Holey-Moley

The ceiling in the hallway where the return is going

Everywhere I look, there are holes in my house. I'd say that I can feel a draft, but actually it's more like we're living outside and there are just a few places where the wind isn't blowing. Right now I'm sitting in the living room looking down the hallway at a hole in the ceiling. Eventually the heating/ac return is going there; for now it's just a piece of cardboard. Let me tell you, cardboard is not the best way to insulate your house. When we stand under it, we can feel the wind, and, what's worse, we can see little bits of plaster gently floating to the ground. I don't even want to know what my sinuses look like on the inside.

The new hallway entrance 

Farther on down the hallway, there's another hole where the old house meets the new. There used to be a door there separating the hallway from the "big room" at the back, but now the door is gone and there are not one but two door-shaped holes in the wall. It looks like we can't quite decide where we want the new hallway to be so we're hedging our bets. Apparently, the original doorway was not the correct size for the new code. Back in the late '30s people were a lot skinnier I assume, so doorways were narrower. Nowadays the doorways need to be 32 inches wide, so the contractor had to move the opening a couple of feet to the right of the original one. So we're looking at the new hallway opening and another space where the old door was. Of course, the new rooms aren't quite finished, and the windows haven't been framed yet, so the air whips through the new space, unencumbered by any furniture of course, and turns the corner into the rest of the house. It hadn't been a problem up until two days ago; now that the weather has changed, the cold night air is really noticeable.

As you cross the threshold from old house to new, look up and you'll see where the attic access will be. I haven't talked to Darryl about this yet, but hopefully there will be some sort of door up there and not just another piece of cardboard. It makes getting into the attic pretty easy though. Just climb a ladder and pop right through. Just be careful where you step when you're up there, that's all.

Attic access or crazy modern art?

Don't touch that switch!

The last few holes are spotted throughout the new rooms. Everywhere there is supposed to be a light switch is currently a space with a jumble of wires. I don't want to be picky, but I do hope someone realizes that there are probably safer ways to turn on the lights than this. And why is the opening such a random shape? Again, I'm no expert on construction and I don't want to be the nagging home owner who harps on every little flaw, but wouldn't a rectangular opening be better? Just asking.