Category Archives: Master Bedroom

Week 31: Siding Complete, Insulation Complete, Gutters Complete, & Drywall Started

Posted in Boys' Bedrooms, Dining Room, Drywall, Exterior Design, Great Room, Gutters, Insulation, Master Bathroom, Master Bedroom, Siding by

I think the word “milestones” is appropriate for this week.  We began 2016 with some huge accomplishments…siding was finished up this week.  Insulation was started and completed, and drywall began!

Let’s start with siding…or really end with siding!  It’s very exciting to see the entire house completely done with siding.  There’s only a couple of little things that are still missing – the corbels to add a bit of detail on the gables and the mudroom front door still need to be done.  But realistically, it feels like we’re done!  The top of the great room gable on the back of the house was completed this week, and the siding on the backside of the garage was finished as well too.

On the inside of the house, insulation was added which included insulating all of the walls – exterior and interior.  I walked through the house on Wednesday and it was amazing that they were done with it – they only started on Monday!  It’s pretty wild now to walk through it because it feels so much darker than it did before.  Light used to penetrate into every room because it was just studs.  Now the rooms without windows – like the powder room feel sooooo dark.  Which is probably half because the light can’t enter the room and half because all of the insulation is brown.  Once the sheetrock goes up, I’m sure those rooms will feel a bit lighter.

And drywall was started!  On Wednesday, they loaded all the drywall into the house and they started working on it the next day. By the end of the day Thursday our entire master bedroom was completed.  And by the end of the week there was so much completed!  All of the ceiling are done and so are all of the walls in the boys’ area.

Finally, gutters were done this week too! I originally wanted the half round gutters, but apparently they hold less rain and considering the amount of pine needles and rain that we have in the northwest, I opted for the more practical solution.  Regular k-style gutters it is!

Week 24: Crazy Weather & Fire Sprinkler System

Posted in Fire Sprinklers, Kitchen, Master Bedroom, Permits by

I was traveling for work the majority of last week and this week, and I heard that Seattle has been having a crazy week of weather!  There’s been an insane amount of rain – flood warnings were in place with the torrential downpour.  And on Tuesday there were crazy winds with gusts up to 60 miles per hour.  People all over the Puget Sound (including our new neighborhood) lost power for days.  Due to all of the inclement weather, a couple things were delayed on the project.  First off, the siding company was supposed to be there this week, but they were unable to finish their last job, so that delayed them getting to ours.  Also, the power company (Tanner Electric) was going to transfer the power line from the temporary power pole we have to the permanent underground service to the house.  Needless to say with all of the outages in the area, they had more important thing to deal with than our house.

The combination of the siding and the permanent power line to the house is now on the critical path for our schedule.  We need the power to run the furnaces and get the house dried out, and we need the siding to keep the rain out.

And when it's not rainy and windy, the weather has been freezing!! Check out all the frost in the back yard.

And when it’s not rainy and windy, the weather has been freezing!! Check out all the frost in the back yard.

It's so cold here now - freezing temperatures every day! It'll be so nice to get the heat on in the house...hopefully next week.

It’s so cold here now – freezing temperatures every day! Look at all the frost on the house.  It’ll be so nice to get the heat on in the house…hopefully next week.

Although the weather has been nasty – they did install the fire sprinklers in the house.  In private homes, King County requires fire sprinklers for all homes where a firefighter can’t walk 150′ around the house and touch all sides.  Had I realized this was a requirement, I likely would have shaped the house differently just to avoid the fire sprinklers.  I think they’re such a waste of money and hopefully we’ll never have to use them.  Plus, they just add more things in the ceiling…not exactly my favorite.

The fire sprinkler system has to be designed by a licensed technician, then a permit is needed from King County which shows the sprinkler design.  Once it’s approved at the County, it’s installed in the house and then inspected and approved by the County.

Lots of parts & pieces for the fire sprinkler system.

