Tag Archives: electric

bath, doors, drywall, electrical, garage, inspection, plumbing, punch list, Ranserve, tile

T minus 6 days

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Team Ranserve continue working through the punch list as we count down to moving in.

Odell called for the Final Inspection. The inspector arrived. Emerald Hill failed. As expected. This inspector is new to the remodel. He requires more documentation of where the two layers of fire-resistant drywall are and are not installed in the garage, around the mudroom. The previous inspector approved two layers around the mudroom and one layer on the walls that do not connect with the body of the house. Odell is attempting to contact that previous inspector for clarification and resolution.

Above, Julian test fits the 12×12 sheets of 2×2 black tiles that will become the final floor of the master shower. This is how we resolve an issue that has festered since November, when the shower floor was first tiled. The grout lines do not line up. Jacquela objected — the first issue she ever raised on this project. Julian laid out the mosaics. Jacquela arrived to inspect. She approved. Julian is five sheets of tile short. Odell ordered the tile. Now we wait for delivery and install.

Thisi s a mock-up of what the floor will look like when done. Julian left the border on each side open, dry fitting the tile for full sheets to calculate how many more tiles he needs and how much cutting will be required.
Thisi s a mock-up of what the floor will look like when done. Julian left the border on each side open, dry fitting the tile for full sheets to calculate how many more tiles he needs and how much cutting will be required.
In the garage, Odell remounted the fluorescent ceiling lights -- taken down to put up drywall required by the inspector -- and the electricians wired them up again. Odell also trimmed out around the attic hatch.
In the garage, Odell remounted the fluorescent ceiling lights — taken down to put up drywall required by the inspector — and the electricians wired them up again. Odell also trimmed out around the attic hatch.
Jacinto is back for day 2 of scraping up the red linoleum tiles from the garage floor. He reports his shoulders shudder as he falls asleep -- induced from hammering the scraper at the edge of each tile, prying it loose from the glue. Most of the tiles shatter into dried-out shards. Steven attempted to help yesterday. He got up two tiles in five minutes, with a new understanding of physical labor.
Jacinto is back for day 2 of scraping up the red linoleum tiles from the garage floor. He reports his shoulders shudder as he falls asleep — induced from hammering the scraper at the edge of each tile, prying it loose from the glue. Most of the tiles shatter into dried-out shards. Steven attempted to help yesterday. He got up two tiles in five minutes, with a new understanding of physical labor.
At the garage door into the mudroom, and around the door to the back yard, floating the drywall is completed and Odell trimmed out both doors to match the interior trim. He also mounted the garage door openers to the wall -- they were hanging loose before this, waiting for the drywall work to finish.
At the garage door into the mudroom, and around the door to the back yard, floating the drywall is completed and Odell trimmed out both doors to match the interior trim. He also mounted the garage door openers to the wall — they were hanging loose before this, waiting for the drywall work to finish.
Inside the mudroom bath, the wall behind the sink is now patched -- and Odell is again test fitting the drain line and T-trap.
Inside the mudroom bath, the wall behind the sink is now patched — and Odell is again test fitting the drain line and T-trap.

Upstairs in the master bath, Odell discovered that the left-hand medicine cabinet is not centered over the sink faucet; he will take it down and recenter it. He also ordered a replacement for one of the sink faucets, which seems to have developed a permanent slow leak via the cartridge.

electrical

Preparing for electrical inspection

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Steve and Beau from Capstone clambered about Emerald Hill, working through the electrical punch list flagged last week by the inspector.

To help, Elite Air Conditioning installed the missing baffles and LED lights for all the bathroom ventilation — except for two bulbs not yet delivered.

