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renovation and reason
A few weeks ago, our kitchen remodel was featured on Design*Sponge as part of their “Before and After” series. We were thrilled to be included and encouraged by the many positive comments. But then, inevitably, came the other comments. The reactions were similar for our kitchen and bathroom posts on Apartment Therapy and in a nutshell, there was a contingent of commenters that were convinced we had obliterated an heirloom.
Truthfully, I wasn’t really offended by the comments (and was somewhat expecting them) – not because I’m necessarily thick-skinned but because I stand by our conviction that what we’ve done has been the right thing for our house. Alongside the positive and negative comments were additional questions about how we should approach the discussion of remodeling in the first place, especially when so much of the blogisphere is dedicated to sparkly end results. It’s something that Kyle and I started discussing and realized the topic might warrant a blog post of its own. We realized that although we have gone through a very careful and intentional remodel thought process, we’ve never really explained it here on the blog.
Don’t get me wrong, we love dramatic “before and afters” just as much as the next person, but we thought it would be interesting to talk about the underlying reasons for taking on a project like this in the first place. So here’s our story.
[Note: each pair of photos was taken from approximately the same view. And no, I didn’t know about white balance back in ’06.]
Plain and simple, we bought a house that needed a lot of work because it’s what we could afford. We were up for the challenge and knew that it was something we both wanted to do. So we bought this:
Ok, she looked a little better (and cuter!) in the 1930’s when this photo was taken. When we took ownership in 2006, she was a bit frumpier:
But over the course of 5 years, she’s got a new spring in her step…
I think we all agree that, yes, our house was ugly. But ugliness alone is not a reason to gut the entire thing. Sure, we could have painted the walls, replaced the carpet and called it a day, but our house had fundamental problems that limited its effectiveness as a 21st-century home.
Layout – As you can see from the original floor plan, our home had an awkward layout that quickly proved to be an inefficient way to live in 770 square feet. (At the root of the problem was the kitchen, which served as the hallway of the house with 5 doorways and very little work space.) By reworking the plan, we were able to create a series of spaces that made more sense for how we live while also accommodating flexibility for future needs. We were also able to add a second bedroom without expanding the footprint. If our home had two bedrooms from the beginning, we probably would have approached things differently.
Because the front door entered into the middle of the dining/living room, the two spaces were the same size, meaning a too small living room and a too big dining room. The chandelier with the faux candles yet real burn marks on the ceiling? No words.
Structure – Our home had not been maintained properly over the years and had some issues that needed more immediate attention. Maybe one reason we didn’t start the blog earlier was because the first few years were not glamorous ones. We completely replaced the roof, undertook a sizeable structural project in the basement and spent an uncomfortable amount of money on asbestos abatement and an oil tank removal. Unglamorous yes, but it was the right thing to do and prevented even bigger (and more expensive) repairs down the road. Does structural safety supersede “preservation”? We think so.
Energy – One of the things that I think is most often overlooked when discussing older homes is that they are usually energy hogs. When we bought our house, it had no insulation in the walls, a ridiculously ancient coal-turned-oil-burning octopus furnace, a 20-year-old hot water heater and leaky aluminum windows. For us, not improving our home’s energy performance would have been irresponsible and well, dumb. In many cases, sustainability drove our decision-making process. For instance, to insulate our exterior walls we could either add it from the outside or the inside. So we weighed the pros and cons and ultimately decided that it was more important to restore our original cedar siding and remove the crumbling plaster on the inside. With the walls opened up, we were also able to add modern-day luxuries like electrical outlets(!) When it came to materials, we made a concerted effort to recycle/sell/salvage as much as we could while also being conscientious about what new materials were coming in.
Education – Although some have surmised that we’re remodeling for remodeling’s sake, just because we’re architects doesn’t mean we think we’re entitled to change something just because we can. I mean really, this stuff is expensive and takes an incredible amount of time and patience. In fact, sometimes…ok, many times, we wish our house had needed less work. But regardless of how we’ve changed our home, the more important thing has been the process of doing so. In fact, before we started looking at houses, we both were toying with the idea of going to grad school, but ultimately decided that we couldn’t afford to do both. So we sometimes joke that the remodel has been our thesis project and in a way, I think we’ve learned far more than we could have in a couple extra studio courses.
