Just like a well managed software project, eventually something gets delivered. This time it's only about 2 weeks behind schedule with only a bit of scope creep, but there's a kitchen in our house and it looks pretty damn good. Here's a picture taken earlier tonight :
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/oFL8pbwJj0fWXNrEn3nl6Q?feat=directlink
Only a few things left for the kitchen; a little molding, some minor touch ups and the doors.
The bathroom is nearly done but we're being plagued by some fixture problems. The toilet came without a handle, the shower valve cover was flawed and the medicine cabinet/mirror/plasma TV was broken upon delivery and needs some repair. And the custom made vanity needs another coat of paint and the granite countertops get measured this week and installed with the sink next week. This is going to be one fine looking bathroom...and all I really want is a damn shower !!!
The electrician continues to be a source of aggravation. Last week he installed a new circuit breaker box and "forgot" to flip a switch or change a breaker or something and a number of switches didn't work over the weekend....including those in my office. His response "sorry about the inconvenience" which he uttered around 9:30 on Monday morning. Oh well, he'll be out of our hair in a week or so.
So, if you're keeping track, we'll be done for the most part by the beginning of May which was our original target.
Most importantly though, we're very happy about the end result.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Week 6 : Houston, we have Cabinets !!!
It's been awhile since my last post but it's been a busy couple of weeks on all fronts. Three Sharks games, busy on the day job and a weekend in Gasquet playing with my grandsons and visiting with my kids and the men in their lives. And...Karen's mom was with us as well.
While all this was going on Armando managed to put the cabinets in. Here's a link to a Picassa Album that shows the progression from open room to room with cabinets.
http://picasaweb.google.com/tminick/Cabinets#
Things are starting to come together.
This week will be interesting. The drywall in the new bathroom and new closet in the new Master Bedroom is complete, the painter (that's moi) will be busy this weekend putting on a coat of primer.
The floor goes in on Thursday. This will be WONDERFUL for two reasons :
1) We're tired of walking on plywood and plastic with crap and dust all over the floor 24X7
2) The refrigerator goes in and we can have a real refrigerator for the first time in many, many months.
The granite counter tops go in on Friday. This will be WONDERFUL for three reasons:
1) The sink will be operational on Monday and Karen won't have to wash dishes in a little plastic tub inside the big tub. What a pain.
2) We also get a cook top next Monday which means we can cook pasta. Karen will be doubly happy on Monday.
3) It will look nice.
Next week the tile goes in both the kitchen and bathroom, which means a working shower is not far behind.
And finally...the Playoffs start tomorrow. My prediction : Sharks in 6, keep your eye on Joe Thorton, this could be his year in the playoffs
While all this was going on Armando managed to put the cabinets in. Here's a link to a Picassa Album that shows the progression from open room to room with cabinets.
http://picasaweb.google.com/tminick/Cabinets#
Things are starting to come together.
This week will be interesting. The drywall in the new bathroom and new closet in the new Master Bedroom is complete, the painter (that's moi) will be busy this weekend putting on a coat of primer.
The floor goes in on Thursday. This will be WONDERFUL for two reasons :
1) We're tired of walking on plywood and plastic with crap and dust all over the floor 24X7
2) The refrigerator goes in and we can have a real refrigerator for the first time in many, many months.
The granite counter tops go in on Friday. This will be WONDERFUL for three reasons:
1) The sink will be operational on Monday and Karen won't have to wash dishes in a little plastic tub inside the big tub. What a pain.
2) We also get a cook top next Monday which means we can cook pasta. Karen will be doubly happy on Monday.
3) It will look nice.
Next week the tile goes in both the kitchen and bathroom, which means a working shower is not far behind.
And finally...the Playoffs start tomorrow. My prediction : Sharks in 6, keep your eye on Joe Thorton, this could be his year in the playoffs
Monday, April 6, 2009
Week 5 Begins
This is a good week, the cabinets have started to be installed which means the drywall is in and the painter (me) has started his work. We're now officially one week behind but the end of the tunnel is approaching for the kitchen.
Pictures to come in a few days once the cabinets are all installed.
