor heating in the addition. And it will all be hooked up to a fancy new boiler. The veritable tangle of tubes and pipes required to get the system up and running is (understandably) taking some time to assemble.

To make it all work, we needed one additional radiator. So Bill went to a used radiator shop, where he was amazed by the vast selection (and the hard bargaining). So in the end, it was Ronnie who found just what we needed, and Joe brought it back to the house in the truck. Now can we fire up that boiler?

We hope so, but in the meantime, we'll keep "roughing it" with evenings in front of the fire. Those little scraps from the hardwood flooring give off a lot of heat!

Patio party!

2009-10-28T10:51:25-04:00

Roger and Bill secure edging around the new patio

We did it! We made our own patio—under Roger's careful instruction, of course—and with family and friends pitching in to help. It was a perfect fall day for work outdoors, and I think we all enjoyed the camaraderie, the crisp air, and the satisfaction of a job well done.

Preparing the area

First, we had to determine the size and shape of the patio. With our small, sloped yard, we had to consider the proportions of the space and also the grade. Next, Roger came up with a herringbone pattern that was easy to lay and didn't require us to cut too many pavers.

Tamping down the pavers

Then came the dust storm! Once the pattern was laid, we swept on plenty of sand. Roger showed me how to use a tamping machine to make sure the pavers were solid and even, and that the crevices were full of sand.

Deborah and David seek refuge from the dust and noise of the tamping machine

It was a lot to accomplish in one day, but many hands make light work. Thank you, everyone, for helping out. I know we will be enjoying this patio together for many years to come.

This Old House on NPR!

2009-10-26T17:54:11-04:00

What fun to have one of our favorite NPR radio hosts (and fellow Newton resident) Tom Ashbrook visit the job site the other day! He arrived for lunch, and then Tom gave him a tour of the house, and was interviewed for an On Point segment you can listen to here.

Other highlights of the day included having our driveway straightened and repaved. Once again, the kids loved the heavy machinery, and it was nice to see the back of the house transformed from a kind of rubble pit to a clean, smooth surface. Thanks, Roger!

We really oughta ...

2009-10-13T12:12:36-04:00

We'd heard it all before. We'd been warned by friends, seasoned renovators—even by Tom Silva himself: The most dangerous words you can hear from your contractor while renovating your house are, "We really oughta..." or "We might as well..."

We tried to take this to heart, especially since there's not a lot of leeway in our budget for major add-ons, especially after some of the surprise "extras" we incurred early on in the process.

But the garage? From the beginning, this was a sticking point for us. Were we really going to end a project of this magnitude, including straightening the driveway, without somehow addressing the garage problem? Our leaky, rusty, rickety, mildewed garage didn't seem to be in keeping with the new structure that would be going up a few feet away. As construction progressed, the problem became more and more obvious.

So the garage has to go. However, the other day, Tom came up with an innovative "solution" to demolishing it. Why not just back up the dump truck into the garage, raise the back, and drive it away? All I can say is, folks, don't try this at home...

What we're learning

2009-10-08T16:41:08-04:00

Bill and I recently learned about some interesting—if not downright odd—tools of the trade for those who install blue board and plaster. Even though our belongings are now covered with a fine film of plaster dust, we love watching all the steps that go into building our addition, because we're learning so much in the process.

First came the blue board. Interestingly, this was a one-man operation. A lift (above) helps raise the board to ceiling height where it can be secured into place.

Next came the plaster, which was a family affair. The plasterers still carry their equipment in suitcases, a holdover from days when they would travel to job sites by trolley. And to get that perfect coat on the ceiling, stilts!

These latest steps have been particularly gratifying to us, as we've watched our new kitchen, family room, office, and library transform from rough construction zones into spaces that feel like finished rooms. The end is in sight!

Now, if we could only decide on paint colors. Back to the fan deck...

The naked truth

2009-10-05T12:53:50-04:00

Now that the vinyl siding is off and repairs to the clapboards are finished, the next step is to prepare for painting. And what a preparation it has been! Every scrap of paint has been removed from the house using liquid stripper. Windows have all been re-glazed. Nail holes have all been filled (there were many of these left where the old siding had been attached), and every inch of the place has been lightly sanded and made ready for paint application. How strange to see our house completely stripped, exposed in all its naked glory!

