Side Entrance Stone Wall & Walkway

 The Side Wall and Walk Way Work Continues

The Steps have been completed and you can see how they are

bringing the wall up to meet the top step.

It's slow going with thousands of pieces of stone.

Beginning of the Top Steps

It was interesting watching them chip each rock to the right shape.

I would have never finished this because I would have spent more

time looking for the right rock.

The Steps are made up of Blue Stone

Lots of Rubble. All used Somewhere.

Steps Completed.

They look great don't they?

If you look closely, you can see the two low voltage lights

on the top stone riser.

Wall Completed.

It's amazing how even with thousands of rocks it's 

straight and plumb.

Gravel was brought in for the Walkway Base

Techo-Bloc - Aberdeen Slabs (Pavers) were used for the walkway.

Techo-Bloc Steps were used to match the Pavers.

We added low voltage stair lights on every other step.

The Stone Veneer on the Garage was Tied Into the Wall.

Those are Bluestone Shelves to divert Water

on top of the Veener.

Completed Walkway Looking Towards the Street.

Plantings will be on the left and right.

Side Entrance from the Street

The Wall, Staps and Walkway came out Fantastic.

We think it really adds to the house.

While I was working on the wood wall, Henry from Pereira Brothers and his crew continued work on the  stonewall on the side of the driveway and the walk way leading to the side door.

We’ve recognized that because the street in front of the house doesn’t have any parking, the side entrance was really going to be the main entrance for guests. So we’ve put a lot of focus on this area.

The stone from Pennsylvania came in on pallets wrapped in chicken wire. Apparently, even with all of the stonewalls that we have in New England, those are really boulders that farmers have dug up through the years. The type of flat stone that we wanted isn’t found in the area so it’s pretty common to have it shipped in from PA.

It was a lot of work. Stone by stone. They really are skilled at constructing walls. While I would have  been spending hours looking for just the right stone, they used their rock hammers to chip away until the rock fit the spot just right. They would slather on mortar and then place the rock on top of the wet mortar tapping it until it was set perfectly. And  then on to the next stone.

The steps at the top of the stairs were finished with bluestone to provide a nice entrance. In addition to putting low voltage walkway lights on the lower stairs, we added a couple on the risers here as well. We’ll put these on some sort of timer to go on at dusk. That part still needs to be figured out.

While the steps were being completed, Mike from Stone Age Masonry returned to finish the stone veneer on the garage and tie it into the wall. He capped the veneer off with blocks of bluestone to shed the shed the water so it wouldn’t get behind the veneer.

Once the wall and steps were completed, Henry brought in a load of gravel for use under the walkway. They then put sand on top the gravel. This was leveled off and tamped down. Then came the Techo-Bloc Aberdeen slabs (large pavers) (www.techo-bloc.com). The walkway is a little wider than we originally planned, but Henry suggested that we match it with the width of the steps so that it would flow better to the landing at the top the wall. Otherwise it would have narrowed only to be widened again over a short distance. It was a good suggestion because we like the way it looks and we can add planters to narrow up the appearance if we need to.

Ever have some work done on your home that you were just tickled with? Well, this is one of those areas for us. The wall, stairs and walkway came out perfectly and we think it really adds a lot to the house. It’s a great place to welcome guests to our new home. We can’t wait to dress it up even more with flowers and bushes.

Next up. Landscape Planning.

Enjoy your weekend! 

Wood Wall

Master Bath Shower - Tiled in Carrara Marble

Master Bath Floor - Carrara Marble to

match the Shower

We had electric heat mats installed under the tile to warm the floor on cold days.

The Stone Wall Work Continues

The Side Wall will help support the Steps and help 

with the Side Yard Grade

Trench for Side Retaining Wall

Squaring Off the Ends

Lining Up the First Course on Packed Gravel

On to the Second Course Using 10" TimberLOK Screws 

to Tie the Timbers Together.

The Two Dead Men Help Secure the Wall

Two Days, 15 - 100 Pound Plus Timbers and a Bunch Mud Retaining Wall

I took last week as a vacation week from work. The word “vacation” was the only part of it that was a vacation. But it was still a good one. I enjoy the break that working outside provides.

This week provided that. Most importantly, I was good and didn’t make the folks working on our house run for the hills. 

