Contractor Speak " It will be done in 7 days, no matter how long it takes"??

So we've had a couple of set backs but are still making progress. 

Our quartz order had a minor snafu and half of our order arrived a week later than planned.  That snafu delayed the installation of the master bath sink. We've  used the guest bathroom/guest bedroom/office since we've moved in on April 1st.  

Once the quartz was installed, we were able to get the tile sub-contractor out for installation of the backsplash.  In my opinion the backsplash looks better than I imagined it would. 

Then I received my shipment of door handles and drawer pulls - all 3 of them!  I thought I'd gotten 75 pieces for a great deal but in reality the web site was mis-leading and the $60+ cost was only for 3 pulls!!  Mike and I went on-line and he found a very nice alternative which goes very well with our rustic theme.  The pulls are cast iron, bronze in color and really bring attention to the knots and imperfections in the birch wood.  I am much happier with them than I would have been with the stainless originally ordered.

Now we are waiting for some re-work on the backsplash.  Stan, our tile expert extraordinaire, says the original grout was too "soupy" and it needs to be re-grouted and then sealed.  So that is to come. 

We were able, after about 4 trips back to the glass company, to get the seeded glass in the kitchen cabinets.

They have framed the sunroom and the carpenters framed the walls with about sixty

 

2 by 6 studs.  I can now see where my 3 huge picture windows will be going and I am VERY happy with the sunroom.

March 27th

 

 

Progress!  We now have cabinets and appliances installed!!  Countertops will be delivered and installed on Wednesday and plumber is due on Thursday to hook up the sinks in both bathrooms and the kitchen.  Also Thursday and Friday the new backsplash tile will be installed.  ACRA has ordered the replacement parts which were damaged in shipping for a couple of drawers.  We are hopeful that they will arrive the week of April 3rd so that the cabinet installer can complete the crown molding, glass inserts & drawer pulls.  And HVAC guy will be out probably last to install the range hood over the gas range.

 



 

 

Sink side of kitchen

Range/microwave side of kitchen

My new fridge & freezer!!

 

 



I got a GREAT deal on drawer pulls on www.HomeClick.com!!!  Did you know if you install 42 inch high cabinets you have to have 12 inch pulls or the doors will warp?  I didn't but we needed 35  twelve inch pulls and 15 6 inch pulls.   The cost at Home Depot and Lowe's ( up to $10 per pull ) was super scary and they didn't have any 12" pulls in stock.  Home Click had pulls that match the handles on the fridge/freezer and range and I got 75 pulls for under $60!!!!  It pays to shop around.

Drawer pulls I bought for kitchen & both bathrooms

I'll post new pictures at the end of the tile work!  Can't wait to get this project completed!!!!

Getting There Slowly...

So we are about 2 months behind schedule now on our house construction.  A full 4 weeks is due to one major change we made to the project.  We chose to have ditra underlayment installed over our concrete slab foundation.  Once all the old flooring was removed, we found some significant stress cracks and didn't want that to ruin the beautiful tile floors we were putting down.  Our ditra is commercial grade at 5/8 inch and we could drive a car over it without damaging the tile.  It should be good enough to last us the rest of our lives!  In addition to the ditra, we chose a new grout called Fusion.  It never stains or discolors - again good for the rest of our lives.

Aren't my new tile floors beautiful??

We have been painting as we have access.  Our first paint run looked like this below.  Then add to it the extra 6 gallons we bought for the living room and sunroom.  To date we have finalized painting in guest room, office, great room and hallways.  The south facing wall in the great room can't be painted until the large slider is removed once the sunroom is closed in.  The master bedroom has yet to have the ducting for HVAC into the sunroom and will be the last space we paint.

Our first paint run...

