Blue Steel

The last time we worked on the CMR, we were living elsewhere.  Come to find out that because we weren't around all the time, we probably missed some interesting conversations among and between the construction crew.  Now, due to the configuration of our house, and the fact that I am here during the day, I get to hear LOTS of interesting conversation.  I get to hear some things that are probably best left un-heard.

For instance, last week the crew spent some considerable amount of time talking about how to creatively solve construction challenges.  Challenges like how to best keep to roof from caving in until the time that the supporting steel beam could be installed.  This particular conversation was peppered with a number of "well, that MIGHT work"s.  "Might would work???"  whaaaaat?

I have to say that when it's your roof that they're talking about - - and more specifically, your roof that has the potential for caving in - - the word "might" is cause for some retrospection.  I mean, honestly, it's not much of a confidence builder.   "Might" indicates that their end solution just may end up a "might NOT."  And having my roof fall in is not something I would be particularly pleased with.  I mentioned this to Foreman Luke - you know something along the lines of it would be easier on my nervous system if the crew could, you know, lie or something.  You know - - speak with absolutely confidence.  Foreman Luke laughed.  That didn't help me much.  The good news is that the roof is still where the roof is supposed to be.

And now on to progress....Our beautiful new steel was delivered last Thursday...

Steel coming off truck...

Unknown strong steel guy  in red sweatshirt - the beam weighs more than 300 pounds.  He carried the front end like it was nothing.  The guy with the big smile is Ian - one of our crew.  He is one of the guys that is fond of the word "might" :)  The steel came in through the front door and through the inner atrium.  It was too long to make the turn into the back door in the kitchen to bring it in from the back yard.

Second strong unnamed steel guy and another one of our crew members sporting his Giant's gear!

Big bold steel beam now laying on the floor of the kitchen-new ready to be prepped to hold the roof up.  All the vertical posts that you can see are temporary.  These will come down as soon as the steel is installed.

And so, while the steel beam took up a few days residence on the kitchen-new floor - other things got taken care of.  The window was removed and the fill-in construction to the wall began.  Eventually, we will never be able to tell that a window was there at all...

The diagonal beam is also helping to support the ceiling/roof 

A big piece of the back exterior wall got taken down.  There was a chimney like structure here that housed a now-obsolete heating chase.  It became obsolete when we replaced the forced air heating system to radiant heat during Phase I.  We were THRILLED when we found out that this could do, cause now our new 88" window can be centered over the kitchen counter.  A historical rumor was also put to rest.  We had heard that the house had originally been painted gray.  And, indeed, once some of the original wood siding was uncovered, you can see where it really was gray.

This is kind of a hard photo to take....  So work with me here.  See the door waaaaay to the right of the photo...to the right of the blue electrical box?  That is the actual door from the kitchen to the dining room.  See what looks like a door to the right of the enormous yellow level?  That is actually not a door.  It is a new large square shaped hole on the wall that is technically the inside of a dining room closet.  We are "stealing" some of the space in that closet to give us some extra room for our sexy and wonderful 30" miele fridge in the kitchen-new.  Eventually, that will be closed off again and the closet door will be reinstalled in the dining room.  Part of that closet has always housed the back of the fridge from kitchen-old - - we're just commandeering another several inches more of it for the new fridge.  I think we'll probably end up with just a tall thin area in the closet for shelving. But, honestly, even if it's just a closet door leading to no where - - that fridge is going to be SO worth it....

As of Friday last, the steel beam remained on the kitchen floor - - un-installed - - but there was loads of banging and sawing and swearing today - - so I'll have new photos soon showing the result of all of that.  Some of this had to do with with installation of the beam  - - other parts I think had to do with the fact that we trapped a skunk in our backyard over night and the construction crew had to work in very close proximity of a potentially dangerously smelly attack.  I gotta hand it to em though - - they kept at it even while keeping a very close eye on Pepe Le Pew.

Week three begins!!!