On Day 125, We Reached "Substantial Completion"

According to our contract substantial completion means that the new space can be used for it's intended purpose. On Friday the back splash was completed and our stove moved back into the house from it's summer home in the garage (I predict it won't be much longer before we are highly motivated to get new appliances so we can get rid of the white). We celebrated by heating up a frozen pizza for dinner.

Since last week when I ordered the pulls for the cabinet I've had a little sick feeling about them. The price just seemed crazy high but Brian was okay with it so I was trying not to get too antsy about it. Once our dishwasher was installed I decided that what I ordered really wasn't what I wanted to today I went back to inquire if I had any options in regards to the other order (which was for $510...or so I thought). They canceled the order with no problems and it turns out the amount wasn't even close. My real bill would have been $220 something!

Having gone through this once before, I had a little more knowledge about what I wanted. A very nice woman named Sue helped me this time and provided catalogs and a price sheet to take with me. Then, she started to figure out some amounts and I noticed I was getting a substantial discount...the coveted, "builder's discount." I love this discount! To sum up, the new handles will be in 10-14 days. Our stain glass will be in any day and sometime next week our little deck/stairs in the back will be completed and the bathroom will be done too.

In other news...our addition is going to be featured in M Magazine! How cool is that?

Day 123: The Microwave Saga Continues

What is it with us and microwaves?

Last night Brian was heating something up and the *new* microwave just died. It's like there isn't any electricity going to it. Oh but there is, the outlet was checked today. The Sears repair guy will be here on Tuesday afternoon.

Our slate back splash was started today, the gas lines were installed and upgraded so as not to "starve" our appliances of fuel and the dumpster has left the property! As soon as the stove gets installed and we put everything away we can move the cars back into the garage. WOO-HOO, just in time for frost in the morning. (btw, it's cold now. The temp has dropped 40+ degrees since the blistering heat on Sunday. Too bad Brian's marathon wasn't this week!)

Yesterday, I met with a landscape designer for the backyard. She designed a butterfly garden and has incorporated plant material that will provide some blooms all spring, summer and fall. I'm pleased and look forward to moving forward with my yard in the spring.

Other than that, I don't think there's too much more to report other than I want my house back, which I think you all already knew.

Day 118

Friday was Day 118 and this is where we are now. A working sink but no garbage disposal yet. It doesn't even matter right now...I didn't do dishes in the bathtub all weekend. What a great feeling that was!
After all the fretting about sinks, this is the one we got. It's a solid surface product, that can be installed above counter tops (which we needed) called SwanStone. I think we are going to be VERY happy with it.

On Friday the carpenter took our glass doors off so we could go shopping for glass and get it installed. I'm sure Rick will be pleased I picked something out but will be annoyed that it's going to have to be ordered (he will be happy to hear that I FINALLY picked out and ordered the cabinet hardware). Here is a sheet of the glass I picked out. While my china dishes are very pretty, I don't feel like I need to display them which is why we didn't go with clear glass. Since I don't intend on having the light on inside the cabinets I made my decision on what glass looked pretty without light behind it. I think this is going to look awesome. Brian is going to place the order on Tuesday and hopefully we'll have it by next weekend.

We Get To Move In!

Counter tops were installed today, we have a sink and all the shelves have been installed. We have to wait until Saturday evening to use the sink while we wait for all the adhesive to dry so tonight was our last night of doing dishes in the bathtub.

I finally found hardware that I liked this afternoon. We are paying a fair amount more than I was hoping, but they are PERFECT. I had come to the realization that there really is a difference in the less expensive pulls and knobs compared to the ones found in designer showrooms that need to be special ordered. I had not found anything that really "grabbed" me at Home Depot, Menards or Lowe's. The place I went to today was awesome. They were so helpful and friendly, I'd absolutely go back (although we won't be needed hardware anytime soon!).

Tomorrow I'm going to pick out and purchase (I'm so optimistic) stained glass for our glass faced cabinets. We debated briefly about putting clear glass in but then opted for something funky. Really, it's easily changed if we want a change sometime.

Monday or Tuesday the plumbers are coming back to finish up the water and get started replacing our old gas pipes and installing the new gas lines. We were told that our gas pipes don't have a large enough diameter to be effective with our appliances. Funny, we've always been mildly disappointed with our dryer because it seemed like clothes took a really long time to get dry. Maybe this will make a difference.

This weekend, any spare time will be spent moving in to our new kitchen and putting our house back together. wha-hoo!

Finally, pictures of everything that's new

Ok, so now I do believe everything is going to happen. I believe that because so much has happened. We've gotten all of the molding in place and all of the window trim. The floor has been installed and "thank the maker" we have lights. Not only do we have lights, but we have under the cupboard lights, in the cabinet lights, and lights upon lights.

Tomorrow, the counter top, sink and plumbing is supposed to be installed. I think we jinxed ourselves, but we didn't do dishes tonight because we're gambling that we're going to have a dishwasher. Fingers crossed!
This is the new mudroom. The back door will be the last thing painted. Hard to believe that the bulk of our old cabinets were exactly where the new closet is now. You can see the old windows that used to be above the sink.















New kitchen prep area with just the flood lights.


















Same area with just the under cupboard lights on.














New floor. Do you notice that white thing with handles sticking out? That would be the refrigerator not in the middle of the floor, but rather exactly where it's supposed to go. You'll see more pictures of that tomorrow most likely. Also they'll be putting up the blinds in the windows too.

Day 115

Attribute it to laziness but I don't want to hunt down the cord to download pictures. I have a general idea of where it is. It will show up - eventually.

Lots of exciting things have taken place here in the last two days. First of all, we have lights - lots of them! There are three zones of can lights, pendents, a chandelier and under the cabinet lighting! The under the cabinet lighting was somewhat a surprise to us since we didn't remember ever discussing it (but really, why wouldn't you want it?). Then, today the electrician was back and started installing a plug in the island and put lights in our china cabinets. It's all beautiful.

The electrician might have finished his job except he got kicked out by the flooring people! I couldn't even remember what the flooring looked like since I picked it out months ago. I love it, it's beautiful. We went with a linoleum for many reasons, but mostly to save money. In the grand scheme of remodeling, flooring and counter tops are easily changed. Cabinets and square footage are not and that's where our money has gone. When we need a change in 10 years we can upgrade the flooring. Until then, I'm liking my pretend tile print with the grout that already looks dirty. This will work very well in our home!

Flooring continues Wednesday, counter tops on Friday morning and the plumber is coming Friday afternoon. I don't know how realistic it is to think I might have a sink or dishwasher for the weekend but I like to dream! We are so tired of doing dishes in the bathtub!

Day 110

We've been led to believe that everything is going to happen next week. Oct. 3 is going to be a huge day; I think that's when the flooring is going to be installed. Then, on Friday countertops and plumbing is going be completed. Sometime early next week electrical will finish up and that includes the work outside so we can use our garage again (there hasn't been any electricity out there in 110 days).

The trim work was completed today and looks awesome.

Rick, the expediter, keeps asking me for the pulls and knobs. The truth is I haven't even looked. Kevin had told me not to worry about it. If I buy something 6 weeks from now they'll still come out and install them. We've decided to make an effort and get this taken care of this weekend.

I can't wait to "move" in.