welcome to this blog!

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Since any major home remodeling project can be a harrowing experience, I thought it might be helpful to share my ups and downs with the world.
We're doing a "duplex down" of our 2-flat in Logan Square of Chicago. It's a nice brick building, that I've dated to the fall of 1896.

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Up on the Roof, Down goes the old

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Our 2nd floor tenants here mentioned the ceiling in the kitchen was showing some water damage again after the last big snowstorm. I figured I had already patched that area above the kitchen with lots of tar last year, but apparently to no avail. I've know since I bought the building that the roof needed to be completely replaced, since much of it was rippled and many of the joints with the parapet walls were tearing.  I made the mistake of hiring some fly by night contractors to put a layer of paint-able rubber membrane on over 5 years ago, and I thought that would hold it for awhile, but the membrane already had started coming off in the same year.  At that same time, I did get some estimates for a 'modified bitumen roof' for about $10K.  Once of the estimators took a sample of my existing roof, and said there were 7 layers of roof, and what looked to be the original gravel roof! So, obviously, this roof needed to be completely torn off. I contacted a numbe...
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Nip and tuck

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Once spring finally arrived in Chicago, it became clear the front parapet wall needed to be repaired before a city inspector looked up. BEFORE I already had a quote in hand from Stan Guzik for rebuilding the top part of the wall, full tuckpointing, and brick cleaning.  I hoped to have Marion Restoration out for an updated quote, but no call back from them.  I was very concerned how the brick itself would be treated throughout the process, since they don't make the same face brick anymore, and the joints are not your modern 1/4" joint, they are 'butter joints' which are about 1/8" thick.  The typical electric grinder used to remove the old mortar would surely destroy the brick.  I didn't get any verbal assurances from Stan that the brick would be untouched before the job, and i didn't press for any answers, either (more later). *falling* stone facade (on misty morning), you can also see open mortar joints below and around window sill, and the...
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2nd floor windows and move-in

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Rick did an amazing job putting the existing window 2nd floor window jambs and casing back into place. Before the new windows went in, he was able to take out the old casing and window counterweight pockets without tearing up the drywall. Big points there. He had to create some extension pieces to compensate for the new window sizes. Definitely the work of a pro! I like that he changed the width of the window jamb to get the window casing flush with the drywall. It really looks tight, like fine furniture. Evie and I moved upstairs last week. New furance is working already, and cats feel really at home again. so do we! First floor rehab continues. I have to finish small plumbing, electrical, and ventilation stuff before getting the drywall on.
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