Here's what the schedule looks like at this stage :
This week, cabinet installation followed by granite measurement. Next week should see the floor installation begin (which permits the refrigerator to be installed) followed by the granite template being approved ( a week from tomorrow) and then the granite goes in a few days later. Once that all gets done, hopefully next week, then we get to deal with the electrician again to hook everything up all the lights and electricity and the plumber to hook up the sink and gas. With any kind of luck the kitchen is done in two weeks, but realistically it will be three.
The lack of a shower is driving me nuts but I fear I'm a long way away from a functioning shower, that seems to be the very last thing (figures) that will be ready. Probably early May, until then it's ice rinks and Gold's Gym.
Stay tuned for pictures of cabinets and an island in a few days.
Pictures to come in a few days once the cabinets are all installed.
Here's what the schedule looks like at this stage :
This week, cabinet installation followed by granite measurement. Next week should see the floor installation begin (which permits the refrigerator to be installed) followed by the granite template being approved ( a week from tomorrow) and then the granite goes in a few days later. Once that all gets done, hopefully next week, then we get to deal with the electrician again to hook everything up all the lights and electricity and the plumber to hook up the sink and gas. With any kind of luck the kitchen is done in two weeks, but realistically it will be three.
The lack of a shower is driving me nuts but I fear I'm a long way away from a functioning shower, that seems to be the very last thing (figures) that will be ready. Probably early May, until then it's ice rinks and Gold's Gym.
Stay tuned for pictures of cabinets and an island in a few days.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Week 3 & 4 Update
Tomorrow's a big day, the drywall starts to go in, which means the cabinets are not far away, which means the sink isn't far away, etc. We're about half way through and getting a little tired of the whole thing. We've discovered that cooking a pasta meal on the grill is NOT easy, washing dishes is even harder and the one remaining functioning bathroom is too small for both of us. The good news is I'm getting more exercise because when I go to Gold's Gym to take a shower I exercise as long as I'm there.
Anyway, a lot of progress this week.
1) Granite has been selected and ordered : Blue Pearl for you granite fans
2) All plumbing fixtures have been ordered. Mom has a great story about the plumbing supply guy. He's one of my hockey buddies and his email address is TTOILET@AOL.com so it's not hard to imagine that it's entertaining. You gotta hear the story, so ask her sometime.
3) Electrical is all roughed in. True to my opinion that electricians are like programmers, they finished late after committing to be on time and didn't really finish. Ask Mom about her back and forth with the head electrician when she asked the simple question "When are those cans going to installed" (she was pointing to them at the time). Reminds me of a LOT of conversations I've had at work over the years.
4) Tile for the backsplash has been chosen and ordered (I think). Light blue in a subway size. I predict this will be the highlight of the kitchen.
I'll post pictures once the drywall is installed. We should also be seeing cabinets by the end of next week.
We're getting there.
Anyway, a lot of progress this week.
1) Granite has been selected and ordered : Blue Pearl for you granite fans
2) All plumbing fixtures have been ordered. Mom has a great story about the plumbing supply guy. He's one of my hockey buddies and his email address is TTOILET@AOL.com so it's not hard to imagine that it's entertaining. You gotta hear the story, so ask her sometime.
3) Electrical is all roughed in. True to my opinion that electricians are like programmers, they finished late after committing to be on time and didn't really finish. Ask Mom about her back and forth with the head electrician when she asked the simple question "When are those cans going to installed" (she was pointing to them at the time). Reminds me of a LOT of conversations I've had at work over the years.
4) Tile for the backsplash has been chosen and ordered (I think). Light blue in a subway size. I predict this will be the highlight of the kitchen.
I'll post pictures once the drywall is installed. We should also be seeing cabinets by the end of next week.
We're getting there.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Week 2 ends, Week 3 plans.
Two weeks down, five more to go. Lot of progress this week and hence a long post. No pictures this week as there is not a huge visual difference from last week.
What's been done :
- The plumbing is all roughed in for both the kitchen and bathroom, all we need now is to hook everything up. No major problems or surprises which is always a good thing for remodels
- The electricians showed up and got the electrical and lighting design finished. Electricians are a bit different from all the other trades; they don't where construction clothing, they seem a bit cleaner and don't seem nearly as boisterous. I remember the same impression when I worked construction while in college. They're the programmers of the construction trade and the ones that we need to watch schedule wise. I learned this working with Lance at Apple.
