Renovation Archives

August 26, 2019December 7, 2023

Roof and Wall Demo Continues

Day #87

August 10, 2019 – Today the plan includes continuing the roof and wall demo but first we need to finish the new kitchen window. This closes in the big hole we made yesterday.

New Kitchen Windows — Third new kitchen window is installed.

After the window was complete, the roof and wall demo commenced. My roofing crew started removing shingles and I concentrated on the wall demo. It’s great to see the youngsters having fun together.

Demolition of the first living room window and the exterior wall went very smoothly. I got the window out in one piece and the rotted wood removed from this section. I discovered the rotten wood back in October of 2018. It feels good to finally remove it. Probably smells better too!

Rotting Wood — Rotten wood by the living room window.

I closed in with new stud framing and exterior plywood wall sheathing. The cottage is framed, old school, with full 2″×4″ rough sawn oak studs. To make things “dimensionally” easier I ripped full 4″ studs from some wider stock. This creates more waste but it’s much easier to line stuff up with the existing structure.

Roof and Wall Demo - New Studs & Sheathing — New living room wall framing and exterior sheathing.

With today’s roof and wall demo complete, my crew took a break out in the front yard before heading out to J.P. Edwards for some dinner.

Roof and Wall Demo Crew — Roof and wall demo crew on break.

Tomorrow we will finish up the shingle demo and tarp over the roof to keep things dry. Next weekend I hope to the continue the exterior wall demo, remove the living room door and frame in the rough opening for a new Pella sliding door. Keeping it going.

August 22, 2019December 7, 2023

Another New Kitchen Window

Day #86

August 9, 2019 – Today we started the demolition and re-framing that is necessary to install the third new kitchen window. This window is located over the outside pump house. I am not ready to remove the pump house so this will be a challenge installing new framing and sheathing in this area.

Old Kitchen Window — Old kitchen window over the pump house.

Before we can install any new framing, the existing siding, window and sheathing must be removed. Over the years, this corner of the cottage has undergone attack by wood boring bees and woodpeckers. I am afraid to see what the studs are going to look like after the siding is removed.

Woodpecker & Boring Bee Damage — Woodpecker and Boring Bee damage on the corner of the kitchen.

Between banana and coffee breaks the demolition went very well. We striped off the siding, removed the window and some of the 1″ oak plank sheathing. It was a surprise to see the Woodpeckers and Boring Bees did not make it through the layer of roofing felt on the wall. The studs and sheathing are still sound.

New Kitchen Window — Coffee-Banana break and demolition of old kitchen window.

No woodpecker or boring bee damage on the wood framing.

After completing the demolition, we framed in the rough opening for the new window and installed the exterior plywood wall sheathing. At the end of the day we had the building wrap on this section and we are ready to set the new kitchen window.

New Kitchen Window Demo Complete — Demolition for new kitchen window complete.

First thing tomorrow we will set the new window. With this window installed, there remains only one more old window in the kitchen. We are coming forward into the 21st century slowly but surely.

August 21, 2019December 7, 2023

Birds Nest, Again!

Day #85

August 8, 2019 – I’ve been away the past two weekends. It was a nice break, but now, back to the renovation.

Hoping to get a jump on the weekend I came down a night earlier than usual. This allows me to get all my “weekend” stuff moved in and set up so I’m ready to go to work in the morning. Entering the cottage, once again, I found a birds nest inside. This time is was on top of the refrigerator inside a plastic bag from the Giant. It had four eggs inside.

Amazing what they can do in a couple of days. Them birds are busy!

Birds Nest — Birds nest with 4 eggs on top of the refrigerator.

I really have to get the cottage closed in to stop this nonsense!

So….. once again, I have to be the bad guy and remove the nest and the eggs. Sorry little birds but you need to pick a better nesting site. Bye now….

Eggs, Nest & Feathers

After relocating the birds nest I chilled out for the rest of the evening.

Jess showed up later in the evening and we went out to Wingman’s for some dinner. It was nice. After dinner we headed back to the cottage. Tomorrow we will replace another old kitchen window. It will be a good day.

PS: We have our share of pests at the Cot-Taj-Mahal. Here is an interesting photo of another one of our unwelcome guests – Carpenter Bee

July 29, 2019December 7, 2023

Section Four Porch Decking – Down to the End

Day #84

July 21, 2019 – Today I started the section four porch decking. Section three was completed yesterday. We ran out to Lewistown for some trim pieces and some exterior stainless steel screws. It was another hot day and we didn’t work very long but I did manage to get a good start on section four.

