The big project
 

You may or may not remember, my father passed way last December. My mother insisted that she was just fine living alone, and since she is still relatively healthy in mind and body, my siblings and I were comfortable with her decision. But she fell one time, and more often when I called her, she would get weepy. My wife and I wanted to take her in , but there was no room, and we couldn't afford to add on to our house. My two brothers didn't offer to take her in, and my mother did not want to move to Florida with my sister. We investigated the myriad of old folks living arrangements, but she felt that couldn't afford them. Finally, she offered to pay for an addition to my house, out of the sale of her house, so that she could come live with us.
After my sister threw her tantrum, and we revisited the old folks living arrangements again, we are proceeding with the plan. We are adding space for a larger kitchen, enclosing our breezeway, and converting our garage to a large bedroom with bath and office/sitting area.

Good on you Spex ... those are difficult family matters

Oh, and contractors will love you... jobs, jobs, jobs

Step one: Build a shed to house all the crap in our garage and breezeway (we use the garage strictly for storage)

I was the gofer, helping my friend the professional carpenter. I don't have mad skilz like Jim. :sniff:

Thanks. It's brought out some things in my siblings that I have never seen before from them.

People get stressed and irrational when it comes to family stuff. Try to give them the benefit of the doubt. Good on you for stepping up.

Cool, keep us updated.

Yes, family issues are tricky. I'm so impressed you have agreed to be a carer. Despite received wisdom I think many aging parents are well cared for these days.

Drop your Mum off at your sister's for a couple of weeks, see how she [sis] feels then.
Nah, that's mean of me. I'm sure everyone is trying for the best solution. It sounds like you have it now.

Wow - that went up quick!

I'm kind of mad at my skilz. my deck project is still dragging on an on. I have made a little progress, but between rain and my ridiculous lack of free time,.... bleh. I'm tired just thinking about it

Thanks
I will
I was amazed at how quickly things progressed.
Your skilz rock. The weather and free time bandits are screwing with you.

Both of my parents function perfectly well, for the most part, but...

God I wish I had a brother or sister to drop them off to.

Wow, that's a hell of a project (the whole thing I mean, though the shed's pretty cool too.) Is the carpenter friend going to be the one doing the home addition too?

No, we're using a professional contractor

Spex, you might want to put your level along that nearest edge just one more time ;)
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Good for you spexx. Looks like things are coming along very well.

demolition has begun

I always wanted a sun roof in the breezeway and garage.

Next: this tree that must come down (hopefully, it's coming down now).

No more tree.

No more garage roof

Checking to see what's inside the walls

Getting on well!

Where's the insulation?

what do you mean, no more tree? It's right there!

The house was built in 1951, before insulation was invented (around here).;)

No garage door

no roof

No breezeway

From our bedroom

I've been remiss

No more breezeway

Dug foundation for new addition, built foundation, added height to the existing structure.

Floors

Walls goooooooing up!

Front: before, during, currently

Excellent!

End: before, during, currently

rear: before, during, currently

Vent that's been covered up for who knows how long.

Isn't this just special? You can see how the birdhouse grew over the years.

Attachment 36737

Studded out closet and bathroom, roughed in electric

View of dining room from living room, then and now. Yes, that's a temporary wall cutting off the entire room.

Damn LOTS Of work done !!
Good Job !!

Unreal. I wish I had your skills.

Where will you park your car now that the garage is gone?

Nonononononononononooooooo! I am not doing this. The contractor asked my wife what idiot installed the ceiling fan in the dining room. THAT was me.:o I haz like negative 2 handyman skilz.

In the driveway. The garage has had a car in it once - It was storage and party overflow area.

I've seen Spexie's rear!
The front looks like your house is a set of Russian dolls :)

It's all marvellous. Congrats on the whole project. Lucky Mom.
How is your sister about all this now?

Don't care. She and her family were cold to me and my family at Thanksgiving, so she's dead to me. She can become reincarnated to me if she makes ammends, but for now she's dead to me.