Farmhouse Renovation: Weeks 3 & 4

Well we have officially owned the farmhouse project for 4 weeks now, and I am impressed with how much we have been able to accomplish despite the colder than normal temperatures. Almost everything that is temperature dependent is finished, and once we get the new structure framed and closed in, it wont matter if the weather turns cold again.

For those of you who are interested in the details…

With temperatures in single digits and low teens during week 3, concrete was not able to be poured so we used this time to frame up the footings and line up the appropriate inspections.

Things finally warmed up for week 4! We are obviously starting from scratch here, with 16 in wide and 8 in deep concrete footings. Adam does all his own concrete work, but I think even he was ‘over it’ by the time this foundation was poured.

Next up, we have the 4 ft concrete walls that will serve as the foundation for the structure we will eventually be adding to the home. As you can see from the photos, we are adding quite a bit of square footage to this home! I think even the city is impressed (ha!).

It’s definitely been nice that Iowa has given us a break with the cold weather so we could finish some of the temperature dependent parts of this project, and hopefully the weather will hold out one more week so we can get the floor poured. Thanks for stopping by the blog today and joining us for this crazy journey!

Cheers!

-Rachael

The 'Great Outdoors' Project

Winter has arrived in full force here in the Midwest, and that means all outdoor projects have to be wrapped up. If Iowa wasn’t such an extreme weather state maybe we could work outside into December, but once the air hoses and tools start to freeze/not function properly, we call it quits for the (outdoor) season.

We did get to finish up one last project for the year, one which completes a series of outdoor renovations at a particular client’s home. This home is situated next to a golf course and has stunning views of the surrounding landscape, however the grading of the back yard and limited outdoor space made enjoying this little slice of heaven challenging.

The projects at this location included a new and expanded deck, new retaining wall and extensive dirt work/grading, as well as a complete overhaul of an existing screened in area to make it weather proof and fully functional addition to their home. All of these renovations were completed by adam and aps construction.

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The Raised Deck

Original Deck Photos

As you can see, this deck was functional but small, and showed wear from the elements over the years. In the last picture, you can see the screened in area in its ‘before’ state as well.

New deck photos

This project was completed with cedar boards and aluminum spindles, check out that view!

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Retaining Wall and Yard Grading

This part of the project was very important, as it produced level yard space that could then be used for additional structures, fire pit, you name it! Here are a few before/after shots.

As you can see, not much of this part of the yard was usable due to the terrain, but that is no longer a problem!

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Screened in porch overhaul

original photos

The final leg of this outdoor project was to update the existing screened in porch/patio area underneath the raised deck. this room was not being used to its full potential, since it was at the mercy of the harsh Iowa weather.

New and improved four seasons room

With new framing, insulation, windows, doors, and stacked stone vinyl siding, this room is now ready for the elements and can be used to enjoy the golf course views and Iowa sunsets year round.

(disregard the red tape :)

The completion of this project brings our time outside for 2018 to a close, but that doesn’t mean our schedule slows down. we simply transition to more wood working projects, furniture making, and various other items that can be completed indoors. And of course, snow removal, because this is iowa after all!