Solving the Stylistic Problem – Even though we’re self-proclaimed modernists, we still have an appreciation for the past. Although our house was the one we could afford, we predominantly looked at pre-1930’s homes (which fortunately, Seattle has a lot of). In general, we were attracted to the modest size and simple styles of these homes and knew it would be these characteristics that, due to budget and practicality, would remain unchanged. (I’m sure we drove our realtor crazy…a fixer? No problem! But a complex roof shape? Hell no!) Sadly, even though our home was built in 1910 and was small and simple, it didn’t have any of the charming features that are common to other homes of that era. No built-ins, no fancy molding, no bare wood. Because of this, we felt it was appropriate to take on a more extensive renovation. Where we could, we brought attention to certain original elements – like the exposing the ceiling joists in the living room or restoring the original cedar siding on the exterior.
As architects who are progressive but also concerned about sustainability, there is a great challenge in reinventing existing housing stock to work for the 21st century. It’s a surgical process that is different for every house and includes incorporating the best of both eras into something that will hopefully be around for another one hundred years. (Pretty pictures are nice, but this creative problem solving has really been the crux of our remodel.) For those that think we’ve done our home a disservice, the reality is that had our offer not been accepted, our house would have been victim to the wrecking ball and a 2500 SF “neo craftsman” mcmansion would have been crammed onto the lot in its place.
Anticipating Change – One goal that we’ve tried to maintain throughout this process is not to overdo it. While we’re definitely not looking to flip this house, we also know that we probably won’t live here forever. That means striking the balance between doing the right thing and what makes us happy, while not investing so much money and time that we feel we can never leave. We’re not making any decisions based on “resale value” but we are trying to do something that is thoughtful, creative and appropriate for our neighborhood.
Being Realistic – Our house is at best an experiment. An experiment based on a modest budget, a willingness to live in a constant construction zone and a whole lot of manual labor. It’s not a perfect home, but it is a better home and at the end of the day that’s something we feel really good about.
And there is the “Behind the Scenes” story of chezerbey. Remodeling can be very personal and depends on so many factors that it’s impossible to apply general rules or guidelines to the process. What’s right for one person isn’t necessarily a good solution for another and we hope that the blogisphere can continue to be a forum for constructive dialogue. Crappy old houses all over the world will thank you for it.
flex room redo
With all of the improvements we’ve made to our home in the last few years (coupled with record low-interest rates!) we decided to refinance our mortgage. (More on that later!) Aside from the obvious, one of the biggest changes we’ve made is that our house now has two bedrooms (which has a big impact on home value, as appraisers have to use other 2 br/1 bath comps when determining their numbers).
Anyhow, the new second bedroom (which we’ve been referring to as the “flex room“) has mainly served as a cozy TV room. Even though it was already a bedroom by building code standards, we decided play it safe and add a bed and closet before the appraisal.
So a few weeks ago I went down to IKEA and bought a wardrobe for the room. In lieu of a framed out closet, our plan has always been to add another wardrobe, similar to what we did in our bedroom. With the customization and interior fittings options, they’re simply a more efficient solution for small homes.
This time however, we wanted to spend as little money as possible (with the idea that we can always add units or interior fittings later), so I bought a single 39″ PAX unit and the cheapest white doors they sell. (I was going to do another curtain system but couldn’t find anything I liked.) The knobs are IKEA as well, a purchase I made years ago when I thought I’d spruce up the old kitchen cabinets before we could afford to remodel.
[The wardrobe assembly was another project that we tackled on our anniversary. After carrying the boxes inside, Kyle must have seen a look of unmotivation on my face because he quickly offered to handle the installation and let me get back to shoveling pea gravel in the backyard. Secretly, I think he likes to see how fast (and with how many power tools) he can assemble IKEA products. Love that guy.]
For now, the inside just has two shelves and a hanging bar and serves as extra storage for pillows, blankets, dresses, Xbox accessories and occasionally, the curious kitten. (FYI – PAX doors require four hinges per door. That would have been good to know.) Also, PAX boxes are heavy. Thank you to the kind soul at IKEA who helped me load the boxes onto my flat cart.
We also moved our old brown couch to the basement and set up the Aerobed that we use when guests visit. The West Elm duvet cover and IKEA stool are from the loft.
Although it’s been several weeks since the appraisal, we haven’t brought the couch back up from the basement. Truthfully, it’s kinda nice being able to watch TV in bed…without having a TV in your bedroom.
