Drywall too

It's now almost the end of August, two months into the renovation and the drywall is in place. Here's Richard in the new library (left) with the widow's watch behind him. I just threw in the right picture of the new furnace for technical buffs who might want to know.

Windows Even!

With the installation of the windows, the house is becoming really secure (well the one for Judith's office isn't there yet). Check out the atrium on the west (left) side. Isn't it gorgeous? It's really starting to look like the concept drawing.

Insulation

Insulation on the main floor (left) and library (right).

Historical Artifacts

The front wooden beam had some damage over the years, including wasps nests and rot. Andy, one of the workers, discovered that several holes were stuffed with old newspapers. The date: fall of 1951. The papers were not in great shape but we did manage to read some of the classified ads. Telephone numbers were 4 digits long and an apartment was being advertised for $3.50/week.

A Proto-Library

First look at the new library (left) on the upper floor. Richard's office is still there behind the window and the opening to the left front (east side of house) will be to stairs that go up the outside to the flat roof. Our current master bedroom (right) will become Judith's office and will have a new (second) window. The opening with the blue ladder in it will house the new supplementary furnace since the current furnace can't handle all three floors. Both offices will have immediate access to the library.

Not so retro

The main living room is gutted. The black wall paper is still there but that mirrored post at least is gone.

New roof is on

The new roof is on and the exterior front patio (the widow's watch) is taking shape. Notice the siding. There were *three* layers of siding on the house. The aluminum siding is now off the front, underneath is yellow wooden siding and peaking out from under that is white wooden siding. The house has been around in some form or other for a long time.

Like a Cocoon

Still more rain and an attempt to enclose the upper room as best as possible with tarps. It reminds me of a butterfly awaiting its transformation.

Intruder alert!

We forgot to lock the basement door one night and woke around 3 a.m. to hear someone standing between the green bin and the house. He was just walking through the door when Richard confronted him, whereupon he ran away *very* quickly. No pictures here.

Structure taking shape

We are starting to see the front room take on some structure. This will be the new library.

Rain

Well attempts to make the house 'water-tight' weren't entirely successful. We are living in the little basement apartment and one morning Richard woke up to water dripping on his face. Buckets have been pulled out in the middle of the night on more than one occasion!

Roof is gone!

Well back home by July 4. No more roof! But work is proceeding apace. Notice how we are adding class to the neighbourhood? As a neighbour said, 'Will you be keeping the orange element?'. The lime green dumpster says 'Bin there dump that' on its side. The main construction is being done by Britannia Construction.

Off to Winnipeg

This is what the house looked like before we left for holidays, 3rd week in June. We weren't sure what we'd find when we got back.

Goodbye retro interior

The main floor has been cleared of all furniture now. Not an incredible amount of nostalgia for our main floor interior I think. The hardwood is nice but badly scratched. We sometimes wondered whether the black wall paper turned the room into a black body. And that mirrored column right in the way of the dining table with checked flooring? Well all right, we do admit to *some* nostalgia here.

Call for tender

The pre-action all started in the week of May 12, 2010. Richard had gone off to Bond@60 (CITA) and I joined him later. In the mean time, Mac Gervan, our project manager, called for bids on the house project. Our little street had never seen so much activity! Notice the lilacs in bloom.