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A Little Remodeling in Merchantville
Chapter 4: The Home Stretch

July 2002 - This photo diary captures the final steps in remodeling #34 once all the siding and old cement porch parts were removed. Watch for the final siding repair and porch building, not to mention the painting!
Did you miss Chapter 3: The Remodeling? Click here to catch up on all the action.
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Entering the Final Stretch
Here's where we left off...

6/14/2002

The porch roof (and ceiling) are done, now the siding repair and porch railings can start! Sal has been busy in his workshop making all the porch parts...bring 'em on!

June 24

6/24/2002 1:03:08 PM

Entering the home stretch! It's been a while since the work site has been buzzing with activity. Today started out with one extra-special delivery of PORCH PARTS! (ooh, they look fantastic!)

June 24
You gotta start somewhere!
You gotta start somewhere!

6/24/2002 9:35:58 AM

Sal has chosen this very special spot on the turret to start tackling the repair work on the exterior of the house.

Driveway Workshop is OPEN!

6/24/2002 1:04:37 PM

The saws are buzzing and the scaffolding is in place.

Driveway Workshop is OPEN!
It's the Sal & Al Show
It's the Sal & Al Show

6/24/2002 1:05:27 PM

Making great progress up the turret - despite the 100 degree temperatures! Notice the beautiful moulding curving around the turret.

Perfection!

6/24/2002 7:20:35 PM

When this is all painted (rats, I still have to pick colors) I bet you can't even tell where the siding was repaired.

Perfection!
Day's End
Day's End

6/24/2002 7:19:38 PM

The scaffolding is in place, you can see the porch parts safely tucked on the porch...and you can also see the "test rockers" we've been using. Wicker or wood? Such dilemmas!

June 25

6/25/2002 11:41:25 AM

Picking up where we left off...replacing the shingles and mouldings that were torn off to put up siding.

June 25
Wood Shop is in Session
Wood Shop is in Session

6/25/2002 11:41:48 AM

A+ so far!

Newel Post Teaser

6/25/2002 11:43:32 AM

Can you picture the rest?

Newel Post Teaser
Houston, we have a problem...
Houston, we have a problem...

6/25/2002 2:03:19 PM

Sal actually called it a photo opportunity for the web site, so how bad could it be?
(Okay, so an entire section of the outside wall was rotted, more shingles had to come OFF, and your looking at the back side of the interior plaster wall, I think)

Watch out below!

6/25/2002 2:04:43 PM

Oh well, I suppose after 110 years at least some part of the house was bound to give out!

Watch out below!
Meanwhile, back on the porch...
Meanwhile, back on the porch...

6/25/2002 7:12:36 PM

The first three porch columns are installed. They look mahvelous!

More for the neighbors to talk about

6/25/2002 7:18:46 PM

Three new porch columns, one gaping hole in the wall, and a driveway full of new lumber.

More for the neighbors to talk about
Day's End
Day's End

6/25/2002 7:19:08 PM

And what a day it was!

June 26

6/26/2002 11:42:32 AM

Tool time!

June 26
It's all in the details
It's all in the details

6/26/2002 11:43:43 AM

From the porch columns to the smallest trim piece, everything is perfectly in its place.

Taking time out

6/26/2002 11:49:34 AM

...to admire a job well done!

Taking time out
Meanwhile, back on the porch
Meanwhile, back on the porch

6/26/2002 3:11:04 PM

The rest of the columns are installed (using or despite the rocking chairs in the way)

Cedar patchwork

6/26/2002 8:26:46 PM

I feel a paint color choice coming on....not.

Cedar patchwork
Tomorrow's challenge
Tomorrow's challenge

6/26/2002 8:28:21 PM

When the turret was covered, the odd window on the right was added to shed light on the staircase. We'll stick to the original windows, thank you, so tomorrow the "new" 50-year-old window says farewell to this old house.

View from the door

6/26/2002 8:25:09 PM

One section of railing is installed. Nice choice, if I do say so myself. :-)

View from the door
Day's end
Day's end

6/26/2002 8:26:00 PM

radical changes coming again tomorrow.

June 27

6/27/2002 9:14:47 AM

That's an ominous black hole where the "new" old window used to be.

June 27
Hey, there's a hole in the wall!
Hey, there's a hole in the wall!

6/27/2002 9:27:01 AM


Ready for shingles

6/27/2002 7:39:13 PM

That must be on Friday's "agenda"

Ready for shingles
Repairs continue
Repairs continue

6/27/2002 3:17:53 PM

More new siding goes up to replace what just wasn't worth saving.

Tada!

6/27/2002 3:19:12 PM

The wraparound really wraps around now! What a huge, huge difference!

Tada!
Porch with a view
Porch with a view

6/27/2002 7:41:40 PM

Better than I ever imagined!

The neighbors' view

6/27/2002 7:36:33 PM

And they keep saying nice things!

The neighbors' view
Day's End
Day's End

6/27/2002 7:35:47 PM

Will it be a staircase Friday?

June 28

6/28/2002 9:59:30 AM

Father and Son Day

June 28
Ready for painting
Ready for painting

6/28/2002 7:47:20 PM

Perfect repairs (and even some dentil moulding to boot!)

Cool Stuff!

6/28/2002 12:50:34 PM

Check out the (finally) exposed top of the turret, and that funky ladder accessory to "hug" the round wall.

Cool Stuff!
Surprise!
Surprise!

