leangreen.org recycled renovation on a low-budget ration

Welcome to Phase 5 of the construction process. We are upstairs with drywall! In Phase 1, we lived in the shaky, bug-infested house for three years prior to construction. Right before lifting the house, we moved into a temporary apartment in Oakland. Since Brian worked from home, we used a ladder to get into the house through the elevated front door (at around 10 feet high). Once the slab was poured and the rough framing complete, Tom and Vince built a ramp so that Elbie (our 130-pound Newfoundland) could climb up to our back door to the second floor. When we started demolition of the second floor interior walls and ceiling, we were driven into the dark cavern of the garage where we remained for two years until last week.

First impression of the new space: we like light! We have good views of the neighborhood redwoods from our front windows, but we did not anticipate that the house lift would bring us to the height of all the electric, cable and telephone wires converging at the telephone pole in front of our house. Dom appreciates the squirrels who dance across the high-wire, but we’re wondering how we might consolidate the zig-zagging lines. For now, we really appreciate the easy wake-up call by the sunlight in the morning.