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The "Happy House" (Alex's play house) is looking a bit happier, these days, as we've started to pull it back from the brink of destruction. A progress report on "The Happy House Project".

A "Happy House" Project Update

Happy House? What Happy House? Sadly, the "Happy House" is nearly hidden from view. Such as it is, this is the "BEFORE" picture! (It's not till you get closer, that you can actually SEE the play house).

Alex's derelict, 2-story play house, which was nicknamed "The Happy House" by previous Hutton House owners, is in serious need of attention.

It must be 20 years old (or more). The three Hutton kids - 2 boys and a girl - played in it while they were growing up. At least, that's who it was built for. Who knows how old they were when it was built? All I know is that they're now in their late 20's and early 30's. Our plan has always been to fix it up so that the Oop can play in it, letting her imagination take her to far away places, have countless tea parties with imaginary dignitaries and maybe even a sleep-over or two.

Before then, however, there's much work to be done.

Read more about "The Happy House" project ...

Little House in the Woods

A Closer Look: A closer look shows springs don't close the door - because the house is tilting downhill, plywood walls that are tinted green from mold and moss, there's no roof covering and the plywood is rotting - this playhouse needs some TLC!

When we moved in last October, we were thrilled to have a play house for the Oop. We knew it needed attention, but we had many other things on our minds and we busied ourselves with the task of moving into the main house. Now that summer is rapidly pushing toward autumn, we figured we'd better (at least) pay some attention to the exterior, before the bloody thing rots further, during another wet winter.

A few weeks ago, Scott began. This post reflects the progress that was made during that brief burst of energy.

To Move or Not to Move

We had given some thought to moving the house more into the yard. The idea was to wrap a chain around it and drag it somewhere closer to the main house, where we could SEE it and to better keep an eye on the Oop. Those plans were quickly dashed. Upon closer inspection, it was doubtful that the structure would survive such a physical move.

Instead, Scott "brought the Happy House closer to the yard" by cutting back the overhanging limbs, which means that we can actually SEE the Happy House now! The Cedar limbs were the most difficult to cut, as they tend to start high up in the tree and swoop very low. Scott cut as many as he could atop a step ladder, but it wasn't until we bought a 28-foot extension ladder that he was able to get the big branches, using a chain saw, high up in the tree.

As much as we hate pruning the foliage, we must admit that the Happy House looks much happier, as a result.

On the Clean and Level

Next was the roof. Years of debris - twigs, branches, needles, and pine cones - were caked onto the plywood. The plywood, exposed to the elements, has begun to sag and rot, but Scott thought it sturdy enough to leave as an underlayment for a more solid, impenetrable galvanized steel roof - which we'll add before winter sets in.

The next step was to level the house, as it was (literally) falling down the slope. Using hydraulic jacks, some found 6-inch by 6-inch timbers and some existing concrete slab pieces, Scott raised the front of the house and blocked the corners. He also dug into the hillside in the back, adding concrete blocks at the back corners.

The Happy House, for the first time EVER, is now completely off of the dirt! YAY! No ground-to-wood contact! No more rotting substructure! Air can now get under the house and the underside has been cleaned of all the debris and material that was "stored" there.

A Pint-sized Window

A Happier House: Leveled, cleaned of debris and moss, supported on concrete blocks and off the dirt, sporting a new window (on the right) and now visible from the yard ... the Happy House is looking a tad happier!

Part of the west wall (near the floor) had rotted, so Scott cut out that section, added interior studs (2x3s) and will replace the rotten panel with a piece found on the property. While he was doing this work, he also added a Plexiglas window (Oop height), so that Alex could actually see out of her house. (All of the other downstairs windows - three - are too high for the Oop to see out of. It'll be a few years till she's tall enough for those, so we thought we'd give her something she can use now).

We plan on painting the Happy House in the same colors as the main house. This is partly to pretty it up, but mainly to protect the existing wood from the elements. Much of the existing wood was a mossy green color, because the wood was damp and supporting plant life. Scott killed this by spraying the entire house with a chlorine/water mixture (1:3 mix). Next, we'll treat it with some oxalic acid and then paint it with a semi-transparent stain.

There's still much to do before the Happy House project is complete. Next: Roof, paint and trim! Stay tuned.