August only half over...

Well not quite, but summer is quickly going and not very good weather I might add.

Tis okay, perfect summer to renovate, going to be crappy might as well be holed up in a basement right? But we have had some time (teenie tiny bits here and there) to do some fun stuff. Like go and visit our friend 'B'!

We had a great time and her little guy is getting so big! Spent the night, had martinis, and just enjoyed each others company. Because I'm in the "design" phase of our own house, I also took the opportunity to steal some of B's design techniques which I love (thanks B) and figure out my own style too.

I would love to write more, but time is short (I'm lucky to be on here at all) and until mid-Septemeber, all my time is spent in the dungeon...ahem, basment.

Once I got home from B's Dan hadn't move out yet and I was getting antsy. Ian and I were sitting out in our backyard at our very old and dingy patio table and I mentioned to him we needed a patio table set. Hubby comes back with how he didn't want to get a table (we never eat there anyway) and that he would rather have a "conversation patio" style.

So after some careful planning I surprised him with this.....

Would you believe I put it all together myself. I was up till 4am....including the swing, just me! He loved the surprise and we all love our backyard OASIS. It even has a fountain (see the wall attached to the door). The couch swing is our favorite. Can't say we've used is much......

Because, moving day was just around the corner. Here are some pics....

Before



Demolition....even the kids were involved...(you should see Taylor with a drill....AWESOME!)

Mess Part I (we hauled away over 3 tons of crap, had to rent a U-Haul 14' truck and load it up top to bottom, back to front, could barely close the doors. Would you believe I was the one that ended up having to unload it at the dump? Damn dump, closes too early and hubby had to work....but I got in done, in just over 2 hours!



Once the garbage was removed time to check things out....ummm what's this? And this? And this and this and this????

5 foundation cracks, 3 that were actively leaking, 100 tie rod holes, 9 of them actively leaking, 3 windows, 2 actively leaking, 2 drain pipes, 1 actively leaking, need I say more? The water leaks that came from the house was just incredible!

Step 1-Call plumber for drain pipe (after watching them could have done it ourselves...SHIT)

Step 2-Fill all the tie rod holes in foundation....all 100 of them with hydrolic cement...DONE!

Step 3-Call foundation guy to do the 3 active cracks....holy shnaz they cost a fortune! DONE!

Step 4-CRY.....too much money spent already

Step 5-move on, suck it up and keep on going. Fix window leaks with blow foam. DONE!

(All the while we continue to rip out the old...mold all over the drywalls and grown in the mastic of the vynal floor glue...)

Step 6-Rent a floor maintainer, sand the floor. DONE!

Step 7-Cry because of the pain....I now have carpal tunnel I think.

Step 8-Suck it up and keep on going, paint and seal concrete floor. DONE!

Step 8-Finish the tear down DONE!

Step 9-Begin buliding wall for bedroom again. DONE!

Step 10-Start framing to put in new drywall, fix studding problems on ceiling and walls. MOSTLY DONE!

TAKE PICTURES of recent development....hopefully today......

It's coming along, drywall gets delivered on Saturday......