About residential permit expiration: The way this is written in the 2009 IRC is misleading if you read it superficially. What it actually says is that you have to start work within 180 days of the date that the permit was issued and once work has started, work must not stop for more than 180 days. If you can't show progress within a 180 days period (!), you may apply for an extension documenting why you stopped. My permit was issued early 2010 and I made sure to have an inspection showing progress at least every 180 days. Total time of construction will be 3 years (I have another 180 days to go approx.) and I will own a mortgage free house, which I could not have afforded (even with a mortgage) had I paid a builder to construct it within 180 days. The local building department specifically explained to me that I have to schedule inspections not more than 180 days apart for the permit to stay active. Otherwise it would effectively impossible to build DIY while earning a living with a full time job. And no, the neighbor's visual inconvenience does not trump my property rights (it helps that my property is secluded, though). The city has adopted a more stringent energy code after 2010 but my build is grandfathered into the previous one that was valid when the permit was issued.

You can try a high build primer like Brushing Putty or use something to skim over the bad areas and then sand them smooth. Drywall compound even works for this. You can also try sanding either by hand or with something electrical like a finishing sander or an orbital sander.

Seedling roots should not be allowed to dry out, whether under lights and heat mats or outside in the sun( as I am unaware of your current set up). But I have found that they need lots of water in the hot weather we have in India. Somehow if they are browning at leaf tips, I feel you may be watering them less than they need. You could segregate one or two and see how they respond to increased waterings depending on the weather you have.

That's gorgeous! LOVE all the stained wood and the incredible ceiling. If the trim in our house was ever stained, it was painted long ago. I know people in the neighborhood who stripped all of their trim, but it's a huge job, and heaven knows how much of that paint is lead-based. I'm just going to live with my painted trim! I particularly envy that ceiling. I don't think we ever had beams and coffering, and some fool put popcorn on Every. Ceiling. In. The. House. The remodel got rid of it in the kitchen, dining room, and bath; I personally scrapped every inch of our bedroom. The living room and my son's room have got to be done, but I'll hire someone to do it in a few years. It's an awful, awful job.