Just a quick update and some photos:
We disconnected all of the electricity in the house so that we could do the necessary demolition on the first floor. We are removing pretty much all of the electrical wiring and outlets in the house as well as all of the plumbing. The electrician came by and added two new outlets in the middle of the house that we could use for temporary power. I was able to pull down the drop ceiling in the living room, and it really gives you a better idea of how cool the old ceilings look.
Hopefully the engineers will let us keep most of these beams exposed. If it were up to me, I would leave the whole thing exactly the way it is right now. We should be filing for our construction permits this week.....hopefully.
On another front, my never ending battle with the chipmunks in our yard continues. Be prepared for squirrel steel cage matches:
Wow. Do you have a supplier in mind for replacement lumber?
ReplyDeleteNot yet, I still don't know what the engineers are going to want me to do to add support to the ceiling. It sounds like, in order to get our permits the city is going to accept our plans but require that we consult with a structural engineer as questions arise. The engineers already noticed the ceiling structure in the office space and were concern with the level of support for the second floor. They have not really seen the structure in the living room, because I want to get the permits first and then any restructuring can be decided between us and the engineers. Plus, we do have a barn full of reclaimed lumber to use for now.
ReplyDeleteTypically, the rafters don't suffer as much as the purlins do.
ReplyDeleteGenerally, it boils down to form or function. Form costs way more than function, and you'll have to balance the two continuously.