My heart sings!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: JANUARY 21, 2010
MARFORK, W.Va. – Protestors associated with Climate Ground Zero and Mountain Justice halted blasting on Coal River Mountain today with a three-person tree-sit. David Aaron Smith, 23, Amber Nitchman, 19 and Eric Blevins, 28 are on platforms approximately 60 feet up two tulip poplar trees and one oak tree. They are located next to where Massey Energy is blasting to build an access road to the Brushy Fork Impoundment on its Bee Tree Strip Mine. Their banners state: “Save Coal River Mtn.,” “EPA Stop the Blasting” and “Windmills Not Toxic Spills.”
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Thursday, January 21, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
Asbestos....
It's been a long pain-in-the-ass journey, but the asbestos siding is off.
I started removing it back in September, then got the Stop Work notice. I was told by the building department in our ensuing conversation that I couldn't remove any asbestos material myself. After many calls to the DEP, the EPA, and WV Department of something or other, I finally found out that this is true - by law all asbestos abatement in WV must be done my a licensed abatement contractor. However, there is a waiver that homeowners can apply for that allows them to do the work themselves if they own and occupy the dwelling. I applied anyway by submitting the required application in addition to a long statement explaining why I couldn't occupy the house until after the siding was removed the the walls re-framed for the new windows and doors. I mailed it into them on November 13th - a Friday. Weeks went by. After the first 3 weeks I began making weekly calls to three different people at the Dept. who are involved with granting the permits. Two of them never once returned my calls, the third kept saying he didn't know when I would get an answer. Exactly six weeks after submitting my application I received this in my mailbox...
It took them six weeks to tell me that.
So, unwilling to take "no" for an answer, especially after a month and a half, I went down to make a personal visit to Mr. Curtis. I had to maneuver through a security guard and two receptionists to get to him. I got into his office and said "What will it take to persuade you to let me do this?" He pulled out my file. I explained again everything that I had written in my original application. I don't think he had ever actually read it. He said he would reconsider my request.
One week later I found this in my mailbox....
SUCCESS!
I took my waiver downtown to the building department and got my permit.
This past weekend, donning my fashionable HAZ-MAT suit, respirator, and pink vinyl shower cap to keep the asbestos out of my hair and the rain off my glasses, I got to work. Three days later it's off, waiting to be double packed in special, very expensive asbestos disposal bags and hauled to a far-off landfill.
Before:
After:
Soon the lead-paint covered original 100 year-old clapboards will come off as well....
I started removing it back in September, then got the Stop Work notice. I was told by the building department in our ensuing conversation that I couldn't remove any asbestos material myself. After many calls to the DEP, the EPA, and WV Department of something or other, I finally found out that this is true - by law all asbestos abatement in WV must be done my a licensed abatement contractor. However, there is a waiver that homeowners can apply for that allows them to do the work themselves if they own and occupy the dwelling. I applied anyway by submitting the required application in addition to a long statement explaining why I couldn't occupy the house until after the siding was removed the the walls re-framed for the new windows and doors. I mailed it into them on November 13th - a Friday. Weeks went by. After the first 3 weeks I began making weekly calls to three different people at the Dept. who are involved with granting the permits. Two of them never once returned my calls, the third kept saying he didn't know when I would get an answer. Exactly six weeks after submitting my application I received this in my mailbox...
So, unwilling to take "no" for an answer, especially after a month and a half, I went down to make a personal visit to Mr. Curtis. I had to maneuver through a security guard and two receptionists to get to him. I got into his office and said "What will it take to persuade you to let me do this?" He pulled out my file. I explained again everything that I had written in my original application. I don't think he had ever actually read it. He said he would reconsider my request.
One week later I found this in my mailbox....
I took my waiver downtown to the building department and got my permit.
This past weekend, donning my fashionable HAZ-MAT suit, respirator, and pink vinyl shower cap to keep the asbestos out of my hair and the rain off my glasses, I got to work. Three days later it's off, waiting to be double packed in special, very expensive asbestos disposal bags and hauled to a far-off landfill.
Before:
Friday, January 1, 2010
partial roof re-do?
Looks like the second story idea isn't going to work out. I would have to replace all of the ceiling joists with larger ones then replace every rafter in addition to the entire roof deck. However, I would still like to replace just the front section of roof - Partly because the framing under there is a complete mess from several past changes, and partly because I just think the front of the house is ugly shaped the way it is. Rebuilding just this front section would also allow me to get rid of an obnoxious load-bearing wall that's running right down the middle of the future 2nd bedroom... and, since I'm not making living space up there the existing ceiling joists can stay as-is....Here's what it looks like now (sort of).......
Here's what I want it to look like (sort of)......
Much better, right.....More symmetrical, more balanced. Slightly steeper pitch - more room for insulation.
Also, the interior floor plan (long in coming) is finally nearing completion. It's gone through several alterations throughout the past couple of months and now has matured into it's final form. The only room as yet unresolved is the master bath....
Here's one structure I didn't need any permits, drawings or cardboard models for....
and a beautiful sunset, just because....
Also, the interior floor plan (long in coming) is finally nearing completion. It's gone through several alterations throughout the past couple of months and now has matured into it's final form. The only room as yet unresolved is the master bath....
Here's one structure I didn't need any permits, drawings or cardboard models for....
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