Today is a good day.
The city planners were here today to do the final inspection on the outdoor kitchen, and we passed (though only because Site Supervisor II made a last minute cover for the sink, which the hardscaping guys hadn't got round to doing).
The exterior lights are all in. I'll check over the weekend that they're actually working.
SS2 had a major triumph yesterday with the kitchen skylights. The operable windows now open and close and the six blinds do all the various things they are supposed to do (up, down, tilt, etc). I also got a nice thank you card from SS2's wife for a book I sent home with him for his kids: "Fix-It Duck" by Jez Alborough. In the book, the cack-handed Fix-It Duck has to repair a skylight in Sheep's caravan. It seemed all too appropriate for the long-suffering SS2 (though that's not to say that he is cack-handed, far from it!).
The landscapers are still here planting. I think they'll be done with that today, and then tomorrow morning they'll be here to start on the landscape lighting.
And I just received delivery of our new garden furniture: extending table, two benches, dining chairs (should have been six, but one was damaged so they took it away for replacement), a rocking chair, and a sling chair. Looks nice. Now we have to decide what to do with all the rest of the furniture!
Showing posts with label windows. Show all posts
Showing posts with label windows. Show all posts
Friday, July 9, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
The End Truly in Sight
Around the house there is very little left to do.
Site Supervisor II finally confirmed - with the help of the Velux rep - that the remaining problem with our kitchen skylight is a bad blind, so a new one is on order. The door screens for the french windows are supposedly arriving tomorrow and will be installed on Monday. The three missing exterior lights came yesterday and should also be installed on Monday. SS2 owes us a bit of caulking in the kitchen around the sliding door threshold. We are also owed a few bits of touch up painting inside the house, nothing much.
Outside, the exterior paint job is looking good, and minimal touch ups are required. The painter said he'd return when the landscaping was complete, so that he can touch up anywhere the landscapers have spoiled. He also needs to come back to patch and paint the front door where the hardware changed.
The landscapers are working hard on the garden. Yet more dirt has been delivered. The guys move it around in wheelbarrows, it looks like hard work. The big excitement of yesterday was the delivery of a very large quantity of plants. They are currently sitting on the area that will become our lawn. Hopefully they will be planted in the near future. Just their arrival in pots has really perked up the garden.
Site Supervisor II finally confirmed - with the help of the Velux rep - that the remaining problem with our kitchen skylight is a bad blind, so a new one is on order. The door screens for the french windows are supposedly arriving tomorrow and will be installed on Monday. The three missing exterior lights came yesterday and should also be installed on Monday. SS2 owes us a bit of caulking in the kitchen around the sliding door threshold. We are also owed a few bits of touch up painting inside the house, nothing much.
Outside, the exterior paint job is looking good, and minimal touch ups are required. The painter said he'd return when the landscaping was complete, so that he can touch up anywhere the landscapers have spoiled. He also needs to come back to patch and paint the front door where the hardware changed.
The landscapers are working hard on the garden. Yet more dirt has been delivered. The guys move it around in wheelbarrows, it looks like hard work. The big excitement of yesterday was the delivery of a very large quantity of plants. They are currently sitting on the area that will become our lawn. Hopefully they will be planted in the near future. Just their arrival in pots has really perked up the garden.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Sealed in a Plastic Bubble
The painters are doing the outside of the house, at last. Interestingly, they do not use paintbrushes or rollers; they use spray guns. First of all they covered every window and door with plastic, and used the spray gun to paint all the woodwork white (eaves, gutters, downspouts, window frames, doors and door frames. Then yesterday they spent a while covering all the openings with plastic so that today they can spray the walls. It was pretty horrible in the house last night, with every potential ventilation opening covered in plastic film.
We also had a slightly comical moment yesterday afternoon when it appeared that there was no longer any way to get out of the house. This was solved by bursting through one of the garage doors.
In other news yesterday, Site Supervisor II was here for an hour with the Velux representative, and they got both openable skylights in the kitchen to work, and they also got five out of the six blinds to function correctly. It seems that our sixth blind is "bad" (even though it is brand new) and the Velux man has ordered a replacement to be sent directly to us rather than through the local dealer. SS2 says he is literally dreaming about our skylights; and I told him that he is now, of course, on an Arthurian-style Quest to get them fixed.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Too much weather and not enough action
Yesterday it rained. Today it has rained and it looks like there is a lot more in the sky. It's quite unbelieveable. This is California, people! We're supposed to be in bright sunshine by now.
