More Windows

More of the plywood has been taken down off the house, and the place is looking more and more lived in.  Here is a recent picture:

The front of the house, September 2015

Working on a house when the windows are covered with plywood is really depressing, and now the house is filled with light and fresh air.  With our recent heat waves (it's predicted to be over 90 tomorrow), having the ability to open the windows has been critical.

Additionally, the downstairs door glass has been missing for years.  The opening was boarded up, and the original window in the door was smashed when we got the house.  The door needed a lot of work, including fixing the latch and knobs, adding a lock, and putting up a security gate to keep the place locked.  So all this time, the door hasn't had a window - just an open space with a curtain in it.

Last week, I ordered a beveled glass window from a business that makes glass.  The business has the somewhat unfortunate name of "ADM SneezeGuards" and they do incredible work.  I already had gotten a large beveled glass window to replace the plastic in the door of Rockhead and Quarry - so now I turned to them to do a beveled glass window for the Walnut Street house.  They didn't disappoint me - the new glass arrived yesterday, and I installed it today.  It looks incredible, and is heavy and appropriate for the door.

The front door to the downstairs unit, with the beveled glass window (hard to see in the photo)

There are still a couple windows covered up - the ones on the street on the north side are mostly covered, to keep people from climbing in.  A broken window in the dining room is still covered, and the window the the left of the front door, which needs to be replaced with a leaded glass window.  I plan to start working on the leaded glass window soon, and will put it in once I finish it.  

The most interesting thing about the house at the moment is how manageable it all seems to me.  After moving the Cheney Cottage in two pieces, and doing a huge restoration on it, plus building a new first floor for the Delaney House, the Walnut Street house seems simple.  We need to move it, obviously, and put in a new foundation and cripple walls.  We need to rewire it and replace the plumbing; do some work on the kitchens; add second bathrooms to each unit; and install heating systems.  The floors need to be refinished, and the walls will need repair and repainting.  The porch stairs will need to be rebuilt.  There is even some paint stripping to be done (on the doors, on some of the trim).  

But none of it seems that huge. This house is going to be a snap.  (Feel free to remind me that I said this when I complain about how much work it is.)

Meanwhile, the City of Berkeley process is chugging along.  Our contact at the Permit Center has been working with Tom to figure out all the variances, and we are getting everything aligned there.  We still hope to get this through the process during the first quarter or 2016.  Once we get our permits, the house move will happen - probably right in the middle of when El Niño hits.  We haven't moved a house yet during a drought, but we seem to specialize in house moving during incredibly wet winters.  

More to come, stay tuned.