Edge Trim — Edge trim – Section Four Porch Decking

Porch Decking - Section 4 — Square edged Trex pieces and trim along the edge of the porch section 4.

Section Four - Porch Decking — Three pieces – Section Four Porch Decking.

By early afternoon, having enough of the heat wave, we started the clean up process. We piled a bunch of lumber on the deck help protect and keep the “snake screen” in place. Hopefully nothing will try and walk across it.

After we packed up we headed home. Stay tuned, it will be a couple of weekends until we can get back down to the Cot-Taj-Mahal to continue the renovation. Just a slight pause for some needed rest and relaxation.

July 29, 2019December 7, 2023

Section Three Porch Decking – Devil’s Ass Crack!

Day #83

July 20, 2019 – Dam it’s hot today! Once again it hit 97° here in Lewistown. The heat index was off the charts. Slowly but surely, with a bunch of breaks, and lots of hydration, I continued the section three porch decking.

“When I prayed during the winter months, I aksed the Lord to make it warm. I did not say, ‘Lord please bring the devil from hell and have him sit his ass crack on earth.’ That is not what I asked for. It’s not what I requested.”
Krissychula – Published on Jun 25, 2013

It is so hot that the caterpillars are crawling into the grooves on the Trex decking!

Trex Caterpillar — Caterpiller inside the Trex groove.

It’s so hot that a group of eight Daddy Long Legger’s gathered underneath a scaffold plank to conduct a Heat Index Convention!

But seriously, I did manage to get the section three porch decking complete today, despite the heat wave.

Tomorrow morning I will start the final section of Trex decking. We are not planning on working all day so I doubt it will be completed tomorrow. We also have to get some trim boards for this section because there won’t be a knee-wall or screens. This means another trip to Lowe’s before I can start.

After the decking is complete we will be jumping back on the porch roof framing and roofing for the rest of the deck.

July 25, 2019December 7, 2023

Section Three Porch Decking – Hotter Than Hades!

Day #82

July 19, 2019 – According to the weather forecast, this weekend will be hotter than Hades. There are excessive heat warnings in effect and the heat index expected to reach 115° F on Saturday. I’m not sure how much work we will be able to accomplish because, for most of the day the porch addition is in direct sunlight. Our only hope is to get up early and work in the morning before the sun comes up. The plan is to continue the Trex decking installation in section three. This is in front of the living room door.

In the morning I completed the additional framing required for the picture framed deck pieces. There will be a knee-wall and screens between deck sections three and four. Deck section four is officially “Brenda’s Deck”. It will not have screens. From what I understand she (Brenda) has divided it up into 2′ × 2′ pieces and is attempting to sell them to the highest bidder. Good luck.

After completing the picture framing support I realized that I was out of snake screen so off to Lowe’s I went. It’s an hour round trip but what are you going to do, right.

With the snake screen in hand, I rolled out and stapled the next piece. After it was down I was able to continue the decking.

Porch Decking - Section 3 — Snake screen rolled out. Decking installation in porch section 3.

The temperature hit 97° in Lewistown today. I took a bunch of breaks and stayed hydrated but once the sun hit the Trex decking it became unbearable. I only got half of the section 3 decking installed. Tomorrow is supposed to be hotter so we’ll see how it goes.

Section 3 - Trex Decking — Heat coming up on the deck. This is porch section 3.

Osprey ???

As some of you may remember we have seen Osprey along the river at the Cot-Taj-Mahal. Today I witnessed a young Osprey (I think) swoop down and grab a hold of a mouse over by the Old Shed. It pinned the mouse to the ground and stayed there for several minutes. I tried to sneak up on it but it was in the open. Unfortunately, I did not have my DLSR and telephoto lens with me. The picture below was shot with my iPhone at max digital zoom. Best I could get but still kinda crappy.

July 24, 2019December 7, 2023

Trex Decking Continues

Day #81

July 14, 2019 – The kitchen sink drain line is complete so I can continue the Trex decking installation. The goal today is to finish the second section of picture framed deck. Should be a pretty straight forward process.

Trex Decking - Section 2 — Installing porch decking in section two.

