Trucking along…

After our initial demo debris removal setback, things have been trucking along, literally and figuratively. What might have been two full container loads to haul mushroomed to 10-12 dump truckloads, but progress is progress! The basement level is nearly cleared out and ready for the work to begin, and the 1st floor is coming along. We haven’t braved the trek up to the 2nd floor as the house is of course very dusty, but we’re looking forward to the start of stage 2: straightening the joists, shoring up the sub-flooring and beginning the general structural work.

Some current shots of the basement and parlor level:

Garden level looking where the kitchen and bathroom once sat. Future playroom (left) and guest bathroom (right).

Parlor floor looking to the back where the new kitchen will be.

Removing the wall between the two parts of the house revealed that the siding to the stairs had been removed.

Old bathroom to be replaced with a dining area.

One item I had sincerely hoped to keep was the parlor level medallion.  Before what was likely many, many coats of paint, it must have been a lovely, well-scaled piece of plasterwork, but in truth, it had seen better days and better detail. With so many thick layers covering the work and weighing down the ceiling, it would have been difficult to marry it into the new ceiling layout, and with absolution from our architects, I’ll bit it a fond farewell. We’re hopeful to perhaps replace with either a new medallion, or, if the budget allows, a snazzy tin ceiling.