At the same time that I was asking them all kinds of questions, I managed to get a coat of paint on the shed’s trim work. Even though the wood was pre-primed, I used the primer and paint all in one combo from Valspar figuring a second coat of primer couldn’t hurt. I’m not sure I would use the combo again. I don’t know if it was the brand or what it was, but it went on like thick wallpaper paste. While the coverage was good, it was just difficult to apply smoothly. But check goes that assignment box.

After I completed the painting, I started on building a retaining wall on the side of the garage. Along the way we plan on adding a fence and I’ll need an 8’ gate to fit my trailer through. However, there is enough of a slope on that side that I needed to step down the grade by using a retaining wall. Once done, we’ll be adding a pathway along the top leading to the back yard.

My wall, made out of pressure treated 6x6’s, is not as elegant as the stone work going on near the side entrance, but it kept me busy and out of everyone’s hair.

Henry (Pereira Brothers) took care of cutting into the hill with his equipment and I went to work. First it was setting a good base of gravel to keep the timbers level and prevent them from sinking. Setting the first course has got to be the hardest part. Everything has to be level, plumb and straight or else all of the other courses will be off.

The timbers are heavy and moving them around by my self was difficult to put it lightly. My back was beat, my muscles ached and as I worked I swore that next time I’d hire someone half my age to build one. It took two days with the second day working in the pouring rain and resulting mud but I got it done.  What’s next?

Enjoy your week.

Stone Wall Re-Started

Trench redug for the Stone Wall footings

Piling up the Stone and Resetting the Lines

Getting the Lines Right

This part is so important as it sets up the rest of the wall.

Rock by Rock it's starting to look like a wall.

You can see where the driveway will fall under the Garage Wall

First Step in Place

The weather is breaking and the doldrums are too. Work is now picking up pace.

Because of our mason’s workload, he’s asked another mason to take over the work. This was difficult for us because the original wall was started last November until the cold of winter set in. Now we had to lay everything out again and explain what we wanted for hardscaping. Half of the problem was remembering what we wanted to begin with.

However, we’re in good hands with Henry Pereira from Pereira Brothers of Warren, RI. If you could picture this cigar chomping guy showing up with his crew going gang busters and finding out that Henry really knows his trade.  He has helped re-plan the wall and walkway to really fit the slope of the land and help save us money. He’s also the kind of person you’d want as a neighbor. So any trepidation that we had of switching masons in mid-stream is long gone.

The wall is coming along fantastically and we couldn’t be more pleased with the work and how it looks. But I’m under the gun for time and need to make it to the electrical supply place now so the pics will have to tell the story today. I’ll add more later.

Enjoy your weekend.

Spring Doldrums

Partially Covered Floors and New Footprints on the Left

Nice Booties!

Concrete Backer Board for the Tile

Inside of Backer Board up close

The white dots are stryofoam cells

Covered with a smoothing coat of Mud

Shelves for the Master Bath Shower

Laying out the tile before setting it

Master Bath Layout for Approval

Easter Sunrise Service. 

That's an Osprey Nest with a Whaleboat and Rowers in the background

I must have jinxed us. Last time I wrote, which was weeks ago, I said there was light at the end of the tunnel. Well, somebody turned out the lights.

Building a house can be a test of patience and an exercise in frustration interspersed with short periods of joy and excitement. And like the stories we read in Junior High School (now renamed to Middle School so I guess kids won’t feel subservient as “Juniors”…) about sailors taking their ships into vast doldrums, our house is sitting smack dab in the middle of one of the biggest doldrums ever seen.

I think what makes it even more difficult is that we are so close. So very close. But not quite there. We’re waiting for subs to show up and finish their final role in this great performance. It’s become agonizingly slow.

After the first coat of poly went down and they laid the Rosen paper to protect the floors and left booties to be worn over shoes, I swear everyone in Town walked through the house without the booties on and made a point of avoiding the paper like an OCD person avoiding cracks (apparently called Trypophobia but I also saw a reference to Plumberphobia). So somebody came in to clean up. Somebody that had never handled a broom in their life. Ever. Most of the dust and dirt was moved from one side of the rooms to the other. The rest was left in curvy patterns of broom bristles on the floor. How clever. Argh! Does it ever end? The only good thing is knowing that before the next coat of poly goes down, they are really going to have to clean.

