The renovation has begun! Updated

I mentioned yesterday that the contractors were coming to the house, and they did show in the afternoon. We are having the support posts removed from the center of our family room! We have only been in this house 6 years and tolerating the two load-bearing posts and the pony wall between them every day since moving in. The BSU finally stomped her foot and said she wanted this work done as her birthday/anniversary present, and, so, we are getting the work done.

The previous owner had the basement finished into a family room at least a dozen years ago and he had a nice job done. Except he left the two support posts in the middle of the room! The posts really limit our ability to locate furniture the way we want it and forces the room into being two rooms instead of one large room. So, today the posts come out! Replacing them will be a 12 foot, laminated and doubled beam, the same as used for garage door framing.

To accomplish this, the carpenters are installing a temporary wall on each side of the support beam area. That will keep the ceiling and the floors above from sagging. Then the old beam and posts can come out, the sheetrock under one side of the new beam's support gets cut away to allow the new beam to swing into position and then everything gets fastened securely back into position. On one side of the post is a furnace duct that will need refastened to the new post. And then sheetrocking back to a ready to paint condition.

Since the contractor's job finishes at the ready to paint condition, you might guess what my next task will be- painting the family room... That will be during the week between classes in two weeks and no doubt include the stairway and hallway.

I sense a period of extended carpet shopping in my nearly immediate future. I'm certain the Christmas tree this year will be dropping needles onto brand new carpet. And I'll certainly replace the ugly light fixture that I've hated for 6 years!

UPDATE: The posts are firewood, landfill material, all gone! I actually have before and after pictures but I failed to get the camera and cable into my bag this morning. The difference in the appearance of the room is remarkable. The work's not finished but I expect the contractors will be through this afternoon. They had the new beam in place and the raw sheetrock up before closing time yesterday and the first coat of mud smoothed on most of the places that needed it.

I'll still have to do the painting when its all done but so far, the work I'm paying for has turned out really well. And the BSU confirms, we will be carpet shopping as soon as the painting is completed...