We have to Make a Decision….

We should be done by the time we head south in early December. We have to make a once-a-round to make sure we are ready for our final inspections. There are a few small jobs that we’ll get done but our focus is now on the family Christmas celebration we are hosting for the first time in 14 years. Needless to say we are more than a little anxious, we’re having 19 people sitting for dinner and we have not done anything like this in a long time.

One of those small jobs is to pick up and assemble another cabinet for the mud room. Originally we were building a walk in closet for coats and boots and something to accommodate laundry supplies. On one of our several trips around Ikea to complete our kitchen, we found a cabinet that will do the job and is much easier than building something. It came in 3 heavy boxes – and awkward too without handles. We were a bit apprehensive about putting it together, how will we be able to carry it assembled and manoeuvre it though the house, it was too big to put it together in the mud room. We winged it as usual, assembled it in the great room and then put it on a blanket and dragged it down the hall to the mud room. A few tips here and a swivel there and we had it in place and put the doors on. Such a small, simple task took us most of the day!

Because of the sink in the island, we have a vent pipe running up the inside of a wall and Barb has designed a cabinet to cover it up as well as giving it functionality. We started installing the pieces – this is our own design and built from scratch – so we could finish the baseboards in the kitchen. Barb is just about tired of painting trim so I don’t want to delay so long that I have to do the painting. We get the main pieces fastened in but we are running out of time so once the baseboards are cut, nailed and filled and painted, we decide to tackle the large sliding door separating the great room from the study.

We picked up the sliding doors, fastened them together with steel straps on the top and bottom and then attached the barn door track hardware to the six foot door. Getting the track in place was an interesting chain of events. The track is 12 feet long that had to be thread into a 3 inch slot where the door will slide into. One of us had to go high while the other went low to manoeuvre it into place so we could fasten it to the wall and hang the door. It all went well but not without some doubt – you remember my error when I built the rough stud opening for the bedroom door – well, we were both wondering if I made the same mistakes with a small opening for this large door. Well, this went together just like I had planned it except, I did not account for the bolt heads protruding from the door hardware so much and we could not get them into the 3 inch slot in the wall! So, off to Lowes one more time to find something what will do the same job with a more flush finish. Success, we found some furniture bolts that will work perfectly and now the door works and looks fantastic!

While shopping for the door solution, we picked up sliding closet doors for the study and got them installed too. We are just zipping along, preparing for the final building and electrical inspections. As some of you know, we bought this little ‘hobby’ as an investment, Just a little something that we could flip maybe or rent. Barb & I have been kicking the decision around most of the summer but more intensively in the later stages of the re-build as the house is coming together. Neither one of us really wanted to give up the full timing RV lifestyle so we thought we could easily come to terms with the sell or rent decision. Once we could see how cute this little place was, we started talking about maybe moving in and commuting to our winter home in LA. But one day we were sitting back in the great room in our lawn chairs having a little happy hour and looking over the kitchen and our accomplishments. A little discussion around what we want to do while we admired our handy work. Barb plainly stated how much she loved her kitchen – the words just hung out there and soon we were laughing and saying that our decision has been made.

Terri and Mark dropped off the travelling Christmas boxes that contain the ‘family’ dishes and ‘the tree’. We set about decorating the tree but there doesn’t seem to be enough ornaments but that is always fixable and it was. Now we’re pretty much ready for the family Christmas celebration in our new home. We even had our first snowfall to get us more in the mood – not telling you what mood.

Until next time, we hope all is good where you are….

It’s Looking Like a Home Now

In the last blog, I left you as we were doing baseboard and nothing changed come Sunday, we’re still doing baseboard.

 

 

For a little break on Monday and we were in a little warm spell and still had some out door work to be done so we shifted our focus to those tasks. Some areas of the weeping tile bed had sunk down some and we needed to pick up some gravel to top those areas up. So, off to the local landscaper where they loaded about a yard into the truck – the bad news, they would not follow us home to unload it. So, between us, we unloaded and dumped and raked the gravel and made the weeping beds look much better. One yard was enough for today so back into the house and – yes, more baseboard. Our counter top was coming soon so we had to build a base for the island to sit on and it has to be fastened to the floor so it does not move. We had that done and wired by the end of the day too.

