week 12: the windows are in!

The windows are in! Shiloh along with Jeremy, Derek and Brenden of Classic Sash and Door Company spent three days installing our new windows, screens and storms. What can I say? They look fabulous! Besides being more energy efficient and having a tighter seal than our drafty single panes, the Marvin wood windows allow less sound transmittal, making it much quieter inside. Ahhh, peace at last.

The other trades were busy making sure that everything was done and in order before sheetrocking takes place next week.

Nick of Premier Plus Construction Inc. redid some framing as we were concerned about the stair width not meeting code. He also framed in the ventilation fans and the shower.

Aaron of Portland Metro Electric put the final touches on the electrical.

Andy of Anctil Plumbing, Inc. tweaked the height of the shower drain and minimized the kitchen drain.

We executed the pre-sheetrock walk through to make sure all the mechanical, plumbing, electrical, low-voltage and security wiring were correct. It’s easier and less costly now to make any changes as the walls and ceiling are still unsheathed. Next week will be a different story.

Tune in next time for the pre-sheetrock inspection! The project will be flying from here on out.

weeks 9 - 11: framing, electrical & low-voltage

Progress had been a bit slow but steady the last three weeks as we waited for the windows to arrive.

Aaron of Portland Metro Electric continued to place all the outlets, lights and switches, and should have everything done by the end of week 12.

Aaron moved the electrical panel over a couple feet. Why just a couple feet you ask? Well, when the panel was first upgraded by the previous homeowner, the mast was placed on the other side of some existing upper cabinets in the basement. In order to preserve those cabinets, the homeowner decided to turn the mast 90 degrees and run it two feet more along the exterior of the house. He then threaded the mast into the house right above a basement window. He boarded up the window on the inside and the placed the panel right on top of it. As we removed the upper cabinets that were in conflict, we decided to move the panel where it was intended to go—on the wall—and regain the window. Aaron also installed a new grounding rod.

Aaron replaced all the knob and tube. We had been on the fence for a long time about removing it. Although deemed "safe" by several electricians, this would be the only opportunity to replace it as the access would be sealed up when the basement project was complete. And even though the wiring had lasted almost a hundred years (and a couple of remodels), it was not certain that it would survive one hundred more. By replacing the knob and tube, we now have peace of mind. Thanks Aaron!

After interviewing several low-voltage companies, it was clear that Integrated Technologies was a great match for us. Seth worked with us to design an AV and communications system that suited our every need. Although were initially only interested in outfitting the TV with a 5.1 speaker system, Seth had a vision that the entire home could be "smartly" wired; the phone, internet, cable and AV equipment could all be wired from a centralized location and would act as a command post or "brain." Each service enters the house, goes to the homerun panel, then is distributed to the different areas in the home. If ever a changes needs to be made, it can occur at the homerun panel. In a couple days, Seth and Matt installed the homerun panel, the low-voltage items for the basement and also rewired the existing low-voltage receptacles on the main floor. We are very happy that we will have music in the kitchen and living room upstairs. Wow, you guys rock!

We took out some of the previous and extraneous low-voltage wiring ourselves and made another donation of windows to the Rebuilding Center. We love that place!

We also had the home security company come by and reassess our needs for the basement. Jeff and Doug installed new sensors and updated and rewired the old system. They did a great job. Thanks guys!

Marc and Dawn of ecohaus, Yuri the tile setter of Art Touch Construction, and Chad the cabinet maker of Crestwood Inc. also stopped by for their respective initial walkthroughs of the project.

In anticipation of the arrival of the new windows, Daniel and Nick of Premier Plus Construction Inc. removed the old sashes, trim and concrete. They framed out the windows, upper stairwell and a last bit of wall. They soffited some piping and vents, placed siding on the new foundation and even removed all the excavated dirt from the site.

Last, but certainly not least, our friend who helped us salvage the fir v-groove boards, completed his remodel project using our wood. He remilled the material into corbels, rails, stiles and trim for the plate rail and wainscot in his dining room. He even fashioned a sassy bench for the mudroom out of a crawl space door. Norm Abram, eat your heart out!

