Paul & Victoria's Future Skypark Home
Week #28 (continued):
Tuesday, August 1st has Bryan tiling bathrooms, John napping...actually working on electrical and Rudy installing beadboard above the countertops in the kitchen. Alberto was busy on numerous tasks all day :-)
Wednesday had Alberto on 'hammer' installing the last of the baseboards, Bryan tiling, John installing both hot water heaters and Rudy on beadboard.
Thursday and Friday saw more tile completed along with shower fixtures and sink & toilet installations. John also connected the main water line to the house so it looks like we might be able to stop using the outhouse this weekend ;-)
We arrived Saturday midday to find John & Rudy finishing up numerous things around the house including welding on 2x4" hangers around the tower walkway, hanging sliding closet doors and getting running water and a working toilet in the house, hurray!!! Later on, I gave Jeremy Forrest an airplane ride around the valley so he could take some pictures then de-cowled the plane to change the oil.
Sunday, I finished up the oil change (no metal in the oil filter or oil screen, a good sign!), pulled/cleaned/gapped/replaced the spark plugs and washed our plane. The engine now has ~2440 hours total time since new, and the plan is to get moved in then pull the engine for overhaul in November. We've decided on flying behind ECI Titan cylinders.
The rest of Sunday was spent putting knobs and handles on all the cabinet doors inside the house. Many friends came by including Rosamond Skypark Founder, Bill Aronson. If it weren't for Bill, there would be NO Skypark in Rosamond. Thank you Bill!
Week #29:
Monday, August 7th has Bryan on his own, what else...tiling! Victoria & I started on the knobs and handles for the kitchen, laundry and utility (mud) rooms.
The countertop folks were back and this time put in the correct colored countertop in our master bath.
We should see color (final coat) on the house this week too as we've finally decided on a color for the house stucco; The color on the far right; a light mocha :-)
Tuesday had Bryan and Alberto chasing down a leak in the gas lines which they found and repaired on the outside fireplace. Bryan has a couple of tiling projects going in 2 bathrooms, and I pulled in my CATV, phone and security system wires in from the attic to my structured wiring box.
Wednesday, Bryan got mud on the walls and around the whirlpool bathtub in the master bathroom.
In the laundry room he had to make a wood top for the laundry room sink then put 'mud' on the wood top and backsplash. Below you see the where he overlayed tile on the mud around the sink. I worked on getting telephone (Cat5e) connectors patched in as we are getting telephone service run to the house on Friday morning.
Thursday, Bryan started tiling our master bath walls around the sink & tub with Alberto getting the tower floor ready for tile. I started wiring our whole house audio system.
Friday had Bryan tiling around the master bathtub, Alberto tiling the tower and Rudy putting wood frames around the doors. AT&T was here too, and we now have telephone service :-)
Just before lunch, Bryan had to go to the other job site when my neighbor Bubba arrived in his Jet Ranger helicopter. As a treat to my crew who've seen him come & go, Bubba gave Alberto, Rudy and Victoria a ride around the valley. THANK YOU BUBBA!!!!!! PS: I'll get you a ride Bryan!
Week #30:
Monday, August 14th...you know the routine...Bryan still tiling, finishing up in the south guest bathroom and also completing the tower tile floor. He'd made a mantel for the outside fireplace over the weekend (at home) and got it mounted today too.
Tuesday, the stucco crew was their putting on our final color coat. We're really happy with the results!
Wednesday, Bryan is...no kidding...on the backside of tiling our house. He has to grout some here and there, and he's also awaiting the late arrival of a guest bathroom countertop so he can tile that. I hope to see Alberto & Rudy here tomorrow to work on the walkway around the tower :-)
The countertop crew was here repairing the uneven backsplashes and 'cutting' in the countertop to fit the stove.
Thursday's big push: ELECTRICAL! Bryan would like to have all the remaining electrical (outlets/lights/switches) installed so that we might possibly get Inspector approval to apply power to the house tomorrow. I helped with wiring outside plugs and the shower lights & fans.
This is our occassional-helper Steve with a 'mouthful' working on the ceiling fans with Alberto & Rudy insalling the walkway around the tower. They should finish this tomorrow, and then my friend Dave Jones (of Precision Welding) will be out to get the handrails attached.
Here are the motion-sensor light fixtures we're using around the house.
Friday the inspector told us he wanted the house 'finaled' before we can hook-up power :-( Oh well...we tried. Today, Alberto & Rudy finished up the walkway around the tower (the remaining two sides).
Bryan finished grouting both the tower and master bathroom.
Our work-crew is getting down to the last of the last....Bryan told me today that the next push is to get the house 'finaled' next Friday, whoo-HOO!!
Victoria now has to make a decision...which blue knob for the master bath?
Saturday and Sunday, my brother Michael was here painting. He has the baseboards still to do along with the pick-up work throughout the house.
Week #31:
Monday, August 21st is the beginning of the 'finish-everything-that-is-not-done' week! Alberto, Bryan and Rudy would like to have the Inspector out this Friday for final inspection. I found the back patio full of boxes pulled from the hangar; toilets, stove pipe, dog doors, fans... Alberto finished up baseboards then they all worked on getting the garage patio floor coated (first of three layers for a rubberized floor).
Bryan was all over the house and found time to put the stove pipe in and start fitting our Harmony Falls whirlpool bathtub.
Tuesday was much the same as Monday; work on anything that needed working on which included Bryan finishing the installation of faucets and the whirlpool bathtub in the master bathroom.
Wednesday had Bryan working throughout the house and included the installation of Victoria's 2-drawer Fisher-Paykel dishwasher that is integrated in with the cabinets.
Thursday was a busy day with Alberto & Rudy on the roof. They'd held-off on finishing the roof until the stucco crew put stucco on the chimney. In the south bathroom, Bryan placed our countertop then tiled the backsplash. Final inspection is now moved to next week...
Friday had Alberto, Bryan & Rudy working on things needed to get the house finaled. They ran out of roof tile so we need to order more...As a result, house inspection is delayed :-( Bryan finished up the tile in the guest bath and also installed the laundry room faucet.
We spent the weekend helping my brother mask then paint baseboards all throughout the house.
Week #32:
Monday, August 28th had Bryan installing the soft water & reverse osmosis systems.
Bryan also installed the downdraft convection stove and the microwave, which is mounted in the island end-cap opposite the stove (use gatorade bottle for reference point). I tell you that Bryan is working his 'tail-off' trying to get our house ready for final inspection. Thank you Bryan!!!
Tom was also out installing the air conditioning and Master Cool systems.
Tuesday through Thursday was spent finishing up the last-of-the-last. The inspector came by on Wednesday and did not 'final' our house as he wants the tower rails, patio rails and stairs leading up to the tower in place. It will probably be another 2 weeks (middle of September) before we'll have all that fabricated & installed :-( So for now, Alberto & Rudy have another day or two of 'pick-up' work to complete then we'll wait on the tower...
Back to July or continue to September.
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