January 16th, 2010

Undercabinet Lighting - LEDs

As much as I liked the undercabinet lighting that we installed back in 2008, it was time for a change. The previous lights were 120V Xenon's - in addition to putting off a lot of light, they also put off a TON of heat. The heat caused food to spoil / melt, etc. Plus the bulbs burnt out all the time, and they weren't cheap to replace. I just installed a set of LED strips from Inspired LED. They look great, don't put off any heat, and are supposed to last at least 10 years. Plus they take about 1/8 of the electricity of the Xenon's. And they're so thin that you can't see them unless you're looking for them.

Pictures: before; after (with overhead light on); after (no overhead light); the LED strips

January 2nd, 2010

Basement Bathroom Ceiling

Got the drop ceiling installed in the bathroom. It didn't take nearly as long as I thought it would. I boxed around a couple pipes, that was kind of interesting, but not terribly difficult. The height is pretty good, around 7 2/3 feet. Overall, it looks great! Also, the wall-runners are installed in the main area of the basement, thanks to a big help from Ann's dad - more on that later.

October 17, 2010

Odds 'n Ends

We've been working on a variety of things around the house. Our log came in, so the fireplace is all set up and ready to go. We've also painted the conduit downstairs. Have I expressed how much I love drywall? Settling has created some cracks in the drywall around the dormers and some of the doors upstairs. We just went through and fixed all of the cracks in the common area up there (note, one of the photos is a "before" picture). Also, we've been planning on making a window well cover for a long time (since we can't find one to fit). Got some 3/8 inch rebar and cut, bent, and welded it into shape and then sprayed it with some Rust-oleum. The grid isn't tight enough to prevent bunnies and tolders from falling through, so we'll probably cover it with some kind of wire mesh or chicken wire or something.

September 24, 2010

Basement Electrical and Fireplace

We just finished installing several electrical outlets around the perimeter of the basement. We'll probably paint the conduit and maybe the boxes, but we'll get to that later. We also just received the fireplace that we ordered. It's a ProCom vent-free 25,000 BTU dual-fuel (gas) unit. Unfortunately, one of the logs in the log set was broken, so we're waiting on the manufacturer to send us a new one. That's not too terrible since we don't have the gas line ready yet. That should be plenty of heat to keep the basement toasty, and will probably keep the floor of the main level nice and warm, too.

July 31, 2010

Basement Bathroom - Complete

With the exception of the ceiling, everything is done and in place. Woohoo!

July 27, 2010

Basement Bathroom

Progress had been slow, but we've finally kicked it into high gear. The walls are done, the floor is in, trim is up, closet flange is set, and the lights are lit. We have the toilet. Its time for everything to fall into place!

April 25, 2010

Basement - TV & Electronics

We finally got a nice new TV and accessories. Its a 58 inch Samsung plasma. Definitely a big upgrade from our old 25 inch tube TV.

April 2, 2010

Basement Rooms - Mostly there!

We now have the drywall finished, primed, and painted (thanks Chovans!). Carpet has been laid, doors hung, and trim put up. Looking quite nice!

March 16, 2010

Basement Rooms - Hanging More Drywall

Now that the studs are up, we were able to hang the drywall. Moving all pretty quickly.

March 13, 2010

Basement Rooms - More Framing, Electrical

The basement is coming along nicely. This week we framed in a half bath and a utility closet. Ran wires, lights, switches, and outlets. Picked up a load of drywall, which we should be hanging this coming week.

February 22, 2010

Basement Closet - Door, Shelving

The closet should finally be complete. Hung the door a week or two ago. Finished putting up the shelving tonight.

February 2, 2010

Basement Closet - Drywall Finishing

Been slowly working finishing up the drywall in the basement. Took a break from working around the stairs so that we could finish the closet under the stairs and put it to use. I got all of the joint compound sanded today (what a dusty mess!). Should be able to start priming and painting in a couple days.

November 28, 2009

Merry Christmas

Not exactly a development to the house, but our Christmas lights are up. There's not a ton of them, but we'll probably add more each year. We switched to the LEDs this year - they look pretty bright in person.

October 24, 2009

New Tree

The maple tree that we had in our front yard got broken down. It did not look to be due to natural causes, but its hard to say what happened to it. We went to a local nursery and picked up a Cleveland Select Pear tree. Its about 6 feet tall and appears to be nice and sturdy.

October 23, 2009

Basement - Closet

Still working slowly but surely on the basement. Got the doorway framed in and some more drywall put up.

October 20, 2009

Front Door - Window Film

For some added privacy and a bit of decoration, we put some decorative window film on our front door.

August 31, 2009

Basement - General

It's been a long time since I've updated this page - and not for a lack of progress! We've been so busy that I haven't gotten around to writing anything. Since the last posting, we (Ann) have painted a lot more of the concrete walls. We've run lots of wiring, installed outlets, switches, and lights. We've put up lots of drywall. Smoothing everything out is going to be quite a project in itself - there's a lot of uneven spots in the drywall, compliments of the builders.

