Above 1200 Sq/FT The Lab [Latvia]

[the lab]

Ripped off the old metal sheets from the roof. They’ve served their time. Insulation’s out, attic floor's gone too. Now we can actually see what’s going on with the support beams… and yeah, some of those bad boys gotta go.

Bit more work than I hoped, but hey — better now than halfway through, right?
Onward and upward

 

[the lab]

A bit more demolition before the rebuild begins.

Before we can start properly building on the house side, there’s still some demolition work to tackle. The old roof structure is partially off now — it’s being lifted a bit higher to give me decent headroom and usable space on the first floor.

Some of the old wooden support beams had to come out too — no big surprise, as they were no longer in good shape. It’s looking pretty dramatic at the moment, but honestly, most of this was expected.

The goal now is to keep pushing forward and get the house side structurally solid and under a new roof as soon as possible.

 

[the lab]

Yeah, I’ve been quiet lately — work’s been nuts, squeezed in some summer travels, but got my hands dirty back at the lab as well.

Right now, it still feels like I’m doing more tearing down than building up. Total chaos. But weirdly, it feels right, like I’m clearing the way for something cool.

Long way to go, but I’m stoked about where it’s heading. Progress is progress

 

[littlebean]

progress good, pictures better
good to see you're making forward steps, will be really cool once it's done

 

[Mr onetwo]

Good work!

 

[zanyad]

 

[Bad Mojo]

Excited to see this project progress and the Land Cruiser keep making appearances in the photos!

 

[the lab]

It’s been a while since I posted, but man… summer’s been crazy busy. Between work, some travel, and of course, putting in time at the Lab, there hasn’t been a whole lot of room to sit down and post. And honestly, another reason it’s been quiet on here is that I shoot mostly film, and y’all know that takes time to develop. I still much prefer sharing shots from the film cam over some phone pics — just hits different, ya know?

Anyway, the last update was all about tearing stuff down… but now we’re finally starting to build things back up. Not gonna lie, it’s not moving as fast as I’d like, but I’m doing it right. No shortcuts, just steady progress. Patience is the name of the game.

The weather’s been kinda whack lately too, which hasn’t helped. But despite that, I’m pretty stoked with how it’s all coming together. It’s slowly starting to look like something again, and that feels good.

Gonna drop a few pics below so you can get a better idea of where things are at. Appreciate anyone still following along, more to come soon!

 

[the lab]

..and more photos

 

[zanyad]

Still following along! Looks like you have several photos from the same vantage point. It'll be interesting to compare before-during-after.

 

[ChefRex]

Looking good!

 

[loganb]

Love the update!

 

[Mr onetwo]

I am stunned...your photos have a certain "feel" to them. They tell a more complete story somehow....very impressive work

 

[the lab]

@zanyad Owned the place just over a year now, and already stacked up a ton of photos. Just trying to document as much as I can while the Lab takes shape. Cool to look back and see the progress, even if it’s slower than I’d like.

@ChefRex @loganb Thanks! I’m trying to keep the thread updated as much as I can. Wish I could post more often, but for now I’m just doing my best with the time I’ve got. Appreciate the support!

@Mr onetwo Wow, really appreciate that, means a lot! I’m trying to capture more than just the build itself, you know? The whole vibe, the process, the little moments. Super glad it comes through in the photos. Thanks for the kind words!

 

[Mr onetwo]

I am just recognizing true talent...not everyone can take photographs such as these.Good luck as things progress

 

[the lab]

The roof construction is finally completed, which feels like an important milestone in this project. All of the main structure is in place and ready for the next stage. The metal sheets have already been ordered, and now it is just a matter of waiting for them to arrive.

If the weather cooperates, the plan is to start the installation work next week. This part will really change the look of the building and make it feel like the progress is moving forward in a visible way. It has taken some patience to reach this stage, but I am glad the work is steady and done properly without rushing.

I will share an update once the sheets are on.

 

[madison069]

I would say the roof is an important milestone!

 

[ChefRex]

Lookin' good!

 

[littlebean]

looking really good

 

[jon72vega]

Good progress!

 

[zanyad]

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[Mr onetwo]

Looks fantastic....good work

 

[M-technik-3]

Most places in the world that place would just been bulldozed and a new place erected. Congratulations it is looking fantastic,

 

[bulletpruf]

Just found this thread, thanks to @Ryan

Anyway, I love what you're doing here. Keep the updates coming, please.

Scott

 

[pb014]

What was that concrete structure outside in the earlier pict

What was that concrete structure up against the trees used for?

