I can't believe I haven't posted for eight plus weeks! It seems like, oh don't go there.... So I owe you all a recap of there we are, so hold on for the ride.........................
The short version is, plumbing, heating, siding, electrical, porch, patio, 3/4 pillars, exterior paint (round one), insulation batting and blown and wallboard are done BUT I will digress to let you in on a few of the FUN (note caps--read forced grins and clinched jaws) that we have had.....
Plumbing--These guys really know what they were doing. See the picks for all the pretty blue and red piping--yessirree, very little copper here, just a lovely manifold system that should insure even pressure to all things flowing. The cost is lower than copper and the install is easier and NO LEAKS!!! They were done in less than a week.
Heating--The installer was a whinger of the highest order. He was pissed that the plumbers had "taken all the best spots" and that the vents were hard to put in under the floors, etc. My favorite episode was the day he asked where we wanted the thermostat and we showed him. We returned to find water, spewing from the overhead, with him no where to be found. He had drilled through the waste line. The framers had tried to get a bucket under it but they had their own job to do. DH was convinced that we could do nothing but I wrangled the ladder and with my trusty duct tape slowed the rush to a slow drip. To the plumber's credit, he had called DB but we thought it was a bit odd that he couldn't leave us a note since we live only three doors down. The following week DB had a heck of a time fixing it but it did get done. We also have a crudely patched sub floor where he had to cut to get in the underfloor venting--thanks so much!!!!
Siding--This was another WOW moment. It took less than a week for them to "finish"--it looks great, except 3 vents are missing from the back--no check for them! When they do install them they will need to be painted--Hope they can get here before painting, round two.
Electrical--This is the one area we probably went overboard on. I knew we were in trouble when DB said, "A normal house this size has 30 circuits, yours has 45." The bid was 8K over our original estimate but as I told DH, we brought it on ourselves by asking for all the goodies--extra circuits for a future shop, water feature, 220V for the future air conditioner (We're ready for global warming, here!!!) Our lovely Latino electrician, LLE, did superb job and has gone above and beyond by helping us with our speaker wiring and adding some additional bracing for a tricky lighting install to come. He even came in after the wall board and found a smoke detector that they had not cut out.
Porch and Patio--Both were done in a day, the same day. I asked and received for brushed finish on top of the porch with them coming back, removing the form and washing the faces to expose the aggregate. DB was so impressed with the look that he is considering using it in another of his projects. The patio was expanded to 14 feet by 12 feet. We needed to have a place for the BBQ!!! The cement workers were a "Master and Son's" operation. The sons did the grunt stuff and Dad did the artsy touches. Going with this artistic angle, we ended up paying him by paying his landlord and his power bill.
3/4 Pillars--Dave and I went out on Friday the 13th and picked out the "simulated stone" (read concrete formed stones with pigment.) We chose River Rock Spring. The following week it was being installed. The guy was really nice and surely worked hard but lamented that, DB had underestimated the amount of material needed--even though he, the mason brought even MORE than DB had said, oh well. Three were done in a day, despite the rain. But the last one is, alas, not done, despite the new stuff being there a couple of days later, it still languishes, undone......I just hope they can make it look like the others, which look great.
Insulation--Truely a one day job at best--so fast I have no pics. It was just after the 7/18 and the wallboard went up very shortly after. Update: The blown insulation went in TODAY (8/14!!!)
Wallboard--this is actually the last thing that has been done. I'm putting it out of order because it doesn't have any real stories to be shared other than, it was DONE in less than two days. That is for the wallboard install. The clean-up was a few days later and the taping will begin when we have heat, but that is another story......
Painting, Round One--Remember in the beginning of this blog where we were practically blood brothers with the paint store guy because we came in and tried so many colors? Well, a 2 foot by 2 foot patch is STILL NOT BIG ENOUGH!!!!!! Our house has the honor of being the MOST colorful on the street and then some. The painters informed me that they liked the color as it was a good color for a house in Mexico. The painters did a less than spectacular job. They did not prime ANY of the exposed wood and you can tell. Needless to say, we are not paying for it. I for my part have revised the directions for the house--hill, water tower, BLUE house, 'nuff said. Update: Have paid for 75% with a promise that soffits will be reshot, we'll see.
So this get's you pretty much caught up on the house building--be sure and view the pics in our album.
