Getting Closer Everyday

The sheetrock is almost complete through the house.  This is the view into the kitchen.  The wood on the right side is where the opening for the new greenhouse window has been roughed in for framing.  Before the wood was in place the light was pouring into the kitchen.  The difference is quite dramatic.

We're planning on moving into the upstairs as soon as we're given the green flag.  The wood floor upstairs is getting it's final coat this weekend.  The bathroom vanity should arrive next week as well as the kitchen cabinets and appliances.  Depending on the timing for all of that and getting the downstairs wood floor installed and sealed will have a definite impact on when we move.  It wouldn't make sense to move in only to have to vacate a week later for the wood floor work - the smell from the sealant is bad enough that the house is virtually unliveable until it dissipates. 

Once again all my fiber work, except spinning, is on hold because the rental is back on the market and having my fiber all over the place is a mess.  So my focus until we get back in the house will be spinning.  Fortunately I have enough roving to stay busy and that will mean that much more hand spun for the market when it starts in May.

I really wasn't sure this would work

But I am so impressed with the tile layout in the upstairs bathroom!!

The center tile area is where the tub is going to be - the pebble tile goes all the way to the right where it meets the border tile in front of the shower.  There's also a small border of the darker tile in the "Throne" area and the rest will be the pebbles:

The shower will be done in a beige tile similar in style to the darker squares.  The vanity we ordered today will have an ivory marble counter with a square, granite vessel.  I hope it will bring out the ivory accents in the tile, but it'll be what it'll be at this point.

I did just figure out that the vanity we bought for the downstairs bath has not only the vanity, but the vessel and faucet!!  So we're headed back to Lowes to return the vessel and faucet we bought because we don't read very carefully.  But at least we caught it (-:

On a different note - this is approximately what the kitchen will look ike when all is said and done:

With a black and orange mottled granite counter top.  The window by the stove will be a green house window.  The view from the kitchen into the house will be:

and it's amazing how bright it is with all the recessed lighting!  I'm pretty sure that all the money we're going to save with the heat pump and on-demand water heater is going to be lost to all the lights we have now, but it's worth the trade off!

The electrical inspection went without a hitch yesterday, but the framing inspection has been delayed 'til Tuesday.  I'm not too worried about passing the inspection, but the delay is directly affecting the time table for insulating the walls, putting the plywood up and sheet rocking etc.  But my new phrase covers just about ever contingency - it is what it is.

We got the second 30% disbursement from the bank so now it's a function of finishing, getting the final inspection for the bank and we should get the last disbursement.  I think everyone will heave a heavy sigh of relief when we sign off on the completion.

Then we'll be on to planning the "After the Fire" party!

The inspections begin

The electrical inspection is happening today and the framing and HVAC inspection happens tomorrow.  After that we can start insulating and closing up the walls.  Then the sheet rock, then texturing, then painting.  At the same time the upstairs bathroom will be getting tiled now that the heating elements have been sealed.

The tile will go on top of this base and with the flip of a switch (and a few minutes) it will be nice and warm.  I think we can even put this on a timer.



The factory ship date for the kitchen cabinets was moved up significantly from 3/15 to 2/24!  Shenendoah really came through on this.  The appliances arrive on 3/4 so it's still looking really good for an early March move in for us.

This weekend the boys are going to start cleaning up the old frig.  Once we verify that it's in working order we'll call PSE to come and recycle it.  The other appliances we'll either take to Value Village or the dump.  Then we'll have the garage cleaned out for the deliveries of cabinets and appliances.  The next thing on the list is to pick out the bathroom and kitchen fixtures - towel racks, drawer pulls, cabinet handles etc.  At least with all the recessed lighting we don't have to pick out light fixtures - at least I don't think we do.

Now I have to get the receipts together to submit to the bank for the next disbursement.

New Camera, no new pictures

We finally broke down and got a new camera, the old one died a week ago.  I did take pictures, but they were all too unfocused – darn camera – so nothing new to post.

The upstairs wood floor was sealed over the weekend.  I was at the house today, Sunday, and there was absolutely no smell.  Amazing!!!  The down time did force our builder to take a day off – the first one in 29 days!  He’s working so hard to get us back in the house!

I moved the fiber processing equipment out of the barn to the covered porch of the rental because I’m so far behind making product for this year.  And now Tim and the kids are getting into the act (check out hdzalp.blogspot.com).  As soon as the work space is ready at the house everything, EVERYTHING, is moving! 

As it stands now we’re hoping to move back the first week of March.  The kitchen appliances will be delivered 3/4 and the kitchen cabinets should be available after 3/15.  We’re waiting for a quote from a local cabinet maker for the upstairs bathroom vanity.  If we don’t get anything by tomorrow, Monday, we’re going to go out and order them from someone else.

We got our first bank distribution and already did the halfway inspection the bank requires for the second distribution.  I think I’ll be scheduling the first county inspection this week – and we’re just rolling along!

And now back to listening to Roman have a cow that the Saints are winning the Superbowl and Edyk making a big deal because the Saints are his team – for now.  Plus I get to go munch on sweet potato chips and sour cream (I had this in New Zealand years ago and it’s wonderful!).

and the progress continues

This is the new view from the front door into the living room!

Yes, that's a wall in the back and lights on in the front room! That angled bit of framing is where the chimmney for the furnace is installed. The entertainment unit for the TV and stereo will be in front of that. I've always wanted to put the TV in the corner because of how we tend to put the couch and chairs, but until now it wasn't really feasible.

The downstairs bathroom is getting prepped for the installation of the vinyl flooring. All the plumbing has been roughed in and I think it's getting installed next week. The upstairs will take a bit longer because the tile still has to be put down first.

Speaking - er writing - of tile, here it is. The big square tile on the sample to the left and the angled pebbles on the right sample are the ones that will be used in the upstairs bathroom. The shower will be done in a contrasting color and the angled pebbles will be used as an accent stripe. We're going to have the floor heated and I think we can even put that on a timer so it's nice and toasty in the mornings.

The floor upstairs is being sanded today. The scorch marks are gone and where the brick hearth was is now completely done over with the wood flooring that was saved from the bathroom tear out. Where the hearth was is where the flat mantle/electric heater is eventually going to go.

The other good news is our bank, Wells Fargo, got the paperwork and cut the first check for 30% of the money for the repairs. We also had the bank's inspector out this week for the halfway inspection. As soon as we submit the receipts for the money used so far, and with the inspector's report, we'll get the next 30%. To get the last chunk 'o money we have to supply receipts for the second 30%'s use and get a final inspection when the rebuild is complete. I think we're meeting tomorrow in town to go over all the expenses up to now. It'll be good to recoup some of our out of pocket expenses.