All in all, the only thing we bought was the wardrobe, which cost around $200.
And that’s our second room. It’s still lacking in the decor and accessories department, but those kind of decisions require months of careful mulling. We’re also debating getting a real bed for the space or maybe upgrading ours (we’re still sleeping on the mattress Kyle bought in college!) and moving the old one into this space. We’ll see. Although I do admit, the idea of owning two beds makes me feel very grown-up.
blogiversary q&a
Oh, hey there. Remember that blogiversary post from over a month ago? The one where we proposed a Q&A and then promptly slacked off on answering the questions?
Yeah. Woops. To compensate, we bring you the answers – novella style!
Q. Anything that you would do differently if you had the chance? Favorite spot in the house? Do you know the name of your bed? I have the same one and for the life of me can’t remember it. [from Monica]
A.
KZ – We knew the living room was going to be tight, but decided it wasn’t in the budget to expand it at the time. Now we want a bigger living room, so we’re thinking about doing a bump-out with a fireplace nook.
LZ – Oh yes, the bump-out. I rolled my eyes at first, but then started to get pretty excited about the idea. It’s low on the priority list right now and who knows, we’ll probably change our minds again. Favorite spot in the house? It actually tends to change – right now we’re loving our 2nd bedroom (aka “the flex room”) as a cozy TV room, but the kitchen is probably the space we spend the most time in. We bought our bed frame from IKEA about 7 years ago – I can’t remember the name either (I knew I shouldn’t have thrown out those old IKEA catalogs!).
Q. My question would be about what kind of architecture you guys do for daily life — schools, malls, prisons? Are you workaholics like all the other architects in my office? It seems like for those of us with creative careers where hours are billed, there can be a tendency to work longer and longer hours. How do you come home from a day of work and have the energy to do all this planning, design and hard work on your own house? It’s kind of the shoemaker’s children have no shoes kind of conundrum. I’d love to hear your take on it. [from CT]
A.
KZ – I have always specialized in custom residential homes, everything from kitchen remodels to multi-million dollar homes. (I might be doing a remodel to a veterinary clinic soon though!) I used to work at a firm that required a lot of overtime without pay, so I moved on! I sought out a new firm whose office culture is not to overwork their employees and still did respectable work. (I know that’s hard to find, especially in this market.) I do think that in general, most firm owners tend to devalue their work which eventually trickles down to the bottom where someone ultimately has to take up the slack. It’s a problem that occurs throughout our profession.
LZ – I do mostly single-family, but also some multi-family and small public or non-profit projects like libraries and community centers. I rarely put in extra hours at work, but I wouldn’t totally reject the workaholic label (it just manifests itself in different ways, like working on the house, blogging, etc.). =) After five years of architecture school (and countless all-nighters), we made it a priority to have a better life-work balance. As far as how we sustain the motivation, I think it helps that there’s a lot of overlap between what we do at work and what we do on our house. Often times, our home has been a test lab of sorts to try out products, design ideas, etc. But that’s not to say that we don’t get burned out or tired of remodeling. We definitely do. Over time, you just figure out when it’s worth it to push through and when you should stop and take a break. (And having the blog is serious motivation as well.)
Q. I’ve been *dying* to know more about the art work (wall hanging?) in your bathroom! I love it but can’t find any information about it on your blog. [from vee dub]
A.
LZ – I regret not documenting the process of making our bathroom art. I think I was just in a hurry to get the bathroom done so we could start a new project. The good news – it’s really easy to make. Basically we just saved a bunch of toilet paper rolls, cut them into varying widths, creased the edges to get the leaf shape, then arranged them in a pattern on our dining room table before gluing them together. The yellow is just acrylic paint that I picked up from a craft store and we sprayed all the pieces with a clear acrylic finish to protect them from moisture.
Q. Here’s my question… what’s the project that you most want to do but suspect you never will? (cost prohibitive, etc) [from Kevin]
A.
KZ- Hmm, believe it or not but at some point I had really tried to convince Lauren that we should do a pimped out remodel of the garage/workshop before we did the house…you know, so I could have an efficient space to work out of 😉 The garage is still a p.o.s. but it works. It will probably never be a luxury garage but I would like that very much. Instead we will probably add a second story and make it a guest house.
