Templates, Pipes and Porches.

On Tuesday morning, I met three different contractors at KnArrow Haus. The loan inspector verified our construction draw. Another measured for the shower glass door and surround. And the countertop contractor templated for both our counter tops. The glass will be installed mid-month, but the countertops are going in the morning of Labor Day.

I took Friday off work, and spent the day installing the final final and vent pipes on the main floor.  It's always a bit sobering when you're drilling a 6 inch hole in a wall, especially an exterior wall. Check for studs. Measure offsets. Check for studs again. Measure some more. Mark the spot. Think everything through once more. Then go for it. The 6 inch hole saw generates an incredible amount of dust.

The vent pipe extending from the bathroom in to the mudroom.

Pipe in to mudroom on the right, to exterior on the left.

The final vent cap through the side wall, amply caulked. 

With the vent cap on the outside weatherproofed, that should be the last time I need to go up a tall ladder on to the side of the house.

I chickened out running the vent pipe through the mudroom wall in to the kitchen for the vent hood, mostly because I was tired. I don't think straight when I'm tired. I also needed an 8"-to-6" adapter for the ood. And I'm slightly perplexed by the wiring in the vent hood -- so I want to get that straight before drilling through that wall. Next week.

I got everything cleaned-up, then went and grabbed dinner at the 59er Diner, fifteen minutes down Highway 2 towards Leavenworth, at the turnoff to Lake Wenatchee. Club sandwich, onions rings, ice water. (Their onion rings are above average.)

Norm arrived about 7PM bearing gifts. 

• Angle iron: Earlier in the week I ordered a bunch of 2" angle iron to complete the posts and railing on the stairs and uppper and lower landings. One of the pieces was 18 feet long, a little too much for my mid-size SUV. Also an 11 foot piece for the upper landing, an 8 foot piece for the main level railing, and five 4 foot pieces for the posts on the stairs.
• A custom metal post to support the left side of the front porch. 
• A super-custom rod (with chain, bracket and angle-iron brace) to support the cantilevered right side of the porch.

It's pretty delightful to watch an experienced craftsman at work. I lended a little bit of "hold-this" assistance, a couple tools, and moral support. 

Angled post supporting the left side of the front porch.

Norm cutting some of the deck flashing to fit the angle iron support post underneath the front of the porch.

Four inch angle iron supporting the front of the deck with ample SDS bolts.

Minor surgery on the angle deck post to receive the rod and bracket.

The victorious result: A beautiful cantilevered front porch without an temporary support timbers.  

Norm and I spent a few minutes admiring his handywork. Love the result. So clean. So cool. We pulled out about 10 PM. 

I was burned out on Saturday. We arrived during the noon hour. My objective for the day was to prepare for the kitchen counter install on Monday.  

I discovered pretty quickly that my kitchen sink drain rough-in is about 1" too high for the disposal. (UGH!)  I'm going to have to retrofit a drain -- not very fun working under a sink cabinet, and work I was not planning to do.

I mounted the drain in the downstairs, kitchenette sink, and made sure all the cabinets were screwed together with recessed screws. Katie and crew finished wiring the electrical sockets on the top floor. Our final task was loading cardboard and garbage in the back of my SUV to bring home and dispose of. 

A final stop at Ezell's for some dark meat, spicy chicken with cajun fries, mashed potatoes and gravy, and bakes beans completed the day.

Stay tuned for quartz counterops arriving Monday.