The first view from the back made me think it was a loading ramp but seeing from the front it was open leads me to think it was a coal bunker.

 

[pancho400cid]

What a project. Just flat amazing!

...

 

[Fast_Ed]

Excellent work so far, looking forward to updates as you press on!

 

[gahrajmahal]

Ryan’s feature brought me to your thread. Thanks for documenting this! It’s a really fun read! Your attitude I think has really helped you not get too caught up in the ups and downs of a big project. No, you simply do something else until the troublesome part starts cooperating.

 

[D-O]

What an undertaking. It is a fine thing to keep an old girl like this alive.

 

[kjdhawkhill]

What an undertaking. It is a fine thing to keep an old girl like this alive.

These old restorations are easily my favorite threads on here. This is a fun one, and so well documented in photos.

 

[Johanfpa]

Also pointed to the thread by Ryan's post, wow what a nice old building that you are giving a new lease of life.
Love the restoration project, and I'm looking forward to following along!

 

[rattle_snake]

One of my favorite threads here, quite different than the typical 'new build' in the US. I like that the quality of the build and materials are so far above and beyond the starting point.

 

[rktinc]

Wow! Your building looks like a great project. I too have been through just over 3.5 years of restoration. Doing it at this level is much more than just a restoration. It is a passion project. Good luck with your project! Your hard work will pay off.

RKTINC

 

[supersaiyan93]

After seeing your shop, I get it now when people say that we build with sticks and paper here in the US!

 

[D-O]

After seeing your shop, I get it now when people say that we build with sticks and paper here in the US!

The sturdiness of it stuck out to me as well. I have been in Georgia for a while now, and its all built out of sticks. It seemed crazy to me when I first moved here from south Florida.

 

[the lab]

Big thanks to @Ryan for featuring The Lab on Garage Journal. Really cool to see it up there, and I appreciate the kind words. Been a wild project so far and still plenty to go, but stoked it’s getting some love.

@madison069 Haha yeah, you’re not kidding! Getting that roof sorted felt like a huge step forward. Once it was on, it finally started to feel like a real building again instead of just a pile of bricks and beams.

@ChefRex @littlebean @jon72vega @zanyad @Mr onetwo @pancho400cid Thanks a lot guys, really appreciate the support and stoked you’re enjoying the build!

@M-technik-3 Appreciate it! You’re right, it probably would’ve been easier to bulldoze, but keeping the old character around makes the whole project way more rewarding.

@bulletpruf I’ll try to update as much as I can, but since I prefer film photography it takes time to develop the shots and get them up here. Not the most frequent forum poster, but I’ll keep posting whenever there’s progress.

@pb014 Actually, back in the day this place was used as a workshop and garages for the Red Cross. Pretty cool bit of history behind it.

@Fast_Ed Thanks! I’ll keep the updates coming as things move forward. Still plenty of work ahead, but it’s getting there step by step.

@gahrajmahal That’s exactly how I roll. When a part gets tricky, I just shift to something else for a while and let it sort itself out.

@D-O Yeah, it’s a big project, but there’s something really satisfying about keeping an old beauty like this alive.

@kjdhawkhill I like shooting on film so it takes a bit longer, but it makes documenting the build a lot more fun.

@Johanfpa It’s been a wild ride rebuilding this old place and I’ll keep sharing updates as things move along.

@rattle_snake Taking what’s already here and turning it into something that fits me.

@rktinc I agree, it’s more than just a renovation. I really respect the time and effort you’ve put into your build. Also, love your glass garage door. It looks amazing! What are your plans for the rest of the space?

@supersaiyan93 The building will turn 100 years old in 5 years. Hopefully it will stand at least another 100.

I’ll keep updating the thread as the project moves along and as I get the film rolls developed. Thanks again, everyone!

 

[Luntz]

You have an excellent eye for photography. The consistent tonal quality, lack of any type of mammals and a sense of all the pictures being taken in the same hour. No shadows or under exposure. Well done sir.

 

[the lab]

You have an excellent eye for photography. The consistent tonal quality, lack of any type of mammals and a sense of all the pictures being taken in the same hour. No shadows or under exposure. Well done sir.

Thanks a lot for the kind words! The tonality really comes from the film I use. For color I mostly shoot Kodak Portra 400 and when I go b&w my go-tos are Ilford HP5 or Delta.

 

[930dreamer]

Well, I missed this thread also. Beautiful pictures and structure.

 

[georgiadave]

The sturdiness of it stuck out to me as well. I have been in Georgia for a while now, and its all built out of sticks. It seemed crazy to me when I first moved here from south Florida.

You forgot spit