Year: 2016

As Amáda and I are very conscious about sustainability, we decided to install a rain barrel on one of our gutters. This is the first of three that will be built around the house.

Amáda starts hauling loads of dirt, one wagon-load at a time to back-fill the deck footing holes and correcting the grade.

Meanwhile, I clean up the framing under the foundation overhang, and add some insulation.

Amáda uses retaining wall blocks to build another riser for a rain barrel.

I install a window well around the surprise basement window we discovered.

Amáda continues to haul loads of dirt and raise the grade beneath the new deck footprint.

I added a cover to the new window well.

Later, I used expanding foam and concrete patching to repair the damaged insulation around the foundation. I also replaced some old cedar siding on the dining room addition that was inappropriately fashioned around the old deck stairs. This was stained to match the existing siding.

I stucco the exposed foundation insulation to match the work done previously on the western side of the addition.

I also authored a petition for a Point of Sale inspections program in Columbia Heights, MN.

Loads of mulch and gravel are delivered.

I add landscape fabric to protect the new grade.

I begin hauling the gravel from the driveway to the new grade repair area beneath our deck project.