Sickly me

I've been sick in bed most of this week and so am behind with my posting.  But work hasn't stopped at The Bennett House.  Our crew is working overtime to try and have the house ready for an opening in the framer's schedule in 2 weeks.  If we don't make it for then we'll have to wait another 2 months for him (or find another framer).  I couldn't see how we'd manage it and made a specific list of what needs to be done before we could call in the framer.

1. Support 2nd floor and remove original brick back of house on 1st floor 
2. Support original kitchen ceiling and remove brick wall between kitchen and sunroom
3. Demo sunroom
4. Support existing main beam in basement
5. Support kitchen floor from basement
6. Remove double brick wall separating outside storage room from basement
7. Remove existing block wall enclosing outside storage room 
8. Dig out outside storage room to level the floor to the rest of the basement
9. Pour concrete footing for 4"HSS post to hold existing basement beam
10. Pour concrete footing for 3"HSS post to support kitchen beam (note 1 on DWG No. 102)
11. Pour concrete footing for 2 X new square 3 1/2" posts to hold up 1st floor addition
12. Pour concrete footing for new south-west corner foundation
13. Build new foundation walls for south-west corner of basement
14. Underpin north-west corner of house under kitchen
15. Install beams in basement (2) and lintel for back French doors
16. Install steel beam on first floor
17. Install flush beams on first floor sitting on steel beam (2)

Seems like a lot of work to do in 2 weeks, no?  I would say impossible, but our crew said, they're going to give it a try--- and so they have.  It is unbelievable how much they have accomplished in the week that I've been sick!  Truly amazing!  I think they might actually do it.  At least enough of it to get the framer started as they finish up.  Looking good!  And even better news is that we had our first inspection yesterday and everything went super well.  Always a good feeling with a project this large to hear that the inspector is happy with the quality of work being done.  

This is the current state of the first floor.  Those are temporary supports.  It will all be open plan in the end when all the beams go up.  But the big brick walls are down that ran through the interior of the house.

This is the second floor back of the house.  Again, the big old brick wall is gone and this area is ready for framing.

I call this picture "The Burrow".  It reminds me of the Weasley's house in Harry Potter #6 (I think).  No? Maybe I watch too much Harry Potter!

The underpinning of the Northwest corner of the house.  Holes had to be dug 4 feet down and 18 inches (they did 20) across at 3 foot intervals and filled with concrete.  I think there were six of these to be done in total.

The basement walkout starting to take shape.

The basement walkout really starting to take shape!

All that old foundation stone was getting thrown away in the bins!  Seemed like such a waste to me, especially since I've been pricing limestone for the backyard retaining walls and it is expensive stuff.  So I got the guys to stack the bigger pieces in the backyard for me and I'm going to try and recycle it.  I love the idea of using the original foundation walls to build the retaining walls.  I might even try to do some of the building myself when it's less dangerous to be hanging around back there.

Yep, gorgeous stone!