All Quiet On the Eastern Front

The construction holiday has commenced! It actually started last Thursday for our project. So much for the final push... instead we have another thin layer of concrete ready to hold the cutting machine on the return to our money pit. Meanwhile, Marc and I will be taking the time for a little vacation with the kids, home to the UK (and a short visit to Paris). Stay tuned!

Consideration

I had a little stress this weekend when I discovered Marc had been given a newspaper article from next door entitled "Before you renovate or build, consider the neighbours". Marc tells me it was given to him in good humour, but still... It was written by Marc's favourite TV show host, Mike Holmes. We gave it a good read, but I think we have being doing a fair job of relationship management (well to be honest, Marc's the one doing this really. I just give my two words of polite French and hope that our doggie wagging his tail will melt everyone's hearts).

As for progress, the earth was removed from the front basement windows on Friday (before some seriously heavy torrential rain). And today the holes were cut ready for expanding the window size (and before yet more torrential rain, thunder and lightening).

Compromise

It's been a couple of busy days. Yesterday I was accosted by the neighbour on my way home. He was actually very nice about it, but very persistent; the neighbourhood needs to know, worst case scenario, when will the big trucks and digging end... It just so happens that Marc had received a call from JF earlier in the day saying the workmen had reached 8'3" in one area. That's 3 inches less than we had requested, but we're getting to the point where every inch is huge piles of dosh. Given that we have to use 6" for finishing the floor (including radiant heat), we'll actually end up with 7'9" ceiling height (rather than the 8 foot we were aiming at - remember we are trying to create a very un-basement-like feel in the basement). But having now been into the construction zone basement to feel the height, this is one compromise we can live with.

Coming back to our neighbour's question (very valid, I've been wanting this digging phase to end too!), JF is pushing the guys hard to finish in time for the construction 2 week holiday (Monday 19 July - Friday 30 July). That's actually only 6 digging days from now, unless they start working weekends (highly unlikely). However, I think the main thing people want to know is, when can they have a break from the noise and the early morning wake-up call, even if it's only for a week. So construction holiday time it is!

Lisa (our architect) also came back to the house yesterday for new measurements, since all the concrete walls are in place and we will need more precise locations for the roughed in plumbing. We'll need to start making bathroom decisions soon as it will affect the plumbing locations. Fortunately, we had visited several "plomberies" this past weekend to start our search for the perfect bathroom at the perfect price.

Today, I was again accosted by the neighbour just as I got home. But this time, it was to find out if we are happy with our contractor. It seems that a neighbour a few doors down is very interested in undertaking the same crazy scheme as us, and wants to know if we would recommend Excavation Beloeil. Well, despite the length of time this is taking, I'm pretty happy, but until we get a bit further, I'm reserve final judgment, but so far, so good.

Marc also had a chat with JF this morning on a couple of other matters. First, the other compromise we have to make, putting in a sewage pump. We had really wanted to dig a trench in front of the house to get to the main sewer, and just use good old-fashioned gravity to get rid of our basement waste. However, pros and cons weighed in, and it seems that the pump will have to do.

Secondly, we've also been looking into interior finished concrete floors, since this could be a great way to keep with the modern industrial design look, while keeping costs down, ceiling height at the max and getting the most from our radiant floor. JF is able to do this for us as part of the current price (although it won't be any fancy colour - we'll just have to add rugs if we need any). It will also mean we don't have to make any decisions on flooring for a while and we can happily keep it as is. It just means we have to wait 28 days for the floor to cure...

By the way, I made some yummy home made salsa tonight with fresh Quebec tomatoes and coriander. Perfect for a stinky hot day.

Already 2 months!

Well, 2 months of work and there is still lots to do. I am running out of inspiration for the blog since I feel I am repeating myself every time I make a post. I talked to my digging contractor and he expects to be finished with the rock removal next week. Of course the project will be far from over but at least we will be able to see faster and significant progress.

