Garage addition, 2004-2005 Part IV, December 15 - Feb

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 Dec 23.  This is a beautiful picture of snow and ice, but when you are trying to get an addition done and the snow is coupled with below zero temperatures it's not completely wonderful.

This looks like nothing, but it is illustrative of my efforts to add the addition according to the guidelines set forth by historic preservationists.  The wall of the garage is about 3 feet from the edge of the back porch.  When it is done, the addition will have a 3 season room above the garage as an addition to the porch.  The garage will be a separate building with the floor of the room above cantilevered across the opening so that the structural integrity of the house remains, and if someone in the future should be eager to have an original house they could tear the garage down and the house would be intact as it originally was.  Of course they would have to add a lot of fill and some back steps, but those are both doable things and nothing would be lost.  In the meantime, I will be able to stay in my house that I love for many more years.

This is January 7.  The blocks are done and the cores pored.  These are blankets provided by the mason to attempt to keep the cores warm enough that they won't freeze, expand, and break the blocks.

February 16, snow again.  Greg has added the upright posts that will support the deck railing.

I have to say that Goldie loved it.  She wanted to go on long walks even if the snow was taller than she was in some places.  We didn't go.  I still remember the broken rib.

Jan 1, 2005  What a change!  The snow is almost gone thanks to temperatures in the 40's and even the 50's for the last three or so days.  The men came back and laid block Dec. 29 and 30 and the block part of the garage is almost done.  My contractor Greg tells me that after they fill the cores of some of the block, the temperature should stay above freezing for 10 days.  I hope they got that done, because I think we will have 10 days if it was done before the New Year holiday.

The block walls are done, but the cores of the blocks have been filled with cement and the cold weather is a problem

January 26.  The blankets are off and the walls look pretty good, thank goodness.

Inside the garage Greg now has erected scaffolding so that he has something to stand on while he builds the roof of the garage/ floor of the three season room and deck. 

February 4, these are two views of the project, from the alley and from the porch.