6/28/2002 7:46:17 PM

Just when you think there's nothing left to uncover, the turret has got the tic-tac-toe thing going on! Sal is carefully patching the lining of the old gutters so this crazy roof "system" works again like it was meant to!

If these walls could talk...

6/28/2002 7:46:50 AM

...they'd probably be screaming over the wallpaper they've lived through. Here's a cutaway from that window inside the turret. Some sort of Gone With The Wind thing going on first, then the leather look, then of course the 60s and 70s invaded with orange and green. I haven't decided how to finish the inside of the turret (the staircase).

If these walls could talk...
Perfect fit
Perfect fit

6/28/2002 7:49:48 PM

Just had to share a close-up of how well these porch parts are assembled. Where are the nails? :-)

Progress continues

6/28/2002 8:27:36 PM

So now the bulk of the porch and one side of the house are "done" (ready for the painter to join the party). We're definitely hitting the home stretch now!

Progress continues
Day's End
Day's End

6/28/2002 7:45:01 PM

What a week!

July 1

7/1/2002 8:15:00 AM

Plotting the day's strategy. The focus is on the front of the house today.

July 1
Happy Birthday!
Finishing Touches

7/1/2002 12:47:04 PM

It's finally down to the final details, like trimming off the porch.

Take a number

7/1/2002 1:00:00 PM

There was plenty of sawdust flying today!

Take a number
"Tree of Life"
"Tree of Life"

7/1/2002

That's what we've been calling this wavy design. Anyway, Sal is digging out yet more rotted pieces to salvage this part of the siding.

Yep, it's loaded

Lots and lots of nail gun action today!

Yep, it's loaded
Busy day on the porch
Busy day on the porch

7/1/2002 11:44:51 AM

All the interior trim and repairs have been done. I think I'm going to stain the ceiling and paint the rest.

It's Hank

7/1/2002 5:38:35 PM

He likes the porch, too.

It's Hank
Finishing up the corner
Finishing up the corner

7/1/2002 12:45:24 PM

And running out of cedar $iding!

Al tackles the Tree of Life

7/1/2002 12:49:21 PM

He's working from the pattern he traced from the top of the house. Lookin' good!

Al tackles the Tree of Life
Outstanding!
Outstanding!

7/1/2002 3:06:58 PM

A perfect reproduction.

View from the driveway

7/1/2002 4:15:36 PM

Well, this side of the house is pretty much complete. Actually, the entire project is getting dangerously close to completion!

View from the driveway
Getting close to a color choice!
Getting close to a color choice!

7/1/2002 12:01:19 PM

This family of olive greens will get a test run this weekend (thanks to the five quarts of paint I bought today). The dark burgundy I'm contemplating as a window sash trim color (just in case you were worried I was considering a tomato-red house).

Day's End

7/1/2002 6:02:48 PM

Sal's goal is to be done by Wednesday. That leaves the exterior of the porch, the rest of the front siding, the plaster work inside the turret, and the entire right side of the house. Then the painting can begin. Whew!

Day's End
July 2
July 2

7/2/2002 10:30:43 AM

A much improved view from across the street. It's going to be a scorcher again today.

Mom's Beverage Express

7/1/2002 6:07:05 PM

Every little bit helps to beat the heat!

Mom's Beverage Express
Look at all those ladders!
Look at all those ladders!

7/2/2002 10:29:14 AM


The painters are here!

7/2/2002 2:22:51 PM

Priming the porch. What a difference!

The painters are here!
Details, details, details
Details, details, details

7/2/2002 6:23:29 PM


Day's End

7/2/2002 6:25:03 PM

(hey, look, the pile of rubble is gone!)

Day's End
July 3
July 3

7/3/2002 8:09:34 AM

Getting an early start on the last section of repairs. This shot also shows where I literally drew the line in the facelift...the bay window and the entire back of the house remains covered in the old aluminum siding.

The final porch parts

7/3/2002 8:55:46 AM

This is going to make a huge difference!

The final porch parts
Signed by the artist
Signed by the artist

7/3/2002 8:52:56 AM

Sal left a little message for the next generation of remodelers on #34. Oh, and by the way, it was HOT.

The Final Shingle

7/3/2002 10:17:47 AM

Sal can't wait to place this FINAL shingle. He wrote on it "8 days later...the one we have waited for."

The Final Shingle
Final buzz on the work site
Final buzz on the work site

7/3/2002 10:21:01 AM

The painters have joined the crew, getting started on priming the porch.

Day's End

7/3/2002 6:33:52 PM

Wow, it's all over but the paint job.

Day's End
Hank loves the new porch
Hank loves the new porch

7/4/2002 8:34:33 AM

It's like an extra room in the house!

July 5

7/5/2002 12:23:34 PM

One last project inside. Tricky work in the narrow, curved staircase.

July 5
Al's workshop
Al's workshop

7/5/2002 2:42:22 PM

Here's where he cut all the inside trim for the turret windows.

To Be Continued...Check back for more pictures later this month...the painters are stripping and prepping the house, and soon the painting will begin!


A little plug for the A-Team!

This remodeling project is brought to you by Sal and his crew of miracle workers!

A little plug for the A-Team!
The A-Team
The A-Team

7/3/2002 8:21:49 AM

Thanks to these guys, my house is no longer the ugliest one in town!

THANK YOU!



Click here for Chapter 5: Painting.

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