Bouncy floors

OK, so the third floor is as solid as a rock. The FIRST floor is also solid and sturdy. So what the hell happened to the second floor? Did the builders just get lazy?

This is an image of the joists under the third floor, the stable one. The floor I'm standing on to take the picture bounces as I walk across it, enough to make a Yankee seasick.

And of course, I have the 'heights' thing, so I'm constantly thinking I'm going to fall through and kill myself, at which point I know my husband will immediately make plans for building a large, (nay, massive) brick and stone outside grill monstrosity at the rear of the house, and I just can't have that, now can I?

So we need to stabilize the second floor. All of the original criss-cross joist braces in the picture above, are oddly missing on the underside of the second floor. I think we'll just add in 2x8" blocking, staggered by 8-10", and then, since we're not planning on having wood floors on the second floor, we'll just overlay the whole floor with 3/4" plywood or OSB and screw it to the subfloor.

Update: We just bought a 90 degree drill attachment for the cordless drill to fit in between the roof joists, a 3/8" drill bit and a lot of 3/8" bolts to attach 2x8's to the sides of the joists for reinforcing (called "sistering"). The drill bit seems to work well in cutting through the joists, a lot easier than I was expecting, actually. I've heard stories about the old joists being close to petrified wood and going through a lot of drill bits.

The only thing I wish was that we had taller ladders. Those joists are way up there and a tricky balancing act on two ladders holding up a 2x8. Something you may want to consider.

Almost completed the demolition.

Just a month late, $550 over budget and getting ready for the next step. In the image above, that's actually dumpster #2. It's smaller than the first one. There are more piles of wood and lathe in the back. There was a LOT of rubbish to come out of this house, a lot more than I expected.

The good news is that the walls and the floors are just incredibly level and plumb. The maximum tilt to a wall is on the first floor, and it's off by 1/4". Geeze what ever shall we do? Heh heh.

The carpeting is up on the first floor and we got our first real look at the original wood floors underneath. They look to be in very good shape, minus about 400 nail holes per room. We spent the last day bending over with hammer, crowbar & pliers trying to pull them all out. We know that we plan on sanding the floors down and trying to repair as much as we can (some small holes drilled for conduit, etc.) and that a single nail can ruin a disc sander's sandpaper wheels and at $5 bucks a pop, that's $20 per nail you missed. I think it's worth it to find them and pull them out.

Unfortunately, in the dust, they're almost invisible. I have to swipe my feet from side to side over a patch of flooring, going all the way down the side of a wall, then turn around and sweep back about 2' over, eventually covering the entire floor. When my shoe snags, it's time to bend over and look for the little bugger.

btw: We're not using a drum sander-- it's too hard and too potentially damaging to the floors. We'll be using the 4-rotary sander discs. We saw it on "Ask This Old House."

Here's my fav shot for the day:


In this shot, looking from a hole in the third floor (the dark area is the joist under the third floor), you can see the hole in the second floor at the gas line that goes through to the first floor. Ah, the view..... But again, the floors are in good shape. Just a lot of lead paint to get scraped up. We're still trying to determine the best way to get the lead paint up, chemical paint removal, which keeps the toxic lead dust down to a null amount, -- or sanding, which scatters the cr@p everywhere, requires full tyvex suits and lead rated dust masks (i.e. respirators), but may be easier.

We'll let you know how it goes. I think there's a coin toss in my future.

Prophylaxis

...any medical procedure whose purpose is to prevent, rather than treat or cure, disease.



Today, we visited my old friend Dr. Tony Brown ( www.doctortonybrown.com ) for a little prophylactic treatment.

No, not that that type!

It is generally recommended that if you're going to be working on a rehab that you get a tetanus shot. It's almost assured that there's going to be a rusty nail injury somewhere along the way. If this were to happen on a weekend, then we might be dealing with an ER tetanus shot.

Why worry about that? For the price of a couple bottles of wine, we can update our tetanus protection and deal with most minor injuries in our own time or simply on our own.

