Paris Apartment Renovation Continues

 

Floor details. Oh la. French Husband told me that the apartment did not have hard wooden floors. He told me that when he bought the apartment (thirty years ago) he had grey carpet put in because the floors weren't nice. 

He was 21 at the time, so I will forgive him for not knowing that the floors were hard wood and very nice.

Unfortunately, we discovered the hard wooden floors too late in the plan. When we pulled the carpet back we saw them... to keep the floors would have meant another delay and more money. Both weren't an option right now.

The floors though lovely, needed a tremendous amount of work. Plus from the walls to the center of the room the floors sagged over four inches. We decided to build up from the old wooden floor. We protected the old wooden floor (in case some day someone wants to take it back to its roots), then ran small beams and mounted them with cement to secure their place, on top of the beams we added compressed board panels.

I say "We"... but all I do is run for errands: Buy things at the hardware stores that I can barely pronounce, and take photos of shirtless men.

 

 

The cooper pipes and electrical wires run underneath the raised floor. 

Walking around the apartment is like dancing bamboo jump sticks. 

Not easy.

 

 

 

Dancing bamboo jump sticks.

Hard work.

Florent listens sometimes to rap/hip hop music. The other day he asked me, "Corey, you know the words because they are in English?" I told him I did, but I wasn't going to translate.

He understood why.

 

 

Regis the leader of the pack, has worked with French Husband for over twenty years. We brought our own team to Paris to do the renovation. Yes, it has been costly (hotels, trains, taking the truck back and forth from Marseille to Paris...) but far less costly if we had hired a team in Paris. Plus we work well together, there I go again with the "we" factor. 

 

Regis is a one man brilliant machine! He knows how to do everything. We do not need to wait for anyone. He knows everything there is to know about construction, electricity, concrete, welding, plumbing... and he loves antiques and knows how to cook. I wonder if he can dance?

He is very good at dancing between the jumpsticks as I call them.

And yes he smokes. It is not a crime.

 

 

After the small boards were measured, balanced and cemented to the old floor, the large compressed panels were carried up two flights of stairs. 

 

The compressed boards were measured and cut to fit on a makeshift work table.

 

 

The apartment, though good size by Paris standards, is not big enough to hold everything that it takes to do a job. Things are constantly being moved around, or brought up from the truck when need be. Work station are made and taken down within minutes. 

I must admit I have heard Regis say certain "mots argot" slang words, and one in particular that I like to tease him about. In English it is "break your balls", but in French it is a bad word/expression to say.

I literally cannot pronounce the French slang word for balls. Which doesn't matter as I do not need to say it anyway. 

 

 

 

 The compressed wooden panels fit together perfectly.

 

 

 

Admiration. Gratitude. Hard work. Shirtless men. Hot Paris days.

                     A dream project coming true. 

 

Monday the apartment will be painted. Then the bathroom will be tiled, followed by the kitchen set up. It looks like the construction will end in two weeks. Then the "we" that I am will start the interior design/decorating. 

 

 

Comments

[becky up a hill]

~JOY~

[Maria in NY]

Corey, I don't know about your trips to the hardware store, but you're doing a great job taking pics of the shirtless men. Keep up the good work!! :)

[Laurie SF]

An empty floor, three workers. Dime a dance, let's jitterbug!

[Brother Mathew]

Maybe ole Regis ought to take up Rap. "Break Your Balls" could be a big hit. Oh yeah the correct term in the U.S. for the jump sticks is "Sleepers" and the whole system looks a bit rough. I'm assuming your doing this project without a permit otherwise the inspector would be breaking your balls on this project. I can only keep silent for so long.

[Sue]

Fantastic description and fascinating to learn how it's all done. Thanks

[Diogenes]

Wow...it's coming together fast. Fascinating that the floors had sagged 4".

[Carole]

What fun and the excitement you will have in decorating and purchasing certain items for certain places in the apartment........what are you putting into the alcove? Lovely, lovely, place to stay and I hope to do so some day :o)

[Jeannie]

Wow!!! The progress is amazing! I am so impressed by how quickly they are getting the apartment ship shape. (Brother Mathew raised my concern. But, I trust Regis!) Have a wonderful weekend dreaming and decorating in your dreams

[g]

so happy for the details-STEADY ON MATE- and agreed smoking is not a crime-in his case it adds that certain je ne sais quoi- don't you think

[Diane]

"one man brilliant machine" ... LOVE your writing style AND your photograph; ever so delightful to the matronly eye!!

