Handles and Knobs are...

On the cabinets!  Well some of them anyway.  The installer forgot the door from before, and the electricians weren't as careful as they should have been, so a couple doors and drawer fronts will be replaced.  Other than that, we like how the hardware looks on the cabinets instead of just sitting on a shelf in the cabinets!  We decided to go with knobs for cabinets, and handles for the drawers.  We have been cleared to begin to put things back into the cabinets that are complete.  My shoe rack may soon be converting back from it's pantry duties!

We've opted to leave the protective plastic film on the ovens and not use them.  Lesson learned from the electricians and the cabinets...  I have used the microwave a couple times. 

The range top was taken out and put back in several more times this week.  The painter stopped by to get a sample of the trim color he needs to match.  He said he'll be back on Monday morning to paint the  trim.  Today the gas line was run into the house into the shut off valve, the duct work was installed for the downdraft, the pressure regulator was installed, the line was pressurized and now we wait for an inspection before it can actually be hooked up.  We are still waiting to cook with gas...  

Tonight I was able to park in the garage, the first time in over a month.  I might have to wash it this weekend to celebrate.  And thus marks the end of week ten of eight.

She's Gonna Blow!

No, not Jeanne, sorry.  Today the remote blower was set into place.  When we looked at our options for a downdraft (instead of a hood), we had two choices; either sacrifice island space for an inside blower, or get a remote one.  We opted for the remote blower with no idea what it would look like or how it will work.  When the appliances were delivered, we saw the size, but a picture paints a thousand words, check out the size of the blower.  Electricity isn't hooked to it yet, so we don't yet have an idea of the noise level.  That's for another post.

The guy doing the install is over 6'...  It's a little muddy in the yard, and as he was finishing up outside, he slipped and got a little muddy so no more indoor work today at our house.  We are hopeful that this will be the final week, but we'll see.

Week Nine

Was an evolution.  We started the week not knowing the schedule, and by Tuesday, we were planning on spending a couple nights in a hotel so that the floor could be re-sanded, stained, and sealed.  Since one of us has to work, we stayed close to home.  As you can see from the meal log, our dinners out increased dramatically.

And so we begin Week Ten.  I broke open my emergency remodel kit yesterday and spent the afternoon today enjoying some pampering at my favorite spa.  I think I'm ready for the week to come.  We have no schedule (long list of things to be done), but we are planning to offset our dining out with more home cooking this week.

Here's the link to the Meal Log:  http://talesofaremodel.blogspot.com/2012/01/meal-log.html

What would you do?

It's the end of week nine of eight.  The floors have been redone.  It's March and 63 degrees outside and sunny.  What would you do?  I'll tell you what I did:  broke open the "Emergency Remodel" kit James gave me for Christmas and I followed the advice of my friend Lori.  I went for the Patron.  My daughter Lori would have never given this advice as she was hoping the Patron would make it to her place.

Did I mention it's the end of week nine of eight...

One step forward, two steps back...

Today, the tile guy came back to seal the back splash in the kitchen and remove row six of the splash in the powder room.  We'd asked for five, and he thought it was an error, not so much.  The electricians got to work, finishing the cans, and adding wall switches, hooking up the dishwasher, and putting in the wall ovens!!!  The best part of the day was the phone call where I got to explain to them how the existing dimmers worked.  I do know my electrics!

The under cabinet lights look really good, they'll be framed in by some sort of panel by the cabinet people.

You can see the wall ovens in the photo below, and they look fantastic.  They'll look much better when we remove the protective covering, but that will wait.  You'll also notice in that photo that the floors look like the stain has been sanded off.  Well, it has.  We had the flooring contractor start all over.  Our contractor titled this effort the "ripple removal project".  We have every confidence that the second time will be the charm.

First

Like a baby's first tooth, we have our first... ice cube.  In week nine of eight, it's the little things that keep you sane.

Week Eight

We have now crossed week eight off the calendar.  This was originally the last week of the schedule, but we have discovered that one small delay can quickly push the other "subs" out on the schedule.  It's quite interesting to watch the juggling of everyone's schedules, not to mention the careful sequencing of activities to ensure everything is done right.  We don't have a new schedule because at this point, it depends...

The window has been framed in.  I'm very pleased with how it looks.  We had this odd tile sill in the old kitchen.  It looks much cleaner to have the window just framed.  It will be painted the trim color at some point.  After the delivery of the fridge, the plumber arrived to hook water up to it, as well as install the faucet.  We have running water in the sink!!!  Dish washing may have to relocate to real sinks.  The tumbled travertine back splash was installed, and next week will be sealed.  Electrical has also been scheduled for next week.

