January 2013 - Happy New Year!

The year started off insanely busy.  The drywall guys discovered a leak in the roof around where the chimney went out.  We had a couple people out to check – both the roofers and chimney installers – and nobody could find anything but it seems to have stopped now.  Leaf guard was installed on the gutters and there was some ice building up there, causing a dam that backed up as far as the chimney.  After much brainstorming all around, Randy the drywaller suggested putting some insulation in the chimney pipe (the actual woodstove underneath is not yet installed so it’s just open).  Not sure if stopping that heat loss – and melting snow / freezing ice – was what cured it, but we’re keeping an eye on it.

We also had a backed up septic system, so my flushing toilet was unfortunately short lived.  Again after a few days of troubleshooting and having the plumber & Mr. Rooter come out, it was discovered that tree roots had crushed and cracked part of the septic line.  A section of the original line that leads from the house to the tank outside, before it gets pumped back to the treatment station.  This was the one section from our old system that was re-used and not replaced a year ago.  The septic guys came out and dug frozen ground to get that replaced and running again.

 

Drywall was finished right after New Years, and the first weekend in January Ibby & I spent hours and hours cleaning drywall dust.  Sweeping, vacuuming outlets and window sills and even the walls, and scrubbing down the floors.  We found out that apparently that final clean-up is also a job of the General Contractor. 

 

 

 

We were on deadline, because the painters started the following Monday morning.  The painting ladies have already done the primer coat everywhere, 2 coats on the ceilings, and the initial colour coat on the walls.  So it’s really taking shape!  They will come back for the final coat and trimwork when that’s all in place.

 

 

Our big garden doors in the walkout basement were replaced by Jeld-Wen.  The glass was “torqued” down too much during manufacture and there were indents all along the frame.  We also selected our baseboards and trimwork.  Nice deep baseboards and architectural headers above doors and windows.  We’re going for a casual Craftsman style.  Our friend and neighbour Stephen is a real artist with wood and is not only doing a fabulous job, but has also been invaluable the entire past year with advice and ideas.