April 24, 2009

Basement - Crack Repair

We've had a crack in the poured concrete wall that runs from floor to ceiling and leaks a little bit when it rains. Ordered a "DIY crack injection kit" off the internet from this website. The process was pretty straight forward and seems very effective. Glued some ports on the wall. Sealed the crack over with a peelable substance. Force a little water into the crack through the ports. Using a caulk gun, inject a substance in the wall that creates an expanding foam when it combines with the water. Peeled away the top sealant to leave a nearly invisible repair.

April 21, 2009

Laundry Room - Concrete Paint

Started painting the concrete walls in the basement using Zinsser Watertite paint, tinted to "Sand Dunes". The concrete looks so much better with a couple good coats of paint.

March 29, 2009

Laundry Room - Paint

Primed the new drywall then painted it "Dancing Leaf" (aka - green).

March 17, 2009

New Fusion

Not really an addition to the house, but happy Saint Patrick's Day to me! After six great years, finally traded my 1998 ZX2 in on a new 2009 Ford Fusion SEL V6 with the Sport Appearance Package, Moon & Tune, etc. Its definitely a step up from what I've been used to! See more here.

March 7, 2009

Kitchen - Garbage Disposal

Ares was immediately interested in this one, as noted by the first picture. Installed a GE Disposall 530F unit. Didn't take too long - most of the time was spent trying to make the wiring look good and professional. I've never had a garbage disposal before... kinda handy. It has the option to hook the dish washer hose into the disposer, but since I didn't have the appropriate hose connector on-hand, it can wait for another day.

March 3, 2009

Laundry Room - Drywall

Hung the sheets of drywall for the new wall. Haven't done any taping yet, nor have I finished running all of the screws. Still have several sheets of drywall that will be put up around the basement stairs.

February 28, 2009

Laundry Room - Framing, continued

Finished framing the new wall. Re-routed the necessary duct-work. Ran a longer length of dryer vent. Rewired some of the basement lighting. Went to Menards and picked up drywall and supplies. While I had the tools out, I built a couple frames and hung two bike lifts in the garage. Used one for a bike, one for a treestand. Really helps to clear up some floorspace.

February 19, 2009

Laundry Room - Framing

Because of all the duct work, wiring, the support columns, and a pipe in the way, this has taken a lot longer than expected. Still need to put a couple more boards up, but its about ready for drywall. While I working in the basement, I added a shelf above the washer and dryer, per Ann's request.

February 11, 2009

Basement Lighting

Since we'll be separating the basement into different rooms soon, I figured that I should separate the lighting circuits. Swapped the two-switch box for a three-switch box and install a few more lights while I was at it.

February 5, 2009

New Server

Ordered parts for and assembled a new Shuttle X27D. It has an energy-efficient dual-core Intel Atom processor, 2GB RAM, and a 7400RPM 320GB SATA II hard drive. At full load, its only supposed to use about 30 watts. Not to mention that its really small and sleek, especially compared to the old computer.

January 24, 2009

Laundry Room

Thus starts the conversion of the basement. After hours of prepping the floor, I laid down a Rustoleum EpoxyShield kit. It sure looks a lot nicer than the dirty concrete, and I bet it will be a whole lot easier to clean.

January 19, 2009

Whole House Humidifier

The house has been way too dry. As a temporary fix, we had been boiling water on the stove to add humidity. Picked up a Honeywell whole house humidifier (plus installation kit, plus humidistat) over the weekend and put it in on the day off. It doesn't seem as effective as the water-boiling method... I suspect it might have something to do with the electric furnace.

December XX, 2008

Garage Walls, Round 2

Still not quite finished, but its a lot closer. Painted the remaining wall, installed a FastTrack system, put up a shelving unit for more storage, and hung a bike lift. Now we can actually fit three vehicles in the garage (sure makes winter a bit more tolerable).

November 18, 2008

Garage Walls

While it's nowhere near finished, I've spent the past week or two putting up some walls in the garage. Decided to use 7/16" OSB panels and a couple sheets of pegboard around the workbench. Need to do the ceiling, then I can finish the last two feet of the walls. Pictures show in-progress - the paint looks better in person.

October 27, 2008

Driveway & Sidewalk

Had Slab-Jackers come and finally fix my driveway and sidewalk. Driveway had about 5 inches of gap underneath it from settling and washing out after it was poured. Sidewalk had a similar situation, except that it sank as it settled. They filled the cavern under the driveway and pumped material under the sidewalk, raising it back to the appropriate height. Pictures may be a little hard to see, but one was taken before, the other after.

October 5, 2008

Undercabinet Lighting

Went to Menards to pick up a couple more pieces of the Rubbermaid closet system and went home with a cartload of stuff, including these puck undercabinet lights. Hooked up a dimmer touch-pad under one of the cabinets to control the light. Its amazing how much character a few lights can create!