Above, the coolest thing done all day … charging up the Ring doorbell. Steve and Beau installed it at the front door — after they dispatched Steven to Lowe’s to buy a transformer and Steve installed said transformer to power up the doorbell and camera via low voltage through wires preinstalled to the front door. Then Steven downloaded the Ring app and attempted to configure the doorbell — only to discover that the unit insists on WiFi, and a hotspot on a cell phone does not suffice. So … when the low-voltage team at Granite Security give that all-clear, Steven will call for Internet service installation from Time Warner or ATT. Google Fiber is close but not quite here …

The second-coolest electrical thing to happen today is ... Steve and Beau installed the low-voltage puck lights in the four niches built into the entry hall. That's Beau on the ladder.
The second-coolest electrical thing to happen today is … Steve and Beau installed the low-voltage puck lights in the four niches built into the entry hall. That’s Beau on the ladder.
They also swapped out the long down rods on the ceiling fans for shorter posts that pull the fans closer to the ceiling. We no longer feel like we have to duck when walking under the fans. Here's the ceiling fan in the family room, now mounted with a three-inch rod, lifting the fan higher off the floor.
They also swapped out the long down rods on the ceiling fans for shorter posts that pull the fans closer to the ceiling. We no longer feel like we have to duck when walking under the fans. Here’s the ceiling fan in the family room, now mounted with a three-inch rod, lifting the fan higher off the floor.
Here's the fan in the office on a 3-inch rod.
Here’s the fan in the office on a 3-inch rod.
bath, HVAC, paint, Window

Small steps forward

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Ron handed the house over to the painters and one of the HVAC installers.

Above, Benito spends his days working methodically around Emerald Hill, room by room, baseboard by baseboard, wall by wall, hunting down nail holes to fill with putty, paint runs to sand and refinish, scuffed up drywall to touch up. Here he is in the kitchen, working in the cubby that will be home to the refrigerator.

DJ from Elite Air Conditioning arrived with baffles, bulbs and grilles for bathroom ventilation. Here he hooks the grille to the exhaust fan in the ceiling of the laundry room -- after first installing the fan module and motor.
DJ from Elite Air Conditioning arrived with baffles, bulbs and grilles for bathroom ventilation. Here he hooks the grille to the exhaust fan in the ceiling of the laundry room — after first installing the fan module and motor.
In the master shower, DJ installed the Panasonic LED light kit and grille.
In the master shower, DJ installed the Panasonic LED light kit and grille.
This is the LED light that DJ will install in the water closet of the master bath. This LED uses a GU-10 base with two pins. The fins on the side are heat sinks.
This is the LED light that DJ will install in the water closet of the master bath. This LED uses a GU-10 base with two pins. The fins on the side are heat sinks.
JD and his successful install of the GU-10 LED.
JD and his successful install of the GU-10 LED.

With Jacquela’s approval, Steven today ordered shades for the windows in the office, master bedroom and library.

electrical, kitchen, Ranserve, tile

Notes, 4 Feb. 2016

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Ron is back. Yay. Still recovering from the  attack of the nearly-killer virus, eager to get back to work.

Above, photo of the red glass tile that is pulling away from the backsplash wall in the kitchen — discovered yesterday by Steven and reported to Ron by text message.

Emerald Hill did not pass the electrical inspection yesterday in part because baffles and lights are missing from bathroom ventilation. Kevin and Ron began to install these today. Here's Kevin on the ladder in the water closet of bath 2.
Emerald Hill did not pass the electrical inspection yesterday in part because baffles and lights are missing from bathroom ventilation. Kevin and Ron began to install these today. Here’s Kevin on the ladder in the water closet of bath 2.

 

City of Austin, electrical, inspection

Electrical inspection, passed — almost

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The City of Austin inspected the electrical systems and installation today for the garage and house. We almost passed. Just four corrections to make.

Mostly, it appears we must install the baffles and LEDs to the ceiling ventilation/lighting units in the bathrooms. That’s easy. And the electricians need to install AFCI breakers — and ground the metal low-voltage system box.

Mark Rehberg from Ranserve called after the inspection. He assures that nothing here is major. Ron Dahlke messaged in from his continuing recovery from the attack of the nearly-killer virus to report that the electricians have already been alerted.

carpentry, doors, electrical, garage, kitchen, paint, remodeling

Door stop

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As busy as yesterday — painters, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, team Ranserve, garage door installers — today was quiet. One painter working inside Emerald Hill.

Steven cleaned up a pile of lumber at the back of the new garage, swept the floor clean, assembled plastic shelving, as preparation for moving boxes. He installed LED lights to the outdoor motion detectors and garage motors. Delivered a supply of shelf liner to the pantry for Jacquela’s kitchen. Found a ding in the glass globe of the ceiling fan in the family room, tagging it with blue tape.

