Pine Point Rebuilt

2007-06-23T15:26:00.000-04:00

June 23 - Ladies and Gentlemen,

Here is a picture of the finished product. We moved in Weds. June 20 and spent the shortest night of the year in our new bedroom. We are looking forward to a great summer and wish you the same. I think this will be the last post. Hersh

2007-06-03T09:43:00.000-04:00

June 3 - Yesterday, I took this picture from the lake. The trim on the house has not been painted yet but here it is!

2007-05-31T18:41:00.000-04:00

May 31 - Finishing up... We are clearly in the final phase! Here are some pictures of this week's work. The pictures include kitchen appliances, Mary Anne's washer & dryer (her "office"), the first bathroom fixtures, door handles, and our front entrance. At this time the priority is wrapping it up; no fancy management just DO IT! The remaining big items are exterior (trim) painting and landscaping.

I will post a finished picture from the water in a few weeks. It has been quite an adventure!

Hersh

2007-05-25T20:55:00.000-04:00

May 25 - The goal line is like the horizon: we keep chasing it and it keeps moving away! This week saw more finishing work inside and out. The week's events included burying the propane tank for our generator; pouring the garage floor; installing the well pump; roofing the portico; cleaning up the site; and burying the outdoor wiring! Quite a list! Here are the pictures!

2007-05-18T18:28:00.000-04:00

May 18 - Into the clubhouse turn... This week saw continued progress inside our new house! The major items included hardwood flooring, carpeting, tile (turn me sideways!), and cabinets. Everything is turning out BETTER than we expected! Kudos to Mary Anne (award in planning) and to Kevin Drew (award in execution). Here are the usual pictures.... not shown are painting, plumbing and tank deliveries. More on those later. Almost time to call the movers. Stay tuned.

2007-05-11T20:22:00.000-04:00

May 11 - Into the home stretch. Progress is now focused on "finishing work". The exterior is 99+ % complete and most effort has moved inside. This week's pictures include the completed deck, the first finish flooring, our backup generator, and the kitchen cabinets. Next week, work will focus on flooring: tile and hardwood on the first two floors and carpet in the 3rd floor playroom. The weather has been spectacular this week and the lake is warming up. We are looking forward to moving in!

2007-05-02T18:10:00.000-04:00

May 2 - Special progress report! There is so much going on, I believe a special Wednesday edition is in order! This week has seen big time change in moldings, doors, painting, decking and our spectacular front entrance! Here is the evidence. Stay tuned!

(Special to Kevin: We like that entrance!)

2007-04-27T19:05:00.000-04:00

Apr. 27 No. II - I have learned that some periods of a construction project graph as a "step function" (a flat line followed by vertical change.) We have just completed such a period: after watching the paint dry for a while, progress is zooming again. Early this week, conduit for underground utility services was installed. Later, molding and doors arrived. Finally, the granite to complete our fireplace and the posts supporting the front entrance arrived! The house is a beehive of activity again and we are closing in on completion! Here are some pictures! Stay tuned!

2007-04-27T18:47:00.000-04:00

Apr. 27 No. I - It has been two weeks since my last report. This has been due to the nature of the work being done: taping and sanding sheetrock. Not exactly the most photogenic subject...but important progress, nonetheless! Rather than pictures of "mud" drying, I have provided pictures of our crack construction crew at lunch, Mary Anne planning her closet with Kevin, Hersh testing the reading area, the last ice and Mary Anne sunning during a meeting with our landscaper. Please also see the next post for exciting progress!

2007-04-13T17:20:00.000-04:00

Apr. 13 - Sheetrock is completed! This week, all the wallboard was hung and taping & sanding began. Here are some pictures of the last sheet being hung in the garage and the first taping.

The front door arrived and was installed.

Also, there are pictures of the attic ("bonus") room and both the main part of the MBR and the "reading area" on the east side. Pretty hot stuff!

