The top pic is very dark, but if you look closely to the right of the washing machine you can see a guy with his shirt off who is digging a trench at the back of the garage. He spent most of the morning digging the trenches - just when we thought they were done with that part, they dug them even deeper.

The week of July 28, 2008 included the full demolition of the shed slab floor and the completion of digging the trenches in the garage to prepare for installation of the ductwork so the HVAC professionals can begin their work.

Also this week, the doors and windows were ordered and well-drillers are sought out to install a new well. The existing well is too close to the new structures, so a new one will be installed. They are going to include a hook up that will lay dormant JUST IN CASE we are ever offered to hook up to public water -- though free water is just fine for now!

Yes, this was a Saturday morning about 9am. Hum.... yeah, so I guess it is good that the work is getting done, right? No matter what day of the week. Work for Sean and I has been extremely busy, but there is "no rest for the wicked" (a quote from one of my clients this week). Because there were no footers at the shed slab where the new office will be located, they have to remove the concrete to make way for footers and new floor.

In the garage they are working on digging trenches around the perimeter so that they can lay the new ductwork through the new media room and office and also through the new family room addition. It took them about a week to jackhammer all of the concrete away, and then they started digging through the gravel and fill to make the trenches deep enough.

End of Week Two

Prep, coordination and behind the scenes work was done the week of 7/14, which is also the week we cleaned out the garage and shed and prepared the storage unit to receive even more boxes once we have to pack the kitchen prior to that part of the project that will occur last on the list. These are the photos from today, the end of week two of construction, or deconstruction in some instances. The wall to the garage from the laundry room has been stripped and the entire area has been cut and prepped for the HVAC to be run to the garage/new family room and out to the shed/new office space. They removed the roof and deconstructed the shed area in preparation for the new roof line and trusses to shape the new garage that will come off the office area at an angle.

The cement truck was on site today to pour the footers for the foundation walls. That was pretty exciting to see the beginnings of structures starting to form. It has not rained one day the workers have been at the property and we really hope this streak continues over the summer months and once the roof is on and they are working inside, it can rain all it wants to then! Don't think anyone will be here over the weekend. .

Ancient Tree Carvings

I couldn't resist the urge to take some random photos of the job site/war zone at 3105 Polley Road. The changes are amazing and it is so much fun to come home at the end of a day to see the progress. We walk the site each night and take in all of the changes and often times the neighbors stop by to check out the construction. Everyone is so excited for us and they don't seem to mind all of the dirt and noise that has been created thus far. We are very lucky to be surrounded by such supportive neighbors and friends.

Excavation Begins for Foundations

This project is really moving quickly it seems so far! Sean worked on the calculations early this morning in preparation for the poured walls guys to come and excavate for the foundation footers. They would be digging at the front for the new front entrance and porch and also at the back for the living room and covered porch.

The project really feels for real now and we are starting to feel the pinch of having people at your house from 7:30 am until 5:30pm. It isn't that bad, but we aren't sure how long we will really last living here. They will be having to turn off the gas and water services next week to get the services relocated, so maybe that will be the time we take our field trips to our friend's houses for a hot shower....

Pre and Post Laundry Room

Here are the pre and post demo pics of the laundry room. Wow, they sure do work quickly! The last picture shows where the old wall in the dining room used to be (on the left) and where they constructed the new wall (on the right). I believe they will be moving the utilities to the right making was for the new laundry room that will be in the same location, and moving back toward the backyard will sit the new hot water tank and new furnace that will be zoned to service the new spaces, and then furthest back will remain the water softener and well pump and across from that will be the new half bath!

Interior Work Begins

Before pics of the dining room area and front window, which will be the new hallway connecting the front door and foyer to the dining space and new addition living room. They built the new interior wall right away to separate the major work area in the garage and laundry room from the rest of the house. Notice how the new wall makes the existing area smaller by about 3 feet. Here we go!