- Armando outlined on the floor where the cabinets and center island will be and this avoided a potential major problem with the island. We changed the design and somewhere along the way the plans ended up with a much smaller island than we envisioned (imagine requirements being changed and not documented). We spotted the problem with floor outline (proof that protyping works) had a small meeting (meetings bloody meetings !!!) and resolved the problem. The resolution cost more money obviously.
- Karen has picked out a medicine cabinet and mirror for the new bathroom which has a lot of mirrors, lights and shelves. I didn't think medicine cabinets could cost this much money but it's nice.
- We've decided on glass tiles for the backsplash and I think these will be very cool....and not terribly expensive.
- We're narrowing in on the choice for the granite countertops. The current favorite is "Blue Pearl".
- Flooring has been nailed down, it's a cherry colored manufactured product. We decided on manufactured wood vs real wood after discovering that dogs running on fake wood do not cause any damage....and it's 1/3 the cost. Better and cheaper, what's not to like.
- And last and certainly very well appreciated, Courtney & Brandon fed us a nice steak dinner with an interesting Argentinian sauce (can't remember the name) and a nice wine (which is probably why I couldn't remember the name of the sauce) last night. Nolan was supposed to demonstrate his newly acquired walking skills, but decided that screaming around the floor at top speed was a better way to go last night. He climbed all over Grandpa for quite a while which was an added bonus to a nice meal.
What happens next week :
- The electricians finish roughing in all the electrical and install the indirect lighting in the ceiling. This will be the first piece of the remodel to go into "production"
- Armando is just about finished with framing the wall so that the TV can be mounted inside the wall. This is a big deal as it will allow us to put the TV into the wall and get all the goddamn wires and boxes out of view. Very cool. This should be finished next week and ready for painting and installation of the TV bracket.
- This TV thing will create another flurry of research and buying as I have to find the proper remote controls. Should be interesting. Of anyone has any thoughts or suggestions, let me know.
- The drywall is supposed to be installed
And....
I'm going to Alaska for two days, which requires a day of travel in each direction so I'm gone for four days.
Karen is moving to Courtney & Brandon's for a few days to watch the little guy while C & B go to Vegas.
Next post will be next weekend....and let's hope the Sharks start to win hockey games by then.
What's been done :
- The plumbing is all roughed in for both the kitchen and bathroom, all we need now is to hook everything up. No major problems or surprises which is always a good thing for remodels
- The electricians showed up and got the electrical and lighting design finished. Electricians are a bit different from all the other trades; they don't where construction clothing, they seem a bit cleaner and don't seem nearly as boisterous. I remember the same impression when I worked construction while in college. They're the programmers of the construction trade and the ones that we need to watch schedule wise. I learned this working with Lance at Apple.
- Armando outlined on the floor where the cabinets and center island will be and this avoided a potential major problem with the island. We changed the design and somewhere along the way the plans ended up with a much smaller island than we envisioned (imagine requirements being changed and not documented). We spotted the problem with floor outline (proof that protyping works) had a small meeting (meetings bloody meetings !!!) and resolved the problem. The resolution cost more money obviously.
- Karen has picked out a medicine cabinet and mirror for the new bathroom which has a lot of mirrors, lights and shelves. I didn't think medicine cabinets could cost this much money but it's nice.
- We've decided on glass tiles for the backsplash and I think these will be very cool....and not terribly expensive.
- We're narrowing in on the choice for the granite countertops. The current favorite is "Blue Pearl".
- Flooring has been nailed down, it's a cherry colored manufactured product. We decided on manufactured wood vs real wood after discovering that dogs running on fake wood do not cause any damage....and it's 1/3 the cost. Better and cheaper, what's not to like.
- And last and certainly very well appreciated, Courtney & Brandon fed us a nice steak dinner with an interesting Argentinian sauce (can't remember the name) and a nice wine (which is probably why I couldn't remember the name of the sauce) last night. Nolan was supposed to demonstrate his newly acquired walking skills, but decided that screaming around the floor at top speed was a better way to go last night. He climbed all over Grandpa for quite a while which was an added bonus to a nice meal.