The end is in range....Stay tuned! Hersh

2007-04-06T16:07:00.000-04:00

Apr. 6 - This week's big events were inside the house. Insulation was completed, sheetrock was started, the boiler and hot water tank arrived, and communication systems were wired (black is cable, white is phone & blue is data). All in all, a good week of progress. We now look forward to flooring, cabinets, lighting and finish work!! We're in the last legs of the journey!

2007-03-30T17:40:00.000-04:00

Mar. 30 - Another week of progress! This week saw enormous progress both inside and out. The siding is nearly completed, work on the front entrance (and its columns) is underway, and plumbing and electrical systems are "roughed in". Next week, insulation will be installed and sheet rock begun! Meanwhile, Mary Anne has been busy selecting cabinets (ordered), counter tops (ordered), appliances (ordered), and flooring (thinking). All Hersh did was take these pictures! Stay tuned.

2007-03-24T13:12:00.000-04:00

Mar 24 - I found a better picture of our spectacular fireplace. Here it is..and no flashbulb was used! More coming! Hersh

2007-03-23T20:11:00.000-04:00

Mar. 23 - Nothing is more fun than checking off finished items. And this week's list is impressive: windows, roofing and fireplace. Siding is about half finished. Plumbing, electrical , heating and security systems are well underway. On top of all this, we had a hint of Spring for the past two days and it is a pleasure. Stay tuned.

2007-03-18T18:09:00.000-04:00

Mar. 16 - Job progress meeting. Now that the exterior of the house is nearly buttoned up, detailed plans for the interior are being finalized. We met at the site with Kevin Drew, the GC, to review progress and make plans. Here are some photos from this historic meeting: Kevin and the foreman hold an impromptu meeting; Mary Anne, Hersh and Kevin are all smiles.

2007-03-14T17:29:00.000-04:00

Mar. 14 - Subs, Subs, Subs are everywhere at the house and the progress shows. Here are pictures of the chimney, fireplace, roofing &, siding. Plumbing is also in progress. One picture, taken from the ice, (not many more of these will be possible) gives a sense of the finished look of the house. Mary Anne rates this "BEAUTIFUL". I agree! Stay tuned. Hersh

2007-03-08T16:20:00.000-05:00

Mar. 8 (part 2) - See the previous post for narrative.

2007-03-08T16:02:00.000-05:00

Mar. 8 - BIG progress. During the time we were lost in the weather warp, Adam & the crew made big progress. The roof is now completely in place and is ready for shingles; windows are being installed and work on the gigantic fireplace is underway. Here are some pictures. The "plastic bag" was erected by the stone masons to keep the mortar warm enough to set (they also built a culvert under their sand pile and started a fire in it so the sand would not freeze). One picture shows the storage room under roof; another shows the fire box. See the next post for two more pictures of the fireplace/chimney in progress.

2007-03-06T14:37:00.000-05:00

March 7 - Last Thursday, Mary Anne & Hersh mysteriously woke up in a quantum wormhole. Somehow, their universe had inverted and turned to summer. Unfazed, they frolicked in the improved weather for 6 days while the rest of New England was buried in a blizzard. The incident is being investigated by several Federal Agencies. Most fortunately, they were able to jump back through the anti-matter force field and land at Laguardia airport! They were able to escape with a few pictures. Stay tuned.

2007-02-17T17:20:00.000-05:00

Feb 17 - Today, Katie visited and toured the house. In her honor, we parked the Jeep in the garage for the first time. Later, Katie and Dad went for a snow shoe walk on the frozen lake. While we were out, we came upon two para-skiers and an ice plane which landed on the lake. We also saw 400 snow mobiles. Stay tuned.

2007-02-13T16:44:00.000-05:00

Feb 13 - Progress on the roof continues. Most of the west section is now complete and the complicated "hip and valley" sections remain. The team of amatuer building inspectors continues to stop by. This team (Force & Risch) arrived by snowmobile. On Sunday, Mary Anne and I had a visit in the breakfast nook. Later, Mary Anne inspected the roof framing while I played on the lift. Finally, a picture of the north elevation. BIG snow expected...stay tuned.

