The House Today

Kyle e-mailed me some photos of the house as it is this afternoon.  Hap and Doug, who put on the siding in November, have returned to build the porches on the north side of the building.  The warmer weather we're having now — 48 degrees this afternoon at Lake Esau — makes this outside work easier.  Having Hap and Doug handle this part of the project frees Kyle and Dave for inside work.

Doug cuts boards at the service porch entrance.  The area
beyond will become the screened porch.

It's a short walk from the service porch to the garage.

Lots to progress has been made inside.  For example, Dave has completed grouting the tile in the entry and at the wood stove hearth, as well as in all bathrooms.  He is rapidly completing the trim work, too.

The tile in the entry is also used for the wood stove hearth.

When the wood stove is installed, it will stand on the hearth below.  This tile, and the two layers of cement board underneath, protect the subfloor from heat.  The wall behind the stove — cement block filled with mortar — is decidedly fire-safe.

A "picture frame" finishes the hearth in the
living room, and marks the break with the flooring.

The permanent stairs down to the basement were going in today.
Note the white oak used on the landing.

Kyle's to-do list for today included the permanent stairs.  He's working first on the stairs from the ground floor to the basement.  The treads on this part of the stairway will be covered with carpeting.  The run of stairs up to the second floor will be solid oak produced by the same sawmill which did our tongue and groove oak flooring.

To save floor space, pocket doors are being
used for the half-bath (above) and for the
master bath upstairs.

The half-bath now has a working WC!

The plumbers returned to Presque Isle yesterday, bringing with them all the fixtures for the house.  During one busy 9-hour day (on top of 10 hours of driving from and back to Grand Haven) they plumbed in the water lines and installed toilets in all three bathrooms.  And the toilets work!  The Ice Castle no longer decorates the driveway!  Great photos, Kyle — thanks!

Yes, we're definitely making headway on this project, and I think I can be living there in March. •••