You Know You're Taking Too Long to Build Your House When...

...you're starting to re-do some things and you haven't even moved in yet. 

I think I could do a whole series of posts that start with "You know you're taking too long to build your house when..." but I'll simply start with this one.

I decided to replace two of the exterior lights on the JayBee. I bought these two light-sensing, motion-sensing lights years ago.

By the time I got around to installing them on the JayBee, it was clear that one of the light sensors did not work. (The light came on whenever it sensed motion, even in broad daylight.) It probably never worked, but I took too long to figure that out, so I bought a replacement light. Even though these lights are advertised as "exterior" lights, it turns out that water collects inside them. When they would stop working, I emptied the water out, dried them out, and replaced the batteries...and the lights would work again--until the next time they filled up with water.

Finally, I'd had enough. I decided I just had to replace the lights entirely.

Step one: Remove the installed lights and the trim pieces they were installed on. Check!

The new lights are bigger, so I cut new, larger trim pieces. See one of them compared to the smaller size--below. Installing the new trim piece on the north wall was easy because I haven't installed shingles up that high on the wall yet. 

The east wall was another matter, because the opening in the shingles was the size of the smaller trim piece.

To make the larger trim piece fit, I made an angle cut in its bottom edge.

And it fit perfectly!

I stained all sides of the trim pieces, and installed them.

The east end light installed.

The north wall light installed.

I like this style of light a lot better than the first style, and I think it fits me and the house a lot better. This new style wasn't available years ago when I purchased the first set of lights--so maybe this was just a roundabout route to reach the right solution!

Walking around the east end of the JayBee after dark... first, one light came on...

...then, the other. And, it turns out that just the cats walking around does not turn the lights on! Success!

This is one project that proceeded just as I planned and got done quickly. No bad surprises, no delays. Gotta remember this the next time disaster strikes.

Update 22 August 2016: Since we had a hard rain from early to mid morning today, I went out after dark tonight to test the lights. They both came on--and went off--as they should. Apparently they do not fill up with water. Yay!

Scrambling in All Directions

My work on the house these last few weeks has gone in a zillion directions. We've had a lot of very hot, humid days. When the heat and humidity wipe me out so that I have to cut back on the more strenuous activities, I move to my long list of little things that need to be done...

No one would believe how long I spent getting the shingle guide installed on the bottom of the north wall of the house. Part of the challenge was handling the 24-foot-plus length of the board all by myself on that steep slippery hillside. The bigger problem was that the northwest corner of the house is just about sitting on the ground, so there wasn't enough room for the guide to fit. I ended up cutting the last five feet of the guide to fit around the stumps, roots, and lumpy hillside.

Finally, the guide is set level and straight for the first course of shingles!

A nice thing about working on the north side of the house: all the beautiful flowers.

One tiny project: I grabbed a piece of 3" PVC pipe out of the trash that the plumber had thrown away, and I cut a short piece of it...

...to use in the bathroom as an easy way to store my hair dryer.

I removed the electrical box that was installed over the shower and replaced it with this light that has its own junction box built in. (Ignore the insulation sitting up there. It was pulled out of the ceiling when the plumber drilled the vent hole up through the roof. I want to confirm after a big rainstorm that the roof is not leaking around the vent before I re-install the insulation in the ceiling.)

This junction box for a light that will hang in the bathroom next to the window and over the sink has been bugging me for awhile. See how close to the corner of the bumpout it is? I've been thinking that the box is so close to the corner that, once the wall boards are installed, the light fixture won't fit.

I dug out the light fixture and held it up to the junction box. Sure enough--the light was not going to fit once the wall was done. So...I pulled out the insulation, removed the box from the stud, added a board as a spacer, and reinstalled the box.

I held the light fixture up to the box to confirm that it will fit.

And I reinstalled all the insulation.

Yes, I did cut a gazillion tiny pieces of cedar.

When I started assembling them, I had all kinds of trouble. I was trying to use stainless steel finishing nails, but the wood pieces were too delicate for that--even with pre-drilling the holes. Once I switched to using staples, the cupboard went together a little easier.

Finally, I ended up with a shelving unit that is less than 3" wide and over 45" high.

This shelving unit is for a hidden space in the bathroom. The alcove next to the shower in the bathroom bumpout is going to have a built-in cabinet with shelving. In the left side of the alcove, there is a space between the studs that backs up against the side of the shower. Here is the shelving unit starting to be slid into that hidden space.

When it's completely installed, you can't see it...

...unless you stick your head into the alcove to see it.

I made another, smaller shelving unit to put in the top part of the hidden space.

Here's a peek around the corner to see it.

Just standing in the bathroom and looking at the alcove, you can't see all the extra shelves. I have plans for little hidden gems that make use of all the spaces in this house!

One last little project: Here is the start of my TV hanger--a piece of maple cut into a circle turntable. Combined with a lazy susan and a TV ceiling mount, it should allow me to install my flat screen so that it folds up out of the way when not in use but will also spin 360 degrees when it is dropped down.

A Light Here...A Model There.

I installed the lights in the outside entryway today. You may ask: Isn't this a little premature? My answer: Why, yes, especially since (1) there is no power being supplied to the JayBee at the moment, (2) the interior of the JayBee is far from done, and (3) I have already paid an electrician for this work. Then why? Just cuz I felt like it!  :-)  I wanted to see the added finished look.

I know the lights are hard to see in this photo. Once again, I finished up as it was getting dark.

I also reinstalled the outside light on the southeast corner. I had taken it down when it filled with water during a torrential rainstorm. Of course, this makes me wonder just how long this light is going to work in this location. It's supposed to be an "exterior" light. Sheesh. Two good things: Once I dried it out completely, it resumed working again. And, since it is battery operated and not wired, I don't have to worry that its leaking will put the whole house's electrical system at risk.

Here is my project from the last couple of nights. I put this together to use in my upcoming Design Your Own Tiny House class.

Now that the outside is done, I am going to start designing interior pieces.