This was a tip I got from the Newell Brother's book on rehabbing brick buildings. I'd say it's a pretty good one.

Besides, we don't want to end up like John Roebling, do we?

To hell with Santa-- IKEA is coming to town!!!!

Woot!! Hello kitchen cabinets.....

March 12 is being circled on the calendars of IKEA shoppers as the Swedish company, specializing in contemporary home interiors, announces the opening of the 344,000-square-foot West Chester, Ohio store.

The West Chester store will stock 10,000 exclusively-designed items, 48 room settings, three model home interiors, a supervised children’s play area, and a 350-seat restaurant serving Swedish specialties such as meatballs with lingonberries or salmon plates and American food. Family-friendly features include a ‘Children’s IKEA’area in the showroom, baby care rooms, preferred parking and play areas in the store.

If you are going to use anchor screws (Tapcons)...

You need to contact Concrete Fastening Systems. Period.

Home Depot carries Tapcons (the alternative to using a Ramset to attach 2x4s to concrete, brick or masonry) but at a cost of $.20-$.25 cents each, and in two different stores I went to, they only sold them in boxes of 75, and they didn't have them in the length we need for our project.

In general, you add the depth of materials you are fastening to your concrete/brick/masonry and add 1" for penetration into the surface. (We, by the way, will be going overboard and also caulking the 2x4 furring boards to the surface before drilling for the Tapcons.) In our case, we have .5" of plaster and 1.5" of lumber to attach to our brick exterior walls. This means we'll be using a minimum 3" Tapcon. We found them in 3 1/4". We chose the 3/16" flathead screws so we wouldn't have to worry about the hex caps messing with the drywall we'll be laying over top.

We'll need about 500 of them to furr out all of the exterior walls at 2' intervals and prepare them for the closed cell spray insulation (more on that later). If we bought them at Home Depot we'd be looking at $110, and then we'd have to buy the drill bits ( you need to pre-drill the holes before using your hammer drill to insert the Tapcons) at about $2.50 each (replacing them about every 100 holes drilled.)

So why go to Concrete Fastening Systems (in Cleveland, OH) or online at www.confast.com? Because my 3/16" x 3-1/4" Flat phillips head Tapcons cost me only TEN CENTS EACH. And here's the kicker: I ordered them on Tuesday. They arrived Wednesday afternoon. Shipping was about $11.

And there was a bright and shiny new drill bit in each and every box, Free. Fast and cheap. Gotta love 'em.

So spread the word... Our demolition contractor said he used a Ramset because Tapcons were too expensive. Heh. Not any more.

Kitchen Island Rubbish Bin Idea

Thought for the day: Multiply everything by three. Time, cost, & supplies. When you're done, return the excess supplies back to the store or sell it on Ebay. (Better to have supplies on hand than to lose time buying more.)

Okay, after a quick look at the kitchen (the main focus of our home) we noticed that with the second sink in the island, we were still going to have problems if the sink wasn't big enough to hold a colander or deep enough to fill a pot with water... hence a bigger island sink is needed.

Also, since the butcher block counter top will be actively used for chopping, what I wanted was a quick receptacle for chop-scraps. We do a lot of chopping and trimming, so the idea is to have a small place to quickly clear the cutting board. At first, we thought we'd want to have a regular garbage can under the butcher block, but raw food cuttings are usually something you don't want to stick around until the garbage gets full. It would most definitely start to smell badly. So, we decided, a small receptacle that could be emptied to the larger garbage can on a daily basis would be best.

We recently ran by the old industrial kitchen standard steam pans (see here) and thought that would make an excellent short term rubbish bin. With slide clips to the underside of the butcher block, we can slide it in and out, keeping it tight against the underside of the block.

But how to access the bin from above the counter? Well, we'll obviously have to cut through the block and make a hole. But what do we use to cover the hole when it's not in use, how to we keep the opening clean, and how do we not knock things over when sliding them across the opening towards the sink? (Insert theme song to final Jeopardy question here.)

