Where Does the Time Go?

Although we are working hard, it seems I can't FINISH anything. Guess this house is finally getting to me ~ should I even say it... sometimes I wish I had never done this. Ok, yea there it is... crash course in Negativity 101. We all do it, some more than others, but I really try hard not to. Try as I might, all this work, all this money, no rest for a year ~ yea it's gotten to me. But that's it, I guess it's ok to complain a little... or is it?
Immediately after my last blog, my power was turned on, the flooring guys finished my floors (oh yea - they look fantastic).

My dad and I had to change the layout of the kitchen cabinets, install them, uninstall them, change the layout again, install them again, return some and re-order others. While doing that, I bought the kitchen appliances... had to return the stove and get a special one (triple the cost - dangit!). We are waiting on a cabinet to come in and then the counter top guys can come in and make the template for the Corian (which will take another 10 days to make & install). Word of advice - if you dont know what you're doing ordering cabinets... dont trust HOME DEPOT to know either. I had a major blonde moment with those, but at least I know better now... yea... now... that the cabinets set me back a month.
SIDING - not sure if I mentioned this in previous blogs or not but I have to rip off all the hardie board siding that was already on the house and re-do it - apparently the guy that started this house didn't know you have to seal and paint it right away or it absorbs moisture and ruins it... yet another non-budgeted item to fix! That's being done this week and yes, I hired someone to do this. BATHROOMS - I installed all the rock/cement board on the floors of my (3) bathrooms to prepare for ceramic tiles and my dad and I continued to work on the porch - it looks good.

Christmas Vacation???

I know, Christmas is gone but I'm still trying to catch up from Christmas vacation.... can I call it vacation if I didn't get a break? My brother and his family came to visit and we put them to work - ha ha you got that right, no one is safe! We started and finished the roof that covers my porch, come to find out my sister-in-law has got a pretty mean hammer arm and my nephew does pretty good with a hammer too! I told you, no one is safe... my nephew is 11yrs old and when he wanted to help up on the roof that is 20+ foot off the ground I said.... there's the ladder! Ha Ha! They were a big help and we got that chore out of the way

Light at the End of the Tunnel

It is December 8 - Friday -one week from my last blog. Over the weekend and this week we managed to get all AC vents, outlets, switches, faceplates, lights and fans in. Everything looks great - is that the light at the end of the tunnel I see, or just the bathroom light ha ha!
Partial electrical and HVAC mechanical inspections were approved (everything is good) 5 minutes ago - My final power will be hooked up Monday.
Once they hook my permanent power up (Ive been on temp power), I can turn on my heat so my wood floors can "cure" and the wood floor installers can come back and sand and finish the floors.
My kitchen cabinets were delivered yesterday. We are installing the top cabinets this weekend. Once the wood floors are finished, we can install the bottom cabinets then my Corian installers can come in and make a template for my countertop.
Turns out, the siding guy was right and I have to tear off and install new siding and trim on the entire exterior. That's only $6K I didnt budget, but at least I won't have to lift a finger with that! It's been kind of nice hiring people to do the "labor". I've hired people for the drywall, wood floors and siding - that's not too bad that my father and I have managed to do everything else ourselves (with a little help from friends - I LUV YOU GUYS, all you who have helped me!)
Also this weekend I'll be installing rock board on the floors in the bathrooms so I can install my ceramic tile next week -keeping busy...Gotta Jet - PEACE OUT!

Where Are We?

Ok, so the last post was about footings - my how the time has flown by! We've got half of the porch done - not the top planks just the footings, support posts and "joists" I guess that is what they are called. It was tough work, the wood was heavy (pressure treated 2x8's in various lengths). The longest peice was 16' and assembled it was a double 2x8x16 with a 2x6x16 underneath (don't ask, I can't explain it but it's how it is done). We had to use my dad's tractor to lift that and put it into place. Dad and I worked all weekend and busted out the largest part of the deck, we'll begin work on the remainder after we get some stuff done inside.

Thanksgiving Holiday just didnt take place for me. I spent the entire holiday (Thurs, Friday & Saturday) priming and then painting the interior of the house - it is done and looks fabulous! Thursday I kept forgetting it was Thanksgiving... managed to get (2) of My Cafe Misto's from Starbucks before they closed at 3pm and my only meal of the day consisted of FRENCH FRIES! Yea, Whataburger was the only place open, being a vegetarian, I didn't have a huge selection to choose from. Thurs & Fri it was me, Ray and my parents and we got A LOT done. Saturday, my friends Wade and Amber came in and helped. My mom stayed home to watch the Seminoles get beat by the Gators - ha ha ha! I find watching sports extremely boring (of course my opinion only - and I absolutely love to tease my mom when her precious Seminoles get beat) My Dad spent most of the day trying to clean up his tools and get things in order for Sunday. Sunday, I finished up the last bit of painting then cleaned the house for the wood flooring guys who were coming in on Monday. After taking a look at what it would take to install my wood floors... i decided to hire someone for this task.Take a look, it's a lot to do http://www.remodelingmyspace.com/flooring/flooring-wood-hardwood/hardwood-flooring.htm
It's now Friday again: Wood Floors are in (but not sanded and finished yet). most of the outlets and switches are in, I've got to go buy my light fixtures and those go in this weekend. Kitchen cabinets are supposed to be done Dec 4th, I should get them by Dec 7th??? Trying to get all electrical in so I can get final sign off and get AC on so floor guys can finish the floors. I'm not sure which direction I am going in, lots of stuff happening at once so everything is a blur! I bought the ceramic tile for all my bathroom floors - got an excellent deal, which is good because I just found out that I have to rip all the siding off the house (it had 3 sides completed just not painted) because its Hardie Board and if you dont paint it, it can absorb moisture and ruin in - the vinyl siding guy says its ruined - yea, and he wants $7K to replace it with vinyl siding. So, that's where I am... where I'm going... not sure yet - probably crazy! ha ha! Gotta Jet - PEACE OUT!
ps - Special thanks to Ray, Amber and Wade for helping me paint, I know I am a bear to work with! Luv you guys!