Weeks 5 & 6: Stair Removal and Beginning Excavation

The first half of December brought the next stage of demolition.  While demo continues in many parts of the house, excavation and digging in the front of the house has begun in full force.  The method decided upon for proper support and maneuverability required the removal of the floors at the dining room/kitchen level, and removal of the staircases as well.  At this point, the project went full-force into 'rebuild' mode.

Before looking at the entry/basement area, let's do a quick tour of the exterior of the house to look at demolition progress.

First view upon entering from the driveway.

A closer peek.  Some of the framing above the garage has been removed
to facilitate removal of old materials.

Around towards the back yard, the barbecue brickwork is still
intact, though you can see that the other walls, including the deck above,
has been taken down to the studs.

Standing back a bit provides a view of the upstairs as well.

Looking in the other direction,  you can see that the bedroom wing has
been worked on and cleaned up a bit.

The work crew was just as enchanted by some of
the house's old treasures as we were.  :)

Turning the corner past the pool and bedrooms, here's a glimpse into the
Master Bedroom and courtyard, with the gate leading towards the herb
garden at the right end of the photo.

The Master Suite's courtyard still remains.
For now.  ;)

On the other side of that courtyard, over the herb garden, lies a huge
mound of soil removed from the area that will become the basement.

The view from the trash can area towards
the dining room is now so altered
as to be unrecognizable.

The front porch and bridge have been removed.  This is looking towards
Timothy's room and the guest room from the front porch area.

Moving on to the entry way and basement-to-be, prepare to be confused.  I know that I was when I first saw the space, and I even had the added benefits of having lived in the house, and seeing it in person!  I'll start with views from inside the house.

The infamous chandelier still remains!  What is quite noticeably absent is
the giant floating curved staircase.  It has relocated to the garage, I am told.

Looking towards the Great Room gives you another perspective.  Not only
are both of the staircases gone, but the whole floor at the front door level
(including dining room and kitchen) is gone.

The next photo is the shocking view in my opinion.  Imagine standing at the doorway of the office and looking up towards the dining room.  You can see the chandelier at the top of the photo.  The doorway on the far left of the photo is that leading towards Timothy's room.  The front door is gone.  The wall between the front door and the dining room is hanging.  

It's all gone.  :)

Looking towards the kitchen is a tangled mess of beams.

That room without a floor, hanging in mid-air, used to be the kitchen.
The room with a floor is the living room.

And yet, through it all, the wall mural remains.