Major Remodel Update

My Studio/Office has been toward the lower priority of resettling after our major remodel over the winter of 2022-23.

At the time of this writing, my Studio/Office is mostly, but not fully moved in.

I have been working my Day Job from here for several months,

and have recently begun working on fiber preparations from here.

Primarily Books and Canning Supplies are remaining to be unpacked and organized, though this part has been started.  I also have a few large weaving appendages to give space to and a bit more fiber storage to settle on.

AND... I have to move out...  Again.

One of the blessings of our extremely wet spring (I'm choosing to view this as a blessing), is that the wood floor has expanded... significantly.

To be clear, all materials grow and shrink with temperature and humidity.  How each behaves is well understood and each installation is a unique situation.  So there is always an art to the analysis... especially as the climate continues to swing between extremes.

Anyway, my Studio/Office floor is layed on a concrete slab which conducts temperature and humidity differently than the wood subfloor and crawl space of the rest of the house.

That, coupled with our extremely wet and therefore humid spring has caused the Studio/Office floor to grow so much that it is buckling.  Sections have separated from the substrate, even though a vapor barrier was used.

So, after reviewing the situation and discussing several potential solutions with the Flooring Installer and Designer/Architect, we decided to remove the entire Studio/Office floor and replace it with an Engineered Solution.

The exterior surface of the floor will continue to match the remainder of the house, but the under portion will be a series of layups with differing fiber directions.. essentially, a plywood.  Rather than the solid hardwood that is currently installed.

While frustrating, I feel blessed that this happened during our first season with the new floor, and is therefore under warranty.

This, however, means that I must vacate my Studio/Office once again.  Just as I was closing in on feeling settled, once again. sigh.

Once we know the material lead-time, we will schedule the arrival, demolition, and installation for the new, new floor.  In the meantime, the working-plan is to be ready for it by the end of August 2023.

With all of that, the remaining punch list is only 3 items, two related to our stove/oven and one related to our interior ramps.

Home Improvements: Kitchen Remodel

One of the things we knew we wanted to do sooner, rather than later, was to update the kitchen in our new-to-us place.

So after mostly settling in and living in the house for several months, we embarked upon the design portion of our Kitchen Remodel last September (2022).

This project would require us to move out for a few months because we were also planning to replace all of the flooring.

What was two different Vinyl floors that were two different colors and textures, as well as two different heights, along with some carpet, is now a Hickory Plank floor, throughout.

A long-term dream has finally been achieved, and I love it so much!

The construction portion of the project began in January (2023) and we got the house back at the end of March (2023).  We are taking a slow and deliberate approach to moving back in.

At this point, a couple of weeks later, most of the shelf liners have been placed and many of the necessary items have been located, unpacked, and organized.  So for Easter Dinner, we had our first proper meal in our freshly remodeled home.

The footprint of the kitchen is the same, but the flow between the sink, refrigerator, and stove is improved and the storage has been maximized.

The Bay Window now feels like part of the kitchen, rather than a separate room.  I love the new window bench, which will be getting a custom cushion to make it more comfortable for sitting.

We also have storage in the Laundry Room now... and revisions were made to improve the venting of the Dryer and shore up the Floor.

There are still a few things outstanding, including the range, as well as a bunch of punch list items.  Fortunately, we heeded warnings and kept our old appliances.

Once we're feeling settled again, we'll embark upon the next project. :-)

Happy Spring Everyone!

Fiber Arts Friday: Packing Up Again

Now that we've been living in our new place for a year, we have been getting ready for a remodel.

The kitchen will be gutted, the laundry room modified slightly, and all of the flooring replaced, except the bathrooms which will be updated at a later time.

We have secured temporary housing nearby so the animals are all staying put and we will be checking on them constantly.

This also means that I have a new Box of Incomplete and Queueing Projects... Most of these are in the planning stage, rather than the in-work but stalled stage.  So that's good.  :-)

While this bin is larger than the last one, it also includes all of the mending projects I have queued as well as materials for a large weaving project.  Including this half-measured warp that has been returned to it's spool.

I am leaving this table loom project as is.  I think there is still a chance to repair it... once I have several hours of quiet time and brain space available.  ;-)

My wheels, other looms, and all of my books have also been packed away.

It was nice having a mostly organized studio/office for a while.  I love my space and plan to arrange it a bit differently when we move back in.  Honestly, I am so excited about our remodel project, that I am willing to tolerate being in transition for a few more months.

I have been trying to keep the total in-work number closer to two or three and the queue at one or two... Especially since two of these are sweaters.  ;-)

Happy Fiber Arts Friday... and Happy New Year!

