Finally an Update!

Well, it's been a long time and even though I'm very busy in the middle of the rowing season, my friend and coworker Sera is right, there is no excuse for neglecting the blog!

First things first though, I apologize for the amatuer entry that occurred while I was away. Now you all know why I am the blogger and Ryan is the builder:)

Tons of work has occurred since I last posted on March 10th and in order to keep this to a readable length, I will probably run through it a bit faster than I normally might. Updated pictures have been going up on the photo site regularly, so at least you have been able to see the progress.

When I last blogged, we had just finalized the window order. They came is quickly and all the windows are now installed. There's something about putting windows in that really helps things start to take shape, especially in the new parts of the house. We're really happy with the high and long horizontal windows in the addition on both floors as well as with the long verticals that line the back wall of the sunroom. Afternoons are warm and bright back there. Even the new double-hung traditionals in the front of the house really give the place a fresh look. The last window to go in was the double-hung that now sits where the bay window had been. We knew that the bay was not original to the house and we really didn't care for it or its assymetry, so Ryan knocked it out and framed up the spot to match the rest of the front of the house. Although the front door is still offset, I think the overall look is much cleaner.

Two of the four doors for the house are also in. The upstairs door that will lead out to the master-bedroom deck is yet to come. Ryan's dad Mike actually has a really nice full-light (basically a glass panel) door that he had left over from a job, so he'll be brining that down the next time he comes. The other missing door is the front door, which we'll have to make our minds up about soon. The two that we have are the back door and the door that will go out from the sunroom to the deck. The back door is a solid panel with an offset single light, basically a column of glass within the solid door that is offset to one side. The door to the deck is full light with a side light. The side light is a panel to the side of the door that is all glass and allows for more light without taking up the space of another full glass door. In keeping with the plan for the back of the house, the idea for both doors is to stick with the more modern feel, they are both metal doors that we will paint the same color. At this point, that color remains to be decided upon.

The interior framing work continues. It has taken longer than Ryan thought, but there is a lot to do and it only makes sense to do it right and in full. When my parents left, we had finished framing the master-bedroom ceiling. Next up was framing the entire front of the house. Ryan rippped out all of the floor joists for the front room on the first floor. They were pretty well rotted and he had to replace the whole structural system for that room. Mike came down for a few days while I was away with the team on our spring break training trip. Together they capped off the interior foundation perimeter with a new level capping of concrete. They went through 39 hand-mixed bags that they poured into forms, smaller, but similar to those we used on the other concrete projects around the house. Once that had set, Ryan put in a whole new floor joist system. Using I-joists made out of a composite that is 3/8" OSB in the middle and 2.5" of boards on the top and bottom, he was able to make a stronger and lighter system. These joists also use less material in manufacturing while using more material from each tree, so less is wasted. As a composite, they are strong and can span greater distances without extra supports. Next, Ryan laid down the subfloor for the front room. The whole system elevated the level of the front room floor, which was neccessary to make the new one level.

Once the floor was done, Ryan got to work framing up the interior walls of that front room. In the last week, he moved upstairs and removed the old flooring from the second floor. The joists are in much better shape up there, so he just laminted new joists up agains the old that are wider on the top and the bottom, so he can level both the ceiling of the first floor and the floor of the second. Just yesterday, the subfloor went down on the second floor and he cut a rough opening for the staircase which will be a "U" that doubles back on itself starting back agains the brick in the rear of the front room.

There is still the framing to be done on the front portion of the second floor and of course all the interior partitions. The roof in the front of the house also requires quite a bit of structural framing.

Although it cuts heavily into our budget, we have finally decided to bite the bullet and do a new metal roof on the entire house. While the front portion of the house is shingled and could last a bit longer, we both feel that the integrity of the project depends on doing it all the best we can. A metal roof is highly durable and lasts much longer than a traditional, shingled roof. We plan to do a standing seam metal roof that is consistent with many of the other historic homes in the area.

There should be more excitment to come soon at the house. We have some family and friends lined up to come who will be making their first visits to the Zeller House for a weekend of fun!