We'll cut the block out as a keystone. Angle the cut block into a wedge so that to open it, all we'll need to do is reach under the block and push it upwards and pop it out. That way it will be smooth when inserted into the block because it won't have a knob or a lever on the top & won't have a lip to hold gunk. Viola. We'll need to make a backup in case we lose one, but I think it'll work. I'll let you know. Better ideas are welcomed!!



Where is the house at now? We're finishing up the demolition work and we're on to our second dumpster. Most of the non-structural walls are down, trim boards are off, ceilings and drywall are gone. Once the old stacks are taken down and the leftover debris removed, we'll be on to the framing and *furring* out of the walls. It sounds cuter that it seems, trust me.

New kitchen design

Once we got a good look at the place after the demolition process began, we knew we wanted to open up the space between the kitchen an the dining room. So instead of rebuilding the wall the was it was, (see 2nd picture of 1st floor demo picture below- this sketch here is of of the other side of that wall) we want to widen the space of the door way to increase the flow. So far, it's just on paper, and as we know by now, anything can happen.

Predatory Lending Laws- a HORRIBLE idea

After months of deliberating over what, if anything, to do about the large number of defaults in the subprime industry and the lax lending and borrowing standards that led to them--the House has passed its answer: The Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act of 2007. But while this bill purports to foster a well-functioning mortgage-market in which borrowers get affordable loans, it attempts to do so by making life impossible for lenders.

The bill tells lenders they may not engage in the undefined practice of "predatory lending"--examples of which include vague offenses such as offering loans that are not "solely in the best interest of the consumer" or offering loans that a borrower does not have a "reasonable ability to repay."

Since the bill offers no clear standard of a "reasonable ability to repay" or the "best interest of the consumer," if it is passed, lenders could be held liable for any loan a borrower fails to pay off. All an irresponsible borrower or unscrupulous lawyer needs to do is convince a jury in hindsight that the lender should have known better--and he can cash in at the lender's expense. To compound the injustice, the new law would apply, not only to those who initiate loans that fail, but to any financial institution that buys and pools loans made by others (a practice that makes possible better risk management and lower mortgage rates).

If you were a mortgage lender facing this sword of Damocles for any loan that goes bad, what would you do? Exactly what mortgage lenders will do if this legislation passes: jack up rates to account for the high risk of lawsuits--and likely avoid lending to higher-risk candidates altogether. Is this going to protect the lower-income home-buyers that "predatory lending" opponents claim to treasure? Is this going to yield a well-functioning mortgage market?

This bill is so bad that even many of the congressmen who voted for it acknowledge that it has problems. But, in the words of Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Ala., they believe "we need not let the perfect get in the way of the good"--"the good" here being some kind of government crackdown on mortgage lenders to prevent the lending and borrowing practices that have caused lenders to lose billions and borrowers to lose their homes.

But no government crackdown is needed to promote borrowing and lending that allows lenders to make a profit and borrowers to keep their homes. If the market is left free to function, participants learn from their mistakes and adjust. By the nature of the mortgage market, it is both in lenders' long-term interest and borrowers' long-term interest for loans to be paid off. That's how lenders profit and borrowers keep their homes.

When bad loans are made, both borrowers and lenders are punished--and must correct course. Observe that Wall Street financial firms and direct lenders who engaged in lax lending are suffering huge losses (such as Merrill Lynch's $8 billion loss) and internal upheaval--and have changed their practices accordingly. The number of subprime, adjustable-rate mortgages has declined by 50% this year. As for the middlemen who tried to make (and often succeeded in doing so) a quick buck on dubious loans, their reputations are sullied and their business has dried up.
___

http://tinyurl.com/37reyy

OT: Foodie Alert

We spend a lot of time in the kitchen, when we're not working. As such, we tend to be hip to food and seasonality. Folks, the Pacific Northwest truffles are in and they are the best I've seen in years. Madison's produce at Findlay Market carries them all season long. If you've never had the black truffles, they are utterly amazing. I didn't even know we had them in this country until 9 years ago.



