Let there be light

I built the patio during the hottest days of the summer, so it’s only fitting that another home project be completed with snow on the ground.

Thanks to about a million hours of work by my dad, we’re finally ready to get a garage door opener installed this week. Here’s what we did:

1) Drilled a hole in the house and ran wiring under the patio steps to the garage. (This was earlier in the summer.)

2) Called the electrician, who connected the line inside the house and installed a new circuit breaker box in the garage.

3) Removed the old garage support beams and added new ones, five inches higher — for proper garage-door-chain clearance.

4) Ran wire and conduit around the garage, so there’d be plenty of plugs and lighting options.

In true Dad Vankat fashion, all of these steps were completed with the highest quality materials and workmanship. Where I was willing to cut corners to save time (and prevent frostbite), he insisted on sanded boards and smoothly filed metal edges.

And of course he was right. It’s a project to be proud of.

Thanks, Dad.

Here’s the unveiling:

Editor’s note: In the video, the light stays on for a couple seconds, then goes dark. It must be said that this is due entirely to a faulty bulb, and is in no way a reflection of Dad’s contractor skills. The garage is sturdier and warmer thanks to his tireless efforts. I’m pretty sure I could live out there if Stephanie ever got tired of me.