This is starting to feel like a theme. I mentioned last time that I had to put down a bunch of money for HVAC (specifically the hydronic radiant heat) and they were coming out to do the layout. Well, the good news is that I got a refund of all that money, but the bad news is that’s because they ‘underbid’ and can’t do it for what they said because material costs are so high. Apparently there was a misunderstanding of what they needed to do. They gave me a new quote for about 50% more, so now I’m trying to figure out what to do.

Meanwhile, we got kicked back from Zoning a second time and I’m probably going to have to nag the architect to do his job again. I haven’t called him yet; I keep clinging to the hope that he’ll actually respond to email.

There’s more back and forth with paperwork for the initial draw for the loan. I needed to print, sign, scan, and email back more documents. I haven’t heard from the concrete guy that was supposed to be out this week to do the porch footings. I haven’t heard back from the other HVAC guy about the air conditioning. I had questions for him about the outdoor condensers and wall penetrations.

All in all, the only work that’s been done is what I did. I started putting up sound insulating stud and joist tape in interior walls and ceiling of the bedrooms. This wasn’t cheap, but the benefits of better sound proofing are obvious, from our current reality of looping Frozen 2 and Super Smash Bros Ultimate songs or us wanting to watch a movie after the kids go to bed to a future where one or both play musical instruments, this will pay quality of life dividends.

Derek’s bedroom with sound insulating joist and stud tape

The tape is one of three components to our interior sound proofing strategy, along with two layers of 5/8″ drywall on the ceilings (separated by sound glue) and Roxul mineral wool insulation in the interior stud bays.

I still have a long way to go on this project, but Derek’s bedroom is done, Emily’s is next, and from there I’ll do our bedroom, the bathrooms, and the attic bedrooms. We’re not putting this on exterior walls. I figure between the closed cell foam in the stud bays and the 2″ of rigid foam on the outside of the sheathing, we should be in pretty good shape already.