Author Archives: cstults

Steve visited us again the week before Thanksgiving. He was actually here for two weeks, but he spent the first week cat sitting for us while Sam and I were in Houston for an early Thanksgiving. We were greeted with beautiful sunny weather (albeit very cold) when we returned. It seemed like a good opportunityContinue reading “Thankful for Steve”

Summer came to an end in late October when we were hit rather abruptly with cold, wet weather. We decided to switch gears from utility work and tackle something indoors. Why not the attic floor? The attic floor is 4000 sq ft- the entire footprint of the building. We plan to use it for storage,Continue reading “Floored Again!”

After completing the propane system, we continued working on utilities. Next up was power! Up until now, we were using a temporary meter which powered one temporary electric panel inside. Sam put a few outlets on it, from which we ran many extension cords. It’s been a year of constantly wrestling, untangling, and tripping overContinue reading “More Power to Us”

Propane, that is. The warm dry weather hung around into October, so we shifted our focus to utility work. Our goal is to complete the outdoor plumbing for propane, electricity, and water before the ground turns into a mud pit. We started with the propane. Initially we were going to buy a tank and buryContinue reading “Bring the Pane!”

We hired more contractors for the drywall. I’m so glad we did because I had no idea how involved drywall is. I thought it would be a 2 day job like the insulation, but it turned out to be a multi-week process. Since we are just finishing the 900 sq-ft apartment for now, I wasContinue reading “A Hot, Dry(wall) Fall”

We finally got our heat pump which is a key component for our heating and cooling systems. In the summer, the heat pump takes in warm air from the outside and uses the refrigeration cycle to condense the air into a cold liquid. Then the fan coils use the cold water to blast cool airContinue reading “Getting Pumped Up!”

That’s what we’ve been thinking a lot lately, so it was nice to have some hired help insulate the apartment for us. The county determines how much insulation you need. Insulation is measured by R-value, resistance to conductive heat flow. Higher R-values mean higher insulation properties. In our climate we need R22 for exterior walls.Continue reading “R We Done Yet?”

Our friend Mikko drove down from Seattle to visit us. We were at a turning point when he arrived- transitioning from the north side to the east and west sides. But first, we had to get around the tricky corners. Luckily Mikko likes projects and was happy to help! We started with the base flashing,Continue reading “Turning the Corner”

We began the great siding installation! In typical fashion, we started with the most difficult side of the building. The windows, doors, and numerous seams make it the most difficult. It is also the front of the building, so we wanted it to look the best.  Ideally we would start with an easier side toContinue reading “The North End”

Jackson visited us for the 4th of July weekend. It was great timing because our long awaited siding arrived that weekend! The siding shipped all the way from Sheet Metal Supply (SMS) in Illinois. We chose zinc as the material since it is very durable and low maintenance. It isn’t painted, and it’s patina eventually returnsContinue reading “An Exsiding Independence Day!”