Behind the Scenes
Work has been progressing at our little law firm project these last several weeks. However, that work has been very much behind the scenes. To walk into the building, one would think that not much has happened. But that is far from the case.
The foundation to any good project needs to be firm and sound before one can get to the glitz and glamour of the big reveal like on all those fun home improvement shows. What have we had to do? Let me show you.
Structural Framing
In the last post, I showed you those pretty big holes that got dug for our footings. Those were filled with rebar and then more concrete so that the posts that sit atop them would be solid and support the structure above. Then, our structural framer went to work, putting in those posts and beams that spanned the underside of the floor in order to shore up the load. It took building temporary walls along the way, while they hoisted up those big beams into the floor, to get it done. I have to say the beams look quite impressive in the floor!
Upstairs, walls started getting framed as well as enclosing the outdoor porch to increase the heated space upstairs. It is always such a marked difference when an outdoor space is framed in to become a part of the habitable space. Our little kitchenette has also started to take shape with the reuse of most of the existing cabinetry with some modifications.
Electrical
Our little structure was very much in the 1950s with its electrical work. So, our electrician went to work updating the electrical outlets and wiring for all new lighting so that we lawyers can read what we are doing in our little firm. So far, so good as we have passed our electrical rough-in inspection with the County.
Plumbing
The plumbing on our little site has been a challenge as we previously reported that the building got its water from, ahem, a spring out back. Talk about country! Hooking into the water and getting a water meter, while fiddly, has been much more straightforward than hooking into our sewer service. Did I tell you that we needed two special contractors for such a task? It is not a job for just a plumber. We needed to hire a utilities contractor to tap into the sewer line that happened to run right behind our property. Once that is in, we need a plumber to actually tie into the tap. That is a continuing saga as I write this. However, the interior plumbing rough-in work has been able to get underway in the last couple of weeks with the installation of new plumbing throughout the building and the addition of plumbing to accommodate a new two piece bathroom for our clients. We have been fortunate to get a passing grade on our plumbing rough-in, so what is left is to figure out the sewer saga and finish up the install of the fixtures (sink, toilet) toward the end of the project.
So, to take a look at our place at first glance, it doesn’t look like much has happened, but a lot has happened and we are well on our way to getting to the REAL sexy work! Until next time!