All posts by Chillmost

Erdwärme Angeschlossen

Things are happening. Our new heating system will be geothermal. This has caused a lot of headaches due to the advise received from so called experts that were talking out of their ass. There are a few things you need to calculate when you decide to go geothermal. Things like transmission-heat-loss values and the thickness of insulation in your house and the types of bricks in your walls are just a few of the kinds of things used to calculate the dimensions of a heating system. Continue reading

Drywall Getting Spackled

Finishing drywall seems like something I could do. I watched all kinds of youtube tutorial videos, how hard could it be? Well, pretty hard I guess. I have a few pals who’ve decided at various times in the past that they could spackle and sand drywall. It didn’t turn out so good. So when I asked them about their experience, they asked me a few questions: Continue reading

Trockenestrich

Yesterday I installed about 35m2 of dry flooring on the top floor. Each piece was 2.5 cm thick, 120cm X 60cm. Each one weighed a little over 22kg. It was a huge pain in the ass, but we got it done. I was really sore this morning.

When the room is done, I will either put up a wall across the room flush with the hole where the stairs will come up or I will put up walls around the stairs with a door at the top. Either way there needs to be some sort of separation for when I make loud music. Continue reading

More Carpentry Work…

Where the old and new parts of the house come together, there needs to be a barrier built to hide all the old bricks and new pipes, ducts and cables. Basically, this will be a thick and sturdy drywall construction with a few panels that provide access to various things like a ventilation ducts, floor heating distributor and indirect lighting fixtures.

So we spent the weekend starting the framework for the wall. For pics, read on. Continue reading

Building Stairs

So, a lot has been happening. A new site manager (Bauleiter) is helping us out and has opened our eyes to the myriad of mistakes made by the old one. Those mistakes are getting corrected slowly but surely and progress is being made. The roof is now totally filled with insulation. The house is being heated. The brick exterior is being restored to its former glory. There are still a few legal issues to get sorted, but they are getting sorted.

Yesterday, I built stairs from one part of the attic to the other. It was just the basic structure so that we’ll know where they will be so we can plan other stairs and wall structures underneath it. Our Bauleiter helped me out and we got it done in about 4-5 hours. It was not very physically demanding, but mentally it helped remind me of the hard work that is just around the corner as we prepare to rev this machine back up and get it finished.

IMG_2051

For more pics, read on. Continue reading

Osterfeuer

In Germany, it is a tradition among many homeowners and green thumbs to burn garden clippings on Easter Saturday. Brush, leaves, compost, sticks, weeds, whatever. Just throw it in a big pile out back and fire that mother up. As with any dangerous activity in Germany (I’m lookin’ at you, Schützenfest!), there is alcohol involved. The weather was still just cold enough that we felt a bottle of Glühwein was in order.

When we move into the new house (more on that enormous clusterfuck later), this might be the motivation I’ll need to do yard work. The more grass I cut, leaves I rake and bushes I trim, the bigger the next Easter fire will be.

osterfeuer2

osterfeuer1

Breaking Stuff

There are many Gewerke going on. Heating, plumbing, electric, Innenausbau, etc. There is not so much I can do at this point in regards to that stuff. However, in the Altbau I can help save money by prepping rooms for things to come. Need a new ceiling? The old one has to come down. Room gets a new floor? The old one has to come out. Need a new wall? Oh Yeahhhhhh! I’m busting through the old one like the Kool-aid Man. Unfortunately, I don’t have a picture of that.

Anyways, here are some pictures of me breaking stuff. I have more that I’ll add at some other time.