Downstairs Demolition

This picture gives a sense of what the downstairs area looked like. The wood panels were on three of the four walls, and only the beam in the picture stood in the center of a big open area. With no lights, the whole room was very dark. So after we removed the smelly carpet, took down the wood, and discovered some mold in the dry wall, we came upon a big crack.


Along with the crack, we discovered that the framing for the walls was thin, and there was no insulation. So we could make simple repairs and live with a cold lower level, or we could tear down everything, start over, and go for the gusto. We chose to have some fun with demolition!

Larry loves him some power tools, and taught me how to use them.

We rented an apartment five minutes away, and stayed there for a few months while the house rehab went on. Michiyo would stop by often while we were working, but her and Hiro had to stay away during the major tasks. I love that smile--she was so supportive the entire time.


To remove all the debris, we had to sort it into dry wall and wood. Thankfully, my neighbor Marty and others were always in need of some firewood, and we built quite a pile. His wife took one look at my tower and correctly stated, "You played with Legos when you were a kid." Still do.
The dry wall mess was broken down and fit neatly into 32 heavy duty bags. My sister Katie and her husband Mike assisted with the removal of all these, involving a wheelbarrow and an old door serving as a ramp up the steps. My new neighbors assisted with the, uh, disposal.

P.S. Please do not leave without reading the "Thank You" post, found on the right or clicking here: Thank you!