A Brand New View

Hello Phase II followers!  Suffice to say that if life didn't continue to get in the way, I'd get these photos posted on time!  These photos were taken Friday morning before a little more work commenced in time for the weekend. 

 

All in all I dub it a "good" week of construction.

 

Pros:

• Lots of demolition completed! 
• Separating wall between kitchen-old and weird closet hallway is nearly gone.
• The space is really opening up and we are jazzed!

Challenges:

• Discovered need to put a supporting beam length-wise in the ceiling to hold up the ceiling and keep the roof from caving in on our kitchen-new.  We thought that the ceiling had been reinforced during Phase I, but is wasn't.   The necessary strength of the beam determined by our engineers meant that the thickness of the beam made of wood would result in either tearing up the roof above, or creating a bump out in to the ceiling below.  Neither of those choices was highly appealing, so we decided to go with steel.  The steel can be thinner, so it will fit in the space without protruding out either above or below.  More expensive in the short run, but more visually appealing in the long run.  Steel will come on Friday... hurrah!
• Turning off of electricity in the kitchen meant no lights in many parts of the upstairs living areas.  This was not too terribly inconvenient except at 4:00 in the morning Sunday when I had to get ready in the pitch dark to take H to a volleyball tournament in Sacramento.  There was a definite "camping" feel to washing up by flashlight!  I hate camping.
• Fridge on back porch was a little hinky.  But, on Wednesday I ordered a new fridge for the basement that we had been meaning to get eventually.  "Eventually" has a habit of becoming "immediately" during construction, doesn't it?  The fridge we had our heart set on is going to take 5 weeks to deliver - - but the very nice appliance place brought over a loaner-fridge for us to use during the duration.  Who knew?  A loaner-fridge??  It's no beauty, but it keeps things cold and means we don't have to go through 2 zippered doors and on to the back patio to get milk.  Works for me.

 

And now for the pictures....

 

 

Taken facing the atrium.  The wall that used to separate the weird little hallway from the kitchen is now nearly completely gone.  The new wood post holds up the ceiling until the steel arrives on Friday.

Taken from the top of the small stairway towards the swinging door leading to the dining room.

View from standing in the atrium doorway.  Cannot believe how much difference the removal of the separating wall and existing closets in the hallway makes!  It's gonna be a much bigger room now!!  There is also an additional support right by the shop vac that will help hold the ceiling up while the rest of the old wall (slightly to the left) is removed today.  That old wall still holds the electrical box for the kitchen-old. 

 

 

Note the "door leading to nowhere" beside the ladder against the wall.  This is the closet door in the guest bedroom above.  We're stealing that closet space for the kitchen!!  The stove will go here instead!

 

 

 

This is the "brand new view" never before seen in captivity.  I am standing where the stairs used to be - - before Phase I was completed, and before the removal of the wall in Phase II.  This is what my view will be from the stove when all is done.  Amazing!!