 

 

We woke Tuesday to another beautiful warm day and went and got another yard of gravel to finish the weeping bed. We needed to install a plumbing union on the sump pump so it can be serviced easier. I also installed a water trough heater so the sump pump does not freeze. While I was ‘playing’ with the pump and stuff, Barb raked and bagged leaves – one of the joys of home ownership again. After such a beautiful day, we went inside and installed the kitchen cabinets on the island frame and installed the dishwasher. We’re on the down side of the hill now and it is really coming together and looking great.

 

 

 

 

 

When the counter top installer came by to take the measurements, we told him we were getting our sink from Ikea. He stopped measuring and gave us a look – he said they are the most difficult sinks to install and if we were doing the install, we would be better to buy one from one of the big box stores. So, since we were going out for more supplies today, we picked up a sink too. We also wanted a WiFi thermostat so we could monitor the house temps from LA. Our counter top was ready so we went by there too – a busy day but we have been known to put in some long days and today was not too different – Out for supplies and we hung the bedroom door which was no easy task. Some dumbie built the rough stud opening about an inch too short and we had to cut out some of the header and drywall to install the door frame. What a mess! There may have been an easier way but I just went ahead the the reciprocal saw and cut it out, drywall dust everywhere! I should have been more surgical about it. Anyway, we got the frame in and it is level and plumb! With the bedroom door hung, we call it a day, albeit a late one. Once in the rig, we look at each other, I asked what was for dinner and who was cooking. No one put their hands up so we went out!

 

Thursday was a fun day – besides installing the bedroom door trim and more baseboard, our counter tops were installed today and Zeke did a great job. He even installed the sink and the gas cook top. Now you can see a real kitchen and a cute home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday sees us finishing the baseboards in the mud room and installing the rest of the kitchen cabinet doors and drawers. Some had to be left off so the counter tops could be installed. We also hooked up the water and drains for the kitchen sink. Wow, a working kitchen now, it is getting more and more exciting but we soon have to make our decision, sell or rent.

 

 

Saturday was a little slower, now that the baseboards are done, the kitchen installed, now just a few more small tasks that we need to work on. Barb peels the protective covering off the bedroom door and I puttered around. We also did the first load in the new dishwasher.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had a great week and a summer. The project is mostly done now and we love the way it turned out. We hope all is good where you are….

It’s Close Now

I have been more than a little slack at up dating our blog! In the last posting, we were working on the flooring and Terri & Mark came up to help out again. It is Sunday, Nov 2th and Barb & Terri are finishing the flooring in the living room and the front study. Now that the ladies have finished the kitchen, Mark & I start to hang the wall cabinets. Have I mentioned how much we love the Ikea kitchen cabinets? Well, they are easy to assemble and they provide all the hardware to securely fasten them down or up on the walls. In short order, they are in place and level! Barb & Terri managed to get all the floor down except for the bedroom – we bought all the store had at the time so we have to go back for more when it arrives. It was a very productive weekend and we really appreciate their help.

 

Monday was a day off for us or was it? Off to Ikea, Costco, Home Depot & Lowes for more supplies and more flooring for the bedroom.

On Tuesday, we continue with the kitchen cabinets, Barb assembling the drawers and mount the hardware and install and adjust – what an assembly line we had going. No more drawers to put together so Barb starts putting down the flooring in the bedroom – the last to be done but not the least, there is still lots of cutting to do and at the end of the second day, a great job done. Way to go Barb, the flooring looks great. Now that the upper cabinets are up and secure, we can finally get our microwave/convection oven out of the box – we’ve only had it since early June.

Now that the floors are down, you know what that means – yes, the baseboard can go down, filled. sanded and painted. This is the tedious parts of a reno, the finishing work. It goes so slow with hardly any show of progress but looks great when all done to finish off a well done job. I would measure and cut and fit and barb would nail and fill the nail holes. I would caulk the top and corners and soon Barb would paint – another assembly line, what a team! The first few lengths of base, we tried cutting 45 degree cuts on the inside corners but it’s an old house so that didn’t look great so I tried my hand at using a coping saw and cut the corners to fit and that worked out much better. It took longer but a better job for sure. While I am taking my time with the intricate cutting, Barb finds other tasks to do, like assemble more drawers!

The rest of our week was baseboard and more baseboard. In our spare time, we installed more lighting And painted baseboard! That was another week of this adventure but it is really coming together now. We are confident that we will be done before we head south that we have asked if we could hold our family Christmas celebration here to Christen the house and our 3 daughters all agreed so now we really have to git-r-done!