[Brother Mathew]

What is the spacing on the "cow pies" supporting the sleepers? Again, looks shaky.

[Ellen ~ American Homestead]

During the winter months at St. Mary's School, where I went from 1st to 8th grade, our gym classes would do folk dances ~ American square dances and folk dancing from all over the world ~ including the dances with the bamboo poles! What fun!

[jeanne stone]

Am just stopping by after reading that you were the guest speaker at Spellbound. REad abou tyou in somerset life. You sound so interesting, so here I am to check you out.
What an amazing project this looks to be in your Paris appartment. Will join up with you and will so look forward to seeing how all of this will come out. Bet it will be amazing! Hard work though! Best to you, and will be seeing you again.

[Franca Bollo]

Choop said it first. Those concrete cow pies wouldn't pass inspection in San Francisco. Zut alors. But I like to imagine you bringing a concrete-pooping cow into the apartment and yanking its tail wherever a support was needed.

[French la Vie]

Dear Brother Mathew

You will have to come and see for yourself, no shirt required.

[French la Vie]

Dear Brother Mat and Cousin Franca....

As the saying goes, "When in Rome do as the Romans do..."

[Joan]

This is so much fun to watch happen! Keep posting all the details.

[Judy]

Loving these writings and pictures of the renovation!

[Debra]

Your post was great, but your family comments too funny. Great way to end a crazy week here. I am so excited to get to the decorating part of the apartment.

[Sel]

So, the finale on these floors? carpet?
personally, i would have moved heaven and earth
with the original floors....yes, budget....always
the decision maker in the end.....

[[email protected]]

I am so enjoying following your blog and your progress in your apartment. Look forward to the decorating part.

Debbie

[Chico Sue]

We seem to be renovating two of our master bathrooms simultaneous to your apartment redo, but I must admit your photos are much more fascinating than what is going on here. Especially your shirtless workers! OOH LA and LA!

[French la Vie]

Hi Sel

Heaven, earth and the moon have been moved. We are going to put in imitation wooden floors.

C

[Linda P.]

I, too, am enjoying watching the renovation. Thanks for these updates.

[Sharyn]

Those shirtless men are easy on the eye! Keep those pictures coming. Enjoying the progress in the apartment from far away Australia!

[Sam @ My Carolina Kitchen]

Looks like it is really coming along well. It must be frustrating for everything not to fit while doing work. And for the floor to sag four inches. BTW, I am the errand runner too. We call it "being the "gofor."

Have a great weekend. Can't wait to see the finished apartment.
Sam

[Sharon Penney-Morrison]

Can't wait to see the finished apartment. Next year?
Sometime in May?
In regards to the cow pies holding up the beams...I have never seen that done, but very interesting and amusing.

[Amylia]

I've never seen floors installed like that before--funny the things that are interesting that I never would've thought could be ( of course the shirtless men and your photography style don't hurt!)!

After seeing all the work, I feel even more blessed to have won a stay in your apartment sometime hopefully soon. Maybe my soon-to-be here new daughter will be the first baby to stay in the apartment (something tells me it will not be baby proof, but she'd be so little she couldn't get into too much trouble until toddler years!). ;) Amylia

[Marilyn]

This is getting exciting!

[Brenda, Walker, LA]

Ive never seen a floor installed like thaT, are you going to stain and varnish them?

[Momof5]

So fun to anticipate the decorating! Can't wait to see it and my son plans to attend grad school in Paris in September!

[Lyn]

Corey, thank you so much for sharing this Reno, it has been fascinating. I hope that one day I will be able to come to Paris and stay in your beautiful apartment. lyn

[jeanie]

Yikes. This is very humbling. I was moaning and groaning about having to paint my living room. I'll shut up on that one now.

[Suzanna]

wow wow wow, in 2 weeks you start decorating.....wonderful wonderful wonderful....and wonderful shirtless guys too.....model material and great magazine shots....ha ha ha.....can't wait......merci !