LZ – Yes, I am glad that we did not pimp out our garage first – we’d probably still be living with our old kitchen if that were the case. But yes, the garage/shop is still a big question mark. We’ve got tons of ideas, but who knows what we’ll end up doing. At one point we also talked about a small addition off the back of the house – so before we built the deck we revisited the idea and decided it probably wasn’t going to happen (which meant we could do a bigger deck!).
Q. How did you choose your house when house-shopping? Was it neighborhood first, then house? Which neighborhood did you choose? What were your criteria in choosing a house/neighborhood? Basically, what was the before-remodel process like? [from John]
A.
KZ – Neighborhood and simplicity for remodeling. We knew we would be on a budget so we tried to find a house that was relatively simple in plan. We also tried to find a house with good “prospect-refuge” – by that I mean a house up off the street with a place for a stoop.
LZ – First of all, our house-hunting process was nuts. We were looking during the height of the housing market, trying to find an entry-level home in a highly desirable city. Our house was the 6th offer we made and each house was in a different neighborhood. We did keep our search to within Seattle city limits, since it was important to us to live in the city and not have a ridiculous commute. We started out with a list of things we wanted and didn’t want, but I’d say that list evolved during the process. Obviously, any house we made an offer on had to be livable and something that wasn’t a tear down. Beyond that, we were looking for something that had good bones and hadn’t been botched too bad over the years. The thing we liked about our house (despite all of its flaws) was that it had a simple shape and good proportions and was in an up-and-coming neighborhood.
Q. You’ve made such great progress on your house. What big projects are next on the list? [from Kit]
A.
LZ – In our minds, we have three major projects left: 1. landscaping and misc. outdoor projects, 2. finishing the basement (adding a 3rd bedroom and 2nd bath), and 3. the garage/carport (probably in that order). We’ve also talked about changing up our bedroom (because y’know…it’s been 3 whole years since we gutted it!).
Q. We recently took your Seattle food suggestions while on vacation up there 2 weeks ago.. Bastille was fantastic! Do y’all have any other city-guides? [from M]
A.
KZ – I would check out the Seattle Restauraunt Week that is about to happen. Most of the ones I would name are on there!
LZ – In terms of non-food guides – you know all we do is remodel! =) Actually, we’ve done a lot in and around the city, but there is so much to see and do that it can be overwhelming. If I was going to recommend things to someone visiting, the list might include: Lake Union ice cream tour, Theo Chocolates factory tour, one of our awesome parks (like Discovery, Shilshole or Carkeek), one of the nearby islands (like Bainbridge or Whidbey) and the Ballard Farmer’s Market on Sundays.
Q. I’ve been following (and enjoying) your blog for quite a while, but my question is Pinterest-related. I’ve noticed that you’ve “pinned” clothing. I guess that surprised me, because that’s a subject I haven’t seen on your blog. But I like your fashion “pins”! I’m just curious if you are interested in fashion from a pragmatic, “what should I wear,” perspective, from a design perspective, or both? [from Kim]
A.
KZ – I need to start pinning.
LZ – We try to keep the blog content house (or animal) related, but like most people in the design world, we’re both into fashion, art, industrial design, etc. But don’t think we have a closet full of black turtlenecks! (In fact, maybe it’s the Pacific Northwest culture, but neither of us wear much black. We don’t have funny glasses either. Huh.) I’m going to speak for Kyle here, but I’d say we’re both pragmatic when it comes to clothes, but like architecture, we look for things that are well-made, aesthetically pleasing and have good proportions. Hmm – I was kinda joking with that last sentence but it actually is what I look for in clothes. [Side story: when we were first-year architecture students (and before we knew each other), I remember Kyle color-coordinating his outfit to match his presentation board. Future husband qualities? Check!]
We’re also both pretty picky so even though we like clothes, shopping can be a frustrating experience. We also don’t shop for each other and we both prefer to shop by ourselves (although Kyle’s been known to text me dressing room photos from time to time).
Q. So this might be a long silly question but here it goes….
[Im a senior in highschool and trying to figure out my future. x)] Did you enjoy studying architecture? Was it everything you expected it to be? I’ve been really looking into it lately because I LOVE art and design, and I love math. So I though architecture would be the best way to combine it!
Would there be any pointers you would give someone looking to go into architecture? [from Tracy Ann]
A.