Tune in next time for the installation of the new windows!

weeks 7 & 8: egress window wells & new stair footing

Next up was the egress window wells, which meant it was time to move some existing plants that were in the way. We spent an evening transplanting the azaleas, irises and roses. We could not have done it without the ample help of friends. Thanks guys!

We saw a lot of Daniel and Nick of Premier Plus Construction Inc. the last couple of weeks. They dug out the area for the new egress window wells, placed the rebar and framed up the walls. They even framed the foundation stem wall for the new stairs. After the inspector stopped by to approve the work, Daniel and Nick poured the concrete provided by Miller’s Mini Mix Concrete. After twenty-four hours, they removed the forms, finished framing the laundry room and stair walls and added the positive bracing at the existing stair connections.

Randy of Brothers Concrete Cutting, Inc. spent the morning sawing the existing foundation walls for the new egress windows. Now we’re all ready for the new windows.

Tune in next time for window framing and knob & tube removal!

week 6: MEP rough-in & stair framing

There was a lot of action this week. With the HVAC guys, plumbers, framers and electricians all hard at work, we had a full house!

Minh and Ron of Anctil Heating and Cooling finished the ductwork, installed the thermostats and relocated the dryer vent. Yay, I could finally do some laundry! After the inspection, the furnace was turned on. We were happy to get warmed up finally after almost two weeks without heat. It was a good thing that we did not start the remodel any earlier in the year or that there hasn’t been a cold snap; I’m not sure I would have made it. The new furnace is incredibly quiet, and efficient to boot. Thanks guys!

Daniil of Anctil Plumbing moved the water heater to its new location in the laundry room, moved some existing drain lines that interfered with proposed cabinetry and wall locations, replaced the soil line from the existing toilet and replaced all the galvanized lines to the existing fixtures. He also finished the rough-in plumbing with a little help from Jeff. With the new water service, all new supply lines, replaced galvanized pipes and new drain lines, the house is definitely ready for the next 100 years. Daniil, Jeff, Ben and Andy, you rock!

Daniel, Nick and Ralph of Premier Plus Construction Inc. began preparing the new stairs. They removed the existing stairs, walls and flooring, dug out under the existing deck for the new footing, placed the rebar, cut out an opening for the new stair run and laid out the new treads and risers. As working with existing stairs in older homes tends to be tricky, the inspector was called for advice on the constraints posed by the preexisting stair well. We were lucky that the stairs did not require any major structural upgrades or reconfigurations. We were given the go ahead to pour the new footing. Whew!

I felt even more relieved when our structural engineer stopped by the following week to take a look at the existing stair framing. The stairs were framed out with single 2x10s. There were no straps connecting the headers to the post, the joists were not on hangers and nothing was even toenailed. Seeing all of that had made me nervous. Granted, the house has stood for nearly a hundred years without incident, and the lumber used in its construction are larger and far denser than what is used today, but it seemed as if gravity and friction were what was keeping that corner of the house together. After assessing the now exposed framing, the engineer felt that we had nothing to worry about. Still, a few positive connections of hangers and straps wouldn’t do any harm.

Aaron of Portland Metro Electric began removing all the old, crazy wiring and weird junction boxes. He also started placing the recessed cans, outlets and switches. With the electrical in place, the spaces seem more and more real.

I talked to Tom from Western Pacific Building Materials Inc. about the door order. We walked through the framed-in basement and reviewed each door location, swing, style, threshold, jamb, hardware and detailing.

Tune in next time for the egress window wells & the new stair footing!

week 5: framing & rough-in plumbing

The basement has finally taken shape! Daniel and Nick of Premier Plus Construction, Inc. framed out the space in three days. The wall framing makes the project seem all the more real. It’s very exciting to see the different spaces in real life after almost three years of dreaming about them on paper.





Minh and Ron of Anctil Heating and Cooling installed a little more ductwork. We are patiently waiting for our heat to come back on. Daniil of Anctil Plumbing rerouted more plumbing and continued the rough-ins.

Tune in next time for the electrical rough-in & stair framing!

week 4: heating & cooling

The third week, we had a little respite from the initial whirlwind of activity. We used the time to select the AV equipment, created the wall framing plan and details for the TV & speakers, respecified the wine cellar racking and cooling unit, refined the exterior paint scheme, and reexamined the interior colors and interior lighting.

