October 2009...the bunnies learn that something is about to happen.
Bunnies discover the architectural plans at the Bunny Bungalow. They come to the conclusion that Tall Husband and Annie are building a gigantic rabbit hutch.
The architectural plans for the carriage house/studio out behind the Bunny Bungalow. We asked our architects, Rogers+Labarthe, to design a building that would look as if it had been built at the time of our 1920's Arts & Crafts Bungalow. We think they met our request.
A "before" construction shot of the back yard. The three crape myrtle trees were transplanted in other areas of our yard.
December 2, 2009 Ground breaking today! Some bad news: the plumbers found that we have antique, red clay sewer pipes which are clogged. We have to replace them. It's only time and money...groan.
Morning of December 4, 2009 Great news: They brought in the really big machine! Not so great news: it's snowing...in Houston!? So, no construction activity.
Morning of December 4, 2009 Tall Husband and I drove to The Bunny Bungalow to turn on the water to a drip and to cover our pots of lavender, as it is snowing and a hard freeze is predicted.
December 9, 2009: No work going on today. It has been cold and raining and the workmen are waiting on a repair part for the large machine and better weather. Prior to the rain, workman preparing the "Pad" discovered that the ground in some areas was soft. When they walked on it, the ground looked as though they were walking on a waterbed. The plumbers think that this is caused by leaky, antique red clay sewage pipes, which we thought had been replaced with modern PVC pipes. Tall Husband says, "Wrong! Beep!"
December 10, 2009 Original red clay sewer pipes, which our plumbers dug from the ground. They will be replaced soon.
The Bunny Bungalow's Studio/garage is about to begin.
December 23, 2009 At The Bunny Bungalow: old unstable dirt is removed and replaced with"select fill" dirt over a layer of lime...an added cost of $4,000.00
Terry at the controls.
When we arrived at the Bungalow today, we found that more work on the pad had been done...also, while we were there, a portable toilet was delivered.
December 30, 2009 Drainage pipes are installed and pass City of Houston inspection.
December 30, 2009 Construction Cat conducting a Cat Scan, as she is in charge of rodent and varmint control at the Bunny Bungalow construction site.
January 6, 2010 Foundation framing and rebar is in place. The slab was to be poured on this week, however, a hard freeze is on the way. So, the pour will be postponed a week to ensure a better chance at a good slab.
January 7th, 2010: the pad is covered to protect until after the hard freeze. The pouring of the slab is scheduled for Monday, January 11, 2010.
January 11, 2010 Don of DD&L, our contractor, confers with the Supervisor of the cement crew.
January 12, 2010 The slab is complete. In the morning light, workers remove the wooden forms.
Slab Happy on January 12, 2010
January 19, 2010 Tall Husband looks over the framing. This is just the second day of framing at The Bunny Bungalow's garage/studio.
January 19, 2010 Tall Husband took this shot of the second floor men while standing on a pile of lumber.
January 19, 2010 Second day of framing...the weather is beautiful.
January 19, 2010 A huge hawk does a flyover. I think he approves.
January 21, 2010
Tall Husband handing up the small Laural which he found in the alley. January 21, 2010
Crew taking the tiny tree up for "topping out."
Taking the tree atop the building
January 21, 2010 See the tiny Laural atop the framing?
January 25, 2010 Tall Husband's view from the Rear Window
January 25, 2010 Tall Husband at the construction site behind the Bunny Bungalow.
January 25, 2010 Tall Husband says, "Things are looking up."
January 25, 2010 Looking into the future laundry room.
The garage/studio on January 25, 2010
January 25, 2010 And look what's about to bloom at The Bunny Bungalow.
January 27, 2010: Our architect was not happy with execution of her design of the stoop cover...proportions are wrong and the quality of work is lacking. She said this is because the framing carpenter and not the finishing carpenter did the work.
January 27, 2010
January 27, 2010: The wiring will be underground, so these ugly wires will eventually disappear!
January 27, 2010: Full View of the Bunny Bungalow's garage/studio See the small crape myrtle tree in the right foreground? It is one of three that was professionally moved to make way for the Bunny Bungalow's garage/studio. Hope it blooms this summer!
Tall Husband in the doorway, January 30, 2010 This is the view from the back door of The Bunny Bungalow.
February 3, 2010 Yikes, what happened to the wrap? According to the Builder, the Structural Engineer paid a visit and had them add more nails and metal bracing...so the insulating wrap had to come off in places. This little garage/studio isn't going any where when the next hurricane hits!
February 3, 2010 The air conditioning system is in.
February 3, 2010 Another view of the AC.
On January 30, 2010, the Architect was not liking the spacing of the rafters at the corners of the building. The Builder came up with a corrective plan.
February 3, 2010 See how much better the spacing of the rafters is now...so Arts&Crafts! Thank you Don!
Our Gang: DD&L Enterprises and Rogers+Labarthe Architects
February 26, 2010 The siding, Arts & Crafts windows are whats happening now.
February 26, 2010 See the windows going in? Also the worker on the right is building the framing for the second floor porch that will be screened in. We can watch the downtown fireworks from here!
February 26, 2010
February 26, 2010 Lots of workmen here today and the weather is beautiful.
February 26, 2010 That's going to be our screened in corner porch.