I bought two fairly large truffles on Friday for abut $17 bucks. That's enough for 3 meals, but we'll only use them in two. . So, $8.5 per is pretty reasonable.

I have to tell you, a truffled hen (or better yet, a capon) is something to experience. What I do is start with an unglazed roasting pot (romertopf), but you could probably use any covered roasting pot. I then get the best quality bird I can find. Fresh and Amish is my preference, but free range is a good call too. I season the cavity and stuff it with a couple shallots, a little garlic, fresh sage, and a few bits of truffle, usually end slices. Then I tuck two cloves of garlic under the breast skin and four slices of truffle. I'll also tuck a little truffle under the leg skin. You should have a half truffle left. Reserve this for later. Brush the bird with oil or melted butter, and season with kosher salt and pepper. Place the bird in the pot.

Peel and quarter a small onion and place around the bird in the pot. Peel and roughly chop a carrot and arrange around the bird. Add 4 peeled cloves of garlic, and 6-8 small, peeled, oiled and seasoned new potatoes. A few peeled shallots and extra sage leaves are nice too. Add enough DRY sherry or white wine to the pot to bring it up to 3/4" above the bottom. Cover and place in a cold oven. Set the temperature at 475 and roast for 1 1/2 -2 hours (depending upon your oven and the size of the bird). You may want to uncover at 90 minutes to brown the skin and potatoes more. If you do, check it after 15 minutes.

When the bird is tender and brown, pull it and let it rest only 5 minutes. Keep the pan juices hot. Preheat plates and add potatoes, whatever carrots and garlic you might want from the pot. Carve the chicken, then thinly shave truffle slices over the top of the meat. Spoon the hot pan juices over the truffled meat. The room should become infused with the perfume. You can serve this with buttered and dilled green beans. If you want to go over the top, an endive gratin works really well with a capon for Christmas dinner.

A fine red wine is called for here. I like a good, velvety (not tannic or acidic) Rosso. I'm thinking that a Corbieres might work well too.

If this isn't one of the finest dinners you've had, I'll be amazed.

Addendum:

Endive Gratin

Wash and trim endives. Halve, length-wise. Place in acidulated water while you work. Blanche the endives in lemoned and salted water (2 per peson, I think) for 2 mintues. Gently drain and dry. Wrap each endive half in a thin slice of prosciutto. Arrange in a buttered gratin dish or lasagna pan as they are just touching. Sprinkle fresh chopped thyme (about a teaspoon) over and around. Top with a little grated Gruyeres cheese, a little (1 Tb) parm, heavy whipping cream to cover 1/2" of the endives, and top with bread crumbs and dot with butter. Bake it in a 350 oven until golden, the cheese is melted and the cream is bubbling, about an hour, but check it often.

You'll probably want a crisp frissee' or bitter greens salad to finish this meal off and cleanse the palate. Maybe some pears and St. Andre cheese for dessert with a Moscato d'Asti.

Demolition Underway

Well, I think most people think this is the scariest part of the project. I know for a fact that if my Mother-in-law saw the house at this stage she would have a seizure. For this very reason, we are not allowing her to see the house. No way, Jose. She would have nightmares. And then call us about them just to make sure they weren't true. The problem is that what she might consider a nightmare, I call progress.

I am loving this stage. This is not scary, this is exciting. This is where we get to see what we're really in for. Peeling back the layers of what others have put up before us, seeing where someone put some love into their home and where others just threw duct tape up to fix a problem. It's a history lesson, one family or generation at a time and going back 121 years.

I took pictures. I couldn't make it up to the third floor as the debris was too thick in the stairwell, but I managed to climb over the plaster, drywall and lathe to get to the second floor. M, who keeps reminding me and everyone at Home Depot that he is a LEAD CERTIFIED blah blah person, made me even wash my shoes when we left the house. There is a LOT of dust, a lot of it leaded. So no kids on premises, no food, no cigarettes, no dusty little fingers putting dain bramage in this skull, thank you very much.