Despite the inclement weather, the hardscaping has been moving forward. While the stone mason has finished putting the capstone on the rear wall, and is now working on the walls of the outdoor kitchen, one of his mates has been grouting the back patio, and the other has been cleaning up general mess. It all looks a lot tidier all of a sudden. The head hardscape honcho thinks that we could be finished tomorrow, but perhaps more likely on Tuesday because of the weather; and then we'll be ready for the BBQ guys to install the equipment, and for the granite guys to install the counter top (both of them being different subcontractors). The tidying up is in preparation for the landscapers, who we are expecting to appear next week to start working on the soil.
In and around the house, all has been quiet. In fact no one was here yesterday, and no one today. I've had no response on the bath issue reported yesterday. Apparently Jim, the boss and our "project manager", is on vacation this week. The lack of finishing is becoming quite frustrating. I've asked our architect to organize a site meeting for next week in the hope of chivvying the construction company along. We are so close, and things have gone so well thus far, that it would be a shame for everything to go wrong at this late stage. At the very least I am hoping to receive a genuine schedule for the remaining items, notably (1) finally getting the skylights and shades in the kitchen to work; (2) the exterior painting; (3) installation of the downspouts by the sheet metal subcontractor; (4) completion of the touch ups in the interior paint; (5) boxing in the electrical area by the guest bedroom and moving around the exterior lights to a better position.
I think it is fair to say that we are irritated that we are about to have Memorial Day weekend, and we're not finished. It is all dragging on too much now.
Despite the inclement weather, the hardscaping has been moving forward. While the stone mason has finished putting the capstone on the rear wall, and is now working on the walls of the outdoor kitchen, one of his mates has been grouting the back patio, and the other has been cleaning up general mess. It all looks a lot tidier all of a sudden. The head hardscape honcho thinks that we could be finished tomorrow, but perhaps more likely on Tuesday because of the weather; and then we'll be ready for the BBQ guys to install the equipment, and for the granite guys to install the counter top (both of them being different subcontractors). The tidying up is in preparation for the landscapers, who we are expecting to appear next week to start working on the soil.
In and around the house, all has been quiet. In fact no one was here yesterday, and no one today. I've had no response on the bath issue reported yesterday. Apparently Jim, the boss and our "project manager", is on vacation this week. The lack of finishing is becoming quite frustrating. I've asked our architect to organize a site meeting for next week in the hope of chivvying the construction company along. We are so close, and things have gone so well thus far, that it would be a shame for everything to go wrong at this late stage. At the very least I am hoping to receive a genuine schedule for the remaining items, notably (1) finally getting the skylights and shades in the kitchen to work; (2) the exterior painting; (3) installation of the downspouts by the sheet metal subcontractor; (4) completion of the touch ups in the interior paint; (5) boxing in the electrical area by the guest bedroom and moving around the exterior lights to a better position.
I think it is fair to say that we are irritated that we are about to have Memorial Day weekend, and we're not finished. It is all dragging on too much now.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
One step forward, two steps back
We are still tantalizingly close to being finished.
The painters were in last week and at the start of this week, painting the living room, dining room, hall and entry hall. All looking nice. We are moving the furniture round, and the living room in particular looks like a complete disaster with piles of unsorted books everywhere.
Site Supervisor II tells me that there is now power to all the skylights and blinds in the kitchen. The two openable windows now open, but the blinds are not working. This is proving to be puzzling as all the necessary pieces are in place. We are waiting for the Velux guy to show up again.
I just discovered what looks like a crack in the new bathtub. I suspect someone stood in it. It may be cosmetic rather than catastrophic, but the crazing doesn't wash off. I have reported it to the powers that be, and we'll see what the outcome is.
Outside it has been raining again. We are still waiting for the sheet metal people to come back to install the downspouts, and the painter plans to start on the exterior next week when the forecast is for dry. The weather is also causing more delays on the hardscaping. They're doing what they can - including some of the grouting yesterday, that they then covered up with plastic when the rain came - but it is slow going. The outdoor kitchen seemed to be making good progress on Monday but, when I got back from a trip to the grocery store, all the bbq equipment pieces had been removed again. The cap stone is going onto the retaining wall today.
