While we were in Puerto Vallarta this past week, they finally got the temporary electric pole electricity connected with a new meter. Travis ended up having to get involved to work with our electric company as CenterPoint wouldn’t install the temporary meter and connect the lines until our provider authorized it (basically they have to say they’ll be billing us for electricity used through that meter). Seems like it was all done yesterday. When we got to the house today, we were able to get the internet and security cameras working which we’re pleased about.
Glen had also told use that they had started framing interior walls at the front of the house where the roofline isn’t changing and no new foundation is being added. They were able to get the guest suite (bedroom/closet/bathroom) done as well as the study, powder room and parts of the utility room. The utility room extends on the west side to what will be new foundation so they can’t do the full room yet.
On a frustrating note, we determined that they removed the original mail slot (you can see it under the street numbers to the right of the front door in the banner picture above). We had planned on keeping the mail slot as a decorative element, but had not planned to use it for mail delivery. The box was very small and the mail person basically had to bend anything they put through the slot to get it down into the box. The construction crew had to remove the box as it was in the way for the new guest wall, but we’re not sure why they didn’t leave the external slot. Hopefully it’s still in the dumpster and they can dig it out. If not, they’ll have to do brick work to fill the hole the missing slot leaves.
Down below are photos of the framing that’s been done. We’ll try to describe what you’re seeing, but realize that it often just looks like a bunch of studs if you’re not familiar with the layout.
This is a photo from the front door looking down the hallway towards the living room. The wall to the right is the guest bedroom. The opening to the right is where the pocket doors leading into the study will be. The messenger bag on the floor is leaning up against the wall to the powder room (accessed from utility room) and beyond that is the utility room.
This photo is taken from the hallway facing through the pocket door opening into the study. You can see the header across the top where the pocket doors will go. The window in the back faces the street and will be replaced by a larger window that goes down closer to floor like the windows in the picture below. You can’t see it in this photo but there is a closet on the wall against the garage in the background.
This photo is from the hallway facing towards the guest suite. On the right side is the guest bedroom with two windows facing south and east. The guest bedroom is about 12’ x 12’. The opening in the middle is an alcove between the bedroom and the guest bath. There will also be pocket doors so that the alcove can be closed off from the hallway providing privacy between the bedroom & bathroom. They’re hard to see but behind the alcove is a linen closet that opens into the bathroom and a good size walk-in closet in the bedroom. The guest bathroom is on the left and currently still has two temporary posts in the middle of it helping hold up the room.
This photo is taken from the living room side of the utility room wall. You can see that the wall currently stops right in the middle of the open patio door on the right. Once they’ve added more foundation out there, this wall will extend another 6 or so feet to create a 6.5’ x 14’ utility room. They’re hard to see in this photo but in the background are the powder room and a slot for a utility room fridge.
This photo is taken from inside the utility room, right next to the existing patio door on the right. The recessed framing on the right is where the fridge will go. The opening to the left of that is where the door into the powder room will be. The opening on the left is the door to hallway. Just to the right of where the fridge opening is, there will be a door to the garage and ultimately there will be a door out to one of the patios on the west end of the room.