Bertha’s Bay’s Makeover

We have been really moving during this time of social distancing.  We have had a house full of random people here and there.  Our electrician has been visiting and buttoning up some details in the upstairs and we have filled in the huge hole in the yard for the sewage system and also have made a new huge hole in order to run brand new water supply line.

Our HVAC guy has been taking measurements, making lists and having us prepare everything he needs us to in order to make it a quick in and out for his installation of the commercial heating/cooling unit that will be on the roof. This included redoing the gas lines.  The house used to have a massive 2″ line for the, guaranteed inefficient, gas boiler that used to heat the house.  We have now gone down to a 1″ line that will more than sufficiently supply everything.

 

We also needed to make a huge hole in the roof for the trunk duct to enter into the house from the AC/heat unit on back roof. It will supply the majority of the heating and cooling for the entire house except for a few areas at the back of the main floor that will have radiant floor heat.

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One of my favorite things we got started this week is the bay exterior.  It’s always fun to finally put up any finish. It makes you feel so much closer to what I would consider the fun part. But that gets us to the completion of what Derek considers the fun part. We are cruising on this siding though.  Yesterday we were able to get all 6 windows replaced and get the siding started.  Today we finished the first floor’s worth of siding. It’s going up swimingly, because I’m such a good finger pointer and Derek is such a good doer.  In actuality, I’m still hoping to get back to where I can be a really good helper again.  I love doing this stuff.

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While we have been working through everything there has been some work going on at a rental across the street from us.  The gentelman doing the work there had done work on ol’Bertha many years ago, when it was still a convent.  He had some old windows that came out of the house.  We were wanting to add a few more leaded glass windows to match the one that is still in tact on the front porch.  He had two original windows that he so graciously gave to us.  It was such a wonderful gift!

We are getting so close to getting this lady to this finish line.  I know from the outside it’s still just a pile of sticks and bricks to some, but we can just see the end from here.  We have been so sad at the prospect of being done that we decided to purchase another house.  We now have 2 projects for you to follow after this old lady is fully spruced up.  We hope you will still enjoy the progress and process of these old renovations.