Moving On!

Tuesday, March 10, 2015    

The painters are here today, and I finish refinishing the dresser for the master closet.                                             

Priming interior doors

Staining kitchen cabinet drawers

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Base cabinets for cherry wood tops

The cherry wood counter tops arrive

Thank heavens for the painters.  They have gone beyond the scope of their job description. Here they are carrying the 2 slabs of clear cherry that will be cut on site to fit over the base cabinets in the range kitchen. These tops came from Ohio.  I have used them in the past for the walnut counter top in the Frisco home. The tops are awesome!

Carefully packaged.

Needless to say the ground was very muddy. This was not easy work for these men.  But they did it with a smile....and then took 10 minutes to recover.  lol   They must be installed within 5 days of delivery so as not void the warranty.  They also need to be sealed on the underside with a polyurethane sealer before installing them. The trimmer has left his sawhorses behind so we put them in the Gathering Room and I get to seal them.  I wanted to do 2 coats, the dry time is 2 hours between coats.  But that isn't the real dry time with the high humidity from all this rain we have had.  After waiting 4 hours they still aren't dry enough to sand and re-coat.  So I'll return tomorrow to get after it. 

Our builder returns to the job site for the first time in 4 weeks!  We're glad to have him back, but he has a lot of jobs to catch up on, so he's only on site for a quick overlook, less than an hour. Maybe he intuitively knew that if he stayed longer I'd pull out my list.  lol

Thursday, March 12, 2015

The painters have to leave our job to work on another somewhere else for the next 2 days.  It's a perfect time for the cabinet maker to come in and finish up on his loose ends.  I also mentioned to the painters that I wanted to distress the breakfast room hutch before they applied the last of 4 coats of sealer.  Yes, they do sand between each coat.  The workmanship by these men is extraordinary.  So I have the whole house to myself today.  There is a mistake on the opening size for the microwave so the cabinet maker will be back tomorrow to make adjustments.

Friday, March 13, 2015

From Williamsburg VA

The trimmer returns to start working on the stairs.  He is going on vacation next week, so it's critical to get him to finish up on some things so it doesn't slow down the painters any more than it already has.  The cabinet maker will be cutting out the stair scrolls for the side of the stairs. An inspiration I received when I went to Williamsburg Virginia to share a week of vacation with my parents in 2013. Fortunately I took a picture of it and it will soon be installed in our new home. He will over extend the treads to

allow for the 3/4" thick scroll pieces. I'm headed to Dallas to find some trim that can be applied over the scroll and just under the treads.

I was able to get a second coat on the cherry counter tops, early in the morning. It still wasn't dry when the trimmer installed it, the last thing he did today. (Remember he's going on vacation). It had to be installed within the 5 days of delivery so it went on kinda "damp", let's just say. The next step is to put mineral oil on top of it, to keep it from drying out.  I plan to chop right on the cherry wood, so the mineral oil is food safe. I used almost an entire bottle.  Looks good!

Also here today, was one of the granite company's personnel. They had been in on Wednesday to measure using a typical tape measure.  But today they returned to recheck all the measurements using a high tech laser.  Today, I haven't decided on which granite fabricator to use for the scullery.  I've learned that if you can find a slab in the fabricator's yard, you pay for only what you need.  I have been spending months and several visits in Dallas looking at the larger granite slab yards like Daltile, Arizona Tile, Levantina, etc... I found something perfect at Daltile!  But since I have to purchase the whole slab and  pay the freight to get it to the fabricator, I will be leaving more than $700.00 in their back yard, not mine.  So....just how much do I like that whole slab....? I need to think about this. One thing that is great is that Daltile gives you a 30 day hold!!!! Great, I have time to figure this out!

Saturday - Sunday, March 14-15, 2015  No one working.....boo hooo 

Monday, March 16, 2015 Painters working. YAY!

Tuesday, March 17, 2015  Nobody there in the morning, but 2 painters arrive after lunch.  The tile man gets there later in the day to put in the backboard on the walls so that I can have a shower seat templated this coming Thursday.

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

The rain holds off till 11 AM.  Since no one has come to work today I decide I better get my shovel out of storage and start digging trenches on either side of the driveway.  When the rain hits, it comes down hard and I'm able to walk the property and see where it's all coming from. I stop walking and shoveling when the lightening starts.  I'm soaked by now, so I hang out on the front porch until it lightens up.  Then I go back out to check where I need to dig some more.  Can you tell I am earnest about getting a driveway in?

I scheduled a walk through with my builder and landscaper at 4PM today.  We didn't cancel it.  Of course the sun was shining by the time they arrived, but they could see, to some extent, the amount of water that comes through the property. Now we have to find a way to deal with it, BEFORE the driveway is poured.

Thursday, March 19, 2015

I have a 9AM appointment at the job site with another granite fabricator.  I found the stone for the island, wet bar, dry sink, guest bath shower seat with them. I'm still undecided on the scullery, and the coffee bar.  The other fabricator is going to be cutting and installing the master bath, master shower and laundry.  The builder's fabricator let the slab I had put on hold "expire" so it was available for another fabricator to reserve.  Arizona Tile only had 1 slab of what I wanted and I needed 1 slab.  This was stress!

The painters were back to work, we went over a few things together and then I was headed out to a showroom 1 1/2 hours away.  I need to pick out my handrails, balusters, and newel posts for the front porch.  Since I don't want the 2 x 4's that the trimmer was talking to me about. He told me, it's up to me to find a solution.  The builder's lumber yard does not carry outdoor treated products such as I have in the plans. Off to Quinlin Texas!

