Ready for mud!

Sometimes the smaller pieces we add to the house make a big difference. Matt has been laboring up on the ceiling for a couple of weeks, putting up the last of the mesh today in readiness for the mud tomorrow. The ceiling looks pretty spectacular. I cut and fastened the backing plywood in place for the window trim. We will use it as a guide as we plaster the wall and later fasten the heavy curved crown molding and other trims to it. Instantly the wondow was framed. With the addition of the horizontal crown molding backing that goes around the room at the eight foot mark the various levels of the room were instantly and clearly defined.

Monday will be a big day as we attempt to plaster the entire dining/living rooms ceilings in one go. It is important that the entire ceiling be seamless.

Tens of thousands

Matt was hoping to finish meshing the ceiling of the living room today. I knew better (from experience) for the job was no small task. Hundreds of sheets of diamond lath needed to be cut, fit and stapled into place with literally tens of thousands of staples. My estimate of time was four days. Matt was confident he could do the job in three. This time I was right.

The look of the room changed yet again and the individual boards disappeared as the mesh was stapled into place.

It's almost ready for the plasterwork!

-grampa dan

Rough electrical now finished

The last few days in the house have been busy ones. Matt is busy putting up the last of the lath on the high ceilings in preparation for another BIG mud day with the concrete. Down below a team of electricians from C & S Electric have been busy finishing off the rough-in of all the wire and boxes. The big tangle of wires that were seemingly hanging from every ceiling and wall are now all tucked in place and trimmed. Today the guys were sorting out, labeling and tying all the wires in the mechanical room. The house is more complicated than the average. The first panel box to the left houses the electronics for the sewage system. The second will handle all of the communication data and controls including alarms, telephone, cable and internet. The third one from the left is our main 200 amp panel. It also feeds a sub panel on the other side of the house. The closest large panel box is the generator panel. In case of a power outage this will feed at least one light and plug in every room plus power for the heating system and kitchen appliances. There will be no need to huddle around a candle in the blackouts any longer. With all LED lighting we have incorporated into the house that uses so little power we could add a surprising amount of equipment to be run by the emergency generatior. Above this panel (not shown) is a large box containing all of the relays for the outside lights and plugs. With the new house operational we can finally celebrate Christmas with some creative light displays. For the last ten years we've not been able to plug in lights as the electrical system in the old farmhouse was not up to par and even bordered on dangerous.

The box above the light switch will house the program panels for the outside lighting and plugs. They will be fully digtal of course. Yet to come are all the electronic digital controls for programming various 'smart' systems in the house.

On the opposite wall will be the electronically programmed hot water heating sytem, both for domestic hot water and the infloor radiant heat.

It is a bit intimidationg to see all the fancy electronic and programmable systems - especially for a non-technical guy like me. They assure me they will set it all up perfectly and even train me how it all works. I'm still trying to get a handle on the old TV remote. :)

-grampa dan