Trying to get rid of a dining table and computer desk on Freecycle this week, and having no luck. I have managed to dispose of the four bar stools. I've been trying to sell our TV stand, which cost over $1,000 about 18 months ago, and there's no interest in that at all. Odd what you can get rid of and what you can't.
The painters were in last week and at the start of this week, painting the living room, dining room, hall and entry hall. All looking nice. We are moving the furniture round, and the living room in particular looks like a complete disaster with piles of unsorted books everywhere.
Site Supervisor II tells me that there is now power to all the skylights and blinds in the kitchen. The two openable windows now open, but the blinds are not working. This is proving to be puzzling as all the necessary pieces are in place. We are waiting for the Velux guy to show up again.
I just discovered what looks like a crack in the new bathtub. I suspect someone stood in it. It may be cosmetic rather than catastrophic, but the crazing doesn't wash off. I have reported it to the powers that be, and we'll see what the outcome is.
Outside it has been raining again. We are still waiting for the sheet metal people to come back to install the downspouts, and the painter plans to start on the exterior next week when the forecast is for dry. The weather is also causing more delays on the hardscaping. They're doing what they can - including some of the grouting yesterday, that they then covered up with plastic when the rain came - but it is slow going. The outdoor kitchen seemed to be making good progress on Monday but, when I got back from a trip to the grocery store, all the bbq equipment pieces had been removed again. The cap stone is going onto the retaining wall today.
Trying to get rid of a dining table and computer desk on Freecycle this week, and having no luck. I have managed to dispose of the four bar stools. I've been trying to sell our TV stand, which cost over $1,000 about 18 months ago, and there's no interest in that at all. Odd what you can get rid of and what you can't.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
From Crazy Paving to a Good Night's Sleep
On Friday, SS2 was hardly here at all, and it was peaceful inside the house. The one piece of bad news that he did bring was that the electricians had thrown their hands in the air in despair and declared that the skylights in the kitchen could not be repaired; and that the construction team would now need to deal direct with the customer service people at Velux. SS2 views this prospect with a sinking feeling, having had poor experiences with other manufacturers' customer "service" departments.
Progress on the hardscaping and other elements of the exterior work has picked up the pace.
Outside the house, the hardscapers completed the grouting of the stonework in the front yard, and very smart it looks too. They immediately moved on to laying the stone in the side yard and where the pergola will be. Not content with the jigsaw that is the ashlar pattern, we have asked for the pergola area and side path to be constructed of irregular, crazy paving style stones. Amazingly, the main stone guy is doing a fabulous job of fitting it all together. He really is a highly skilled worker.
The stucco subcontractor completed the finish coat on the house and also on the front wall. It's looking quite striking out there, even imposing. The stucco is a creamy white color. I must say that Hubby and I are finding that quite appealing, and wondering if we'd like to leave it light rather than having it painted Brewster Gray like the house.
The technician from Pool Covers Inc arrived and installed a bright blue pool cover. This is, alas, the wrong color. It should be grey. I only noticed him out there at the point when he was finishing the work. To say he was a bit downcast when I told him would be an understatement. Well, this will stay on the pool for a week or so, and then be replaced by the correct color, so no harm done.
The solar heating for the pool seems to be working fine.
This morning I got rid of our filing cabinet through Freecycle. We also had our new bed delivered - moved the old bed into the new guest room and enlisted friends to put it together - and also had the piano moved back into the family room...just in time for Mothers' Day tomorrow. No 6:30am wake up call from Little Starlet.
Hubby finally unpacked his new espresso maker. It may take us a while to really understand out how to use it....
Progress on the hardscaping and other elements of the exterior work has picked up the pace.
Outside the house, the hardscapers completed the grouting of the stonework in the front yard, and very smart it looks too. They immediately moved on to laying the stone in the side yard and where the pergola will be. Not content with the jigsaw that is the ashlar pattern, we have asked for the pergola area and side path to be constructed of irregular, crazy paving style stones. Amazingly, the main stone guy is doing a fabulous job of fitting it all together. He really is a highly skilled worker.
The stucco subcontractor completed the finish coat on the house and also on the front wall. It's looking quite striking out there, even imposing. The stucco is a creamy white color. I must say that Hubby and I are finding that quite appealing, and wondering if we'd like to leave it light rather than having it painted Brewster Gray like the house.