2007-02-09T16:32:00.000-05:00

Feb 9 - The roof takes shape. Today, I was able to see the beginning of the roof lines. The center section will run north-south and the two "end" sections will run east-west. Here are some pictures of the center roof line and the views from Mary Anne's craft room and laundry room. There is also a picture of the house from the east. And look at those views! Stay tuned!

2007-02-07T16:33:00.000-05:00

Feb 7 - The second story is now almost fully framed and work has begun on the attic and roof system. Here are some pictures taken from the second floor and from a lift above the deck of the 3rd floor. The 2x12s for the rafters have been cut and stacked. We should have a roof in a week. And look at those views! Stay tuned.

2007-01-28T17:19:00.000-05:00

Jan 28 - As promised, here are some pictures of Pine Point from the south and east! I'm looking forward to the third deck and the roof. Hersh

2007-01-28T17:11:00.000-05:00

Jan 28 - Winter has finally really arrived on Silver Lake. The pictures show a congregation of ice fisherman drinking the "State Beverage", a para-skier, an ice boat(!), a quiet family picnic on the ice, and the new community near the north end of the lake. See the next post for pictures of Pine Point from the ice! Stay tuned. Hersh

2007-01-26T13:32:00.000-05:00

Jan 26 - Interior framing continues....Adam & Jim are nailing up interior walls. The pictures show the outline of the master bedroom closets and bath with the roof plan tacked to the wall. The second floor stairs are in and lumber for the 3rd floor is on site. Today's noon temp: 4 (and windy). Stay tuned.

2007-01-20T15:45:00.000-05:00

Jan 20 - The second story went up in two days! Here are some pictures from the south, east and west elevations. Look at those windows!! And while the walls were going up, the lake froze solidly for the first time this season. I've also included a photo of the "backyard" of our temporary home in North Conway. Note the Beaver pond (foreground) and Mt.Cranmore (background). Stay tuned. Hersh

2007-01-17T17:41:00.000-05:00

Jan 17 - Today, our crew started nailing up the exterior walls for the second story. The first two sections framed the stairway; others started from the northeast corner. I was able to get a picture of the view from our bedroom looking south across the lake! PRETTY GOOD! I was also able to get a picture of the first ice in our cove. More is surely on the way. Air temp: 5; water temp : 34. Stay tuned.

2007-01-12T19:16:00.000-05:00

JAN 12 - Progress continues... The central support beam arrived and is now"in". Adam, our foreman, hangs joists from a scaffold while Jim cuts sub-flooring. By the end of the day, most of the second floor joists were in place and some of the sub-flooring was glued and nailed. A view from the lakefront summarizes it all. Stay tuned.

2007-01-10T19:49:00.000-05:00

JAN. 10 - Big progress continues... The first floor exterior walls completely surround the house. The open floor plan requires a single gigantic beam running almost the length of the house to support the second floor. The beam will arrive by truck tomorrow morning. Meanwhile, our crew continues to put headers in place. The second "floor" should be in by Friday!! Stay tuned.

2007-01-04T16:03:00.000-05:00

January 4 - Today, we witnessed remarkable progress. The first floor wall panels had arrived by truck and were being raised. This was the first time we could get a real sense of the shape of the house FROM INSIDE! Here are some pictures: Mary Anne frames a wall; Hersh gets crazy with the BIG hammer. Stay tuned.

2007-01-04T15:57:00.000-05:00

January 3 - Today, we visited Pine Point for the first time since our "Christmas Break". We found the first snow and good progress. The basement had been fully capped and the deck framing was in place. I inspected the breakfast nook while Mary Anne checked out the kitchen.

2006-12-14T14:56:00.000-05:00

December 14 - BIG NEWS!!! Today, the first members of the framing crew arrived. Adam and Tom began by "snapping lines" to mount the sill on the foundation. Tom nailed the first piece of lumber to mark the foundation. Pretty soon, the sills were in and the first walls were up. The lolly columns and center floor support beam are on-site. Big progress !

Later, I dropped my Jeep off in the fancy garage I rented near the apartment. The garage will shelter the Jeep from snowfall during our Christmas break in NY. Stay tuned! H & MA.

