Rock On

Installation of sheet rock continues and is nearly complete in the parish hall rest room. The light fixture has been installed and plumbing will go in early next week. Demolition of the old rest room in the southwest corner of the parish hall is scheduled for this Monday, June 14. It has been in decrepit condition for some time now and its replacement with a new and attractive powder room at the other end of the parish hall is cause for celebration.

Sheet rock has been installed in one of the basement rest rooms also. It will begin going up on the walls of the parish hall early next week.

Electrical work continues including the relocation of the alarm system box to a less visible but readily accessible location.

Week Nine - Got Rock?

The project took another major step forward at the beginning of week nine with installation of the first sheet rock. The framing and studs have been in place for a few weeks now, awaiting completion of plumbing and electrical wiring. Insulation and interior walls are now in place in the ground floor restroom. Once it is completed and in working order, the demolition of the old restroom can take place.

Downstairs wiring, plumbing, sprinkler pipes and hvac components are rapidly disappearing behind sections of sheet rock. Their configuration and installation represent several weeks worth of coordinated effort, not to mention ingenuity in finding safe code-compliant space for all of these critical elements. Now the crew begins to make it look good on the outside.

Week Eight

After Memorial Day weekend the crew were back at work.

The bottom section of the soffit that conceals air conditioner duct work on the main floor of the parish hall is being completed. The plan is for crown molding to be installed at its top edge after the sheetrock is sanded and painted. It will be a huge improvement from the exposed ductwork.

Ductwork is being installed in restrooms on the lower level this week. It took some ingenuity to figure out where to put it, but our hvac crew did it. We will have heat and air for the first time in renovated areas of the basement.

Electrical installation continues. It must be completed before walls can be enclosed in sheet rock.

The old mechanical chase on the north wall of the basement has been removed and will be replaced with a new one.

Week Seven Catch-up

Oops! Missed a week. It's good to be back. Here's a quick review of what happened during week seven, although now it's midway through week eight.

Installation of studs for drywall installation is just about complete. Once the electrical work is done, the sheetrock can be installed. It's here and ready to go.

Downstairs we're setting a record for neatly and efficiently concealing the most electrical and mechanical apparatus inside one wall. It's almost like a sculpture or a collage - sometimes it seems a shame that we won't be able to see it after the work is complete.

The south wall of the basement has been repaired prior to installation of the sheet rock. Some of the mortar between the stones had deteriorated.

On the main floor, the frames around the windows are being reconfigured. Removal of the newer wood trim reveals what appear to be original materials.

Week Six Wrap-up

During week six a lot of work got done, but the visible changes were subtle. The installation of studs for drywall on the ground floor and in the basement was the big task. Sheet rock will be hung next week. First the sheet rock is secured to the studs, then it is taped and sanded multiple times to create a durable and smooth surface for painting.

Sheet rock will also be installed on the parish hall ceiling with insulation inside the ceiling joists. The insulation will help to moderate the temperature during hot and cold weather and save on heating and cooling costs.

The building work group met this week and began to select colors for various parts of the renovated area. Floor tile and counter top materials for the vestibule outside the kitchen have been chosen along with a stain color for the cabinets in that area. The group will look at samples of stained wood for the parish hall floor and wainscoting at its next meeting.

The old floor in the parish hall is gone - completely covered with plywood underlayment for the new floor. The plywood was first glued to the old flooring, then secured with wood screws. The new oak flooring will be installed on top of the plywood.

Week Six - Walls and Floor

Work progresses on the walls and floor of the ground floor of the parish hall. Studs for installing sheet rock are being set in place and the underlayment of the new floor is almost completely installed. Sheets of plywood are first glued to the floor, then secured with wood screws.

The walls of the vestibule outside the existing kitchen wall clearly outline the configuration of that space. Plumbing for the new upstairs rest room is beginning to take shape.

Heating and cooling the new space have been a major aspect of the work this week, but one which does not lend itself easily to visual images. The welcome news is that once the renovation is complete, the temperature in the basement will be much more comfortable both in winter and summer than it has been in the past. Ductwork is being routed that will dramatically improve the heat in the pantry storage room at the east end of the basement. This space is notorious for burst pipes during cold weather.

Week Five Wrap-up

Week five ended with the new ground floor and basement floor plans beginning to take shape. You can really start to see the new configuration of the two spaces.

The installation of plumbing in the new basement restrooms continues. It is a painstaking and detailed process of putting small segments of pipe together to fit into the allotted space and connect in all of the right spots.

On both floors, the metal framework that will support sheet rock for the new walls is being installed. On the ground floor, plywood underlayment for the new floor is being installed. As each sheet of plywood is secured, shims are placed beneath it to help level the old floor which shows the effects of 120 years of settling.

One of the most noticeable changes at the end of this week is the new room outside the kitchen on the ground floor. The existing wall between the kitchen and parish hall remains in place. The old cafeteria serving window will be filled in. Directly west of that wall is the first segment of the new stairs. They are enclosed in the new "vestibule" at the east end of the parish hall along with a prep and storage area on the north side and an ADA restroom on the south side.