Lots of parts & pieces for the fire sprinkler system.

The sprinkler system is those orange lines that run throughout the house.

The sprinkler system is those orange lines that run throughout the house.  Here’s the ones in our master bedroom.

 

Just a close-up of one of the sprinklers.

Just a close-up of one of the sprinklers.

In addition to needing fire sprinklers, the placement of them has been such a huge nuisance.  Because we’re having a coffered ceiling in the kitchen, theoretically smoke could get trapped in one of the “squares” in the coffered ceiling and not set off a sprinkler head.  To design around that, we’d either need to install a sprinkler head in each of the “squares” – which would have cost us another $2,500 – or keep the original quantity of sprinkler heads but put them on the beams.  I absolutely did not want to spend a penny more on sprinkler system.  The cost for the system was already higher than our initial estimate from last year, and I hated the idea of having to spend more money on something that is likely never going to be used – and on something that doesn’t give me any value.  It’s not like spending $2,500 to get upgraded appliances, or nicer trim work.  It’s literally spending $2,500 on something that will never be noticed or used.  So no way was that happening.  But that meant we had to install them on the beams to meet the current code – such a disappointment.  The beams are there as a fun ceiling detail in the space – and then with adding the sprinkler heads on them, it only accentuates the sprinklers, not disguises them.  So we’ll end up having four 3″ sprinkler head caps (which will be white) sitting flush on the 8″ wide beam.  It’s not the end of the world, and in this battle of budget versus design…design lost.  Let’s hope more things don’t end up this way!

We ended up having to put a couple of the fire sprinklers right on the beams of the coffered ceiling in the kitchen - despite my liking.

We ended up having to put a couple of the fire sprinklers right on the beams of the coffered ceiling in the kitchen – despite my liking.

Week 12: Framing Continues, Trusses Delivered & Fireplace Shopping

Posted in Framing, Great Room, Master Bathroom, Master Bedroom by

This week Matt’s subs worked on more framing of the main level of the house.  The garage was started, more walls were put up around the house and by the end of the week, the trusses were delivered!

The garage framing started this week. We're going to enjoy finally being able to park our cars in the garage and having a space for all of the boys' toys in the extra bay.

The garage framing started this week. We’re going to enjoy finally being able to park our cars in the garage and having a space for all of the boys’ toys in the extra bay.

This will be our staircase, which is located just behind the fireplace in the great room.

This will be our staircase, which is located just behind the fireplace in the great room.

The walls are now all up it the master bedroom. Joel and I think it's the perfect size.

The walls are now all up it the master bedroom. Joel and I think it’s the perfect size.

Here's our master bath. Underneath the big window we'll have our vintage clawfoot tub.

Here’s our master bath. Underneath the big window we’ll have our vintage clawfoot tub.

It was neat to see how they constructed the main focal wall in the great room - first on the ground and then they raise it up.

It was neat to see how they constructed the main focal wall in the great room – first on the ground and then they raise it up.

Before the trusses could go on, they braced all of the walls in the house. Now it's so difficult to walk through the house - like a giant spider web of 2x4's.

Before the trusses could go on, they braced all of the walls in the house. Now it’s so difficult to walk through the house – like a giant spider web of 2×4’s.

By Friday, two truckloads of trusses were up on the roof! Next week they'll work on standing them upright and in place.

By Friday, two truckloads of trusses were up on the roof! Next week they’ll work on standing them upright and in place.

The great room wall is finally up!

The great room wall is finally up!

Here's what the house looks like from the backyard - really the only view you can see that it's two stories.

Here’s what the house looks like from the backyard – really the only view you can see that it’s two stories.

Another view of the back of the house.

Another view of the back of the house.

Here you can see what the house looks like from the other end of the house and you can finally see where the windows are going to be on the side of the garage. I still haven't decided if we'll keep those or not.

Here you can see what the house looks like from the other end of the house and you can see where the windows are going to be on the side of the garage. I still haven’t decided if we’ll keep those or not.

