Renovation Update: Basement Demolition

So when we last talked to our contractor, they told us they needed one month to finish up the project they were working on, before they could start on our place. Whilst we were gallivanting around Paris, we got a followup email that said they were ready to start early.

Step 1: Clear everything we want out of the basement.
As soon as we got back from our trip, we scrambled to move the remaining stuff out of the basement and upstairs. It quickly became obvious that our house will be a mess until this project is all the way done.

the front living room wall

the bar in the living room

the bathroom

the kitchen and laundry area

Step 2. Let the contractor team go crazy.
Then, they got to work destroying the basement. Turns out a team of people with tools can really rip a house apart quickly. After four solid days with a three-man team, our basement is gone. Instead of sheetrock on the ceiling as I assumed, we discovered that the ceiling was covered in wire mesh, plaster and then sheetrock. So it took them a lot of effort to get it all down, but the fun part is that we gained at least an inch in height - so that's nice.

the living room & new kitchen area down to the studs

 

the living room

 

looking from the living room towards the kitchen & bathroom

the old kitchen- all cabinets gone. just the old stove left behind.

 

Next Steps.

The only thing the contractors didn't demo is the bathroom, which is ours to do, so we need to get started there. The contractors have brought in a huge pile of lumber, so they'll get started with the new framing. Meanwhile, we had to move our washer/dryer out of the basement and into the garage to be sold. So, no laundry for us until the new one goes in upstairs (no biggie, not having laundry in the summer when it's 90 degrees with 80% humidity isn't at all problematic).

Yay actual progress!