Rock bottom

“If you rip up the carpet tomorrow, I am divorcing you.”

I had a choice to make.

Every project has a rock bottom. I pray that Saturday November 21st was it. In my head it was to be the last and worst of the demolition. Builder Greg was starting framing on Monday and, for the most part, it would be building back up from here.

The drywall wall that made up the kitchen was ¼ inch sheetrock over wood paneling. The original plan was to take off only as much that is necessary for the new addition. This was the north wall (towards the garage/mudroom) and the east wall (mud room entry point, new staircase and laundry space, and replacing the slider with a window). I planned on stopping when I got to the south wall which shares its backside with the fireplace room. A fresh coat of paint on the sheetrock as well as some paint and primer on the paneling would give it texture, a face lift, and meet our standards.

What started with obligatory demolition, relatively small and simple, uncovered an issue that piqued my curiosity. Upon removing a sheet of paneling I found what is referred to as an “open junction”. My definition of this is exposed energized wiring joined together, in this case with wire nuts, and not contained in a junction box (as code and universal precautions require). If the wires would short the idea is that the sparks are contained in a closed environment and the circuit breaks or trips, thus reducing the risk of fire. In this case the wire was flattened between paneling and the jack studs around the sliding door and tucked between 130 year old bone dry plaster lath. Within inches of this issue a paneling nail was pounded through the romex wire – it literally split the wire in two – right between the two conductors (white and black wires). How this did not cause a short is a phenomenon itself. When you see this, you first cuss softly then pray a prayer of thanksgiving. And then one of forgiveness for the cuss.

As dangerous as this is; it isn’t disastrous, and it is not really a surprise. A cursory search of the wiring in the basement showed many open junctions – but they were also in the open space between the floor joists. Stuff that makes the home inspector cringe but does not make me lose sleep – though I will address them. With additional wiring that needs to be done anyway and not knowing what other ominous hazards lurk behind the paneling I decided to take the rest of the paneling off the three sides of the kitchen walls. Drywall is cheap, in the scope of this project, and now the electricians can do their work much easier. (Honestly what they are saving in labor will go a long way towards the cost of the drywall). The drywall and paneling came off easily and upon popping off the wooden lath no new concerns were located in the walls.

The kitchen ceiling, from a cosmetic standpoint, needed to go. The bulkhead over the kitchen cabinets needed to go someday. As Carolyn outlined it was not specifically addressed in this loan but the addition of the family room above required this to be tackled and the cost of its repair (new drywall ceiling) was covered in the quote. The popcorn ceiling was giving up its grip on the sheetrock and behind that was a layer of plaster and lath. The plaster and lath are not the worst of the ceiling coming down; it is the 6 plus inches of blown, loose cellulose insulation that will come down once the lath is removed.

This same type of insulation was the bane of my existence for a time at the ranch. It also had blown insulation in the attic space and when I added can lights to the living room and kitchen as well as remodeled the main bathroom I had to deal with the fibrous substance. It is not itchy like fiberglass insulation but does irritate the eyes, throat, and lungs. Dust masks are a must but imperfect. Black boogers for days and eyes that burn with a fire unquenchable by Visine. The life of this insulation has run its course, it settles over time thus diminishing its insulating properties (r-value).

The kitchen as it stood. Before Ben.

Clean. Quaint.

Looking toward the east.

Kitchen before lath and insulation came down. No I do not have photos of all the insulation on the floor. Know that I will never forget what it looked like. And that it made Car mad as a hornet.

Previous entryway (back)

Reworking the back entry.

Floor will be framed over and eventually kitchen cabinets will be able to move back several more feet.  Basement entry will be moved to a closet in the front of the house.

I have thus clearly and successfully defended my position to (seemingly) over-demo. My failures came first and foremost in communication with Carolyn. In neglecting to convey to her my plan and long term intentions as well as rationale. The kitchen will be simply, inexpensively, and tastefully put back together in a manner pleasing to the eye, functional, and satisfying to an inspector from the bank. And then taken back apart for final demolition and rebuild of the kitchen in its final form.

Secondly, I failed to cover the carpet or hang plastic to contain the dust from the falling insulation to the kitchen. No excuses, just overzealous to get going. A great life lesson. Minutes of preparation would likely save hours of cleanup work and the emotional tension associated with the frustration knowing I should have taken measures to control the mess. But lessons, in the moment, lack merriment:

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:11.

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. Romans 5: 3,4.

To add to the stress it was snowing Saturday. A cold and wet, icy frosting on the cake. To be clear, it was one of the first days of autumn that actually felt like winter was looming. We have been so blessed this Fall with mild and sunny weather. The sun in your eyes has a way of blinding you to issues forthcoming that one overlooks when basking in its warmth. It was no longer sunny on the farm. The reality of all the work that has yet to be done coupled with the instability of the fall weather, the mess in downstairs living area, and the feeling of disappointment knowing Carolyn was distressed at my well-intended deeds weighed heavy on me.

Frosty.

Insulation. Lath. Loathing. 

Saturday went great. Carolyn's dad came over and we got things down and out to the dumpster. He was really a lifesaver. It was still rather emotionally sterile as Car had yet to turn the corner but from an achievement standpoint, the day's goals were satisfied. On Monday, Greg's crew was there putting up walls defining the mudroom and other rebuilding and reinforcing. We decided to frame over the old staircase to the basement and will be adding one in the front closet (under the staircase leading upstairs). It should be minimally invasive and will give us significantly more square footage and freedom for design and layout for the kitchen this spring.

So that covers the walls and ceilings. The flooring (carpet) is good for now.