The technician from Pool Covers Inc arrived and installed a bright blue pool cover. This is, alas, the wrong color. It should be grey. I only noticed him out there at the point when he was finishing the work. To say he was a bit downcast when I told him would be an understatement. Well, this will stay on the pool for a week or so, and then be replaced by the correct color, so no harm done.
The solar heating for the pool seems to be working fine.
This morning I got rid of our filing cabinet through Freecycle. We also had our new bed delivered - moved the old bed into the new guest room and enlisted friends to put it together - and also had the piano moved back into the family room...just in time for Mothers' Day tomorrow. No 6:30am wake up call from Little Starlet.
Hubby finally unpacked his new espresso maker. It may take us a while to really understand out how to use it....
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Wet and Wonderfully Smooth
It's been a busy day around the Cardboard Box today. Site Supervisor II is anxious to be done with the inside.
The electricians finally showed up fully equipped with their tools. They replaced and fixed most of the small things on the list. The sky lights in the kitchen are still not working, but they diagnosed that the transformers are faulty/defunct. They are going to try to source new ones for tomorrow and come back to install them. They did move the three light switches in the living room that were floating free on the walls, far from the wooden trim; and also installed a new outlet in the kitchen over the wine fridges. Hubby will be pleased as this means he can now set up his new coffee maker.
SS2 has installed the trim strip at our master bedroom exterior door and has repaired the sliding door in the guest bedroom which stopped locking yesterday.
Outside, the stone work has continued. The front is almost done. The fence is complete, all we need is the new gate by the guest bedroom, which has to wait for the wall to be stuccoed. Speaking of which, the wall has been prepped for stucco, with a wire frame added to all the edges.
The big news of the day is that the pool has been plastered and we are currently filling it up with water. We have to leave it filling overnight. If the water is turned off, then a water line will form on the new plaster. (We chose French Grey "Wet Edge" plaster, which is supposedly the smoothest on the market.)
The electricians finally showed up fully equipped with their tools. They replaced and fixed most of the small things on the list. The sky lights in the kitchen are still not working, but they diagnosed that the transformers are faulty/defunct. They are going to try to source new ones for tomorrow and come back to install them. They did move the three light switches in the living room that were floating free on the walls, far from the wooden trim; and also installed a new outlet in the kitchen over the wine fridges. Hubby will be pleased as this means he can now set up his new coffee maker.
SS2 has installed the trim strip at our master bedroom exterior door and has repaired the sliding door in the guest bedroom which stopped locking yesterday.
Outside, the stone work has continued. The front is almost done. The fence is complete, all we need is the new gate by the guest bedroom, which has to wait for the wall to be stuccoed. Speaking of which, the wall has been prepped for stucco, with a wire frame added to all the edges.
The big news of the day is that the pool has been plastered and we are currently filling it up with water. We have to leave it filling overnight. If the water is turned off, then a water line will form on the new plaster. (We chose French Grey "Wet Edge" plaster, which is supposedly the smoothest on the market.)
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Trying to Get Beyond 80% Done
The frustrating thing about the remodel now is that lots of things are almost finished; but not many things are actually finished.
The kitchen floor is complete, but the wine fridges can't go in because the walls haven't been painted. The kitchen cabinets still need adjustment. The office is ready to have the floor installed and the walls painted. The light fittings also need to go in. The exterior lights are here, but awaiting installation. The laundry is awaiting cabinet pulls and painting. (We're also waiting for the correct top half of the dutch door to come.) The interior doors are in and painted, but still need the correct hardware (handles, hinges etc). The family room floor is complete and the window bench is in, but the TV cabinet is having to be remade (see earlier post about how it was made up in the wrong material). The guest bathroom tile is half done. The window frames have all been painted, but the glass needs cleaning up.
The guys from Jim's Bunch have been installing the closet doors in our bedroom since yesterday. California Closets will be coming on Friday to install the innards.
I could go on. All this is not to say that work is slowing down, or that the guys aren't working hard, because it isn't and they are. It's just that it would be nice to see something actually 100% complete because every room in the house is currently impacted by the remodel.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Down to the Detail
There was a fair amount of activity around the Cardboard Box today, despite the rain, but nothing very photogenic to offer. We have now reached the stage in the project where most of the labor is going on detailed finish work. The nice thing about this is it is relatively quiet and unobtrusive. One of the guys was installing base boards (skirting boards to my British readers). Another was on the exterior window trim, which they are now able to get to because of the lovely concrete in the back yard. A third was fiddling with interior doors.