In looking at the lighting, I had become concerned that the new ducting for the two-zones and the lighting would conflict, but as soon as Tom Anctil of Anctil Heating and Cooling arrived with his team at the start of week four, all my fears melted away. Minh and Ron reviewed the locations of the ducts with us, making sure that the supply and returns did not interfere with any lighting, cabinetry or architectural accents. They also installed the new ¾” gas line. Hopefully, in a little over a week, the new high-efficiency furnace will be fully installed. Relocating the furnace from the center of the basement to an exterior wall opened up the plan, improved the flow and increased the ceiling height where we needed it. We are very pleased with the work by Anctil Heating and Cooling.

Daniil of Anctil Plumbing, Inc. returned to reroute the existing plumbing and Ben installed the new water service. Lucas and his team from Rose City Contracting, Inc. removed the asbestos-covered ducts in half a day. Things were buzzing along.

The inspector stopped by and pointed out a few minor things from a previous remodel that will need to be addressed during construction. Yes, that is correct, the city inspector made a house call. This project is a part of Portland’s Field Issuance Remodel (FIR) Program. In this program, the inspector comes to the home before the start of the project to review and approve plans and troubleshoot potential code issues. On the subsequent visits, he performs the inspections and issues the permits. This single point of contact with the city allows for greater efficiency and project continuity. Ultimately, the FIR Program encourages code compliance in remodels and additions because the process is so smooth, easy and less costly for the home owner.

We also consulted Ron Cowan of Stellar Cellars about storage racks and a cooling unit for the wine cellar. We liked Ron because he is very knowledgeable of cellar systems and design, is extremely helpful, has an eye for detail and quality and is right here in Portland. Ron explained cellar design, lighting, insulation and weather-stripping, wood specie selection, millwork connections and detailing, cooling unit positioning (and camouflaging), among other things. The other companies we talked to were just area sales reps who did not really know the ins and outs their products.

We celebrated Earth Week by de-nailing and cleaning up the TNG boards for one friend so he could reuse it in his home and for another friend for picture frames. With the ample help of our buddies, we were able to salvage 2000-3000 lineal feet of the CVG Douglas Fir TNG v-groove board. Thanks guys, you are the greatest!

Tune in next time for framing & more rough-in plumbing!

weeks 1 & 2: deconstruction & rough-in plumbing

The deconstruction team from Premier Plus Construction, Inc. came out (the day after contract signing, no less) and gingerly removed the CVG Douglas Fir TNG v-groove board that lined the walls and ceiling. It took Daniel and Nick three days to remove nearly 4500 lineal feet. We gave it to a friend who will reuse the material in another improvement project. We are very happy it will go to a new home rather than a dumpster or as landfill.

The concrete slab was cut by Antonio and Jordan of Brothers Concrete Cutting, Inc. in a couple of hours, and the rough plumbing was installed by Andy and Daniil of Anctil Plumbing, Inc. in three days. After the rough-in was inspected, the concrete was poured by Michael Stearns and Gene of Accu-Pro. All this in two week’s time!

I am STILL tweaking the design and fine-tuning finishes. Architects make the worst clients. Granted, the design rework was due to an excellent idea that came about during the bidding phase and the reselection of some of the finishes was an effort to maximize aesthetic effect per dollar, but it makes me nervous to be doing this during construction as I do not want to adversely affect the schedule. Dawn Strout and Marc Stumpf over at ecohaus and Hilary Noah of Dal-Tile were extremely helpful in the selection of materials that give the most bang for the buck. Thanks, you guys are the greatest!

The one item that delayed the project was the window selection. I had a difficult time settling on a product style, but in the end selected Marvin’s Ultimate Wood windows. Mark Bell and Andrew Haslam of Classic Sash and Door Company did a marvelous and thorough job, and patiently explained all the available options. I don't know how we would have done it without all their assistance.

We are also looking at how to best layout the AV equipment, something that should have occurred much sooner, as it potentially could affect the framing plan. We talked at length with Teri Inman of Stereotypes about AV equipment and their requirements, and feel certain that everything is in order. Teri, you rock!

Tune in next time for the new furnace installation!