I have my chop saw set up on the deck framing. This makes it convenient to measure and cut the 16 ft. long pieces of Trex decking material.

Trex Decking Continued — Installation of decking in the 2nd section of the porch.

As the Trex decking got closer to the cottage it began to cover over the kitchen sink drain piping run.

Trex decking installation in the second section of the porch is complete! Yeah!

Trex Decking - Porch Section 2 — Porch section 2 decking installation complete.

Next weekend the Trex decking will be continuing into section three and hopefully the last section, section four. If I can get to it, I have water piping to rough in for a new hose connection. That should be fun, working under the deck.

Well that’s it for this weekend’s work. I hope your enjoying this little blogfest. This is carpenter Gyeem Raj-Du-Kamar signing off from Cot-Taj-Mahal in the Land Before Time. Stay tuned for further adventures.

July 23, 2019December 7, 2023

Kitchen Sink Drain Line & New Windows

Day #80

July 13, 2019 – Yesterday I ran out of daylight before I could get the kitchen sink drain line completed. This morning I checked the slope and alignment of the piping that I had roughed in. I still have an 1/8″ per foot slope to the tie in point.

After I glued everything together I installed the galvanized pipe supports and double checked the slope. Everything looks good. Now that the kitchen sink drain rough in is complete the porch decking can continue.

Smoking Pipe — Smoking drain line installation.

Completed Drain Line — Completed drain line with cleanout.

Before the deck installation continues, we felt the installation of some of the new windows would minimize the chances of any breakage. Two of the rough openings are ready. One above the kitchen sink….

Kitchen Sink Window — New window above the kitchen sink location.

Exterior - New Kitchen Sink Window — Exterior view of the new window over the kitchen sink location.

…. and one along the side of the new addition. It didn’t take very long at all to put these in place. They are leveled, fastened and taped off.

New Kitchen Side Window — New window in the side wall of the kitchen addition.

Exterior Side Wall Kitchen Window — Exterior view of new window in the kitchen addition side wall.

The third new window also gets installed in the side wall. Before we can set it, I need to remove the old existing window and re-frame the opening to the correct size and height. This is a future project.

Today was a pretty productive day. We finished the kitchen sink drain line rough in and managed to set two of the three new windows. Tomorrow I will continue the Trex decking install.

July 22, 2019March 31, 2024

Hurricane Ties, New Windows & Drain Piping

Day #79

July 12, 2019 – Today is another miscellaneous work day. I have hurricane ties, that I purchased from Fasteners Plus, to install on the first porch roof section. Thankfully, I made it all the way to the cottage with the three new windows without any breakage…so there’s that. Before I can continue anymore Trex decking I have to install the drain line for the kitchen sink.

First up, the Hurricane Ties. They are easy to install and help prevent lateral movement and uplift from strong winds.

Hurricane Ties

I was able to unload the windows buy myself without breaking anything.

New Windows — New windows safely unloaded.

After the hurricane tie installation and the window unloading I started the drain line installation. I did a quick take off of the material and headed out to Lowe’s to purchase what I needed.

Plumbing Supplies — Gathering plumbing supplies at Lowe’s.

Back at the cottage I started the drain line. I am basically working between two fixed points. The underside of the floor framing at the kitchen addition, and the existing tie in under the bathroom. I began by putting in the drop at the kitchen sink.

Kitchen Sink Drop — PVC drop and 90° sweep for the kitchen sink drain.

With the drop in place, I cut aligned and glued an elbow at the tie in.

Drain Tie In — Drain tie in point under the bathroom.

Working between these two points I laid out and blocked up the pipe to the proper pitch. I was hoping to get 1/4″ per foot slope but I was only able to get the minimum, an 1/8″ per foot.

At this point I was running out of daylight so I decided to complete the drain line tomorrow, in the morning.

July 15, 2019December 7, 2023

Three New Windows for the Cot-Taj-Mahal!

Day #78

July 11, 2019 – I picked up the three new windows for our Cot-Taj-Mahal renovation project. They are going home with me tonight and then on to the cottage tomorrow morning. I have them tied down pretty well. Fingers crossed that we make it in one piece.

Three new Anderson windows for the Cot-Taj-Mahal.

We choose Anderson Composite (Fibrex) windows for their maintenance free performance and durability.

These are for the new kitchen addition. Very exciting. I think they are the first new windows the cottage has had in like seventy-five years.