The tile for the bathroom has arrived and I have taken some so we can choose appropriate paint colors. We're probably going to to for an off-white in the bathroom, a lavender in the bedroom, and a pale grey in the family room. The living room is currently a sage color. I don't think repainting it is in the scope of work, but I imagine we'll get round to redoing it, or it will look yukky next to the rest of the rooms. If we do, we plan to keep it a similar color, which comes across as fairly neutral without being dead boring.
Outside, the forms have been constructed for the front yard concrete. Over the weekend we raised the issue of the landing pad outside the guest bedroom. It isn't as drawn on the plans and there seems to be some confusion about what is needed to meet the building code. Needless to say, the confusion is not with Jim's Bunch, but with the hardscaping crew. Our Landscape Designer will be here tomorrow to view and consult. We were supposed to be getting lovely concrete in the front yard tomorrow, but this discussion is likely to lead to a day or so delay. The rain/hail doesn't help either.
In good news, Site Supervisor II announced that the remaining exterior doors would be arriving on site tomorrow afternoon. This is the last remaining piece of the construction puzzle. When they are in place, everything is built, and we just need the finishing to be done (both inside - doors, cabinets, floors - and outside - completion of weep screed and new stucco where the old was cut).
The end is definitely in sight.
The tile for the bathroom has arrived and I have taken some so we can choose appropriate paint colors. We're probably going to to for an off-white in the bathroom, a lavender in the bedroom, and a pale grey in the family room. The living room is currently a sage color. I don't think repainting it is in the scope of work, but I imagine we'll get round to redoing it, or it will look yukky next to the rest of the rooms. If we do, we plan to keep it a similar color, which comes across as fairly neutral without being dead boring.
Outside, the forms have been constructed for the front yard concrete. Over the weekend we raised the issue of the landing pad outside the guest bedroom. It isn't as drawn on the plans and there seems to be some confusion about what is needed to meet the building code. Needless to say, the confusion is not with Jim's Bunch, but with the hardscaping crew. Our Landscape Designer will be here tomorrow to view and consult. We were supposed to be getting lovely concrete in the front yard tomorrow, but this discussion is likely to lead to a day or so delay. The rain/hail doesn't help either.
In good news, Site Supervisor II announced that the remaining exterior doors would be arriving on site tomorrow afternoon. This is the last remaining piece of the construction puzzle. When they are in place, everything is built, and we just need the finishing to be done (both inside - doors, cabinets, floors - and outside - completion of weep screed and new stucco where the old was cut).
The end is definitely in sight.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Have you been paying attention? Finish this sentence: "Another Day..."
It is Monday. Welcome to week 21 of the remodel. Guess what joyful occurrence has gladdened the hearts of the Cardboard Box dwellers today? Yes, a new hole in the front yard. In fact, to be specific, two holes. The first hole is involved in a sewer relocation connected to the "outdoor kitchen" we are building in the back yard. The second hole is to accommodate a pipe that was the subject of installation in a previous hole. This landscaping crew is worthy of employment with BT or British Gas or one of those wretched utility companies. Site Supervisor II says he tried not to notice what they were doing, it was too painful to watch.
Inside the Cardboard Box, the dishwasher finally came back to life today. Unfortunately it leaked into the cabinet under the sink. Turned out to be something to do with gravity and one of the pipes having a dip in it. Anyway, SS2 called the plumber in to fix it and told him very sternly that the whole kitchen remodel was predicated on eliminating the leaking faucet and water damaged sink cabinet, so it had better get put right. SS2 is a pretty mild mannered guy, so it's easy to see when he's not tremendously impressed. While he was here, the plumber also swapped the Insinkerator (garbage disposal) around from the big sink to the small sink, and installed the second Insinkerator in the vegetable sink. Houston, we now have total sink capability.
We've spotted various little fixes that are needed around the kitchen, but we've decided not to moan on about them just now. We'd rather the guys get on with some of the remaining big stuff than spend their time fiddling with the little stuff. That can wait for the punch list at the end, if necessary.