Meal log has been updated, click here for link:  http://talesofaremodel.blogspot.com/2012_01_01_archive.html

?? Weeks left.

Another delivery- no install

How ironic that after eight weeks, we've had multiple appliance deliveries, and not one has been installed and functional.  Today the refrigerator was suppose to be delivered and installed.  It's been delivered and placed into position, that's it.  It's quite complicated, the timing and staging of everything.  Still happy with what we've chosen, but cabin fever is running rampant...

Shhhhh, don't tell anyone

Now that we have countertops and stools, we ate dinner in the kitchen for the first time in seven weeks.  Hopefully we removed all the evidence...  We still don't have a dishwasher (not counting James), so pardon the paper plates.  We never ate dinner at the old island, so it was fun to sit at the new island and enjoy the food and the new view!  We both have the itch for this to be completed, but really like our cabinet, counter, flooring and appliance selections!

Ovens for Sale- Never Used

We misguidedly thought that a kitchen needs at least one oven.  We've found over the past seven weeks, not so much.  What do you need an oven for- baking cookies- nope, grill works.  Chicken wings- nope, grill works.  Baked potatoes- nope, slow cooker works for those.  Pizza- nope, grill works.  Meatloaf- nope, grill works.  Roasting vegetables- nope, grill works.  Creme Brulee- nope, grill works.  Back up- Creme Brulee???  Yup, that was the last thing we thought we needed an oven for, and as it turns out, the grill worked just fine.  We'll keep the ovens anyway, after all, we have a hole in the cabinets where they are suppose to be.

In other random items, the new barstools arrived this week.  We picked them up today, they are exactly what we ordered.  They look nice at the island and are quite comfy.  I'll have to enjoy them now, since I'll be on the "working side" after the kitchen is done!

The refrigerator will be delivered and INSTALLED on Tuesday.  The old one gets hauled away, bringing us a little closer to complete.

Porta Potty update, our neighbors are having their roof replaced.  I hope they got a nice discount because they didn't have to provide a porta potty.   You guessed it, they too were in line over here.

Two more weeks.  Wasn't that a line from a movie?!


Here's the link to the meal log: http://talesofaremodel.blogspot.com/2012_01_01_archive.html

 

Week Seven

Of Eight Nine.  If you read the earlier post, we've been pushed out a week.  The counterops went in today.  We spent about 2 hours straight standing in the kitchen admiring the beauty of the granite we selected.  As a couple, we've done a good job over the years of finding something we both like.  I wanted dark granite, he wanted something that wasn't solid black, but had some texture.  We made multiple visits to multiple granite places over December to find something we would both like.  We found a granite called Black Pearl at a place in Portland OR called Intrepid that was unlike anything we had seen.  You pick the slabs out vertical.  Then later, you see them horizontal and they don't look the same...  but luckily ours looked exactly like what we wanted- dark, but not plain black!  Love the fabricators at Stone Center (Jose), they did a great job, and the installers Jose and David.  Great attention to detail.  Would highly recommend.  We even got a great gift- a lazy Susan crafted from our own granite!  Two more weeks to go...

The countertops were cast in stone

But the schedule wasn't.  The countertops were scheduled to be installed on Monday, with everything tightly backed up to that event.  There was a delay and they won't be installed until today (Friday)...  Everything else had to be rescheduled...  The eight week project has quickly become a nine week project.  For the second time, two more weeks to go.  We still believe that we picked the right contractor, and that this isn't Ground Hog day.

Week Six- Complete

We have completed week six.  The floors were sanded, stained, and sealed over the past few days.  Since we decided to have the wood in the entryway and hall done, this meant that we had to find somewhere else to stay for a few nights.  We didn't feel we could travel too far, in case there were questions or last minute calls to be made.  So, we decided to do something different- we headed downtown to the big city for the weekend!  There wasn't even a toll for us burb dwellers.  We went shopping at some small shops, went to Saturday Market (the opening day!), and enjoyed some great coffee.  All our nights of eating at home were blown to pieces, as we dined out and had fabulous meals.  A little mini vacation, and we decided it was a great way to spend our time away.  All the windows are currently open to air the house out.

The next two weeks should be pretty insane with countertops, back splash, electrical, plumbing, appliance install, handles, knobs, trim, etc.  We apparently remain on schedule.  Wish us luck!

The meal log wasn't too exciting last week, it's a bit hard to top Traeger cookies, but here's the link.
http://talesofaremodel.blogspot.com/2012_01_01_archive.html

Before and After floors