Attic

Project Status: 90% complete

Completed Items: removed previous owner’s stuff; removed window trim (for reuse later); removed paneling used for walls and ceilings (for reuse later); removed old insulation and cleaned rafters thoroughly; ran separate electrical lines (one for microwave & mini-fridge, one for the rest of the electrical) from circuit box in basement up alongside chimney; put down subfloors in eaves to create storage spaces; framed in second kneewalls for outer walls of eave closets; framed doorways into inner kneewalls for closet doors; cut larger holes around attic vents (original holes cut by previous owners were insufficient); installed vent baffles and insulation; wired and installed 4 switches, 5 lights, and 10 outlets in main room; installed 5 switches and 6 outlets in eave closets; installed drywall (taped, mudded, and textured); cut and installed old paneling for walls and ceilings in eave closets; installed trim throughout closets and caulked all seams; installed vinyl tiles in eave closets; painted main room and eave closets; refinished hardwood floor; installed fixtures; painted and installed main room trim; painted and installed window trim; painted, reassembled, and installed banister; moved in and decorated; made and installed curtains; touch-up painting on banister; painting doors and trim at base of stairs;

Punch List: install eave closet lights; design, build, and install eave closet doors; painting stairs

Projects:

attic, part 1: work begins — 04.04 – 05.04

“We’re turning our attic into a master suite.” Someone, somewhere, is adding that exact phrase to the latest edition of “Famous Last Words of Do-It-Yourselfers Whose Houses Tragically Ate Them”.

attic, part 2: drywalling — 05.04 – 10.04

We read all the home improvement books, watched all the improvement shows. We learned about drywall screws versus drywall nails, the finer points of mudding and taping, the importance of measuring twice and cutting once.
But no one said anything about the bribery.

attic, part 3: eave closets — 05.04 – 11.04

Adding much-needed storage, recycling all that paneling, and creating patented new acrobatic maneuvers that you’ll never see at the circus.
Just another day here at Hall House.

attic, part 4: taping & mudding — 9.04 – 01.05

Yeah, we have the corner trowels. They suck.

attic, part 5: texturing — 02.05

We wanted to do something out of the ordinary for texture. Using paint rollers fit the bill.
Who knew there’s an actual reason most people use a spray texture? Good bicep workout, though.

attic, part 6: refinishing the hardwood floor — 03.05 – 04.05

“I think those fumes are giving me a headache.”
“Really? Aren’t you wearing your respirator mask thingie?”
“Does the dust mask count?”

attic, part 7: priming & painting — 03.05 – 04.05

You thought we were crazy for our two-color living room?
Try our four-color master suite.
With stripes.

attic, part 8: laying vinyl tiles — 04.05

Vinyl isn’t so much “Arts and Crafts” as it is “Cheap and Easy”.

attic, part 9: redoing the windows — 06.05 – 07.05

“Salvaging the old windows will be cheaper than replacing them.”That’s what we told ourselves. Word of advice? Figure in the cost of the couples therapy before you decide if it’s really cheaper.

attic, part 10: finishing up — 06.05 – 07.05

Whereas the big work to this point caused soul-crushing despair at times, the final stage is nothing but a death of a thousand paper cuts.

attic, part 11: moving in — 07.05

Otherwise titled: “Fate is a Horrible Sadistic Bitch Goddess with a Wicked Sense of Humor”.

attic, part 12: decorating — 08.05 – 11.05

In which we go on a quest to turn our new master suite into a French garret.

  • Share/Save/Bookmark