Our whole house fan was working over the weekend, but isn't now. We discovered that the attic fans had been left switched on, so we turned them off at the subpanel. SS2 said that the thermostatic controls for the attic fans would be installed today. Quite what actually happened I'm not sure: The attic fans are still permanently on, while the whole house fan is no longer working. It seems like that with all our electrical work: One thing gets fixed and another stops working. The electicians claim that we have funky wiring (and I can believe that) but even so, surely this isn't absolutely necessary.
The carpenters continued working on the windows today and seem to be close to finishing.
In other big news, the pocket doors for the kitchen/study wall have arrived. Yay! A couple of the guys from Jim's Bunch started to install the pockets this afternoon. This is arguably the last big piece of actual construction needing to be done. When the pocket doors are in, they'll be able to finish the drywall in the kitchen, the tile floor, install the last cabinet, and take the blessed wine fridges out of the dining room at last. All good stuff.
Now, to return to yesterday's important question about the light switch in the living room, here is a photo of it. Would you have it moved or not?
Inside the Cardboard Box, the dishwasher finally came back to life today. Unfortunately it leaked into the cabinet under the sink. Turned out to be something to do with gravity and one of the pipes having a dip in it. Anyway, SS2 called the plumber in to fix it and told him very sternly that the whole kitchen remodel was predicated on eliminating the leaking faucet and water damaged sink cabinet, so it had better get put right. SS2 is a pretty mild mannered guy, so it's easy to see when he's not tremendously impressed. While he was here, the plumber also swapped the Insinkerator (garbage disposal) around from the big sink to the small sink, and installed the second Insinkerator in the vegetable sink. Houston, we now have total sink capability.
We've spotted various little fixes that are needed around the kitchen, but we've decided not to moan on about them just now. We'd rather the guys get on with some of the remaining big stuff than spend their time fiddling with the little stuff. That can wait for the punch list at the end, if necessary.
Our whole house fan was working over the weekend, but isn't now. We discovered that the attic fans had been left switched on, so we turned them off at the subpanel. SS2 said that the thermostatic controls for the attic fans would be installed today. Quite what actually happened I'm not sure: The attic fans are still permanently on, while the whole house fan is no longer working. It seems like that with all our electrical work: One thing gets fixed and another stops working. The electicians claim that we have funky wiring (and I can believe that) but even so, surely this isn't absolutely necessary.
The carpenters continued working on the windows today and seem to be close to finishing.
In other big news, the pocket doors for the kitchen/study wall have arrived. Yay! A couple of the guys from Jim's Bunch started to install the pockets this afternoon. This is arguably the last big piece of actual construction needing to be done. When the pocket doors are in, they'll be able to finish the drywall in the kitchen, the tile floor, install the last cabinet, and take the blessed wine fridges out of the dining room at last. All good stuff.
Now, to return to yesterday's important question about the light switch in the living room, here is a photo of it. Would you have it moved or not?
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Photos of the Guest Bathroom
As it was site meeting day, I was able to get a little look at the bedroom/bathroom extension. Here are photos from that.
Photo 1: This is the light well over the hallway.
Photo 2: This is the guest bathroom shower, looking towards the interior seat.
- and, Photo 3, towards where the water controls will be. Note the chicken wire which is an important part of house construction in California.
Photo 1: This is the light well over the hallway.
Photo 2: This is the guest bathroom shower, looking towards the interior seat.
- and, Photo 3, towards where the water controls will be. Note the chicken wire which is an important part of house construction in California.
Turning up the Snugness
As well as all the doors being removed and replaced over the past two weeks, the guys from Jim's Bunch have also leapt ahead with the window replacements.
All the new exterior doors - except for the laundry room's dutch door, which hasn't yet been delivered - have been installed. They also lack hardware.
More impressively, the guys have replaced the glass in all the fixed pane windows so that we are now double-glazed (dual-paned) throughout the house. For the first couple of days it felt a little drafty. To replace the glass, the trim has to be prised off, and that process seems to leave small gaps. Over the past couple of days the workmen have been adding new trim to each window; and that seems to have made the house feel positively snug.
Photos here of our family room from the outside and living room from the inside.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Random Photos
Here's a bunch of photos reflecting yesterday's and today's activity around the house. Spot the guys on the roof installing skylights. Also the night shot of CAT with new window, and this morning's trenches.
