drywall...started Saturday, June 5

Just a few pics of the drywall since they didn't all upload right. This is going to be a bench seat with storage on each side. We are making it up as we go!

Getting the drywall done...

...and Scott loving it! Coke and a remote and a couch are his perfect ingredients for drywalling!!

stairs to the left looking at where the tv used to be

They made this part look a lot better!

my lens is yucky...I cleaned it after this. looking at the work out area and bathroom.

Insulation...done

Scott craping the insulation mess off of the floor. The green on the walls is very, very hard. It was amazing the difference in the sound when we went down. It was so quiet it almost "pops" your ears! And the basement is very cool down there now, because the AC air is on.

More walls.

You can see how messy the whole thing loods. It really looks worse than it is. The drywall will cover all if and you won't even know.

The ceiling...it looks really messy! The ceiling stuff is much softer.

We sound insulated the bathroom.

just looks messy!!

Daryn helping clean. We got a discount because we said we would clean up. It took us awhile, but it was not difficult at all. And it is not heavy.

Insulation Today...Wednesday, June 2, 2010

from the back of the room looking toward the front where the tv and wall unit used to be

craft area

bathroom - shower isn't poured yet

at the bottom of the stairs looking into the workout area and the bathroom

in the workout area looking toward the front of the stairs...it looks like nothing here, but there is a closet to the left and an indent in the basement wall that we eventually put a countertop in...we think.

From Memorial Day...covering the beams.

Today's project: covering the beams getting them ready for drywall.

Before...

Darby "helping". Uh, yeah, not so much...

But here is  her masterpiece!!!

Daryn cleaning up...MDF boards measured, cut and ready to put in place.

Scott showing Darby how to apply carpenters glue...

And she does a FINE job with it.

Scott and Dylan hanging the first one, making sure it fit. Darby will then put a bead of glue down the edge that will be next to the beam. Scott and Dylan lift it up and Dylan will use the brad nailer and nail the top edge into the 2 by's that are above the beam. After the other side is put up as well, we will take the piece that Darby put a bunch of glue on and hold up, the glue being on the bottom of the beam. Daryn and I had to hold them up and squish the side boards together so that Dylan could use the brad nailer to hold it all together. All this so that we could make those beams as little as possible.

Dylan doing his thing. Daryn and I doing our thing!

We did this all across the basement beam. It is ready to be drywalled. Maybe sooner than later!

Almost caught up...May 28, 2010...closing up the plumbing

I do not know why they are not in the order that I want them. So you get to see the finished product before the process.


Scott finishing the cement with Darby "overseeing".

Pouring the cement mix in for the mixer dude.

Dylan putting the bag in the wheelbarrow so the "rip open" girl could do her job and so the "water" girl could do hers. He was the carrier and the mixer. Basically if is heavy, Dylan "the beast" Findley gets to do it!

Dylan carrying the heavy bag over to the mixing station. See...this is crazy! The process in reverse.

Dumping the first load of cement into the hole. We soon discovered that we were going to need more than the bags of cement that we had. So, of course, I had to run to Ace. ALWAYS running to the hardware store!

Mother's Day

Everybody wanted to know what I wanted to do for Mother's Day. I really want that basement done so I was fine with a "hurry home from church, eat a sandwich, and start working" kinda day.


As you can see, the mess just keeps getting bigger instead of smaller! Tearing out the last of the drywall in the old bathroom. Darby helping again.

Yuck! Yuck! You can see some can lights so the electrician has done some work. Finally some light down there!

More work.

The underground plumbing is complete. Just a big hole in the floor. We have to wait for the plumbing inspector to come look at it and approve it before we can close it up.

A mess...a mess! But it's coming along.

Bathroom...May 9, 2010

These pictures are in reverse order for some reason...so enjoy backwards.

This is what happens to a toilet when you use a sledge hammer on the other side a little harder than planned. We had planned on using this toilet in the new bathroom. Darby came upstairs and said "How about getting a NEW toilet for the NEW bathroom". She had tattled on her dad!

Scott cutting the cement floor before he breaks it up for the plumber to move stuff.

Not the bathroom but all of the drywall is down. This is where the builtins used to be.

On the other side of the wall is the bathroom (to the left). It was the last wall to come down since we were trying to contain some of the cement dust.

Looking back to where the built ins used to be as well. Beams and then ductwork drop down.

It already looks so different. But a LOOOOONG way to go.

It begins...May 1, 2010

So most of the "junk" has been cleared out of the basement. Today is a man's favorite...demo! Dylan brought David over and they tore out carpet and then everyone joined in the removal of drywall (but, alas, I don't have pictures of that!)

Tonight is Big Mac Under Glass so they only worked a few hours.


Dylan and David pulling up carpet. To Dylan's right and front is where the tv was.

Same area.

Built ins with carpet removed.

Just looking under the stairs and toward the workout area. The door on the right is the bathroom door.

Yes, David should have been wearing shoes.

The tv used to sit on that left wall. The "highlighted" electric box and beautiful windows and treatments are there as well.

The Beginning...

Here is the basement before we began our renovation. It is a total mess by this point since everyone knew we were going to be tearing it out soon. They need very little reasoning to leave it a mess!

This is the bathroom as you look in. There is a separate room for the toilet around the corner past the tub. We will have to move plumbing in order to do what we want - make is smaller.


From the "back" looking toward the "front". To my right and behind me are the built-ins (next pic) that we we are going to get rid of. In this picture you can see the wall unit and tv that I am getting rid of. (Know anyone who needs them?) The fridge is under the stairs.

Looking at the built ins. The tall black things are wrestling mats. The blue tape on top of the chalkboard are where we are thinking of a tv. I would be standing in the bathroom door way nearly.