What happens next week :
- The electricians finish roughing in all the electrical and install the indirect lighting in the ceiling. This will be the first piece of the remodel to go into "production"
- Armando is just about finished with framing the wall so that the TV can be mounted inside the wall. This is a big deal as it will allow us to put the TV into the wall and get all the goddamn wires and boxes out of view. Very cool. This should be finished next week and ready for painting and installation of the TV bracket.
- This TV thing will create another flurry of research and buying as I have to find the proper remote controls. Should be interesting. Of anyone has any thoughts or suggestions, let me know.
- The drywall is supposed to be installed
And....
I'm going to Alaska for two days, which requires a day of travel in each direction so I'm gone for four days.
Karen is moving to Courtney & Brandon's for a few days to watch the little guy while C & B go to Vegas.
Next post will be next weekend....and let's hope the Sharks start to win hockey games by then.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Week 1 summary Week 2 plans
We're one full week into the project with 7 more to go and I'm happy to say that we're AHEAD of schedule....that's something I never heard during my manager days at Apple !!! We're not ahead by a lot but we are ahead. The demolition is complete, the cabinets have arrived and are in storage in the garage that looks like it's going to fall over any minute....but is dry as a bone.
I'm doing the pictures a little different today, here's a link to a Picasa Photo Album with all the pictures from the remodel, you can see the before and after easily. Copy this to your browser window and enjoy.
http://picasaweb.google.com/tminick/2009Remodel#
This coming week should see the plumbing roughed in and the start of the electrical roughed in and perhaps complete. Armando (the General Contractor) is a little concerned about having the Electrician on the job with the Plumber...apparently the Electrician is a little finicky about things.
My paying job is busy this week so I may be a little slow in posting.
I'm doing the pictures a little different today, here's a link to a Picasa Photo Album with all the pictures from the remodel, you can see the before and after easily. Copy this to your browser window and enjoy.
http://picasaweb.google.com/tminick/2009Remodel#
This coming week should see the plumbing roughed in and the start of the electrical roughed in and perhaps complete. Armando (the General Contractor) is a little concerned about having the Electrician on the job with the Plumber...apparently the Electrician is a little finicky about things.
My paying job is busy this week so I may be a little slow in posting.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
t
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Day 1
Well the first day was uneventful, Armando simply prepped for the demo guys who tear the place apart on Tuesday. Mom and I went out for dinner to celebrate our 35th anniversary and sat in our lovely living room for the second night in row. This means we've used our living room 3 times now since we moved in.
For those of you who are following the project schedule (that would be Lance) we're one day into the project and we've slipped the schedule by one day. Reminds me of Apple Order.
Pictures for tomorrow's post.
For those of you who are following the project schedule (that would be Lance) we're one day into the project and we've slipped the schedule by one day. Reminds me of Apple Order.
Pictures for tomorrow's post.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
The BEFORE pictures
The current kitchen in all it's glory
The doorway will be here soon.
The sink and dishwasher .... otherwise known as the cement mixer
The stove (designed before the current president was born)
The LAST remodel is about to begin
Well, we're at it again, but this time it's the last one (which is what I said two remodels ago). As anyone who's reading this blog, mostly our three children, know Karen and I moved bck to San Mateo Park a few months and bought another nearly 100 year old house that needs a lot of updating. This one is a bit smaller (2600 sq ft vs 3700) and has a smaller lot, which means only half as much new landscaping. But it has a kitchen that hasn't been updated in 50+ years (pictures to follow), two bathrooms that would be crowded if both Nolan and Dominick happened to crawl in at the same time and appliances that were designed when Eisenhower was the president.
All that is about to change. Monday the demo starts and with good project management and a bit of luck we'll have a new kitchen with brand new Kitchen Aide appliances well before the Sharks stop playing hockey for the year.
The next few posts will be the "Before" pictures and hopefully by next weekend we'll have some pics of the new framing.
Stay tuned !!!
All that is about to change. Monday the demo starts and with good project management and a bit of luck we'll have a new kitchen with brand new Kitchen Aide appliances well before the Sharks stop playing hockey for the year.
The next few posts will be the "Before" pictures and hopefully by next weekend we'll have some pics of the new framing.
Stay tuned !!!
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