Fortunately the tile folks came in and started on the bathrooms and laundry room. I wish I could have been around to watch and ask questions. However, that’s the reason they do their work when the owner’s not around. So they can get their work done. Setting tile may look easy on all of those do it yourself shows. But just think; you’re taking this large, square, heavy, flat rock and dropping it onto a layer of wet mud. And you have to make sure that its level, at the same height and lined up with the others. And then you have to repeat that fifty times. Well, being linear (PC for anal) I know I could never do it. Just making sure all of those lines were straight would send me to the Med Farm.

Today, it’s raining here. That dreary, cold kind of rain that makes it seem proper that I’m writing a poor, woe is me blog entry about the house. I can’t do anything. It will be a good day to read, watch a movie and make some popcorn.

I hate it when I’m forced to relax.

For Want of a Nail...

Kitchen Floor Complete

Stairs from Room Over Garage

All Set to Be Sanded

Dining Room - The light should play off the dark floor well

Sanding the Floors

Stain Test - Minwax English Chestnut

Stain On - Stain Off

Living Room - Before Poly

Kitchen

Living Room After One Coat of Poly with Protective Paper

 

Dining Room

Master Bedroom

Hallway

Living Room

Tile Ready to Go

Building a house can one of the most frustrating things that you can ever do. It seems that there are points of sheer speed when you can see progress every day. And these bursts of progress are often interrupted by dead stop, no work, no progress moments that last for days and at times, weeks. Like intermissions in a long play or movie. This was one of those intermissions.

While we were happy with the speed of the floor install and looked forward to having it stained and polyurethaned we were unprepared for what happened next. And so was our Project Manager.

They. Went. On. VACATION! So the floor sat. Unsanded. Unstained. Unfinished. And we were unhappy. Very unhappy. Now I’m sure somebody told our builder, Meridian Custom Homes that they would be away. But they didn’t tell our Project Manager, who also happens to work for Meridian. So all the sub-contractors that he had lined up, were unlined up and went off to other homes.

You see, the tile guys wouldn’t come in until the hardwoods were done. The cabinet guys wouldn’t come in and install the vanities and wrap up the kitchen until the tile guys were done. The granite vanity and counter top company wouldn’t come in until the cabinets were installed. The painters wouldn’t come in for the touch ups until the countertops were installed. And the electricians wouldn’t come in to install outlets and switches until the paint was touched up. And so it goes.

But now the floors are installed, stained and covered with the first of three coats of poly. Rosen paper has been spread on the floors to protect them. And the tile that has been sitting in the garage since February can now be installed. And we can get the subs all lined up again. And keep our fingers crossed for no more vacations while they are working on our house.

I have to admit, as frustrating as it was, with the floors in, they look great! We’re happy with the way the stain looks in contrast to the paint that Mrs. OSH picked out. The floors were the last bit of large construction. Now we can start on everything else. Yes, we’re really seeing light at the end of the tunnel now.

Enjoy your weekend.

Flooring - Part 2

The floor installation has started.

They layed Rosen paper beneath the floor.

This helps the floor to float as the humidity changes.

Running down the hallway.

Lot's of cuts to make.

Living Room

We were pleased to see the Front Door stained.

More to come on that in another blog.

The Gas Fireplace Mantel and hearth were added!

Living Room floor completed

We had selected the Front Door with side lites to bring in light.

It's working as planned!

The excitement continues. Once the wood floors had sat for a few days in order to be acclimated with the humidity of the house, the installation began. They started by putting Rosen paper down over the sub-floor and then the oak floor over it. It will help reduce squeaks and help the floor to move a bit as the wood swells and shrinks as the humidity changes over seasons.

It was amazing to see how quickly it went down, moving along rapidly from room to room. Once the wood is all down, they’ll sand it and then stain it.

While the floor was being installed they stained the front door and we were thrilled to find that the color is perfect. Another plan well executed. I’ll provide more on that on a future blog.

Additionally during that time, they installed the hearth and mantel around the gas fireplace. We like the way it looks and it’s already one of the focal points of the room. More on that later too.

With the floors moving along, the door being stained and the fireplace now looking like a fireplace we feel closer to having a real house instead of one full of sawdust and wood and plaster. We can now start to think about moving in. Of course there is still a lot of work to be done, but we can at least start to see that our dream is finally turning into reality.

Enjoy your week.