Anyway, the dumpster is showing up this week. We wanted to put it in the backyard so as not to block the sidewalk and mess with traffic, (and to ensure that anyone with a broken toaster or carpet scraps didn't dump their free garbage in our paid-for dumpster) but there was concern that the backyard would get muddy and they'd have trouble getting it back out, so we're setting it on the street in front of the house. We'll have to be on watch to make sure it doesn't fill up before we actually get the demo debris out of the house into it, but when it arrives, the piles of debris will move their way outside, but until then... it kinda looks like this:

First Floor:



++++++

Second Floor:

Credit Where Credit is Due

When this project got going, it had all the earmarks of a potential disaster. First, you have a conservative bank, negotiating with a city bureaucracy, mix in a non-standard loan requirement and a set of riskier rehab loans, and then top it all off with the worst mortgage crisis that this country has seen since the depression.

What do you call it? Fiasco Flambe'?

As a matter of fact, no. Every step of the way, our banker, Mark Koenig and our contacts at the City, Roger, Rhonda, Archie, Tom, and Ashley have managed to be responsive and flexible. I would have bet you dollars to dough nuts that given what problems arose, we'd have failed to put this deal together.

I would have lost that bet.

We are now owners of a rehab project.

It was simply amazing, to my mind. If you have a rehab project that you want to get funded in Covington, call Mark Koenig at Advantage Bank at: 859-363-2820.

I don't think you'll find a nicer, more ethical, more thorough guy. No smoke up your skirt from that guy, and nothing but the straight dope. Advantage Bank, too, is very committed to redevelopment in Covington. They've priced their loans and fees very competitively. They also hold much of their own paper, which at this point is a major advantage given the banking and lending mess.

Get the Lead Out!

We mentioned this concept earlier, but there's another FREE seminar coming up, so we'll reiterate.

Folks, people get hysterical about lead or they totally ignore the serious risks of exposure to deteriorated lead paint. Both things are bad. There's no need to panic and there's also no need to remove every bit of lead paint from your home or building, in my opinion. You do need to address deteriorated surfaces, however, and do proper clean up. You also need to use proper practices when stripping paint and working with windows and doors (for example).

As I was telling a (well-liked) contractor today, I'm not particularly worried about two adults being exposed to a little bit of lead dust. We've likely been exposed to much much worse. What I am worried about is someone bringing lead dust home on their clothes and exposing a young child, or pregnant wife to it...or leaving lead dust in their car or truck for the family to be exposed to every time they ride with him... The effects can be tragic.

So, get educated. It's not a big deal, and it could save you incredible heart ache.

Lead Safe Work Practices Class

Offered on two dates (pick one date or the other; you are not required to take both)

Dates: Saturday 12/1/2007 and Saturday 1/12/2008

Time: 8:45 am to 5 pm

Northern Kentucky Health Department
Lower Level
610 Medical Village Drive
Edgewood, KY 41017

Northern Kentucky Health Department is located at the corner of South Loop and Medical Village Drive Edgewood, Near St. Elizabeth South.

NOTE: Mapquest places our address near but not exactly correct. Just remember it is at the corner of South Loop and Medical Village Drive. Look for the Health Department sign.

Who is the class for?

· Homeowners doing renovation, repainting, or remodeling work where lead-based paint may be encountered

· Building supervisors and landlords

· Contractors undertaking projects with requirements for performing interim controls in Federally assisted and owned properties

· Homeowners and property owners associations

· Community and social service organizations

· Home (or code) inspectors

· Maintenance workers

· State and local municipal agencies


What will be covered?

This class will teach attendees lead-safe work practices and the strategies for implementing them. Many homes built before 1978 contain lead-based paint, so it is important that renovation, remodeling and repair activities use methods that reduce and control dust and debris created during work. Even a small amount of dust can pose a serious health risk to children and families.

Is there a cost involved?

Class is free of charge

Is there a deadline for registration?

Friday 11/30/07 and Friday 1/11/08

To register call Tony Powell at 859.363.2049
or register online HERE

More Here