There was a big push to get the drywall finished so the owners’ family could help them paint on a certain weekend. Hanging the drywall sheets goes fairly quickly, but waiting for the drywall compound to dry between coats challenged our tight time schedule. Using fans to improve ventilation makes a big difference, especially in a basement with small windows.
In a 1950s era home, the issue of creating sufficient headroom in a finished basement can be tricky. Framing closely around the furnace ducts helps maximize the height available, and including some angled framing will ensure that the drywall installation goes smoothly and the aesthetic of the room is pleasing to the eye.
In order to create a second bathroom for this family in the basement, the plumbing had to be accessed underneath the concrete floor. A little house-shaking jackhammer action did just the trick!
To solve the problem of a steep staircase to the basement, we installed a new set of stairs that are much easier to navigate. Adding just one extra stair allowed us to make the rise for each step 7 5/8 inches, which is a much safer height than the previous rise of 8 ½ inches.
Starting a full basement renovation in March in Edmonton, Alberta means snow and cold (it hit -40 degrees Celsius last week!) So to address the issue of moisture entering the basement through the concrete walls, we had to work from the inside first and leave the exterior drainage upgrades for later in the spring.
We were contacted in January to travel to Edmonton and renovate an unfinished basement in a house built in the 1950’s. This family of three is expanding with a planned pregnancy this year, and they need more room in their living space.
At the end of a raising, it is traditional to attach a tree bough to the peak of the frame to honour the trees who gave their wood for the building. In this case, a fir bough was used, as all but two timbers in the frame were fir.
A timber frame raising is a spectacular event, as each timber that has been meticulously chosen, milled, planed, and notched is fitted into its precise location. Once the timbers have each been cut and notched in the shop, a house…
In the old days of the barn raising events, many neighbours would assemble and lift the frames with ropes, pulleys, and human power. This may be done nowadays, but for safety reasons, a crane is often used to lift the large timbers while the crew of timber framers secures them into place.
A boom truck with 60 feet of reach was able to raise this frame, as the bents were only 26 feet wide and the truck was able to drive right up to the side of the foundation.