Renovation of kitchen and den area

We reckoned that we had been discussing the renovation of our kitchen and den area for about seven years, and it was now time to act. We engaged Don Skinner to contract for us and started the process in August. We had spent months drawing and planning the layout and I had drawn it in detail in a CAD program, so all the prints were in place.

Finally the time came to grade out for the basement portion of the addition. You can see that part of it went below the poured foundation, so a wall section was added next to the house and the entire volume behind it poured with concrete reinforced with steel rebar.

We had to take down the old deck and grade for the extension out from the current den and kitchen. The block work was laid to bring the walls of the basement area above grade.

The view of the block work from the back yard shows the large garage-type opening into the basement level which was planned as Rod's shop.

The next challenge was the plumbing for a bathroom on the basement level plus the plumbing for the kitchen and bathroom on the main floor. The long line was to preserve a drain for Rod's sink which was already in place on the basement level. Note the partial wall against the house which was poured behind to reinforce the house foundation.

This plumbing detail shows the extensions back close to the house wall to accommodate the small bathroom and the shower drain.

OK, I know you don't need to look at all this plumbing detail, but it's our record in case we ever need to change something. Quite a bit of planning at this subfloor level is necessary to handle drains and venting for all the plumbing fixtures.

All this plumbing had to flow through a common line past the back of the shed and around to connect to the sewer line.

The below-grade block work was tarred, and around the base was placed drain tile covered with gravel.

With the plumbing in place, the basement floor could be filled in and prepared for the pouring of the concrete floor.

The loader brings gravel in to cover the plumbing of the bathroom area as the area is prepared for pouring.