Da Tub, Da Tub, Da Tub is in the house

Here's my new tub.  The manufacturer over engineered it so I get the $1000 "air bath" feature for free.  Finally, I get a break on something.  I'm sure it will be fabulous but it wasn't worth that much to me.

Who knew Electrical was so complicated

Well, apparently, the combination of Palo Alto and condo with limited wall space is causing some suffering for my contractor.  Since all the electrical in my unit was in conduit, it has to be replaced in conduit -- which is much more difficult and time consuming to work.  Rather than running simple wires through the walls - every wire must be encased in a conduit.  Yuck.  So this has slowed us up some, but hopefully electrical passed inspection today and next week we can start sheet rocking.  I'm assured that THEN it will really go quickly.  I'm taking and wait a see attitude.

This tube under the light plug is the conduit we have to use.

Things are especially tight in the bathroom walls because there is plumbing from the unit upstairs that takes up quit a bit of space.

New Concrete/Steel Footings

Here are some pictures of the original support structure under the corner of my kitchen.  My contractor said he's surprised the second floor hadn't already fallen into my living room because essential there was only a pony wall of 2" x 4" holding this up.  Yikes

So it looks like there was a concrete foundation wall and then on top just short 2" x 4" supporting the beams holding up my floor.

This single 2"x 4" is holding up the corner of my kitchen and all the weight from above.  We've replaced this with concrete and steel footings and two 4" x 4" which will be encased inside a column above.

This is what has replaced that flimsy 2 x 4. 

Taken looking down into the hole in my kitchen floor.

This concrete foot is new and the two 4" x 4" are now clamped with steel into the foot.  That should hold it.

Climb Every Mountain

Lipstick is really enjoying her opportunities to climb on boxes and achieve unprecedented heights of repose.  Note:  Having climbed Mt. Everest, she often now sits on the boxes, comtemplates another ascent, and then wisely elects not to exert herself. 

Day 7 -- Plumbing and Concrete

At least I've finally caught up with today and can report real time going forward.  Today , the plumber is working to finish the piping.  It's a drag because I have to turn off the water in the entire building (all four units) to enable this (and had to on Monday as well).   The joys of communal living. But my neighbors are being real troppers and their cooperation is very much appreciated.  Today, the workers are also pouring concrete to reinforce the footings under the beams in the kitchen crawl space.  I'm hoping to get some pictures of that today before they close up my floor again.

Next Step Framing

After the demolition was complete, the guys began framing the new support beams above the bar.  This is twice as strong as the wall it replaces.

At the corner, there will be a column to hold up the beams.  The 2"x4" are temporary support and will be removed.

Temporary support for the second floor during framing.  These will be removed.

Muy Fuerte

The bathroom framing also came along quickly and was largely complete by Monday, December 21.  The tub arrives today (I hope).  They will install it and finish the frame around it.

Hello walk in shower!  Bye bye annoying shower curtain rod!

Deep whirlpool bath -- here I come.

Let the Destruction Begin

After several days of wrangling with the City of Palo Alto, I was issued a construction permit on Monday, December 13 (wouldn't have been my choice date for obvious reasons).  The team came in literally tore the kitchen and bathroom to the studs on the following day.  Neighbors reported 6 workers, lots of dust, and serious noise.  What will be will be.  I hosted several tours with curious neighbors.  Everyone wanted to see "what lay beneath" the plaster walls of the VCA.  See for yourself.

This shows where the range and exhaust were.  This wall will now be open with a granite bar.

Bathroom

Bathroom

The white wall shows where the bookshelf USED to be.

Bathroom looks bigger now.  The builders wondered why our condo kitchens are so small but the bathroom is so big.

This is the wall that's coming down