KZ – I could probably write a book about this. Don’t get me wrong I don’t want to downgrade the importance of math but since I hear the reference to math a lot I’ll address that first. Basic geometry, algebra, and trig all come in handy when designing, but I’ve never actually used the calculus I tried so desperately to wrap my head around in college. I see higher math as being important for the sole reason that it helps you think more abstractly, maybe all that calculus helps your brain to develop new neuron pathways or something? You will need math to get through all your structural classes, but once you start practicing you’ll be hiring a structural engineering consultant. My structural engineering consultant went to M.I.T. and I’m pretty sure she does math for fun sometimes.
Art and design will mostly likely be a larger part of your architectural education. If you’re serious about getting a feel before diving in, I would ask for a tour of the architecture school that you are considering and try to talk to some upperclassmen. Also maybe taking a tour of some local architecture firms. Feel free to e-mail us for more specific questions.
LZ – This is definitely a subject that any architect has strong feelings about. First of all, I don’t think there’s anyway you can go into architecture school knowing what to expect. I too went into architecture because I liked math and art and it’s a profession that continues to fulfill those two interests (especially if you think of math more in the realm of complex problem solving). Did I enjoy school? Yes and no. Did I take it too seriously? Maybe. Architecture school requires an incredible amount of dedication and it’s easy (and often encouraged) to spend every waking moment in studio. Looking back, I wish I would have taken the time to have more college experiences and travel, but I also believe that I received a solid education that prepared me well for the real world of architecture (which is usually very different from school).
Like Kyle said, I would encourage you to visit schools (if you don’t have one picked out) and find the best fit for you. School is certainly the time to embrace theory and design principles, but a school that has some basis of practical teaching is important. Beyond that, your education is really what you make of it. Self-discipline and passion are two things that you’ll need from day one through the rest of your career. If architecture is the right fit, it can be a gratifying career path. If it’s not, you’ll know.
Q. 1. I am curious about your design process and values. Care to share how you guys hash it out amongst the two of you and maybe some of your inspirations, heroes, etc? 2. Since your current blog doesn’t go all the way back to the beginning, how much time did you spend in planning and research before your first projects? Did you develop a master plan that you have pretty much followed (with minor adjustments as necessary or desired), taking breaks after projects to plan the next one in detail before tackling it, or did you have general goals that you only planned as each was completed? [from Nate]
A.
KZ – Fortunately, we work really well together and usually make each others designs better! We collaborated on projects in school and in professional practice and still consult with each other on our own projects. I can’t recall us ever having a fight over a design decision…there was a period when we had a hard time selecting furniture so we just didn’t buy any;) We’ve settled on getting some Eames chairs which frankly isn’t a hard choice. If we don’t agree on a design direction we’ll just think about it longer and one of us will see the light and come around to the other persons idea.
Inspirations: my first job was working for the office of Bohlin Cywinksi Jackson. Peter Bohlin is the most inspiring architect I’ve met to date. If you haven’t seen their work, check it out. We don’t have a set of defined core values that guide us, but I would say a few key ideas are: being sensitive to the site, use of natural modern materials, designing from the inside out. (I think it’s a rookie mistake to start designing from the exterior!) Design in perspective. Listen to your clients even if you think they’re wrong. Sometimes the architect is wrong too, but not often. As young architects I think it’s also important to hang out and make friends with people that aren’t architects. It’s nice to talk about other things besides architecture!
We had a pretty good master plan before diving in. Remodels by nature evolve and you adapt. For instance after we did our big demo party, we decided to finish out the loft space. Most of the details get figured out on the fly unless I know it’s going to impact something else then it get’s figured out. This can only happen with experience so to those without experience I would suggest more planning up front.
LZ – Maybe it’s because we have similar backgrounds, but we generally tend be on the same page, design wise. If anything, we disagree about the way something should be done more so than the design itself. We’ve spent a lot of time planning for projects, work that doesn’t always make it onto the blog. In fact, we spent the first year in our home getting to know the house and figuring out the master plan. We went through so many design iterations, a process that was complicated by the fact that we’d have to phase the work and live in the house while doing it. We definitely take breaks after finishing projects, but it’s usually only a month or so before we start thinking about what’s next. Fortunately, design is free so we’ll spend several months trying out ideas, sketching, researching, etc. while we save up money for the next project.
