Looks so good and the dogs on the couch is awesome!

 

That paver work looks great! Glad you got the area against the wall fixed, that would have drove me crazy as well. Looks a lot better!

Happy New Year! Maybe this year, your project garage will be completed!

 

Not a huge project, but I did a little clean up and landscaping in the back around the new paver work. This wasn't really for looks as much as being functional to keep the clay off the new paver work. Since the builder failed to do this with the retaining wall install I was taking no chances this time around and was going to do it myself. It was also helpful in creating a place for the dogs to out to quickly when we are in the loft and not bring clay back inside.



I didn't want to use straw and end up dealing with the seeds it would leave behind, so I used long leaf pine needles. The area along the building will eventually be river rock and then the area towards the backyard will be about 1/3 additional grass and then the rest will stay pine needles since naturally, with all my pines, that is what all the are around the back of the garage ends up as.



I use this thing as a work truck. Although having a truck or a trailer would have been nicer for transporting 12 long leaf bales.





Lots of construction scraps had built up back here for a while. I got all that moved to the front scrap pile they have going. Don't mind all the old fence parts. I have kept all those sections around till I build the new fence on the back side of the garage as I want to use the already weathered pickets.













Really does help to make at least the back of the building seem finished from this angle.





Another good bit of news. There appears to be light at the end of the tunnel. They are here today setting up the forms, doing final grading, and setting the drainage boxes. The current plan is to pour concrete on Tuesday and Wednesday. They say it is too large an area to pour well in one day. Roughly 2500sqft.

 

Pavers from above looks :chefskiss:!

 

I don't think I have posted pictures of what has happened to the retaining wall, as it has been over a year since they installed it. It had been completely covered in orange clay since the builder had done nothing to protect it and it was left to clay splatter in heavy rain. I was skeptical that the retaining wall block being open faced was going to be able to be cleaned. The same happened with several spots of stone on the garage itself. The straw pictured, I eventually added myself to prevent it from getting any worse.











Guy came today and pressure washed it. It didn't fully dry until it was too dark to really tell but here is right after it was cleaned. Here is to hoping it came off really well. They know that if it doesn't come fully clean it will need to be replaced.















Initial thoughts are I am impressed and happy I appear to be wrong in my assumptions. Final verdict out until it is dry.







The concrete is indeed happening tomorrow. They were out to finish the last of the drains and start the forms today. Should be two to three trucks coming tomorrow to pour the pad for the area in front of all the garage doors as well as the sidewalk and the front porch. On Wednesday, the parking pad and main driveway strip is getting poured.

















Not sure why I randomly have last minute ideas come to me. Buried a piece of conduit under the new sidewalk so I can run some direct burial landscape wire out to a bed of trees I want to uplight.

 

I did that last part when we built our pool, ran some PVC under the rebar, plan to run ethernet to the guest/pool house. Wifi from the house is pretty spotty back there.

 

You have a guest house?!?!?!

 

Well, it's a little 'tiny house'
Full bath, kitchenette, and a bed. Pretty simple. Think I've posted it in my thread, at least from the outside, when we were building the pool

 

I figured it was your dog house, or kids play house!

 

Driveway and Sidewalk Day 1 are in the books. We finally have some concrete outside.



They started with the front porch that had to be redone because of the damage found on the house during this project. Then they worked on the sidewalk.









The area inside the garage doors was the rest of today's pour after that. The center diamond around the drain basin will get pavers to match the breezeway so as to break up the large 38x28ft area between the three garage doors.









It had been a long time since I broke the drone out so had to grab a few shots with more outside work being done.

 

It's gonna be a glorious time when we all congregate there and look at all of your cars. Maybe a row of rocking chairs would pull a premium haha. We can sit there and rock in the chairs while we drink cold beer and get fucked the hell up.

 

Hopefully, we can finally drag you up this way to hang out. Been too long since I saw you last. Absolutely looking forward to hosting monthly or every other month get-togethers here.

 

Looking amaxing.

 

That looks amazing! Is the part that connects to the street going to be more concrete or did you go with blacktop there?

 

Concrete all the way. Update incoming.

 

Day 2 is in the books. The parking pad and the rest of the main drive is complete.



Major milestone complete. Hopefully, it will be smooth sailing for the remaining few things still to go.







Tiny small casualty to the street where the street gave out to the cement truck at the end of the drive. They have to come back an fill that with asphalt patch. Hopefully, it will hold for a long time.













Had some more fun with the drone tonight after they were finished.

 

looks incredible!

 

Glad to see it looking closer to completion

 

Sweet!

 

Nothing major has been done since the driveway, but I did finally take my first walk on it on Sunday.



I put the flooring back in the lift bay. I had pulled it up before they did the driveway so they could work the concrete smooth from in the garage. I didn't want to deal with mud or concrete in my SwissTrax. I not only pulled that up for the first 7ft of the garage but then put cardboard down for them to walk on.



With the driveway finished, I was able to have the dogs outside while I worked. First time for that since they pulled up the very first section of my driveway close to 2 years ago. They were rather happy about it.









I had finally selected a ceiling fan for the loft, so I got that installed this weekend as well. Don't mind the ugly rug. It was given to me for free by my sister as she was going to throw it out. The rest of the loft decor is on hold right now since the space is at least usable.