I talked to my neighbours last week and I guess they are resigned about the length of this phase of the project. They are not as smiley as before but they still prefer us to the previous owner. I decided to change the fence for a nice and more private pressure treated wood fence. They seem to like my idea. My contractor will help me put the posts in the ground since he has to repair the existing fence anyway.
Here are some drawings I laid out. This is a work in progress.


See for yourself the progress. Une image vaut mille mots. Cheers!

Impression de "Déjà vu"

Today, after picking up my furry friend at the doggy daycare in the pouring rain (Jo was in Florida for the last 4 days for her work, lucky her), I got home and went into the basement to see how well the “Just two weeks” project was doing. On Monday they poured concrete on the roc base floor and today it was roc cutting……again. It is hard to see the progress but I know we are 1.5 foot lower the last time.

See for yourself
Before


Now


Some more pictures (taken with no flash)




Also the carpenter came to put the support for the door (V shape steel bar). I guess we will see another door (hole) in the basement tomorrow.

Another week in the Just Two weeks project

The Just two weeks project is going forward slowly but surely. The “sous-oeuvres” are completed and next week they will resume the digging in the hard rock. We have 2.5 feet to go. To my surprise the second door was cut but not removed because the structure carpenter needs to build support for the beams before removing that big concrete block. This part of the house is in really bad shape. It explained why the floor was not straight on the first, second and third floor. Also I realize that we are loosing more space than planned because of those new concrete walls (8-10 inches thick). Also we decided to keep the chimney since we want to reduce cost. It takes up some space but we will try to integrate this feature into our contemporary design. So I will have to contact our architect soon to review the measurements. I hope we can keep the original layout.

On the soft side, I feel that my neighbors (which probably think we are crazy, and they are right) are getting fed up with the project. All the dust, the noise, the mud, the trucks, the early mornings, the fence that is going down, the asphalt damage; they did not ask for it and I understand their frustrations. I guess this is what bugs me the most at this time. A three weeks excavation (digging) that is more like 2 months now is indeed disturbing. So far I can manage the stakeholder (Project management 101) and I can get a smile from them but I feel their patience is going away and the line is getting thinner. Actually the JTW project reminds me of work but Hey!! that is my job, I am a professional project manager. Enough said, lets see some pictures and movie clips.

S*** Happens

So it's been a whole week since we last posted. Things are moving along, but still slow. We now have the concrete "sous-oeuvre" starting to go up around the walls of the basement. This has also involved power washing the walls, so it's extremely wet and muddy. However, this gives me a good excuse to look fabulous in my welly boots! Some good news is that my doggie is now home and we've found a daycare for him very close by (so he won't be freaked out by the noise and cowering in the bath).

Now things were coming along nicely when Marc needed to come home a little earlier from work than usual. The workmen were cursing like workmen and there was a great deal of banging. Marc escaped the house for his evening event (prize giving for his daughter's school - proud dad!). Now I wasn't home from work until Marc also returned for the evening. Marc heard a lot of water gushing below us and went to investigate... if only it was just water... the sewage pipe had broken apart. EWWWWW! (How on earth the workmen didn't notice or didn't care is beyond me. Not impressed. **** **** ****)

It did get fixed first thing in the morning, although we'd not flushed and were leaving the plug in the bath while we showered. I should note that the sewage pipe is only in a temporary location and was moved there a few weeks ago. However it seems that the "fix" was a little too temporary. While running the washing machine this afternoon, there was a HUGE bang. Everyone in the house jumped out of the their skins. Then after we realised that the house was still there, Marc ventured down to the basement. This time an entire section of sewage pipe had come away, then while trying to fix that, another joint came away. Fun fun!

Marc and I spent the next long while in rubber gloves and boots, holding our breath... Fortunately it seemed to be washing day for everyone in the triplex, but putting all the pipe back together was no easy task. (French: **** **** ****!) We've also secured it from the ceiling in a lot more places now. But I can only hope it holds until we need to replace it with the long-term solution.

On an entirely different note and to say a little thank-you to Marc's brother and his family for taking care of our furry boy, last night we tried the "apportez votre vin" resto "La Raclette". The fondue was amazing!