Saturday, May 28, 2011

Happy Birthday to our Ryan Home!

So it was one year ago yesterday that we closed on our Waverly. Happy Birthday to our house! lol

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Family Room motion sensor and high curtain rod

For anyone having a Guardian motion sensor put in the corner of the Family Room, where there is a corner of windows, here's a heads-up...
We did not realize at the time, that eventually we would put up curtains that are rather high on the wall. As it turns out, our curtain rod completely occluded the sensor, and it would no longer be able to work. Had to call Guardian to send a guy and move it up 5-6 inches, and now it's good. It was not an easy job, because he had to snake the wire up higher, and in that part of the F/R corner area, there's a big wooden header beam that makes it almost impossible to do after the drywall is up. So he had to make a channel in the drywall and we had to plaster and paint afterward. Would have been much easier to have it placed higher during the framing phase, had we known.
The sensor had to be moved up to clear the curtain rod
Now it's high enough to "see" again

Pool prep

More than I realized goes into getting a pool. Zoning permit, building permit, electrical estimates, and all sorts of stuff. Yesterday a guy came with a dump truck of sand (6 tons) and dropped that off in the back. Then later in the afternoon, a different guy came with a little earth mover that he can ride in, and tore up the grass and dirt where the pool will be installed, and leveled the land. I couldn't believe the pile of dirt and grass he left behind, over 10 tons! And they don't haul it away. It's our problem. I'll use some of it to fill in the various low points in the rear of the property (gotta get a wheel barrow), and see what we can do about the rest.
So now Tuesday they come to assemble the pool, and then I think Wednesday the electrical company will come to trench and run the power lines and stuff. It's going to be a problem because the electrical panels are in the finished basement in our house, so some sheetrock will need to be opened up. Wish I thought of that when they were building, and I could have requested some access panel to be put in. If I had thought this out ahead of time, that someday we might get something that needs to be wired into the panels, an access grating or plate would have have made this easier.
Lastly, we have to find a company to deliver water in a truck. It takes like 14,500 gallons to fill the thing!
Here are some pictures. Looks like we have a little runway in our backyard now -
 
 
 
 

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

May update - exterior photos

http://ourwaverly.homestead.com/May2011.html

Still planning out the swimming pool. Electrical estimates done. Have to get building permit next and then have the installers come to set up the pool. We changed the place it will go, setting it at an angle and making sure it won't block the view from the walkout basement door. This new position will require less trenching distance from where the pump will be located, to the electrical panels, and save some money.
Have to get the lawn cut. It's more clovers than grass. Not sure what we're going to do about the lawn. In time maybe we can save up to have sod put in, at least in the front of the house.
Need to have Guardian come out next week to move the family room motion detector, which was blocked by our high curtain installation. Just needs to be moved up around 3" so it can 'see' clearly again.
Put in a service call to see if the flooring people can do anything about our hardwood which is starting to creak a lot.

Monday, May 2, 2011

Useful Ryan Homes website: myryanhome.com

In case you all are not aware, Ryan has a useful website called http://myryanhome.com/ It contains info on warranty, home care tips, and one can also put in a service request using this site.