Saturday, May 30, 2009

End of Week 3 - Remodel

Week Three was a big week! It brought about lots of changes and final decisions. Many samples were returned to stores all over the valley with samples of granite & backsplash and tile ideas. We decided on the blue pearl countertop, thanks to the comments made by all my children. After much shopping for appliances, studying and analyzing, decisions were made on those as well. Backsplash tile was ordered. Even paint color was finalized. Whew!

The floor tile job took way too long this week to complete (in my opinion) but they were able to get it done after two late nighters. Cabinets were installed last Tuesday. They look awesome... just a few minor details like knobs which be finished later.

Here the furnace vent was turned (Charlie did this) so we could have a little wider entry that flowed to the opening for the kitchen.



Here's a view of the tile - view of plumbing coming through the floor. Notice that it's DARK outside. Wednesday night the tile guy, Frank, was here until about 1:00 AM. Even though he had worked a 12 hour day, it's was hard to tell that he'd done very much.



View of the entry way.



What a mess on our patio! Stuff all over, yet can't find a thing.





Joe, the sheetrock guy, fixing the hole made in the bathroom by the plumbers. He had to come for a few minutes for three days in a row to complete that.


Cabinets are finally being installed after sitting in the garage almost a week.

Here's a view of fridge cabinets.



View of kitchen island and most of kitchen.



The built-in dining closet. The doors will have antique glass put in them.



Tile view with cabinets on top. Tile still isn't grouted yet which concerns me. They put the island right over ungrouted tile. But Charlie said he will seal it along the edges for me so no problems of moisture getting underneath it.



Long story... but we finally got the grout in place late Thursday night by the boss and his boss. The tile layer didn't show up all day, frustrating both Charlie and me. Charlie couldn't put down baseboards and we're concerned because the painters are coming on Friday.


Stairs are finally in and grouted! Paper being put down to cover tile as Norman and his boys get ready to paint.



Another important decision to make! Choosing paint color... and that is always hard for me. But with Norm and his expert experience, it's much easier. I trust him and his choice. We're going with "Desert Fawn" with the white accent for woodwork being "Hayseed". Julie helped me also decide colors. We're going to go with a pretty blue in the bathroom.



Busy place with a couple tile guys in and out every day, Charlie, the superintendent or foreman for the job, as well as the guys who came to measure for counter-tops, the cabinet installers... hoppin' place.



These are the built-in bookcases that Charlie built for us behind the kitchen... so we don't have any wasted space. This was Julie's great idea! Charlie also fixed my laundry room with shelves (won't have cupboards anymore).



Charlie working while communicating with all the people who are part of this job.



We had an incident on Thursday night in our front yard. It's a very long story, but I give you the short version. Frank, the tile guy assigned to help us, didn't show up all day on Thursday until almost 6 pm. We had been depending on him to finish the tile and grout it all so baseboards could be put down ready for the painter the next day. He showed up madder than a hornet. I guess he'd been chewed out on the phone by his boss. As he blew off at Charlie, I ignored for a bit, but finally had to say something. That just made him more mad. Later as he & his boss were talking in our front yard (we were in the house) Frank tried choking his boss on our front lawn probably because his boss fired him for not showing up and for talking back to me. Basically a sad & unfortunate situation. Milo, the boss, finished the tile grout with Frank's brother, Teddy, working until after 10 pm on Thursday night.

All in all, it was a very productive week. Jon & I finally moved back upstairs a couple days ago into our own bed. We're still eating in the basement. Meals have been interesting. Today as I type this, Chris, Bryce, & Scott from Thomas Painting and Decorating are papering, taping and putting plastic to cover everything as they get ready to paint. They've put putty on the woodwork, been sanding and prepping.

Remodeling is a challenge, but Charlie has made it a positive experience. He jokes and teases and works very hard. Most of the people on this project have been amazing and wonderful to work with. Jon has been very patient with all my decision questions, also working fiendishly here at home whenever he's not at L-3. It's very hard to endure the mess of closets emptied all over the house, of dust and grit everywhere. I just have to envision the finished product while I breathe and eat dust. But I feel like a Queen, the way everyone looks to me for decisions and my opinions. So I'm enjoying the journey.

