Demolition

The demolition has begun!  7:32 am the first blow to the old cabinets was struck, alas, not by me but by the demo crew.  They had about 6-8 people working to remove the walls today.  (Tomorrow is the floor).  It is pretty drastic the change in having no cabinets in a space-- it is so big! 

We are also able to see how other remodels have gone.  In one case there was a former door where our fridge formerly was!  It was about a foot from the current door into the dining room-- and about another 2 feet from where the new opening will be. 

the opening to the former powder room--and major steel beam issue possibility

 We have already run into some issues.  In the wall we are removing that once separated Will's office, there were some radiator pipes on either side of the door.  Not a big deal to relocate the pipes, just a pain.

so much space without cabinets!

 The big issue is above the old powder room door.  There is a steel beam that seems to not go across the entire width of the house.  It is a major load baring wall.  This requires a structural engineer and some investigative work.  Hopefully it isn't the case (they haven't exposed all of the beam yet).  But, if it is the case, then that requires additional steel to support the upper floors of the house properly.  We will find out tomorrow.

the opening to the foyer will be widened

 Tomorrow the rest of the coat closet goes.  The floors go.  And there will be a new opening into the dining room.   Stay Tuned!

Will's former office-- notice the radiator pipes on either side of the doorway

from Will's office, before all the wallboard and lathe was removed

the white door on the left is the current opening to the dining.  The cemented-in opening was one uncovered. New opening will be to the right of that opening.

Will inspecting the beam above the bathroom doorway

a peek into the past construction: once a doorway to the outside that was hacked off and covered up by drywall