We have been gathering some furniture.  Mike found a beautiful Ethan Allen sofa for our sunroom at a local consignment shop.  I purchased new southwest design fabric to recover the 1980's Miami Vice pastel plaid that is currently on it.  And as we are going Mexican/rustic for our "theme", we've been going up to Tucson to check out import shops.  So far we've bought a queen size guest bed,  a dark stained alder dining table with mesquite inserts, a split rail fence & old wagon wheel chair for the office, coffee table and end tables for living room which nearly match our dining table.  I ordered a couch and two side chairs from Macy's in a mocha linen fabric and those are being made for us right now.  Everything is piling up in the garage until we can move them into place.

Dining table with Ethan Allen sofa behind

Mike had a meeting with our contractors yesterday.  First there was the "Bambi in the headlights" look when he asked if they'd be finished by April 1st.  We knew they would not but it was good for him to complain since originally they'd told us they'd only take 2 months and be finished by February 15th.   So Mike and Kim went thru what needed to be completed, got together some tentative dates which she was to firm up last night, and today she will give him a written schedule plan with resource allocation.  She told him the new finish date is 4/15/17.  We are moving in 3/31. 

For us to live there during the sunroom construction, the contractor will be sealing off the Master bedroom area & the great room.  So when we want to go to the kitchen, we will walk outside thru the courtyard and enter the kitchen thru the garage.  Should be a fun 2 weeks, right?  I'm not too upset because we knew they were behind schedule.  And it's not like I didn't camp out there for 6 weeks last fall.  At least this time I'll have a bed in the guest room, the office will be set up with WIFI/cable from Cox, and a truly functional kitchen.  and I won't be doing demo and tear out work every day - just watching the crew do it for me!  Hooray!!

This week they are going to start on the sunroom with the concrete prep.  They should be cutting existing patio to frame out new walls and add in the rebar for the additional concrete pour to level the floors with living room & master bedroom.   It will require 5 Pima County inspections prior to completion.

Cabinets have been on site for about 10 days and will be installed the 20th & 21st.  This Thursday I am having  the Blue Star range delivered but not connected.  I want the range there so that when they measure for quartz they can get it sized right up to the range.  Then 23rd is install the Blue Star and the fridge, freezer & microwave will be delivered and installed.  Quartz will be installed around the 29th and then backsplash will be added (this has been sub-contracted) so that the last appliance, the range hood, can go up on April 6th.  I see light at the end of the tunnel.

 

Rustic birch cabinets on new tile floors

 

Final Kitchen Decision Pending

Well, I was a little premature on my kitchen information in the previous posting.     We needed to get the kitchen details finalized.   Earlier I had requested bids from 3 different companies but almost had a heart attack when I saw the projected costs.   I was torn between wood finish and painted finish cabinets until we saw the two final bids for each option.  We will be working with our contractor to install the new kitchen and purchasing appliances from a local appliance store who will install them.

Our cabinets are going to be a rustic birch in a Fawn natural finish.  Our floors will be a terra cotta color tile.  Quartz countertops will be Bradford with cream, yellow, terra cotta and slate gray.  Wall color will be a nice creamy taupe chosen from the color in the sample.  The wall color could change once we see the actual color/pattern when installed.  And I still have no idea what the backsplash will be and that is the final decision.

Cabinet sample

Floor tile/counter top/paint chip

 

 

 

The appliances are different than we originally planned.  We were going to install GE Profile slate gray but Mike has asked for the Electrolux/Frigidaire side by side full fridge and full freezer.  They only comes in stainless so that changed the appliance plans.  I know they look large but each side is only 18.5 cubic feet.

Floor sample for our new fridge/freezer

 

 

I wanted a gas range ever since I saw cousin Terry's Blue Star in her new kitchen.  I've enjoyed cooking on it when we visit so that is my splurge.   The kitchen drywall and gas line should be installed this coming week.   Water line for freezer needs to also be moved into the correct location.

My 36" Blue Star gar range

 

Hopefully construction progress will continue at the current pace.  Mike is on site every day and that eliminates questions and decision delays.  He is keeping us on time & budget and doing a great job!!