One year ago today: June 29, 2015, we look at Ft. Meyers.
Five years ago today: June 29, 2011, music, cars, that’s all.
Nine years ago today: June 29, 2007, the end of Club M.
Random years ago today: June 29, 2004, camel joke.
MORNING, NOON, & NIGHT
We found the termite nest. The mothership. It was under the bathroom floor, the one place I knew they had a water supply. It sounds like no big deal, but we had to eventually rip up and essentially destroy the original oak hardwood floor and argue for hours on end. Not the kind of disagreement argument, but the usual banter of old construction types whose experience differs. I’ll explain that in the addendum today.
There are wood chips and such lying in the pit, but they are litter that will all be raked up. This is the bathroom floor deck, which is now completely dismantled and covered by temporary sheets of plywood so the facilities are useable throughout. This is a critical phase in the renovation, those who want to follow along pay attention to how this develops.
Because here is where I could make some major mistakes. I’m given to understand that termites are territorial. I found one nest, so that should be all. But others say a different species can co-habitate the same wood. And there is a spongy spot in the living room. Some say to termite tent the building asap, other say wait until the “bloom” is over. That is usually earlier in the year, but if they bloom next month, that’s $800 down the drain.
My decision is to proceed because the remainder of the house was such a bargain that renovation costs on all but the floor may be reduced to weatherproofing, insulating, and putting up new drywall. And that is not that challenging nor expensive. I’ll probably show you plenty of photos of those steps. I’m keen to upgrade the electrical. We found old cloth-insulated cable and a definitely non-code run stapled under the joists to the east side of the building.
We opened the attic hatch and I was delighted to see it was clean and dry, not even any cobwebs. The rafters and joists are the same un-planed lumber and the architectural style is what was called balloon framing, but I’m not expert on that. However, all that is required up there is some excellent insulation. I rigged up a drop light and cut a sheet of plywood to lie on. Do not allow JZ to go near fiberglass anything. There he is, ready to slam the truck door as I undefenestrate a bundle of R13, the maximum that will fit in my walls. I can roll in the stuff, he can’t stand near it.
This is dirty, dusty work, but I’ve planned it so we are always working indoors, with plenty of fans and radio music. JZ got a hoot out of the local station that lets callers offer items for sale on the air. Caller number 23 has two John Deere tractor tires, some strawberry bushes, and a 12-gauge shotgun for sale. Please knock on the back door, because Ralph-boy is painting the porch this week.
We tore up the first half of the bedroom floor. The [oak] wood is so brittle, I’ve decided not to salvage it unless I can think of a better reason to do so. Inside the east bedroom wall, we found a newspaper dated March 31, 1975, so we know that wing of the building is probably not any newer than that—although it looks to me like the same carpenter did both the 1946 and 1975 work. He was left-handed and did all his saw cuts using a jig. He ran short of nails near the end of the flooring job and used masonry nails, which were a bitch to remove.
Did I say half the floor? Yes, since I only need to see if indeed it was the center row of concrete pylons that are causing the upward bow of the joists. I was 100% right on that one, although JZ has great difficulty with the concept of lowering a floor to level it. Return tomorrow for how I am planning the job so that we are always working indoors in clean, safe conditions. This might be a good point to remind the reader that it is obvious that I’m the one around here with the significant management experience, which includes when and which materials to buy. I said significant, and as in important qualifier.
That is, we don’t run to the store fifteen times a day, the coffee pot is programmed for the work breaks (every hour), and more than once I’ve had to block the usage of cheap materials. We are not here to conserve money. Didn’t I just finish roundabout writing that by the looks of things, this entire project is going to come in substantially under budget? The building so far has been simplicity defined and I had budgeted for the worst-case and most expensive situations.
Even the plumbing is wonderfully minimalistic; three pipes to a sink, two to a toilet. Cast iron, as is the bathtub.
ADDENDUM
I see a renovation plan as something that progressively improves along the path as each step provides new information. True, I don’t like it when rule books do that (make up the rules as you go along depending on if you are winning), but my years of experience on the skyscrapers of Miami make this cabin look like a weekend project. JZ wants a committed plan on what to do, while I’m saying I’d rather wait until we find what is under the drywall and floorboards before deciding on each new step.
Don’t underestimate the confusion this can cause. While others will do what to them seems the next natural step, I’ve more than once put the brakes on that. It’s tough, because most construction types don’t even realize how risky an experience-only approach can be. I know you can get subfloor for half what I’m paying per sheet, but if it isn’t tongue-and-groove, I don’t want it.
I would jump for joy to find out the only thing wrong with this structure is the termite damage. What I’ve seen of the operation so far is, to me, an ideal renovation job. There is no mud, no muck, no spiders, or heavy lifting. I run the A/C units full blast all day (my electric bill this first month came to just $66) and the living room is plenty large enough to set up all the tools indoors and leave room for me to sleep and a desk. The kitchen is fully operational now, although I do wish if JZ wanted to clean that yuck fish lure he found in the wall, that he had not used my coffee mug to do so. Ahem.
Last Laugh
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