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2107 Rubens Oct 2002

2107 Rubens now

Main Page
Phase 1        Exterior repair        Exterior painting        Garage doors
Phase 2        Windows        Landscape        Fence
Phase 3        Strip Kitchen        Strip Master Bath        Strip Upstairs bath        Modify ceilings        Install lights        Repair Laundry Closet wall
Phase 4        Sand and paint trim        Sand and paint doors        Sand and paint cabinets        Repair kitchen wall behind dishwasher
Phase 5        Paint walls        Paint ceiling        Seal panelling        Tile floors
Phase 6        Wood floor        Install Kitchen countertops        Install Appliances        Bathroom Cabinets & countertops        Reinstall doors
Phase 7        Carpeting        A/C compressor        Hot water heater

Phase 3



Strip Kitchen



    Remove kitchen appliances and cabinets

The kitchen cabinets have 22 doors, each with two hinges, each with 6 brass screws. Most of the screws had the heads messed up and we had to take them out with a drill and screw extractor. Very time consuming!

12-02-04(b) Kitchen

12-02-04(c) Kitchen

12-02-04(d) Kitchen

12-02-04(e) Kitchen under sink

12-02-04(f) Kitchen original oven

12-06-04(9) Kitchen stripped

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    Strip kitchen floor

12-08-04(6) Stripping kitchen floor

12-08-04(7) Stripping kitchen floor

12-10-04(6) Stripping kitchen floor

12-10-04(7) Stripping kitchen floor

12-12-04(3) Stripping kitchen floor

12-12-04(5) Stripping breakfast nook floor

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Strip Master Bath

12-10-04(4) Master bath sink stripped

12-10-04(5) Master bath cabinet stripped

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Strip Upstairs bath



Modify ceilings



    Kitchen ceiling

The kitchen ceiling was low with three large plastic panels with incandescent bulbs above the panels. We decided to raise the ceiling and put in a "puff" or "cloud" light with 4 fluorescent bulbs. We had to move a heating duct and then angle in the sides of the raised portion.

12-02-04(a) Kitchen ceiling

12-12-04(2) Cutting into kitchen ceiling

12-12-04(4) Cutting into kitchen ceiling

02-03-05(7) Kitchen ceiling sheetrocked

02-03-05(8) Kitchen ceiling sheetrocked

02-19-05(5) Kitchen ceiling, plastered

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    Master Bath ceiling

The master bath had a low ceiling and poor lighting that made the room feel small and cramped. We decided to raise that ceiling, like the kitchen. We noticed a soft damp spot in the ceiling over the master bath tub. When we opened the ceiling, we found the roof was leaking down the water heater vent. The vent cap was partially missing so we replaced it. But it still seams to leak. CORRECTION: last night (03-25-05) was the first good rain in weeks and no leak. So now we are closing up the ceiling.

01-13-05(1) Cutting into bathroom ceiling

01-13-05(a) Cutting into bathroom ceiling

01-13-05(b) Cutting into bathroom ceiling

01-13-05(c) Cutting into bathroom ceiling

03-26-05(1) Master Bath Ceiling

03-26-05(5) Patch over Master Bath tub

03-30-05(3) Redone heater vent

03-30-05(4) New exhaust vent

03-30-05(5) Master bath vents with covers

04-03-05(1) Master Bath ceiling plastered

04-03-05(2) Master Bath ceiling plastered

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    Upstairs Bath ceiling



Install lights



    Kitchen



    Master bath



    Second bath

04-22-05(1) Upstairs bath exhaust vent

04-22-05(2) Soffit vent

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    Living room down lights

The living room had only the bracket for a swag lamp. So we removed the bracket and put in 6 down lights on a dimmer switch.

01-07-05(2) Living room down lights

01-07-05(3) Living room down lights

01-07-05(4) Living room down lights

01-07-05(5) Living room down lights

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    Replace Den light with fan brace

The den light was a foot-square box mounted in the ceiling. We removed it and put in a bracket to support a ceiling fan, then filled in around the electrical box with sheetrock and plastered it.

03-11-05(2) Den ceiling

03-13-05(6) Ceiling fan for Den

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Repair Laundry Closet wall

There was a piece of gas line sitting in the corner of the closet. I tracked it back to a line that was spliced into the hot water heater in a closet that backs up to the laundry closet. It had been broken off in the wall! I'm thankful that the gas was not on or the wall and ceiling would have filled with gas. The neighbor commented "They would have seen us on the 10 o'clock News!" I removed the line and put a plug where the line was connected. The back wall had water damage. When I tapped on the wall while removing it, sparks would fly out of the outlet for the washing machine. The outlet had a large hole melted in the back of it.

03-08-05(1) Laundry closet wall

03-08-05(2) Laundry closet wall

03-08-05(b) Burned laundry closet outlet

03-10-05(1) Laundry closet wall

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