Activity Explosion
The rain finally stopped yesterday morning and we suddenly saw an explosion of activity in and around the Cardboard Box.
First, the windows that have been patiently sitting in the garage have been installed. We are now fully fenestrated, both in walls and roof.
Second, the kitchen demolition was completed. Floor totally gone. The central island wall has been moved about two inches to give more space between the refrigerator wall and the center island (so that Hubby and I will need to engage in less physical contact whilst cooking and cleaning up).
Third, the dry wallers (that's plasterers to the Brits out there) have appeared in the kitchen to repair the walls. They have incredibly funky stilts for plastering the upper parts of the wall, like prosthetic lower legs. Fabulous, I am sure the kids would like some.
Fourth, the kitchen cabinets have arrived and are in the garage awaiting installation.
Fifth, the landscapers are trenching in the front yard with great vigor. They are laying drainage pipes.
Sixth, the pool people are out back putting the new Connecticut blue stone coping around the edge of the pool. Mike the Pool explained that this will be the last thing they do until the rest of the hardscaping is in. They'll be back to plaster the pool, fill it, brush it and install the cover later in the process.
I'm sure I've forgotten something, but that seems like a fair bit to me.
First, the windows that have been patiently sitting in the garage have been installed. We are now fully fenestrated, both in walls and roof.
Second, the kitchen demolition was completed. Floor totally gone. The central island wall has been moved about two inches to give more space between the refrigerator wall and the center island (so that Hubby and I will need to engage in less physical contact whilst cooking and cleaning up).
Third, the dry wallers (that's plasterers to the Brits out there) have appeared in the kitchen to repair the walls. They have incredibly funky stilts for plastering the upper parts of the wall, like prosthetic lower legs. Fabulous, I am sure the kids would like some.
Fourth, the kitchen cabinets have arrived and are in the garage awaiting installation.
Fifth, the landscapers are trenching in the front yard with great vigor. They are laying drainage pipes.
Sixth, the pool people are out back putting the new Connecticut blue stone coping around the edge of the pool. Mike the Pool explained that this will be the last thing they do until the rest of the hardscaping is in. They'll be back to plaster the pool, fill it, brush it and install the cover later in the process.
I'm sure I've forgotten something, but that seems like a fair bit to me.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Squelch
The rain continues to pour. Here's a photo of the side yard. Nice puddles, eh? At breakfast this morning we reviewed our respective dreams. I had been eaten by a whale. Little Starlet claimed to have been chased by a giant. Deep Thought merely bemoaned getting no sleep at all, no none at all, at least not until 1am. Anyway, I presume that our dreams reflect the thunder and lightening that energised the night sky.
Much to my surprise, some of the construction crew are here. Site Supervisor II came in to talk about the choices for location of heating registers (that's vents to my British readers), particularly in the family room. My only view was that I did not want them set in the floor - things tend to fall down them - so we agreed to put at least one in the toe kick under the window seat drawers.
Gosh, it's this kind of intellectual stimulation that keeps me so interesting.
On the bright side, the windows are apparently being delivered later today. SSII says that they won't attempt to install today as it is too wet, but at least they are here almost a week earlier than the schedule says. Or is that back on the original schedule. Well, something like that.
I am at home waiting for the delivery of the wine refrigerators. In the traditional way, I have a four hour window in which to twiddle my thumbs.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Powerless
The big excitement of today was having no electricity. The main subpanel and the electricity meter were moved this morning. We had several inspections during the course of the process, with visits too by the utility company. It all went smoothly. Apart from the electricians, no one else was on site today. (No power, no workers.)
We had our regular site meeting today. The big news from that was that (1) the Caesarstone will cost almost $3,000 more than the number we had last week and (2) the windows are due to be delivered on January 25. Until the windows come, there is little more they can do. That is also the day, of course, that the kitchen demolition is due to start. So I guess we'll have a big surge of activity that week. I should enjoy the peace while I can.
We had our regular site meeting today. The big news from that was that (1) the Caesarstone will cost almost $3,000 more than the number we had last week and (2) the windows are due to be delivered on January 25. Until the windows come, there is little more they can do. That is also the day, of course, that the kitchen demolition is due to start. So I guess we'll have a big surge of activity that week. I should enjoy the peace while I can.
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