The paint crews have been working long days—even weekends—to keep up with deadlines. If you'd been at our house last week, no matter which window you looked out of, you'd have likely seen a painter on a ladder working right outside. Their vehicles were lined up and down our street (once again, our apologies to our saintly neighbors).

Even the most jaded of the commuters, children, and dog walkers who regularly pass our house paused to take a look in recent days. After all, how often do you see a house in the altogether like this?

S.O.S. (spraying on site)

2009-10-05T12:20:41-04:00

After all of the various disruptions we've encountered during renovation, who knew that insulation would be the thing to drive us from the house? I think we were really beginning to think we wouldn't have to vacate for anything!

Spray foam insulation is going to be wonderfully snug when the wind starts blowing, and it certainly looks harmless enough—a bit like whipped cream. It already dampens the sound in the house quite a bit. On the downside, the fumes are pretty strong when it first comes out of the nozzle. We were strongly advised to stay off of the premises for twenty-four hours after installation, which ended up meaning several days away as the spraying itself took more than one day to complete.

Many, many thanks to the kind neighbors who heard our S.O.S. and took us (including the dog) in, on very short notice. Now that the fumes have dissipated, it feels great to be back home, even in its current, torn-up state. With new insulation in the walls and ceilings of the new addition, the attic, and parts of the basement, we will be cozier than ever!

What is it?

2009-09-23T17:20:11-04:00

Maybe, to some of you out there, this object looks familiar, but I certainly didn't know what it was when I saw it leaning against the wall in the kitchen. The scalloped pattern in the wood looked like a decorative trim, but I couldn't imagine where it belonged. Can you guess what this is for? Do you give up?

Channels for PEX tubing under the kitchen subfloor

Pretty as it is, it turns out this scalloped board won't be visible at all in the finished kitchen. It sits under the floorboards to hold the PEX tubing for the radiant heating system Richard is installing. Our original design plan included toe kicks for the kitchen, but radiant heat is going to be so much nicer!

In the basement, Richard shows Kevin how the new heating system works

A siding story

2009-09-17T15:57:37-04:00

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Tom, Norm, and I remove vinyl siding from the front of the house

One of the first and, perhaps, riskiest things we've tackled as part of our renovation is removing our vinyl siding. Something we did against the advice of many naysayers who warned, "You never know what you'll find underneath that!"; or, "People put that stuff up for a reason." Still, I was convinced that removing the siding would improve the appearance of the house. And Bill felt that if there were, in fact, some problems—such as rot—under the siding, it would be better to expose them and address them. Still, we knew we were rolling the dice in terms of our budget. I'd say that, in the end, we got off easy. There were some necessary repairs to the clapboards underneath (including a dormer that had to be completely re-sided), but no huge surprises. "Nice claps," a neighbor remarked when the vinyl first came off.

The addition, of course, required brand new siding -- slow, precise work -- and it really looks wonderful. From the outside, the back of the house now looks nearly complete. Norm and Kevin just finished adding the last of the siding and installed the back door, and Tom let me help him make a decorative bracket out of PVC to adorn the entryway (I must say, those power tools were a lot of fun to use!). We still need to make a final decision on paint color, but other than that, we are "inside the envelope," as Tom put it. Next, we'll be insulating against the chill in the air that isn't far off here in New England.

Riding in style

2009-09-16T16:54:31-04:00

Emmy comes for a visit

Congratulations, "This Old House," on your recent Emmy for Outstanding Lifestyle Program at the 36th annual Daytime Emmy Awards. The winning production team included executive producer Michael Burton, senior producer David Vos, and producer Deborah Hood.
"This Old House" has now won 17 Emmy Awards, and 82 nominations throughout its 30-year history. We are so proud of everyone and delighted to be a part of such high-quality educational programming. Hooray!

And now, back to our regularly-scheduled renovation...

TOH cameraman Steve "Dino" D'Onofrio and producer Deborah Hood.