The Shed will be done before the snow.

Rudy squares up the base of the deck.



The shed was built at SAIT and transported to our house in pieces. Nick, Devon and a workmate of Rudy's carry pieces into the yard.



Devon and Rudy put the walls in place.



Nick working on the roof.

The shed is papered.


Rudy finishes shingling the roof and sides the walls.

Thanksgiving Weeekend - Upper deck is complete

The deck manager.

The hired help.

The pergola to help keep shade and reduce the heat.

One more face board on the bottom step to do.

Some railings for the lower deck will be added next spring. We decided on a big umbrella for the lower deck instead of a second pergola. We will look for it in the spring. We need to finish the back of the house with some trim around the windows and doors. The boards are painted and ready to go but the shed takes priority now while the weather is good.

A big improvement from what it was.

September long weekend - Working on the front

Over the last few weeks we cleaned up a sore spot in the front. Rudy dug/axed/sawed out a whole row of dead/ugly cottoneasters.





We put in 2 mugo pine, 3 rose bushes and a crabapple tree. We layered the area with stones (over landscape cloth) from the backyard (old RV spot) to keep it nice and clean.

The apple tree has the red crabapples that you can make jelly out of.



I painted the brick on the house and garage. We wanted to replace with a modern stone but with so much still to do we have to watch the pennies....maybe next year.


I found these great pots we put on the side of the house (they match the paint) and next spring we will put tomatoes and peppers in them. It is very hot against this wall and it will be perfect.


So nice and neat! Numbers on the house and new garage lights completes the look.

September 20 - Slow but sure we get the work done

The floor boards are down. Most railings are up and Rudy is working on the skirting (as soon as he finishes his cafe vanilla frappacino)



He still needs to face each of the steps to hide the back and build the pergola. September 23 he starts the pergola which we desperately need to keep the heat off the deck. The boards are all painted for trim on door and windows so they will be put up in the next few days as well.


The lower deck will get a pergola as well but that will be a spring job...time is running out and he still needs to put the shed up before winter (shed was constructed at work in the shop and he needs to get it home)

Will post again this fall with pictures of the finished deck and shed.

July 5 - 1 year. Deck Work and Exterior Painting

Rudy spraying the front of the house.

Rudy spraying the back of the house. Deck still needs steps to lower deck and all the hand rails and backing for the steps.

He actually liked doing it. The house took 20 gallons of paint for the stucco. 3 - 4 gallons for trim(not yet finished) and we have a 5 gallon pail which we did the fence in and some accents on the house still to come.

The gun/sprayer was rented at 80.00 a day.

I did the lower trim and Rudy did the high stuff.

Almost finished. We need to paint the downspouts, accent the windows, remove the red brick and replace with a stone and put lights back up on the garage.


There is a big difference. We hope it looks updated.

May 24 - Long Weekend Deck Work

Rudy starts framing on Friday (did you know if you double click the picture it will make it full screen)



This is the upper deck. One jut out is for the barbeque, (Rudy's cooking station)the other a little corner for plants and a small sitting area (thinking of a little cafe table with mosaic tile on tip and 2 cafe style chairs - not for sitting - just for looking.) There is going to be a lower deck under the family room window for our table and chairs. We are also going to build a pergola over the dining table. This is a south exposure with lots of sun coming in the window. Stairs will come off the front of the upper deck and down to the dining deck.


Rudy wanted under mount screws so we first had to screw on all these brackets WHICH yours truly used a power drill and I put this all in.

We went with Cedar. Rudy is screwing the boards down. He looks pretty in my hat!


Although it looks better not to have the screws exposed is sure is a lot of back breaking work. We also put a border around the deck for a more finished look.




AND then the rain came so this is where we are at Tuesday morning when we are all back to work.

May 18 - Long Weekend Deck Building

Rudy has 5 days off and we are dedicating the long weekend to deck building. The weather calls for rain most days so let's hope it will be at night. He starts Wednesday night with foundation work. The old deck was cleared away last fall.



Rudy puts all the brick from the fireplace as a base (piled in the backyard all winter) and layers gravel. Clean and dry

We have yards of free gravel. This was a 5th wheel pad...we don't have a 5th wheel but we need lots of gravel.
I'm saving some of the perennials


I'm going to post everyday this weekend so check back often.