Monday Madness

Things were really popping today! When I got down to the new house to do the electrical walk through, the plumbing inspector had already been there, and the water meter guys were getting ready to tear things up.

Then I walked in and found the gas fireplace sitting in the middle of the living room.

Not to be outdone, Jason the Mason and his crew were well on their way to building the firebox for the family room fireplace.

We walked through checking on canned lights in the kitchen,

outlets on the porch, and all the rest.

Meanwhile back at the street, they had dug up the road.

They found the water main, and attached…

this nifty little gizmo to tie us into the city water.

Then they put the “magic bullet” down in the trench at the curb and let it work its way like a pneumatic robotic mole under the street to the waiting water main.

While that was working, the guys got to work measuring out the 1” copper pipe that would connect the water meter to the main.

When the trusty metal mole came through, they taped up the end of the copper pipe …

and fed it through the tunnel to the hole in the street.

A little coaxing, some hand tightening,

and a little wrench work later, we had a fountain

arcing across the driveway.

Satisfied that the first bit worked, they got to work on the business end:

They had to put this water meter in,

leaving some pipe for us to attach to,

and then encase the whole deal in the cast iron casket:

Soon enough it looked like a water meter.

They didn’t exactly put it where I had my stake, but hopefully we’ll get the gas people to work around it.

Meanwhile, back in the bat cave,

The gas fireplace installers were smoking along.

What light above yon window shines?

Yea, though it shines like the moon, methinks it is instead the hole for the vent pipe.

They got the vent out where I thought it would be the least conspicuous, and they installed the bling:

I think we can paint it to match the siding, and it will be very low key.

And this is how it is placed in the room as you enter from the front foyer.

Meanwhile in the family room, Jason wanted to demonstrate the arch he plans to put on the fireplace. He was just about finished with the firebox and wanted to make sure the height pleased me.

The height I had to be to get this shot did not please me, but I just had to follow the progress from above. The fireplace on the porch will have a raised hearth, so although the fireboxes are back to back they aren’t completely symmetrical.

From this view, you can see the ash drop and the tunnel where the gas starter will run.

While all this was going on, the low voltage guys were steadily stringing up boxes for phone, computers, tv, internet, alarm, smoke and carbon detectors, etc, and the electricians were working on their punch list from the inspection. A sheet rock installer was measuring and taking notes to prepare a bid, and a foam installer and a cabinet maker were finalizing their bids.

The house looks so peaceful sitting there. It’s hard to imagine what a hive of activity it was today.