 

Crazy it's been 2 years

 

Looks great and that glass wall still looks crazy.

Did we get a final update on how the power washing job came out? I would have hated to power wash that, I bet that all came right back at their faces as they sprayed the bottom

 

That's what I was thinking as I read that.

Rug doesn't look half bad! Use it until it gets dirty then get the plush one you want.

 

Oddly eough it came off really well without making much of a mess. I need to post up some pictures. The retaining wall I don't think we have any issue with. Now the light colored stone on the garage that was really orange is another story. They are coming out again to do that a second time but I am not sure some of that stone will not have to be replaced.

Yeah the rug isn't awful for free. I need to pull it under the couch more cause I hate that it is covering all the tile cause I love the tile. The dogs are happy there is a rug up there now though.

 

Driveway looks great J!

 

Got a few items knocked out today.



A little drywall repair was done.







The drywall work at the top is from before for the electric connection for the garage as well as setting the beams into the house wall for the breezeway roof. At the bottom, though, I had to cut out about 6ft wide by 1ft high of drywall during the summer. When they did the drainage work in the spring, I had them put a drain pipe in the ground under my AC drain. Well, that pipe was wedged under the drain pipe to the point that it put pressure on it. I guess the pipe wasn't glued well, and it was pulled apart. Came back from being out of town one week late at night. Got up the next morning and found water all over that side of the garage. Who knows how long that AC drain was pouring in the wall. I bought an access panel for them to put in so I can access that drain elbow for clogs or future repairs.



They also put in the matching door to the garage. These door panels are unfortunately wrong as the glass was supposed to be direct set in the door so all the trim could be painted vs the plastic frame these have. Supposedly, they are waiting till the end of the project to resolve this but we well see. I hope this isn't going to be a fight since these doors are going to be painted with no white.







The slot drain grates are also in now. They did a great job with the corner.

 

That breeze way ceiling looks so good but why the random missing pavers?

When I commented on the drain in the chat, I thought for sure you did it since it looked so good

 

The pavers were pulled so that we had a starting point to pull up the rest we need to pull out to set the posts for the breezeway gate and trashcan wall. I was surprised this was the choice but the paver guy said he would rather come back and recompact those areas and set the pavers again than have to work around 6 posts in the ground to start with. The outer 3 posts just bolt to footers we poured earlier. The middle 3 posts will get set in 2ft of concrete.

I would really like to get that gate installed before the spring. I am building the rest of the fence/gate once they set the posts. Siding removal for the new stone work is taking place today and then the posts can be set once that repair is painted. I am hoping that means next week. Then the paver guy can come back and do his remaining bit of work.

Nope, that work was done by one of the concrete guys employees. He seems to understand how particular I am about stuff as opposed to the main builder. Probably also appreciated the fact I treated his entire crew to pizza on the second day of concrete work.

 

Here is the results of the pressure washing.

Pretty much all of the wall looked like this or worse before they cleaned it.


After cleaning

 

Surprised it got that clean

 

Me too, looks great!

 

I told the builder that. I said I never thought it would come clean but that I was happy to be wrong. I never wanted to go through the hassle of having to try and force him to replace the wall.

 

Making tiny progress each day on checking off the list.



This vertical piece of trim has finally been replaced. It was damaged by the stone guys and then they had someone replace it. Apparently, that guy had zero care of what he was doing and installed the textured side of the board even though every piece of trim on the house and garage is smooth side out. It has now been replaced with a new piece with the smooth side out.





New door trim is all finished.





Siding removal for additional stone work. This will mean you will see stone all the way back to the gate on the left and until the trash can wall on the right, making it look like the stone goes all the way through the breezeway from the driveway. Should have done this from the start vs stopping at the doors.

 

I was able to get a little bit done this past weekend. On Friday, I got the rest of the bathroom finalized. Installed the light, mirror, and the bathroom fan, as well as finishing the switches for all of that.



I love it when I don't end up needing to use new work boxes to hang lights. I got lucky and had just a bit of stud overlap to install a pancake box with two 2in screws.











The only thing left for the bathroom for now is a proper trash can and to figure out a sealed quick connect for the dehumidifier drain line so I don't have to leave it installed like that when not in use. The pump line dumps in above the p trap which is why I want a sealed quick connect.





I was also able to tackle my plan for the future project on Sunday. I own nothing that can use this, but I didn't like installs with an electrical box vs hardwire. First time wiring up something with 6awg wire. Not too bad. Hopefully, everything is safe inside.









Not a huge Tesla fan but I do think they make the nicest looking EV charger for the wall.







I had Monday off so I used it to help a buddy put up tongue and groove pine ceiling on his front porch. They are doing a major home renovation. New windows, new siding, new porch ceiling, and new rear deck. We got a little more than halfway finished before having to call it a day due to lack of light. I was happy to help with this project as I plan to redo my back porch with tongue and groove cedar this spring so it gives me an idea of what to expect.

 

Bathroom looks great man, curious what is the EV charger for?

 

I wanted to future proof things but I also wanted the charger to be hardwired with no exposed conduit box. This meant I had to buy a charger now so that I could pass inspection as I couldn't just have the wire sticking out of the wall.

 

Clearly, you don’t know Jason, he also put in a hydrogen tank, just in case that takes off.

 

 

Just have the cover wrapped and you'll never even know!

 

Wouldn't surprise me lol