Besides all of the work on the house, Matt sent us to pick out a fireplace for the great room.  For the fireplace, I really just want something simple and easy looking.  No fancy arches, iron work, flames, etc.  Just a simple gas fireplace.  Joel and I totally agree on this too – we don’t really use the fireplace, but it’s just something nice to look at and brings in the traditional feel that we want in the great room.  That said, my mom and I went up to Monroe Fireplace which was recommended to us by the builder, but it was a total disappointment.  They only had ONE fireplace that was super simple.  The others all felt like they belonged in a cabin.  And to top it off, the majority of their fireplaces were at the Evergreen State Fair on display!  And honestly, the proportions weren’t great on the one fireplace they had either – it wasn’t very tall.  And I was looking for something more square.

We had some more shopping to do in Kirkland, stopped for lunch, and  then checked out Fireside Home Solutions in Bellevue.  Their showroom was WAY bigger than the one in Monroe and they had three different fireplaces that met what I was looking for!  We ended up choosing the least expensive of the three since the fireplace really isn’t a high priority for us.

We ended up choosing this Heat-n-Glo Slimline. Much better dimensions for our space, very simple and clean looking too.

We ended up choosing this Heat-n-Glo Slimline. Much better dimensions for our space, very simple and clean looking too.

Week 11: Framing the Main Level Begins

Posted in Entry, Exterior Design, Framing, Great Room, Kitchen, Master Bedroom, Office by

This week they started to build the walls for our main level, which was fantastic because now you can see our home start to take shape from the street.  And we’re able to really walk through the space and see how it’s all coming together.  There’s still a lot more framing to do on the first floor, but below are some in progress photos which show pretty much what some of the spaces will end up feeling like.

By the end of the week, there was a TON of progress on the main level!

By the end of the week, there was a TON of progress on the main level!

Our entry!! The top window will end up being arched, and we're also having them start the side windows lower - so those will increase in height.

Our entry!! The top window will end up being arched, and we’re also having them start the side windows lower – so those will increase in height.

This is what the office windows look like from the outside. It faces the street at the front of the house.

This is what the office windows look like from the outside. It faces the street at the front of the house.  We’ll have vaulted ceilings in here.

This will be the eating area in the kitchen. Joel and I love all of the windows, and how much light it will let into the kitchen.

This will be the eating area in the kitchen. Joel and I love all of the windows, and how much light it will let into the kitchen.

This is also in the kitchen - our sink will be centered underneath the three windows and that door opening will lead outside to the deck.

This is also in the kitchen – our sink will be centered underneath the three windows and that door opening will lead outside to the deck.

These are the windows and door to the deck in our master bath. We love the view!

These are the windows and door to the deck in our master bath. We love the view!

Still framing in progress! Lots to do next week for sure. This will end up being the back wall of the great room where we'll have a set of french doors.

Still framing in progress! Lots to do next week for sure. This will end up being the back wall of the great room where we’ll have a set of french doors.

Throughout the build, we’ve been having the cutest deer family visit us!  There’s definitely a male, female, and I think three (maybe four) little baby deer.  So cute!!

The daddy deer!

The daddy deer!

The cute couple hanging out in our backyard!

The cute couple hanging out in our backyard!

Design Changes

Our only design hiccup this week was that the dining room windows were sized to be 11-feet tall at the height of the curve, but the architect spec’d that the ceiling height in the dining room also be 11-feet!  Eeek, that can’t happen!  So I spent a few hours Tuesday night fixing it and coming up with the plan below.  I ended up having to adjust both the dining room and the entry windows to make it all work. But I think it’ll turn out great!  And bonus, we were able to get rid of the vaulted ceiling in our foyer which I was never a huge fan of anyways!

I changed the entry and dining windows this week to work with the 11' ceiling height.

I changed the entry and dining windows this week to work with the 11′ ceiling height.