Things are moving right along

Insulation installed just in time for snow

The areas near the ceiling need to be insulated



Wiring has begun. The dark log used to be located on the outside of the house. It's easy to forget how much has been done in a short amount of time.

Plumbing for the utility sink

Plumbing for the washer

Plumbing for the bath. Note: the tub is below grade. The tub is designed for cold temperatures and is coated with some kind of high tech insulation.

More debris from the remodel. We gave the first set of logs to our friend, Noriko. This pile of logs will be going to?

The plywood floors are being installed. Insulation in the floors and walls are being installed. The ceiling still needs to be insulated and installed. The electrician and plumber are busy preparing for the new bath install which should occur on Wednesday.

The floor heat is posing a challenge. Instead of increasing the floor thickness to accommodate the thickness of the floor heat wires, I have decided to route a groove in the plywood flooring for the wire. This will take much longer to install, but the floor will be a lot stronger. Later, I’ll post step-by step photos in case someone else runs into this problem. Why not use mortar like everyone else? The mortar required to complete this job is not available in Japan. That's the problem with using materials brought from the states. To ship the mortar from the U.S. or China, it would cost almost $3000+. I think I can afford to improvise. Shhh...besides it will give me a chance to use my woodworking tools.

Speaking of woodworking...the carcasses for the sink, stove, and drawers are almost complete. They have a sealer applied and hopefully this weekend I can paint the cabinets. Assembly "should" be easy since pocket holes were used in the construction. The challenge is to get the garage warm enough for the paint application. I had to wait until noon before the heated garage reached 5C. The paint cannot be applied at a lower temperature. 

Inagakisan is doing everything he can to allow us to stay in Tsukahara during the remodel. This includes moving the sink area and plumbing for hot and cold water. Erika is trying to cook a couple of weeks worth of meals before the gas is removed. She is experimenting with a portable, single burning propane stove in case the cabinets are not completed in time. Inagakisan is also trying to coordinate the install of the new bath with the removal of the old bath. We are very grateful for his extra efforts.      George


Erika and the dogs are patiently waiting for a ride down the hill.

Up next: interior walls and door framing