As you’ve probably noticed from watching the live feed on our webcam, the Today’s Addition project has really taken off over the past week. Even though we’ve been laboring under a severe heat wave here in Mobile, Alabama, the work has moved at a brisk pace.

Plumbing

Since there wasn’t enough slope to allow the breakfast bar sink to drain using gravity, a lift station was installed to pump the wastewater to the sewer system. While this is an often used solution to a common problem, it should be avoided whenever possible, since it can be costly and will require maintenance of the pump in the future.

Insulation

Before work on the interior walls could begin, the room first had to be insulated. Standard 3 ½” fiberglass insulation, with an energy rating of R13, was used in the walls. Due to the confined quarters in the attic area above the room, batts of 10” R30 insulation were stapled up from below rather than being installed after the ceiling was in place.

Walls

Once the insulation was in, the drywall crew arrived to begin work on the interior walls. While the raised ceiling in the center of the room required a little extra work, the rest of the drywall job was pretty straightforward. Water resistant greenboard was installed on the wall in the area where the sink will go. After the drywall was up, it was taped and finished in preparation for the final trim work and painting.

Bricking

As the drywall was being finished, the brick masons arrived to tackle the exterior walls of the addition. In order to keep the rows of bricks uniform and level, pieces of angle iron were marked at 2 ¾” intervals for use as story poles to correspond to each layer of bricks. The poles were then stood vertically at the corners of the wall with line blocks and string hooked on the angle iron to serve as a guide. The unusual shape of the octagonal window unit required the cutting of angled bricks on a brick saw which were then carefully fit into place.

Soon the webcam will be moved inside the addition, allowing you to watch the installation of the special Uponor radiant heating system in the floor as well as the finish work on the interior of the room. So be sure and stay tuned for further developments.

Don’t forget to follow all of the progress of Today’s Addition.

Tags: , The Home Depot