Friday, May 22, 2009

End of week 2 - Kitchen Remodel

Saturday, May 16th, continuing kitchen demo. Julie was really into it! Jon had worked hard the day before to remove the disposal, disconnect the water line, etc. What an awesome, hardworking family!



The cabinets are gone!



Dave having too much fun being MACHO!



I love this shot of Janie during the demo.... I imagine her saying "Yuk!"



Jon disconnecting the radio, Christopher removing staples, Dave pulling out carpet from the closets. What a team!



Kylie hauling out the carpet pad! She's buff! Everyone working hard, pulling out staples, or nails, clearing debris, or ripping out carpet. I have the best family in the world!



Kylie on the swing outside with Janie during all the turmoil inside... and she rocked her to sleep! Both such sweeties!



Funny family... they're all trying to get Janie to wave.... she started to and they got excited and really got animated... so I switched the camera to them! Surprise!



Bathroom demo - what a nasty job! We're getting ready for tile and cabinets.



The big room is now all cleared out... ready for tile.



Here is a view of living room where we will have new "to-be-built" bookcases.



On Monday, the plumbing was done... But man, what a stressful day. It took two hours just to decide how to do it and IF they could do it. I was pretty tense because I thought they had decided that already. This whole remodel rested on that decision, and I thought it was already decided it would work. I wondered if all the work we had done so far was for nothing. But they figured it out... had to cut a whole in the basement bathroom and I won't have any laundry cabinets now. (I also had Janie that day and with all the noise, we both did pretty well.)



Here's a view of the new pipe plumbed for the upstairs kitchen sink that will be moved.



Charlie sawing in garage as he works on various projects--pantry, railing, etc. He's such a cool guy.



Many people come and go on this project. Here are helpers putting screws in all over the floors to quiet the squeaks!



Charlie built shelves built into the new pantry. They'll look awesome after they're painted.



New tile going in... so difficult because of uneven floor. Milo, the tile layer, has had to start over since it's so uneven, and feather it down to the carpet at the back of the room.



Charlie is installing the new railing.... I love it!



New banister on the other side of the stairwell. Nice!



Our cabinets were delivered three days ago, but the tile needs to be down first. So we are behind schedule. Tuesday is the new planned day for getting cabinets installed. Hopefully the tile will be done.



Laying big tile, view through the new railing.



DECISIONS! So hard to decide which granite counter-top to get! My week has been running from place to place, trying to decide. I've narrowed hundreds of options down to these two... Kodiak or Blue Pearl (or possibly Arctic Cream). If you have an opinion, it would be fun to hear it.

First is a Kodiak close-up, then from a distance.





Here is a close-up of blue pearl and then the next photo from a distance.




Any favorites! I like them both!

It was a big week, but things will be quiet for a couple days... no more demo. We have the Memorial holiday weekend ahead. Milo will be here on the Monday holiday to finish tiling the kitchen, but there is a lot more tile to do... in the hallway, bathroom & entry way. We're still living in the basement. What an adventure! I told Jon it's like camping everyday.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

End of First Week-Kitchen remodel

Pretty Can lights in the ceiling. The warped and bulging ceiling is fixed! Yeah! Notice the big plastic sheet across. We've dealt with three days of sheetrock sanding and dust.... it's EVERYWHERE! Ugh!



Sheet rock done in the following two photos. It's looking good! Still lots of demo to do.... take out kitchen sink, carpeting, vanity in bathroom, etc.


Part Two Demo

Julie 'having a go!" at smashing, bashing, and opening up the walls.



Electrical light crew, taking down fluorescent lights, installing new lights, switches, etc.



Blair Bangerter with Jon discussing plans and problems. Note the new COOL Pantry! Wahoo!



Jon with the crazy sawzall... almost cut a live wire!



This was the messiest day.... insulation EVERYWHERE while they were trying to fix the warped ceiling. We were all gagging and coughing.

Kitchen Demo

Jon is beginning the demo on the kitchen after removing our fridge.



Peek-a-boo - you're on candid camera....



Good job honey... it's looking good!



The Demo Zone



Julie, Dave, Christopher and Kylie all wanted to help... they were such good helpers!