Covered Walkway

Here's the walkway that will connect the garage to the kitchen area. This is in addition to the underground tunnel that will connect the garage to the basement.

More on the New Garage

Once the footers and foundation were built, it took the framers only 2 days to frame up, install a few few windows (more are on order) and sheath the outside. Roof singles and siding will be installed the same time it's done for the house.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas, everyone! This picture sums it ALL up!

New Stairs

Here are the new stairs – a great improvement over the previous combination of stairs, ladders and circular staircases. Tom climbs the stairs and offers some hot tea (it’s VERY cold, even inside the house right now).

The New Garage

Footers were poured and foundation walls built for the new garage. The framers will build the rest. When the garage is built, shingling of the roof and siding of the house can proceed. Notice the ladder going into the tunnel which will connect the garage to the basement.

Installing the Windows

The framers had to do some special tricks to install the 3rd floor Palladium Window 30 feet in the air!

Misc. Photos

#1 - Richard working out in the cold (photo is taken from the living room looking out through where the fireplace will be built). #2 The beginning of the fireplace. #3 - Without windows, the wind blows right into the house (Tyvek blowin’ in the wind….what a wonderful song title)! # 4 - A dumpster photo..we filled another one (our 7th!!). # 5 - Hey wait a minute!....we can't thow THAT out....Tom has become a dumpster diver...

Framing Out and Installing the New Windows & Doors

Of course, each new window & door requires a new location and frame out in the walls.

Misc. Exterior Framing

Windows, windows everywhere

Here are a few of the windows we'll be putting in.

Mike Panetta visits Lewes!!!!

We are totally indebted to Mike’s inspired architectural plans…without Mike, who knows???, the house could have ended up looking like a “Motel 6”!!! Mike pitched in to help fold a large tarp as well as supervise Tom. Anyone looking for an architect? Let us know...we'll hook you up with the BEST...MIKE PANETTA!!!

The Basement Floor

Cement was poured over a waterproofing material which was placed on top of a gravel layer and 3 inches of sand. Photo #1 shows the cement from the truck pass through a pump which moves it through a hose into the basement; Photo #2 shows the the white waterproofing material.

A New Roof

Before the new roof was built, the following tasks needed to be accomplished: 4 layers of existing roofs were removed (1 cedar shake and 3 Asphalt shingle layers); 2existing dormers removed; stair tower with new dormer built on the west side; and new dormer built on the east side of the house. 1st and 2nd photos are existing east side with and without dormer. 3rd and 4th photos are the west side from the inside of the 3rd floor.

Cementing the Pool

Before spraying on the concrete, piping was laid and reinforcing steel was bent around the form. The decking and tile work will be completed in a few weeks. Final coating and filling the pool will be done in the Spring.

Digging the Pool!!!!

It's been a challenge to sequence construction activities so that everything can be accomplished. Once, the new garage is built, it won't be possible to get large equipment into the back yard. Ergo, we have to dig the earth out for the pool, cement will be sprayed onto the bottom/sides this fall. We'll wait till Spring for the application of the final pool lining and filling of water. Soon we'll begin building the new garage. See Tom measuring the depth of the pool at the shallow end to assure that it's 3 1/2 ft deep. The pile of dirt to the left of Tom will be the stairs used to descend into the water....ahhhhhh....Alas, another pile of dirt (whoops; I mean earth) that we need to get rid of!!!!!

Opening Up the Living Room

The house originally had an entry hall and a parlor separated by a wall with pocket doors. As part of the 1980s renovation, the passage way between these two rooms was closed in and the pocket doors were removed and used for scrap. The entry hall had been changed into a bedroom and the parlor was kept as a living room. In order to open these two rooms into one larger living room, Tom had to build temporary supports, remove the existing wall, cut the floor joists, open the floor on the 2nd floor, hoist and insert two large beams into the living room ceiling.