During the past week and a half our construction site has been lively. Two hardworking builders have been moving through tasks at an impressive pace and the list of completed work is long, even if only a few things immediately catch your eye when you walk up to the house.
Roof is Taking Shape
The roofing sheets arrived along with the full gutter system. The battens, fascia boards and insect or bee mesh were installed as well. Speaking of the insect mesh, I grew up in an old wooden house where every winter a few mice decided we would make wonderful roommates. The scratching inside the walls was basically my childhood soundtrack. So now I happily install every preventative measure available, hoping to spare my children from that particular trauma and to grant myself a little peace of mind.
Right now the house is slowly shifting from looking like a skeleton to looking like something you might actually live in, which is a refreshing change.
For now, a few roofing sheets are still waiting because the chimney needs to be built first. And yes, I know what you are thinking. Why a chimney if the house will run on an air to water heat pump. The answer is simple. If the electricity ever goes out, the fireplace in the living room will keep most of the first floor warm enough. Also, a glass door fireplace is going to make the living room look and feel complete.
The house also gained its temporary OSB exterior door. For now this is our version of a turnkey moment. The real front door and windows will probably arrive next year. Mr. Right also moved the large stones from the side of the house to the neighbour’s fence line. The future stone fence project is waiting for its moment and the stones were simply in the way until then.
Warmth at Last
Inside the house the biggest change is the temperature. It is finally warm enough to work comfortably. We are currently heating the first floor with a blower and the electricity consumption is something to behold, but letting the builders freeze would feel wrong. The house also needs time to dry and above zero temperatures make all the next steps possible. Thankfully the winter has been kind so far and we have avoided any dramatic minus 22 Fahrenheit nights.
A Path to the Attic That Works for Now
A temporary opening was created between the second floor and the attic. The real access will later come through a roof hatch, but during construction this arrangement is much more practical. As of today, most of the vapor barrier and ceiling battens are already installed upstairs. Everything is now prepared for plasterboard ceilings. Later the ceiling will be insulated from the attic with 600 millimeters of blow-in insulation which is basically a very thick, very warm blanket for the entire house.
Small Fixes That Matter Later
After the house settled under its own weight for a few days, all wall and floor junctions were reinforced. More walls were covered with plasterboard and the junctions between the exterior walls and floors were filled with insulation.
During the same period the electrician, painter, ventilation specialist and plumber all made their first visits. While checking the planned locations for switches and sockets, we discovered that a few were missing. Since this is the final moment to correct such things, we double checked the plans and marked everything directly on the walls. It is never fun to wish you had one more socket after the walls are finished.
Decisions That Cannot Wait
We have reached the stage where each next step affects the one after it. Anything that was not fully decided before must be decided now. For example, on the second floor we need to build the wall between the master bedroom and the walk-in closet. It was not built in the factory because it will contain a pocket sliding door. The wall has to be built around the door system which means I now need to choose the closet door and all the interior doors so everything works together.
Managing these decisions while very pregnant and keeping two small children alive can sometimes feel like an extreme sport. Right now I am supposedly the person with all the answers. The truth is that I absolutely do not have all the answers but I do need to make them quickly. Otherwise they will be made for me and I am not sure I could calmly live with those consequences.
The Flush Button Saga
In the mudroom several water, heating and ventilation units will be installed on one wall. To make that possible the wall behind them needs to be patched and painted now. Which means all finishes and colors for the mudroom also need to be chosen now so everything actually fits together. The wall between the mudroom and the WC also needs an in-wall toilet frame before any finishing can happen.
This led to a two day adventure through building and plumbing stores with children in tow. I ended up choosing the frame based entirely on the flush button. If you think this is straightforward, you are mistaken. There are endless options. Some buttons cost around 15 to 20 dollars and the one next to them might cost 300. That is only for the button. You still need the frame, the tank and the toilet itself. Sometimes the affordable buttons fit only the most expensive frames. After completely overloading my brain and giving it a couple of days to recover, I think I finally made a choice.
I try to find a balance between looks, quality and cost which means I try to choose things that look good, last and do not destroy the budget at the same time. As someone who tends to overthink, the decision fatigue sets in fast.
These are roughly the colors, tiles and storage solutions I imagine for the mudroom
Why We Call It the Mudroom
This utility space is the home’s second entrance and in the future it will also connect to the garage. This is where children who return from outside covered in mud can enter without me silently dying inside. There is a floor grate and drain right by the door for rinsing boots, the floor is tiled instead of engineered wood and there is space for hooks and shoes.
My children come inside so muddy that sometimes I feel like it would be easier just place them directly into the washing machine. So creating an entrance where muddy kids and adults are welcome feels like the kind of smart choice my future self will thank me for.