The house was quiet. No radios playing. No nail guns firing. No bodies dancing around each other. It’s a preview of what it might be like for Steven to be home, working in the office, with everyone gone.

Above, yesterday, Shane and Peter installed the massive door stops at the back and kitchen side doors. We need these to ensure the doors don’t slam into cabinets.

Speaking of doors, here's the front door, test fitted by Shane and Peter -- Jacquela's red.
Speaking of doors, here’s the front door, test fitted by Shane and Peter — Jacquela’s red.
An empty house with electricity is a place to experiment. Steven worked the kitchen light switches for the first time.
An empty house with electricity switched on for less than 24 hours is a place to experiment. Steven worked the kitchen light switches for the first time. Seven six-inch cool-white LEDs arrayed in a U-shaped pattern over the aisles of the kitchen — one of the seven not visible in this photo. Plus the straight line of four four-inch warmer white LEDs over the island — Aldebaran, Regulus, Antares and Fomalhaut.
electrical

“Hot check”

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The lights are on. Almost. It’s a milestone.

Steve and Beau from Capstone Electric are testing every outlet, switch, light and fixture at Emerald Hill — up and down ladders, flipping circuit breakers, tracing feedback.

For the first time, the lights are on, ceiling fans are spinning, outlets have power. They are preparing for the final electrical inspection — possibly tomorrow.

Here’s a photo essay.

appliances, electrical, exterior, flooring, garage, kitchen, paint

Notes, 30 Jan. 2016

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Saturday morning. Jacquela and Steven visit Emerald Hill.

Above, Jacquela set the correct time on the oven. It’s the only appliance that is powered, so far. Along with the GFCI circuits. The electricians are scheduled to arrive next week to test everything, now that the residential meter is installed and power is delivered to the house.

 

Above, we started in the garage, where the painters have stacked trim lumber in two locations -- moving it all to the side of the new bay, clearing obstructions away from where the garage doors are on schedule to be installed next week. We're also creating storage space -- we hope to start moving in and stacking boxes as Ranserve finishes construction. In the photo above, at left -- painter supplies. Lumber stacked along the back wall of the new bay. Ladders leaning against the pole that helps to support the beam that carries the weight of the new structure where it joins the existing garage. Drywall supplies to the right of the ladders. Old lumber taken out of the back wall of the existing garage when it was removed, stacked here in front of the original two-car garage door for removal by Ron Dahlke, who plans to recycle it. That door is trashed after decades of use, and it will be replaced.
Jacquela and Steven started in the garage, where the painters built two stacks of trim lumber in two locations — blocking everyone’s ability to move easily through the garage. We picked up everything and shifted it all to the side of the new bay, clearing obstructions away from where the garage doors are on schedule to be installed next week. We’re also creating storage space — we hope to start moving in and stacking boxes as Ranserve finishes construction. In the photo above, at left — painter supplies. Lumber stacked along the back wall of the new bay. Ladders leaning against the pole that helps to support the beam that carries the weight of the new structure where it joins the existing garage. Drywall supplies to the right of the ladders. Old lumber taken out of the back wall of the existing garage when it was removed, stacked here in front of the original two-car garage door for removal by Ron Dahlke, who plans to recycle it. That door is trashed after decades of use, and it will be replaced.

David Garcia and his team of painters are pulling up the heavy paper that has protected the floors through construction, sweeping out debris and vacuuming the baseboards, then rolling out new, clean paper. It’s amazing to see the hickory floors exposed, however briefly.

The master bedroom.
The master bedroom.
The loft.
The loft.
Rolling out the new paper to protect the wood floors.
Rolling out the new paper to protect the wood floors.
Late Friday, the team from Gilsa Construction transplanted three bushes to the left side of the house. They were located at the right side, where Gilsa built the new walk. Steven soaked the roots. We'll see if these survive.
Late Friday, the team from Gilsa Construction transplanted three bushes to the left side of the house. They were located at the right side, where Gilsa built the new walk. Steven soaked the roots. We’ll see if these survive.