Hope all is good where ever you are….

It’s not a Train….

In our last posting, we were painting the house and Barb & Terri continued painting on Sunday, Oct 26th. I continued installing lighting in the rooms that were done. Finally, the house is all painted so we started to install the bathroom cabinet. Yes, we bought the unit from Ikea and easy to assemble and hang. Our problem is we’re dealing with old people – Barb & I could not remember the co-ordinates of the blocking that we put in the wall to support the unit! Great plan but dumb mistake not to record where the blocking was! At last, we found one set and decided to use wall anchors for the other pair. It was too late to go shopping for anchors so enough for the day.

Well, Monday morning brings a clearer head and Barb & I tackle the bathroom vanity again and found the wall blocking and mounted the vanity, installed the sink and connected the plumbing. Another milestone, running water in the house (beside the shower) and a place to clean our paint brushes – I don’t think so says Barb! Barb continues with painting doors, outdoor lights and the house numbers. This gives us a sense of nearing the finish line by doing the small tasks.

Tuesday was another day off, Randy & Norma came over for a visit before we all went south for the winter. Their plan is to leave early November and today was the best day for all of us to get together. After a quick tour of the progress of the house, we settled back in the trailer for games of fast track – I say games because it was a bit of a marathon of fast track. We stopped for lunch – Norma brought lunch to treat us for our hard work – and then carried on with our marathon. It was a fun day off and all too soon, we were saying our farewells until next summer when we all return from our winter retreats.

That evening, we drove into HD to pick up our flooring – yeah, laying flooring is another step toward the end! It is exciting but at the same time we’re anxious, it’s an old house and with uneven floors, less than square walls, where do we start? The guys at HD were great, we had 31 boxes of flooring and they loaded it right into the truck – using a fork lift of course and refused to follow us home to unload it! Arriving late, we decided to unload the flooring in the morning – no light in the garage – and since the flooring is vinyl, the dampness will not harm it.

On Wednesday, after we unloaded the flooring into the garage, we cut the 1/4 round for the windows and Barb nailed, filled and painted it. I installed receptacles, switches and plates. Whew, busy, busy as we can see that the light at the end of the tunnel is NOT an oncoming train!

On Thursday, Barb continues with the window trim and I install more electrical devices. Our building code specifies that we have to have a smoke and CO detector in the main area and a smoke detector in each bedroom, they must be interconnected so when one goes off, they all go off. Seems like over kill for a house this size. Anyway, we both complete our doings and decide to try to fix a major floor squeak in the bathroom. Because our ‘crawl space’ is too small for anyone to go under the floor, we have to open the floor from above to try to fix. It seems like a step back but we have to do it so out comes the circular saw, remove screws and open it up. We do not see anything obvious but we add some cross bracing anyway and replace the floor. It seems like we have improved it but it still squeaks a little.

We start to rationalize how and where we start the vinyl plank flooring. We do not want to put transitions at thresholds on the 2 doors where the flooring goes through so to us DIYers, this will take a little planning. After discussions, we get underway and start in the bathroom. The vinyl flooring we choose for here is not as flexible as we thought and after a couple of hours of frustration, we break down and read the installation instructions! Everyone knows that laminate flooring needs to be acclimatized before laying but who would have thought that vinyl also needs to be acclimatized! So, we carried all the boxes into the house so it can acclimatize before we attempt it again. It was amazing how much easier it was to install after 24 hours in the house. By the end of Friday, the bathroom and hall floor were down and the toilet installed.

Saturday was another milestone day – we had a counter top installer in to measure for our kitchen counter tops! Whoopie. He gave us some tid bits of info for the kitchen and also re-assured us that the Ikea kitchen cabinets are among the best, he has had one for 10 years now and no problems of adjustment and hasn’t fall apart. After he left, Barb & I continued the flooring that now extended into the great room. We had moved the fridge earlier and now that the cabinets have been measured, we move them out so we have an empty easel for the floor.

Terri and Mark arrive early afternoon to help out again – it’s always nice to see them, the extra hands helps us move forward a bit quicker. So Barb & Terri carry on with the flooring in the great room and move into the study while Mark & I get at those pesky little jobs like putting the subfloor over the concrete in the mud room. All this work made us thirsty and after dinner, we played a few games of fast track.

 

 

 

That’s it again for our week, we hope all is good where you are….