2006-12-12T19:53:00.000-05:00

December 12 - Howdy Folks, It has been a while since I have posted anything. This is largely because progress has been slow and the events have not been especially photogenic (cement drying, etc.) But there is some news. The septic system is ready for a Sosnoff onslaught! Certified by the State of NH! Also, the Sono tubes (post supports) for the front portico and back deck, as well as, the basement floor were poured.

Most important, the first lumber was delivered and framing will start tomorrow, DECEMBER 13. Finally, Hersh's Jeep was registered in NH and now sports very special plates. Stay tuned for more pics.

2006-11-18T16:38:00.000-05:00

NOV. 18 Part II - After the digging for the septic field was completed, Mary Anne emerged from her "track hoe". What a surprise. Hersh relaxed after coffee in the "breakfast nook" while Mary Anne played hide & seek!

2006-11-18T16:25:00.000-05:00

NOV. 18 Progress continues. This week saw the completion of the foundation, installation of the septic tank, trenching for the septic field and routing of lines under the foundation for water and power. The foundation now has been backfilled and the floors of the basement and garage are ready to be poured. Also, pads were poured for the fireplace and longitudinal steel suppot beam. Forms and tubes for the deck posts were on hand. Stay tuned.

2006-11-10T18:25:00.000-05:00

Nov 10 Opus 2 By Friday, the entire foundation was framed and then poured. Special pads for the fireplace and support beam were also poured. The frames will come down Monday to expose the concrete foundation. I had a great time climbing onto the crane and threatening to level the entire lakefront community. One of Silver Lake's many amatuer building inspectors, (Dave Solomon) arrived with his sidekick, Ode, just in time to take pictures of 75% of the Sosnoff family conducting their own inspection. Stay tuned!

2006-11-10T18:12:00.000-05:00

Nov. 10 - Progress continues. This week saw yet another piece of ENORMOUS equipment arrive...the crane used by the foundation contractor. First, the footings were poured. After Mary Anne inspected them, frames were put in place to hold concrete and rebar.

2006-11-03T18:07:00.000-05:00

NOVEMBER 3 - Upon returning from a few days in the big city, I found that well drilling was in progress. Tasker Wells drilled down to an incredible 620 feet and still had to "hydrofrac" to get a good flow. At 600 feet the Chinese embassy filed a protest and threatened a full diplomatic flap if we continued much further. Luckily, the hydrofrac produced results. Hopefully, the water will not speak Mandarin! Here are some pictures of the rig . The following day, an excavator arrived and finished carving the foundation. Finally, I couldn't help trying the new garage location! Feels right. Stay tuned, Hersh

2006-10-22T13:21:00.000-04:00

2006-10-22T13:06:00.000-04:00

The destruction was so much fun that even Mary Anne got out her crowbar and joined in. After a while, an equally ENORMOUS dump truck arrived and was loaded. IT TOOK ONE HOUR TO REDUCE THE HOUSE TO RUBBLE. And another hour to load debris. The next morning we went to look at the scene of the crime. Absolutely incredible!! Stay tuned.

2006-10-22T13:00:00.000-04:00

After a while, he realized he hadn't hit the chimney. BANG! Then he ran the whole mess over a few times to reduce the size of the rubble.

2006-10-22T12:55:00.000-04:00

2006-10-22T12:46:00.000-04:00

THE ADVENTURE STARTS - OCTOBER 16 This morning I got a call from Kevin Drew, our GC, telling me that the cabin would come down today. "I think it will take about 2 hours", he said. Sure enough, a huge trailer (oversized load, etc.) with an industrial strength backhoe aboard arrived. The backhoe didn't have a bucket though, it had a lobster claw. And it was hungry...really hungry.

2006-10-20T18:20:00.000-04:00

This story starts with our 60+/- year old faux log cabin on lovely Silver Lake. This picture, taken from the water, shows the cabin (camp in NH speak) in all its summer glory. Little does it know that we are already planning its demise.....

2006-10-20T14:56:00.000-04:00

October 20, 2006 This is a test post