Remodel - Week 10.3

Today the built in bookcase and fireplace mantle got painted. This is the color, Folksy Gold, that will be used for all the trim and doors.

The judges panels and ceiling beams also received their first coat of white. It's obvious they'll need a second coat. This following is the first picture that shows most of the paint color scheme. The trim around the windows will eventually be the same as the bookcase.

Finally, it looks like they finished the drywall in the bathroom. My new patio doors also now sit in my garage awaiting install. I'm hoping that's tomorrow along with the rest of the trim paint.

Remodel - Week 10.2

More progress today. The doors, trim, judge's panels and ceiling beams all got primed. I assume tomorrow they'll be painting the final coats. There was also more drywall touchup including work in the bathroom.

In case you are wondering, the built in bookcases will be painted as well. The windows and the grids cannot be painted so they will remain dark brown. However, the floor color was chosen to match them.

Remodel - Week 10

After three days of basically no activity, things picked up again today. Not much exciting to see. There is another pass of drywall work plus some caulking in prep for trim and wall paint.

Today I took a trim to the granite shop again to layout the templates for the countertop. The main sheet will serve for most of the main countertop (excuse the pole in the shot).



The secondary sheet covers the rest of the kitchen counter, the microwave area and the bathroom.

Word is this should be installed either Friday or Tuesday. You can bet there will be pictures as soon as it is done.

Remodel - Week 9.3

Another day, a little more progress. Most of it isn't easy to notice. The backside of the cabinets has been added along with bottom and edge trim.

 

The supporting walls for the raised bar/eating corner are now up.

 



 

Finally, looks like they did a little work in the bathroom. The last of the hideous wallpaper is gone. The cabinet sits in the garage waiting for them to do drywall in this room.

 

 

Remodel - Week 9.2

This is more like it. More significant progress for the second day in a row. The cabinets are near complete. I'm going to have a lot more storage to go with my bigger counter space.

 

The last picture is of a secondary cabinet area which will hold my microwave and another small countertop for dropping keys, etc.

 



Tomorrow will be a day filled with some finishing touches on the cabinets including trim.

Remodel - Week 9

It's been one twist after another. Just when I thought the cabinets were ready to go in, the project manager quits. I found this out when I texted him Friday morning. Within about 2 minutes I was speaking with the owner of the company determined to make sure my project would move forward NOW.

Nothing got done on Friday as we had discussions and the new project manager was assigned. Fortunately, this new manager hit the ground running and made it a focus to get my project completely.

Finally after about a month of thinking cabinets were right around the corner, the first ones were installed today. The rest will go in over the next couple of days.

 

 

Finally a glimpse of how the floors look with the cabinets. The floors are a bit dirty so the impact isn't quite as dramatic in the picture.

 



There is still a lot of work to do. Cabinets go in, template for the countertop is made, hardware gets installed, trim work and more. Look for more pictures in coming days. It cannot get done soon enough for me.

Remodel - Week 8.5

ARGH! No cabinet install again. Just some more cleanup and rearrangement preparing for cabinets. It had better be tomorrow!

Remodel - Week 8

While it the last week of work hasn't gone as quick as I would like, things are definitely looking up. Almost all the drywall work has been completed and the first coat of paint, the primary wall color at least, has been applied.

The most exciting development is that tomorrow the cabinets are going in, or at least they are starting the process.

Here's what it looks like now

 

 

If they go in tomorrow I'll have pictures up tomorrow night.

Remodel - Week 7

The project was originally scheduled to be done this week. Fat chance of that. However, after weeks or permitting issues and yet another plumbing leak, work FINALLY started again today.

It's all drywall work for the next couple days so no exciting pictures. They got the new pantry drywalled, covered all the holes created by the removed wall, relocated plumbing and electrical, as well as, most the mud applied. Finally, the bathroom got its demo day.

Remodel - Week 5 &6

There might be someone wondering why I haven't posted any updates for a couple of weeks. The answer is simple, NOTHING has happened.