February 26, 2010 Tall Husband is troubleshooting.
February 26, 2010 That's Hardy Board which will be painted to match the Bunny Bungalow. See the men on a rooftop on the left? Our new neighbor, Lori, is getting her garage remodeled. You go Girl!
March 1, 2010
March 3, 2010: electrical and communications wiring are being completed today.
March 3, 2010...the corbels are added! So very Arts & Crafts.
See that small rectangular cutout in the middle of the photo? That's my "moment," a small window in my kitchen wall that looks out onto the stairwell.
March 5, 2010...the roofing is on!
Exterior Paint is completed. We await doors and second-floor patio completion. Lighting, interior and exterior, has been selected. Next week the dry-wall begins. Also, there will be a metal roof for the porch cover and an outdoor fan for the second-floor patio.
April 2, 2010: The sheetrock is in!
View from our upper screened porch (or soon to be.)
Under the stairs. The twins were looking for Harry Potter there!
April 13, 2010 The metal roof (standing seam) over the door has been completed.
April 13, 2010 The Cabinetmaker is here today and is making our bookcases, kitchen cabinets, and various other fine wood touches.
April 24, 2010 The garage door is in this week.
April 24, 2010 Laundry Room. This is the first laundry room I've had that has great light...oh, I forgot the $20 ringer washer that I had outdoors when I was the bride of Good Ol' Boy (GOB.)
April 24, 2010 Looking up from the stairwell to the "moment" into the kitchen.
April 24, 2010 Cabinets in the tiny kitchen. Hope each appliance fits!
April 24, 2010 That area upstairs will be a screened in porch.
April 24, 2010 That window seat in the making will be a great place to read and nap. Those will be bookcases on either side.
April 24, 2010 Tall Husband...he's checking out something. That shiplap on the walls to the right will be painted milk paint white. I've seen the sample and it's wonderful!
April 24, 2010 Another shot of the tiny kitchen, which I shall love, as no one can be there with me. Well, they can look through that little window, if they are really quiet.
Looking toward the shower
April 24, 2010 Isn't that standing-seam roof over the door wonderful!?
May 4, 2010 The driveway is poured.
May 4, 2010 The driveway cement is smoothed.
May 4, 2010 Shiplap gets painted with white milk paint: top part has two coats and the bottom has one coat.
May 4, 2010 Shelves and cabinet doors are painted and awaiting installation (Paint: SW Ivory lace, a beautiful pale grey.)
May 4, 2010 The tiny kitchen that makes me feel like a new bride.
May 5, 2010 Things you didn't know you needed, such as a new utility pole for $845.00.
May 5, 2010 Things you didn't know you needed, such as your very own utility pole for $845.00.
Intercom: one can monitor, from the bungalow, the laundry room to hear the washer or dryer bell to know when a cycle is complete. Or, talk between the studio and bungalow. Tall Husband likes of use it to startle Annie by using a gruff voice and saying such things as, "Let's break in...you grab the old lady and I'll get her jewelry."
Doorknob to the under-stairs storage area: when the door opens, the light automatically turns on, refrigerator style.
Laundry room on June 12, 2010
An architectural moment, with light, in the stairwell.
Kitchen in progress
Bathroom awaiting a mirror and a Frank Zappa portrait.
Bathroom doorknob
Bathroom cabinet pull (same pull for kitchen and bookcase drawers)
Ipe decking for the upstairs porch
A wall of bookcases.
The floors have been installed and stained.
Oak handrail.
Summit stainless steel fridge, sourced by the architect, is only 24 inches wide.
Exterior garage lights await installation.
One of a pair of sconces over the window seat, just like one in the wonderful white powder room at our previous home, My Ranchburger.
Bathroom door knob
Tile on the ground floor
Under the stairwell...where is Harry Potter?
Under the stairs there is a narrow floor-to-ceiling shelf: styling by friend Linda!
Note: the arts & crafts French door is installed on the upstairs porch.
The garage/studio
A Philippe Starck garden chair from My Ranchburger finds a new home at The Bunny Bungalow.
The transplanted crape myrtle trees survived and are in bloom...
...thanks to Tall Husband's care.
The daylilies in the old well get attention too.
Exterior lighting has been installed.
A shot from the driveway of the almost complete garage/studio.
The old deck of the Bunny Bungalow has been removed; the architects have begun the kitchen and bathroom design for renovation of the bungalow; landscape design has also begun.
Today the second-floor porch flooring had to be redone by the roofers, as the architect saw a problem this week. The ceiling fan will be raised so as not to give Tall Husband an unwanted haircut. Next the Ipe decking, screen and rails will be added.
Extra culverts, stabilized sand and sod were added to the sides of the driveway, as Tall Husband and I were terrified of the steep drop off.
And we have a door to the studio. And a security system. Also, an intercom system between the studio and bungalow was installed. Tall Husband loves the intercom: he changes his voice and says things like, "You grab the old lady and I'll get her jewelry."
August 9, 2010 The Bunny Bungalow is being leveled today by a Houston company, Pfister.
One of our gang!
September 2, 2010 The neighbors are now calling this our "Back House."
Notice that the garage door has been painted?
The little second-floor porch is nearing completion. It's being painted today and will get screens soon. Our Design Within Reach Adirondack chairs can then be placed there!
