Move cement, get out the way

After my dad left to Texas things slowed down an immeasurable rate. Chris and I went back to work and for about two weeks we toured the dungeon planning our attack. Finish out the kitchen?
Start framing the bathroom? Are we still sure we want the bed up here?

Chris started a Google Sketch Up in his idle time, and I shopped for appliances,  both of us knowing that all of our efforts would go unnoticed until we actually made a move and did something physical below.

The two weeks passed and Chris began to demo unveiling a million other problems...

1. None of the walls are plumb in the dungeon. 
2. None of the rooms are level. 
3. The living room is a half a floor below the bedroom. 
4. The bedroom floor is three different heights. 
5. The area we want to build a bathroom has two enormous stepped cement slabs in the way, including what looks like old plumbing for the original bathroom. JOY!

On top of all of this we've made it a goal to finish before we head off to England for the wedding... That's THREE MONTHS AND WE STILL NEED TO BUY/MAKE/ORDER/ADDRESS OUR WEDDING INVITATIONS! Hello, where are our priorities! Ah... I guess it's demoing the bathroom area.

Below is a photo montage of what we were able to do in the last two days. 

First it started by hand. 

Then he rented the big guy.

JOB DONE... NOW HOW DO WE MOVE IT OUTTA HERE!

Weekend One: The Visit

My fiance and I bought our first home this January and because we're nuts, we thought it okay to continue work our chaotic jobs, plan our wedding for this June and to renovate the basement into a rental property. Oh yea, did I mention that the wedding is in England and we live in California.


This is our blog where we'll attempt to jot all the triumphs and failures of the renovation, and sometimes our life.


First things first...

What's down there?

- Finished out room with a shallow built in wood closet structure.

- Doorway to a bizarre... we mean BIZARRE speak easy? dungeon? wood working room??

- A staircase to our upstairs bedroom closet... yes a secret staircase. Let me for a minute go in a different direction. THERE IS A SECRET STAIRCASE IN OUR CLOSEST FROM THE BIZARRE DUNGEON!!! IF ANYONE WAS EVER WORRIED ABOUT AN INTRUDER, OR THE BOOGIE MAN OUR BEDROOM IS NOT THE BEDROOM FOR YOU. Okay, tangent done. 

What we want down there!

- Finished living room.

- Kitchen

- Bedroom

- Closet

- Bathroom (shower, sink, toilet... no tub!)

In my mind I've got a little wand or a magic nose that makes all these things manifest after I write about them.

Renovating began in February, the week I got back from New York. We had my dad arrive from Texas to help us begin. LUCKILY my dad is a skilled private contractor, his magic wand is experience. Here are the problems or what we like to call hurdles he immediately pointed out.

1. Plumbing: a bathroom and kitchen below septic level isn't cheap.
2. Stairs: The boogie man stairs are an obstruction and have to and have to go. HALLELUJAH! 
3. A million other problems that are too hard to explain. Just take a look at the photos. 

BEFORE 

FIRST WEEK OF DEMO!!

END OF WEEKEND ONE!