Home Theater

I spent some time installing audio cables for surround sound throughout the living room. Also, I added a second zone for the dining area. It's pretty easy to do at this stage when the walls are open, so I couldn't miss the opportunity.

The living room zone is wired in 14AWG CL2 rated speaker cable from Monoprice. I've found their prices to be a fraction of other vendors and very decent quality. The second zone in the dining area is 12AWG, to keep down loss on the line with the long length (about 50 feet).

...special thanks to her highness Sara for the mad wiring skillz.

Drywall Prep and Inspections

The ductwork is all boxed in and ready for drywall. Also, the open brick wall is re-pointed. This week we'll have the electrical inspection and insulation install. Unfortunately, the cabinets I ordered are too tall for the space below the ductwork in the kitchen so I'll have to send back all the wall cabinets and order some three inches shorter. It's a costly mistake--measure twice, cut once.

HVAC Ductwork

Things are really starting to come together with the renovation. Ductwork is complete--the conduit it not completely hidden in the ceiling as I would have liked. It proved to be too difficult (and expensive) to have the duct completely hidden. Also, in the second photo you can see metal hangers along the ceiling joints to level the ceiling drywall.

Plumbing and Electrical

The plumbing/inspection is complete, making way for the new concrete slab. All the water pipes and drainers are now tucked away in the outer walls of the building, achieving an open layout. Next up is electrical, which should only take a few days. I'm having the service upgraded to 200 Amps to support my lust for electronics (and possibly solar panels one day).

 

Taking Shape

The structure is shaping up now that the newly leveled sub floor is complete. Framing for new upstairs bath is also done. The bath tub and shower pan had to be nailed in place before the plumbing can be completed.

Plumbing Demolition

The concrete slab on the first floor must be opened up in order to relocate the primary drainer. It's a big job, but will facilitate the open floor plan by moving all plumbing to exterior walls.

Sub-floor Replacement

The upstairs level, as in most row homes of this era, has significant settling, and must be leveled. It's a good idea to just remove the existing sub floor down to the joists. Then a "cap" can be placed on top of each joist providing a sturdy level platform for the new sub floor.

More Demolition

The work on the exposed brick wall is coming along well. The lose mortar is removed across the whole surface and replaced. This is necessary to maintain the  integrity of the wall, and also to cut down on dust, which is produced by old, decaying mortar.

The master bedroom -- demolition of existing closet structure.

Wall is removed to make way for the new upstairs bath.

Kitchen Cabinetry

The kitchen is really the focal point of the new living space in this rowhouse. After the renovation, the space will be wide open with the kitchen cabinets greeting you at the front door. I wanted something that provides a good mix of traditional and contemporary design elements (modern traditional-ish).

While researching manufacturers I consulted a friend who worked in cabinet sales. He guided me toward Thomasville and Kraftmaid for a good balance of quality, price and style. I ultimately decided on Thomasville Cabbot. It's a minimal-ish door style, but not a slab. Be sure to check the schedule on retailer and manufacturer discounts. Depending on the time of year, there could be any number of promotions. Also, keep in mind that cabinets must be ordered at least five weeks out from the installation date.

Demolition Continues...

The crew is making great progress on the demo work. It's a bit stressful though as they uncover surprises under the walls. It looks like we'll have to relocate some of the gas lines and plumbing, which is outside the scope of the original plan. Luckily, we haven't found any surprises structurally--these old row houses typically have joists that span party wall to party wall. This "feature" is handy for renovation work, adding flexibility in the fact that there are no load bearing internal walls.

Demolition Day

After a lengthy battle with the permit process, I have received approval for the building plans along with public use permits for dumpsters, etc. The photo below shows the beginning of what will be an exposed brick wall on the north side of the living room.

The Plan

See the plans below. The open floor plan gives the home a more modern feel with the new kitchen open to the living room. Also, an added bath on the second floor brings this historic rowhouse inline with today's standards.

The Search

The real estate market in the Washington DC area has tamed a bit since the market crash of '08, but still maintains decent movement when properties are priced right. Finding a rowhouse that's both a bargain and is sound structurally has been a challenge.  This property is actually the fifth that I placed an offer on--finally winning out against the competition (admittedly paying a bit more than hoped). The row house has three bedrooms, one and a half baths, situated in a typical Victorian layout. The property was last renovated in the early 70's so it contains some more modern conveniences such as modern plumbing and HVAC.

The neighborhood, Shaw, is situated on the northern end of Washington's historic core. Shaw is centrally located along U St near Ledroit Park and just north of Logan Circle. It has a rich cultural history and contains a neighborhood currently known as "Little Ethiopia".

Over the next few months, I'll chronicle the renovation project both from a planning perspective and through execution. This has been a popular topic in recent years with house flipping shows inundating HGTV and TLC. Although my goals aren't as profit oriented as some, it will be nice to stay in the black on this project.

Stay tuned...