The Gas Line takes shape

We scheduled with the Gas Company (MDU) to install our gas meter on 9/16, so we've been hard at work installing the gas line in the house.

Gas to the Rinnai unit, our on demand water heater.

The gas line coming into the house.

Running the gas line to the gas stove.

Front Door installed!

We ordered this beautiful leaded glass door over a year ago. And it sat waiting to be installed while we did other more pressing work... like installing windows, electricity, plumbing... sheetrock...

The house has been enclosed for quite a while with a door on the enclosed front porch... but then we had just a big opening into the house. But NO LONGER!

We now have our beautiful front door installed!

It has leaded glass and oak trim (to be stained). It's very pretty!

Rich is installing the handle now...

Tiling Guest Bathroom... laying down tile

The Guest Bathroom floor is taking shape! Hope to finish laying tiles today!

Tile Laying has begun in Guest Bathroom!

It took a while to decide on the tile layout, but once I did... I marked it out, then with my nephew's help... started laying tile!

Once I put down a few tiles, I started to get into a "groove."

**Note to myself**

Always start in the back corner... and work toward a door!

I'm a little more than half way done! Will get back to it on Monday.

Dreaming of a toilet...

Today I plan on laying out tile in the guest bathroom. Actually, I got it started last night...

I will get starting laying tile today! I have to check to see how long it needs to set before grouting.

I'm feeling a little leery of doing the grout. Back when I knew NOTHING about tiling except the dream of having tiled bathrooms... the Lowes salesman... based on what I wanted... and because it's a bathroom install... helped me pick epoxy grout. From everything I've read, I'm going to have to be very very careful with it!

If anyone has experience working with epoxy grout, please DO leave your pearls of wisdom in comments!

Anyway, I'm so looking forward to having a toilet here! My plan is be able to have that in place this weekend!

Laying the Ditra was quite a bit of work... I was so tired when toward the end. But, it's done!

Note to myself on Ditra installation:

-Have a clip hand to hold rolled Ditra.

-Have Ditra pieces pre-cut.

-Have other bathrooms prepped with cut Ditra in case of extra thinset.

-Start first thing in the morning!

Ditra installed in Guest Bathroom!

Well... I put it off... and I put it off...

But finally I decided that I've got to have a toilet installed in this house!!! So, with that motivation in mind...

I got to it!

You should have seen me all covered in thin set and sweat! What a workout, I'll tell you!

Guest bathroom now has ditra installed!!! Next step is to decide the tile layout.

1st Floor Drywall continues...

Rich and Matthew have been hard at work installing ceiling board & wall board on the 1st floor... lots to do yet...

I've cut the piece of Ditra for the guest bath. Tomorrow I will apply thin set to the Ditra.

Found some good "how to" videos for installing tile. Posted them on the right column.

Almost done sheetrocking the 1st floor bathroom

Hey Alice! Thanks for following my blog!

Wow... what a difference! The 1st floor bathroom is almost completely sheetrocked. Rich was showing me all the cuts and pieces required... almost 30!! A few more left to go and the walls/ceiling will be all done.

I was amazed at how the light bounces around in there. Hmmmm... what color... what color to put on the walls.... ceiling...

Well, first I need to tape and mud!

I am a mud slinger... First floor sheetrocking continues...

Rich and son Matthew (age 15) continue to install sheetrock on the 1st floor...

We'll be doing sheetrock for the next couple weeks or so depending on how much time Rich can dedicate to house "finishing." Working currently on the 1st floor bathroom.

I am a mud slinger... well... I'm learning by trial & error.

I worked yesterday in one of the bedroom closets... GOAL... perfect inside corners and ceiling/wall joints. Not quite there yet.... As soon as I have developed a "technique" for doing inside corners and ceiling/wall joints, I will finish the guest bathroom.

Ordering Stair Parts...

Today, I'm ordering stair parts...

We're going with bamboo treads, handrails, and newell posts and beautiful black satin finish balusters!

HigueraHardwoods.com - handrails, newel posts

Trisha is awesome to work with... by the way...

OnlineFloorStore.com - treads, stair nosing

OK, now for our beautiful satin finish balusters!!! We're going with double twist, single basket.

Trying to see what the best deal is between... www.StairWarehouse.com & CheapStairParts.com...

Whooohooo!!!! Just spoke with Douglas from www.cheapstairparts.com and because of the size of my order... he offered FREE SHIPPING!

Great tools on www.cheapstairparts.com!!!!

• Stair Design Tool www.cheapstairparts.com has a really cool tool called StairPro, a stair design tool. Way cool... because you can see what your design is going to look like!

• How to install Wow... you can even see how to install it on www.cheapstairparts.com

On to the 1st floor

Drywall continues... now for the 1st floor.

Rich had to move the plumbing in the 1st floor bathroom to accommodate the vanity. Then he started looking at walls... with his "drywall" eyes.

Twisted studs... yup... got to replace one or two.

Remote Blower is installed

Installing the remote blower for our oven hood.

Inside corner drywall finishing... grrr...

Grrrr.... I am NOT happy with how my inside corner mudding is going... Grrrrr....

Rich continues to install drywall on the 2nd floor. Working on closets right now. I'm following behind with mudding...

I picked out the knobs/Pulls for the cabinets!

I found these cute knobs and drawer pulls at overstock.com. The price is right!!! I decided to order 1 of each to see if the color matches OK. I love them!!!

Knobs

http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Decorite-Floral-Oil-rubbed-Bronze-Cabinet-Knob/3288684/product.html

Pulls

http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Oil-Rubbed-Bronze-Cup-Cabinet-Pull/3288699/product.html

Boy's bathroom... wallboard done!

I'm so happy to report that the wallboard is all up in the boy's bathroom!

I worked on mudding today, mostly in the guest bathroom.

Mudding Tip:

I came to a realization while sanding today... "Less is more..." This is my first time ever doing mudding... I'm learning to apply it sparingly... and smoothly...

Our kitchen appliances arrive!

What an exciting day!

Our appliances arrived this afternoon... and I can't wait to have my kitchen finished!!!!

I'm so excited to cook on our BlueStar double oven range!!!

Finished putting up drywall in laundry room!

Met with the cabinet maker today to go over his drawings. We spent a couple hours together going over everything.

Here's what he's making for us:

-kitchen cabinets

-cabinets in the desk area within the kitchen

-pantry cabinets

-laundry room cabinets

-master bath vanities (his/hers) and make-up area

-boy's bath vanity

I was amazed when he said that he could have it all done in 2 1/2 to 3 weeks! Wow!

We finished putting up the drywall in the laundry room and I put a first coat of mud on all the nail holes... still need to do seaming and corners.

Put up 2 pieces of ceiling board in the boy's bathroom.

Just cut into my roll of Ditra!

OK... just cut into one of my big rolls of Ditra. I was surprised by how easy it was to cut.

I've been putting this job off because it's my very first tiling job. Felt good to cut that first piece.

Now onto mixing the unmodified thin set!!

I am propelled forward by the promise of a flushing toilet!

Laundry room has a ceiling

We worked in the laundry room yesterday. Got the ceiling board up!

Today... walls...

I also did some work on the guest bath walls... some sanding. It's coming out great!

My appliances are coming! They should be here mid-week! No, the kitchen isn't ready to recieve them yet... and the soapstone is still in storage... but NOT for long!

Met with the cabinet guy. So many decisions to make! Good thing that I have a good imagination!

Thursday... mudding day

I'm looking forward to heading up the house into the air conditioning to do some mudding. I'll focus on the guest suite today.

Yes, tiling is weighing heavily on my mind... because as soon as I get that done... Rich can install the toilet!