Q. I would be interested in learning more about your design background as well as where the DIY skills come from. I’m a new reader so apologies if you’ve discussed this. My shortcoming is not a lack of great ideas but more lack of execution. Always interested in where and how folks learn to cut a straight line, mix and pour concrete, tape and mud drywall, etc. [from Zane]
A.
KZ – Both trained as architects. My grandpa was a master woodworker and I inherited his wood shop when he passed away. That was a great start for me to work with his tools. I did some framing with my dad when I was younger but that’s about it. Mostly self-taught. Craftsmanship can really only be learned by making mistakes. Regarding execution, it always takes more time and money than you would optimistically hope for. I’ve learned to just slow down and if it takes another week then so be it, better to do it right then rush and want to re-do it later because it’s ugly. We bought lots of self-help books. Also I guess we’ve picked up a lot of knowledge from our previous apprenticeships as architects. It’s one thing to draw a construction detail, but then to see it built is even better. Of course the best is when you build it yourself. 😉
LZ – Kyle and I both went to Oklahoma State University. We graduated with a 5-year b.arch in 2004 and have been practicing in Seattle since then. One of the main reasons we came to Seattle is because we loved the residential vernacular style of the design firms here and our professional experience has been focused primarily on this type of work. In terms of DIY skills, I believe that some is natural talent and the rest is learned. In school, Kyle built the most beautiful and well-crafted basswood models, so it’s no surprise that he could translate that to “full scale”. While I don’t mind a little manual labor, I get more satisfaction out of the designing, planning and organizing side of things. Over time, we learned where each of our interests and strengths were, and came up with a strategy that made the most sense for us. As Kyle mentioned, even though we went to architecture school and have been practicing for 7 years, no one teaches you how to pour concrete or hang drywall. So yes, we own many of the Taunton Press how-to books and even Google can be a valuable resource. The best advice is to take it slow and don’t get frustrated. Also – start small. I remember one of the first projects we did was to install a fan in our old bathroom. It took an entire day to install and was so frustrating, but we learned some valuable lessons that helped us out as we took on larger projects.
Phew! Are you still reading? If anyone has any other questions just shoot us an email: info(at)chezerbey(dot)com.
drainage report: still in the #*!@*$% trenches
Aww, Labor Day weekend. Three days of camping in the San Juan islands, cooking over an open fire, playing fetch with your favorite golden retriever on the beach…
Well, It would have been great.
Early last week we decided to cancel our weekend travel plans and instead power through on the foundation work. In other words, we labored.
This remodel has certainly had its high points, but sometimes it is simply about putting on your homeowner pants (or jorts) and getting.work.done.
Did anyone else spend their weekend in the sweat equity department? To help ease the pain, we treated ourselves to a bottle of wine and dinner at Cuoco on Sunday night. So good. SO GOOD.
Anywho. Hey look, it’s our foundation wall again! That nubbly bit of concrete at the bottom of the wall is our footing and trust me, it was no small feat to get there. True story – after two weekends of Bobcat-assisted digging, we still spent almost a full day hand-digging to expose the footing.
In addition to a pickaxe, we also used our hammer drill with a spade bit to break up the hardpan soil around the footing. Kyle tackled the south end and then I took over for the north end. The Advil bottle was emptied that night.
In the spirit of “while we’re at it” we also decided to redo the plumbing from the house to the main sewer/stormwater line. The pipe on the left will tie into the downspout above and the pipe on the right will remain as a clean out. The previous assembly was a janky mix of concrete pipe, rusted out cast iron and plastic. We also increased the capacity coming out from the house (in other words, a bigger pipe) so that we can maybe add a second bathroom in the basement someday. [The rod and wire in the foreground is the grounding rod for our electrical panel.]
For the hand-digging we found that a variety of shovels worked best. We even tried our shingle-removing tool (the red rake-like shovel) to loosen the soil along the concrete wall.
And just like the early settlers of Seattle, we used the ol’ garden hose to sluice some areas into submission.
Once we were finally, finally done digging, we rented a pressure washer to clean the concrete for waterproofing.