For the last two weeks the project has been on hold because they cannot get the permit. Despite requesting a permit way back on June 20th, the permit office hasn't done much. Every once in awhile they'd ask for something else and the contractor would supply it only to be put on hold again.

But look what finally came through yesterday

It might not seem very exciting but I'm thrilled. They called in inspections today, took care of a few minor items and should get final approval to proceed tomorrow.

Work should be proceeding full force starting Friday. You can bet there will be more, exciting (at least in the context of kitchen remodels) pictures soon.

Remodel - Week 4

Now that the floors are complete, it's time to make a mess. However, the floors need to be protected first.

Since the kitchen had a smooth ceiling and the living room a rough one, the living room ceiling needed to be skimmed smooth.

I was taken a bit by surprise when the cabinets were delivered today. Half the garage and half the kitchen is crammed with boxes, 56 in all.

I don't expect the cabinets to be installed for about a week because there is inspections and drywall first and those are bound to occupy a few days early next. More photos as progress continues.

 

Remodel - Floor Finish

While I vacationed in Florida, the floors got refinished with a dark walnut stain and a couple layers of polyurethane. It's pretty much impossible to tell the new and old wood apart.

The floors might clash with just about everything right now but everything else in the kitchen and living room will be changing color before this is all over. Right before the completion of the project another layer of polyurethane will be applied. Stay tuned.

Kitchen Remodel - Temporary Kitchen

During week 2-3 not a lot was happening that could be shown with photographs. The rough electrical work has been completed and it's now in a holding stage awaiting inspections.

It's been an adjustment having no kitchen or a living room. At first I felt a bit out of sync between the hours of 6:00 - 8:30 as this was the time I typically spent in those rooms.

The other adjustment was eating. I'm not too big on eating out so I'm trying to keep that to a minimum. I have a temporary kitchen setup in a room already cramped with a bunch of stuff formerly in the kitchen or living room. I've got just a bit enough path for me to get to the fridge and table.

Look closely and you'll see a microwave and toaster oven on the left and my refrigerator on the right. The table is filled with some dry goods, paper plates, plastic silverware and cups. A small corner is left over for actual meal prep.

Most of my meals end up cooked on the grill. Although it hasn't been a big problem, there are some challenges associated, mainly with cleanup. I'm currently washing dishes with the garden hose which requires me to finish dinner before its too dark!

Up next is the flooring finish and some drywall work. I should have some interesting pics with the next post.

House Remodel - Week 1

A long await kitchen remodel has finally begun. This is a complete redo of the kitchen, removal of a wall between kitchen and living room, hardwoods extending into living room and a bathroom remodel.

Here's a rough idea of what the final kitchen will look like.

Living room before the start of the project.

Kitchen before the start of project

 Bathroom before start of project

 First day of project, the entire kitchen gets demolished. All that remains is the wall dividing the kitchen and living room

 The old pantry is gone

 If you look closely at this picture you can see water and drain pipes towards the right side of the wall to be removed. This would be the first unforeseen issue.

 Day two sees the wall removed, a header for support in its place and framing for the new pantry.

 Things are a bit of a mess but now it is one big open space

 They begin work on the flooring, weaving in the new with the old so when the floors are refinished the difference between the two will be well hidden.

 The water pipes and drain line has been moved. This would be the biggest problem for the next five days.

1. The plumber had a joint burst when he turned the water back on resulting in water in the basement.

2. The work he completed leaked it at least 3 places

3. His attempts to fix it failed. Not a single leak was repaired

4. A new plumber was brought in who decided to redo it completely.

5. Within an hour after new plumber left site inspection, the drain line clogged on other side of the house leaving me with 0 bathrooms. He came back to find a shop rag in the drain. He did solve this problem.

6. The second week started with the new plumber doing a MUCH better job of relocated the pipes. So things were back on track.

 Stacks of hardwood ready to install

 The unfinished flooring completely installed.

The second week saw a lot of progress but little exciting to see. Most of the electrical is now done and some of the HVAC relocation. More to come as progress continues.