September 13, 2008

Water Softener

Finally installed a water softener! Got a Kenmore. We were tired of having spotted dishes, lime build-up everywhere, etc. It makes a world of difference!

August X, 2008

Closet System

Got tired of the flimsy white closet rack that was pulling off of the wall. Got a new Rubbermaid Configurations closet kit and installed it. Simply amazing! Super sturdy, lots of storage options.
[picture will be posted eventually]

June 4, 2008

Patio Set and Garden

Picked up a lightly used patio set. We now get a lot more use from the deck! It's great for having dinner on. Also built and sunk a garden box and filled it with black dirt, peat moss, and fertilizer.

May 4, 2008

New Tree

Well, I went to Old Heritage for a load of dirt and came back with some dirt and a 20 foot cutleaf weeping birch tree. I think I need adult supervision when shopping.

March 11, 2008

Kitchen: Pot & Pan Rack

Just finished up a solid oak rack for the kitchen. Provides a nice, easy access area for the pots and pans that doesn't take up cabinet space.

March 9, 2008

Living Room: Entertainment Center

Picked up and assembled a new entertainment center today. Takes up a lot less space in the room and matches the decor a bit better.

December 26, 2007

Merry Christmas to Me: Fireplace

While in Michigan for Christmas, we picked up this gas wall-heater / fireplace thing. Ran a bit more gasline and mounted the thing on the wall. Puts out some heat and looks nice, all in a small package.

November 28, 2007

Window Well Drain

Bye bye flooded basement (hopefully). Rented this fun little tool called a core drill and drilled a 3 inch hole through my basement wall. Then we ran a 2 inch PVC pipe drain directly into the sump pit. Sealed up the wall and filled in the big hole I had dug.

October 14, 2007

Garage Insulation

Insulated the garage walls with R13 kraft-faced insulation. I have some R19 for the ceiling, but I haven't gotten that far yet...

September 15, 2007

Kitchen Lights

We were running around the Marquette Heights' town-wide garage sale and unexpectedly found lights for the kitchen that we actually had been scoping out at Lowes. Got the set of matching chandelier and pendant for $28. Considering the chandelier alone is $144, I think we can call this one a steal.

September 11, 2007

Trees!

Transplanted two maple trees from my family's farm. Put one in the front yard, its about 3 feet tall. Put one in the back yard, its about 4 feet tall.

September 10, 2007

Dirt!

The first load of fill dirt has been packed into the ditch in my front yard where the ground settled over the sewer pipe. Second load used to partially fill the canyon near my light pole. I'll need yet another load of dirt in order to fill the valley between the light pole and the mail box. It never ends, does it?
pictures yet to come

September 2, 2007

Bathroom Paint

Surprises are nice on Christmas and birthdays... not so nice when working on your bathroom. The mirror was held on by double-sided foam tape. The mirror stattered when being removed from the wall. Drain pipe in wall directly where medicine cabinet belongs. Gigantic hole behind light fixture. Surprise!

August 19, 2007

Kitchen Paint

The kitchen went surprisingly fast. 'I think we could get some taping-off done today.' Six hours later, my kitchen was completely painted, minus some touch-ups, which were done the next evening. Two days for the kitchen, two months for the bedroom... how does that work?

July 31, 2007

Bedroom Crown Moulding

Thus marks the end of a very loooong time spent painting and fixing up the bedroom. Crown moulding is finally up and touched-up as much as I care to do.

May 27, 2007

Bedroom Paint

The bedroom has finally been painted. Took like 4 coats! Walls are 'Lady in Red' and the ceiling and trim are 'Contentment'.

April 26, 2007

Garage Wiring

I've gone from a single 100 watt light bulb to four fixtures, each housing two 4 foot fluorescent lights. Talk about lighting the place up! Also, I added six more electrical outlets.

April 22, 2007

Kitty!

I've got company! I'm not really sure what I going to call him. Input welcome! (Update: his name is Ares!)

April 21, 2007

Chairs

A work in progress... I've got three of the six chairs done. It's a bit more work than I imagined.

April 16, 2007

Gas Stove

Despite having had it for like a month, the gas stove has been in the garage. Finally in the kitchen!

March 16, 2007

I've Got Gas!

Ahh, finally! CILCO has finally ran my gas line, now I'll install the pipes within the house this weekend. Now I'll be finally cooking on gas and will be able to use my clothes dryer!

March 9, 2007

Microwave

It may not sound like a big deal, but I've finally got that microwave put in! It was a bit more difficult than I imagined. I also had a nice surprise when making cuts for the vent duct.

March 4, 2007

Moving In

	Well, the big day (March 2nd) has come and gone... I've got the keys. Now the fun begins...

February 15, 2007

I just bought a new house!

I should get possession around the end of the month. It has three bedrooms, two baths, a full (unfinished) basement, etc. It's brand new, built in 2006. Address is 126 S Columbus, North Pekin. I can't wait to move in!