Since we had the washer for 4 hours and the concrete portion didn’t take too long, we cleaned up the front stoop too. It was shocking how much gunk was stripped away! [It’s been two years since we put a coat of Penofin on the wood and it’s due for another, but the pressure washing alone was a vast improvement.] Oh and hey – Kyle also washed the gates, the sides of the house, the new back deck and the patio furniture! It was a scramble at the end, but we loaded it back in the car and I backed right up to the tool rental door with 1 minute to spare. After doing this remodel thing for 5 years now, we’re nothing if not Home Depot savvy.
Did I mention that we also had to tunnel under our porch foundation? You can see that the footing at the porch is much shallower than the main house, so in order to provide continuous protection from water we dug out an 18″ wide canyon to access that portion of the basement wall. The goal of course was to dig out enough soil without compromising our porch’s foundation so we called up one of our friends who is a structural engineer to get the green light on our approach. I have to give Kyle credit on this one, he dug most of the tunnel himself and entirely by hand. If I ever need to dig myself out of prison, I hope Kyle is my cellmate.
Concrete mix? Concrete mix! Standard practice is to put the drain right next to the footing, but with our hardpan-apalooza and some questionable 1910 details, we decided to instead fill the small trench with concrete. There were also a series of holes where the footing meets the concrete wall which were likely leftover from the original formwork. At any rate, we were concerned that water would find its way through the holes and up through the basement slab (which is above the top of the footing). So just to be sure, we plugged it all. This step was not part of the original plan, but it’s better to be safe than sorry, right? The new concrete will also make it easier to install the waterproofing and drains since we won’t have to work around the old wonky footings.
Even though our foundation is over 100 years-old, it is actually in fairly good shape. For the few minor cracks, Kyle used an elastomeric polyurethane expansion joint caulk to keep unwanted water out.
For smaller holes or other imperfections, Kyle applied a cement skim coat(which he later grinded smooth).
To summarize the weekend: BELTS + SUSPENDERS.
This week is all about the liquid applied elastomeric waterproofing, gutter drain pipes, foundation drainage mat, footing drains, and then finally backfilling. For real. It’s go time.
bailey + felix
We decided to keep the kitten! Kyle took her to the vet last week and it turns out that SHE is actually a HE. Poor kitty, first he’s abandoned and then he has to suffer through an identity crisis!
Before the ol’ gender switcheroo, we had tentatively decided on Chloe (in honor of Kyle’s favorite childhood cat) and then went through a laundry list of boy names before finding something we liked. (Why are boy names so hard?) The kitten acquisition came on the heels (pun intended) of Kyle selling his motorcycle, so the name duCATi was encouraged by several friends. I totally nixed it. After some long discussions and an informal Facebook poll, we ultimately landed on Felix. Sure, it’s not exactly an original cat name, but it is the name of Kyle’s late grandfather (who I’m sure would be smiling to know that his great grand-cat was named after him).
So we’re pleased to introduce: Felix duCATi McZerbey.
Yeah, McZerbey. After Kyle and I were engaged, we considered creating a new last name from our two surnames, but decided it sounded more like a gimmicky product at McDonald’s. “I’ll take a McZerbey and a large fries please!” So we abandoned the idea for ourselves, but totally used it for our pets. Bailey’s is extra fancy because we were required to incorporate his heritage since he’s all AKC registered and what not. So ol’ Bails is actually “Golden Ginger’s Bailey McZerbey”. I wanted to add “of Ballard” on to the end but we agreed it was a tad too ostentatious.
Right now we have the litter box and food in the bathroom, but that will need to change soon because Felix is a little litter-flinging hooligan! (Though as it turns out, the sliding doors make excellent cat doors since Bailey hasn’t yet figured out how to push them open .) We’ll eventually set him up with a nice little space in the basement, but he’s still a bit too small to jump up on the counter down there. Our two boys are warming up to each other (all of these photos were completely candid), but Bailey is now extra clingy to Kyle and me and still seems reluctant about the new situation.
Fortunately, he’s still puts up with Felix’s crazy antics. Begrudgingly.
Err…umm…I’m not comfortable with this.
No milk down there kitten!
We’ve heard kittens prefer to drink water out of anything besides their own bowl and this seems to be true with this kitten as well. Good thing Bailey isn’t possessive.
Finally, thanks for all of the FANTASTIC feedback last week! We’re a lot more comfortable with the responsibilities of a kitten now that we know what to expect, what’s normal, and what’s worked for others. Even though we’re still a little concerned with Bailey’s moodiness, we think it will pass given a little more time and plenty of extra attention.