Alpacamundo Monday: Farm Improvements, Gutters

Last winter I talked about getting a pair of cleats to help with the ice that builds up on the sidewalk adjacent to the dog kennel and yard.

Once the glass house was removed and the exterior painted, we engaged the gutter supplier.  Our intent was to have the new gutters installed on the house and large out building prior to the snow falling, but scheduling was challenging.  I guess everyone wanted new gutters this year.  ;-)

This is the result of ~3 inches of snow melting on the roof, then running onto the sidewalk and re-freezing...

The install finally happened in mid-December 2022.  We've been through a couple of snow melts now and I'm happy to say there is no water running on our heads as we walk thru doorways, nor is snow falling, melting, and re-freezing on the sidewalks.

I'm so happy!

Home Improvements: Exterior, Recycling the Glass House

Last weekend we also cut down the aluminum frame and copper wire from the Glass House and hauled it to the Recycling Center.

Pretty incredible how small that monstrosity packed down to.

Home Improvements: Exterior: Trees, part 1

There is a lot to talk about this week on the Home Improvement front... :-)

The sellers stated they were un-aware of any dead trees on the property... but the first spring/summer revealed a few very-dead trees and several nearly-dead trees.

We, with the help of some friends, removed 2 very dead trees, 1 mostly dead tree, and 3 that were impeding the growth of other trees last weekend.

Two of the trees were quite large, and required the help of a back hoe.

The first very-dead, and very-large tree revealed termites.

I've since learned that termites are common in Colorado and feel very fortunate to have not experienced them before now.

My research confirms we have the Subterranean Termite Worker, pictured on the left below.  No others were observed.

We isolated this wood, until we were able to confirm the species... and will continue to keep it isolated until a professional inspection and treatment are completed, which have been scheduled.

Fortunately, no termites were apparent in the other trees we removed.

Cuttings from the live trees were given to the goats.

Non-infested logs were cut and stacked for firewood, and the branches were hauled away.  I probably should get a rack to raise this wood off of the ground.

AND I continue to find trash left behind by the previous owners.  :-/

  

There are at least 5 more trees to address, at this time.

Home Improvements: Exterior, Paint

With the Glass House gone, our Painter was able to get busy on the actual painting... and get busy, he did.

Before:

After:

The new colors go much better with the existing roof and brick.  I think it also makes the house blend into the landscape more.

There are a few things currently remaining, including the replacement of the exterior lighting and gutters... and as predicted, we now really dislike the doors, but those will have to wait for a while.

Home Improvements: Exterior, Glass House Removal

We've spent the last few months just living and being in our new home.

After the move and with all of the work to prepare and sell our former home, we needed an emotional break.  Only taking time to unpack and organize as necessary, but mostly just focusing on decompressing and experiencing the new place as it was.

So now that we're feeling clear of mind and reasonably rested, as well as starting to do some of the things we used to do... like dog shows and travel, we decided it's time to start the work that needs doing.

Beginning with the Exterior

Starting in the last week of August we began firming plans for updating the exterior of our new home.

First up is paint... Paint, Siding Repair, Gutter Replacement, Removal of the Glass Room from the back of the house, and Exterior Lighting Replacement.

Capitalizing on an unexpected free Labor Day and the availability of a few awesome friends, we removed the glass house... on one of the hottest days of the year.

We also found some un-disclosed water damage.

I had hoped this room would be useful as a Greenhouse, but the reality was that it was cold in the winter and ridiculously hot in the summer... and we are very glad to have it gone.

The amount of light that is now present inside and the increased visibility of the back yard with this monstrosity removed is incredible.

Mud

I've mentioned mud season a couple of times on this blog.

Since we moved in, we have worn a path from our house to the alpaca corrals and barn, which becomes mud when ever it rains or snows more than a small amount.

Mud sucks for pretty much anyone working in it.... but it especially sucks for wheelchair users.  So we've been talking about different solutions to our mud problem over the last few years.

The space right before the gate is shaded most of the day, so it's the last to dry out.

We love brick, but have been disheartened by the cost.

Enter, my sister.

They bought an old house a few years ago and replaced their brick patio over the summer.

It took a bit of time for us to coordinate schedules, but we finally collected the brick on the weekend before Thanksgiving, 2018.

So for the cost of a home-made meal, a load of alpaca manure for their garden, and the labor of moving the bricks, we now have enough pavers to cover most of our plan.

There is about 8500 lbs and 300 sq ft in two different colors.

We have a two high priority areas that we want to pave, so we were not concerned with having different colored bricks.

I'm excited.... this will be our major project for the upcoming spring.

Painting

You don't buy a house because of it's color.

You buy it because of it's location and features.  The color can be changed.

Finally, after 9 years, the directions to our house no longer include the phrase, "baby poop yellow."