Demolition Begins!

We began the demolition this weekend. We ripped out a few key areas of walls and ceilings so that our designer/architect could get a good look. We also started removing the kitchen cabinets.

Everything seems to be as expected, with the exception of the exterior walls. We expected to find wood framing behind the plaster, but discovered instead that the walls are strapped with only a one-inch cavity between the brick and the plaster. This won't affect our plans on the main floor, but adds an interesting factor to our decision about what to do on the second floor.

If we choose to gut the second floor, we will need to add framing to the walls to allow for insulation and additional electrical outlets. Adding framing to the walls on the second floor means we would lose some key space in each of the (already small!) bedrooms.

If we choose to leave the second floor as is, one of our new neighbours had a good suggestion. There are insulation products that can be blown into the one-inch cavity between the existing plaster and brick. This could be our solution - allowing us to increase our energy efficiency without having to wreck the nice hardwood floors!

Here are some pictures of the demolition: