I am ecstatic to report that Joe and I tore out the old and installed the new staircase the weekend before last. The first day went really well and all the planning I did beforehand paid off. The second day dealing with the landing and where it ended up (something I couldn’t really plan until I got there) was a tad bit more daunting (understatement of my lifetime) and difficult. However, I am very relieved to report that after Joe left I spent another few hours finally finishing it and getting over my melt down. The old staircase was dangerously steep and the new one came out better then I had ever hoped for!

This last weekend mom and I moved out of my child hood home completely and got her moved into her new place. Two days of hauling and four very tired people later and we got it done! The bank approved us so now we can get the old garage down at Grandma’s house and put in our first major order of the new garage, the windows and doors for the house, and the tub (at least). Over the last two weeks I’ve been framing my butt off, the second floor is completed, the laundry room (in the dining room) is completed, the closet under the stairs and the new staircase is completed. My amazing bro and dad came over and helped me support and then cut out the header for the new staircase last week so that’s now all done! My next job is getting the framing done in the screened in porch.

We’re technically behind the timeline I made last winter for Grandma’s house as I wanted June 1st to be done with all of the framing. However, I made the timeline before I knew that I would also be moving mom and I in the midst of all of this. My brother and his family are also moving into my mom’s old place this week and he has a couple of more weeks of work he’s getting done of his own house. It all means a lot less time working on Grandma’s house however, now I can get my new garage ordered and put up so then I can get the basement cleaned out and framing done down there. Next step this week is for me to get the framing done in my guest bedroom, the office and that whole hall area framed in and our cast iron tub moved so I can frame in the new bathroom on the main floor, from there I need to actually put in a floor in the old wood shed (have to clean it out first . . .) and frame in the closet there as well. After that the framing in the basement needs to be done, but that garage has to be up first so I can clean it out. Not to mention putting in all of the new windows and outside doors, Phew! It is another month of work (at least . . .) before I can start plumbing and electrical however things have been going really quickly and smoothly. Check out the photo gallery for more pics, I promise to take a lot more as the lawn is now green and beautiful and I need to get shots of the outside of the house and garage before we take the old garage down.