Time for a party!

before we moved…maybe March 2023, I bought myself a small sketch book! I have done this off and on over the years and end up with a blank sketch book (that one of the kids end up getting)….but for some reason, this one was different, I started drawing again. Nothing serious, just few things here and there. Whatever inspired me…

I have been trying different mediums, but I always find myself going back to graphite.

When it was time to move and I started going through all of my older drawings and started feeling a bit under talented, so I shoved the drawings all in a box (and I thought I threw away the box before the move). But I found them today and thought I would show them off a little! These drawings are from high school and after and not very ‘protected’!

footers…inspection…framing…inspection…decking…inspection

March 17th “J & V Patio” started, they moved and broke down the cement steps (they were not even attached to the house) and dug the holes for the footers (total of 14), now we have to wait for the inspectors to come out and measure.

While we wait for the township, the deliveries start…wood, cement, lattice, and deck hardware

March 21st, Inspection done! There was an extra footer hole that was needed but not on the plan submitted to the township. The paperwork will need to be updated and also kept on-site. But construction can begin!

This whole thing started with trying to get someone to come out and give me an estimate for fencing for the dogs! I don’t want to have to worry about cleaning up or stepping in shit every time I step in the yard! I started on Angie’s list, this was my first mistake! I had to fill in a survey…not a problem, except 1) I wasn’t sure how big or the exact location of the fence…I didn’t have the vision! 2) the site would not let me see fencing until I put in the next project on the list. The only thing that would make sense is the deck! I got 3 deck estimates in a week, and NOT 1 fencing estimate!

That ended up being ok because it makes more sense to add the deck and then the fence around it. I didn’t like either of the estimates, so I was in a place where it may have to be done next spring. So I went on next door and asked about fencing. I got 3 responses there, but 2 of them were to “help” me do the fencing. Strictly laborers! But the 3rd guy, Jose owned a deck and patio company, so I called him, he and his partner Victor came over and took some measurements. We talked about alot of the ‘projects’ around here (including the oil tank replacement)…these guys may be around here alot over the next few years! Their deck estimate was more normal than the 2 Amish guys that gave us estimates, and J&V will also do the fencing after the deck.

When they gave us the estimate, we were also dealing with the oil tank replacement…and I wasn’t ready to put out that kind of money all at once. After many conversations with Jen, we decided to do the deck/fencing because we need a WANT or we’re going to start feeling like the house is a money pit!

Victor said that I can help and get my hands dirty! we start the 16 footers at 8am!

There are before pictures…I just need to figure out which device they reside on!

Demo! My favorite part…besides the finished product 🙂

New sub-flooring

it’s starting to look good!

still need to install the vanity and the sink, had to return the original because the porcelain was cracked…I just hope the new choice works with the floor!

I also need to cut the new radiator cover…bought a new saw for this…because the covers are expensive and I don’t screw it up! If we like the cover, we will start changing them out around the house!

This is what a brand new “hydronic baseboard heating element” looks like…copper pipe through aluminum slats. The pipe heats up and the slats hold the heat until air flows up from the bottom and pushes the heat out.

needless to say…these slats should be pretty straight…this is what is in the bathroom now. It is recommended to use popsicle sticks to make the as straight as possible! (there is not enough caffeine in the world to make me want to do this!)

Another strange thing about this bathroom….when you see it, you will know

After getting a few estimates and LOTS of really good info from several Tank Replacement companies, we decided to go with Xpress Energy.

Sam, who came in to give us an estimate, told me that he has a house about the same size and that he uses about 5 gallons a day in Oil..so off I go to get 5 gallons of “off-road diesel” a day! The fumes make me dizzy and give me a very slight headache…but better than the stress of ‘running out of oil’

This is Dennis, he is the brains in this (not that the other 2 guys are not smart, Dennis has the experience).

Gavin is the muscle and apprentice…

…and Rob, I’m guessing he is the supervisor/salesman

I’m going to call this the tank corner

The new tank in place

The orange hose is what feeds the burner…it’s been 20+ years since I have needed to bleed an oil line, and I know that it can cost up to $100 bucks if it’s ever needed. (The oil companies make money on people not knowing how to do this!) So…I asked alot of questions about the burner itself, the bleeding the line and how the water is heated. Yep, no hot water heater, it’s part of the burner.

They cut the old tank in half and siphoned out the oil, this is the back side of the tank! As much as I feel like these oil companies are full of shit, this does prove that they can’t fix and ‘resell’ the tank! Because I am NOT 100% convinced it needed to be replaced!

I was told by 1 of the guys that did an estimate that the oil that we were smelling was from the pipe coming into the house, that it was blowing back oil on the outside of the tank itself. You can see that in the picture, where it looks ‘wet’.

Every one had a different opinion on the tank replacement! We will not need to do this again for at least 25 years.