Friday, March 20, 2015

Wow! What a busy day!  After stopping in Quilin yesterday, I went straight into the design district in Dallas. Artistic Tile had called earlier in the week to say that my tile sample was in waiting for my sign off, before going into production.  They had a great tile that was fairly close to the paint color in the kitchen, Sherwin-Williams Toasted Pine Nut.  What I was not aware of, is that for the same price they would color match it to the paint!  I have a kiln, I work with glazes, this is not an easy undertaking. So what did I have to lose?  This is one of the benefits of making selections early.  You have time to allow the process to work in the time it really needs to take.  So many people wait until the last minute.  I've heard from many of my suppliers that it is really unusual to work with a client so early on. Usually it's a mad dash to the finish.  When, and if that happens, that's when the customer might get "ordinary", or "did I really pick that?"  I've spent months pulling everything together.  This doesn't mean my efforts will result in perfection.  But I will know what I selected and why I selected it, be it color, texture or to save money in the budget.  Allowances are just that.  This is the place where your builder tells you what he thinks it will take to select the items in the category. Either he was "reasonable" with his estimate, or he under shot it so much to make the overall project look good and "affordable".  I was pleased with my builder's "allowances".  In most cases, I've been able to stay under them, and some cases by a lot.  These "allowances" are the only place where I have control on the budget.  I'm trying my hardest to stay in budget!!!

So I head off to Walker Zanger, first thing in the morning, to pick up all the tile they have ready for pick up.  The floor supplier and myself have called to verify that it's in.  I drive to pick it up to save on shipping charges.  Only 2 boxes are in. Missing 4 walls of field tile and all the chair rail. Ooops! Someone saw the computer say "in". Yes, it's in, in California!  Moving on!

Next stop Daltile Slab yard.  I just have to see the slab I have on reserve, reserved back on 2/27 during a sleet and snow storm in Dallas.  I only have a 30 day hold on it and time is clicking away. Decisions have to be made.  At the front desk I give them my name and # of the reserve order.  I'm greeted with, "I'm sorry, that has been cleared". Cleared?? What do you mean "cleared".  "Blank" called and canceled the hold on that slab. "Blank" stands for the builder's fabricator.  What? Why? I selected it, and they cancelled it without my knowledge? Sent a text to the builder, "I'm stunned". Moving on!

Tip:

When selecting a slab in a slab yard with wide distribution, ask if you can reserve your slab on a "house account".  When I put the slab I loved on hold I gave the name of my builder's fabricator. Made sense to me.  His fabricator wanted to do the templating first, then I could look at slabs.  We found some remnants that were going to work.  But the larger pieces they didn't have so they suggested I find the slabs and ask to have them delivered to them for fabrication.  Well, I found my island slab somewhere else and with a savings of $600-$700.  I told them I would not be going with them on this one for the range kitchen. Now today, I learn they cancelled the scullery!!!   If you put the reserve in your name the only one that can cancel the reserve is yourself.  Learn this lesson from me, please!  Can you tell I'm still upset?  But I must take a deep breath, and know, as I do, that everything happens for a reason, so don't force it.  

Next stop to Daltile tile showroom to pick up another tile order of 20 boxes of 12" x 12" tiles. Once inside, I'm told that they are just a showroom and I have to drive 30 minutes to the outside of Dallas to pick up at their warehouse.  Well, that turns out to be on the way home back to my apartment, so I'll do that on Monday.  Moving on!

Next stop Cassity Jones in Farmer's Branch.  They have a larger showroom for mill work trim pieces so I am hoping to find what I need here for the stairs and keep it with the lumber company that builder likes dealing with.  But they don't have anything that works, except one piece that is the right thickness and height, but the salesperson doesn't know who manufactures it.  She tells me I can take the sample with me, But I'm not too sure how that it helpful because she said if I like it, she wouldn't know where to get it, or how much it cost.  This was a piece hanging on their display case.  Does this sound confusing to anyone, or just me?  Moving on!

Next stop to Davis-Hawn Lumber Co. on the OTHER side of town, near the Dallas zoo. Traffic galore.  What a day.....please let me find something.  Their millwork manager, Michael shows me a huge notebook of profiles and we find one similar to the Williamsburg trim.  But it is not a stock item, but can be made by them using their knives in 5-7 business days.  This is hopeful, but I need to check it on site up against the treads.  Details, details, details.......Moving on!

Saturday, March 21, 2015

I need a change of pace.  It's time to see my grandchildren and give my son and his wife a break too. So armed with Lincoln logs, and barrel of monkeys off I go to care for the 5,2, and 4 month old.( I think I got that right).  Cracks me up to write this.  The irony of me wanting to take a break from building our home and I bring the children Lincoln logs!  For 2 + hours I help them build a house!!! HaHaHa.....and on the side a barrel of monkeys........you can't make this stuff up!

Sunday, March 22, 2015

Just had to check out the newly opened Nebraska Furniture Mart of Texas.....4 hours of walking and a surround system later, we decided our weekend had to slow down and prepare for the week ahead. I can see hotels and food services springing up around this place to satisfy demand. There is just no way you can take this all in, in just one day.  They have 18 designers on staff!

Monday, March 23, 2015

Off to pick up the Daltile at the warehouse, then to the job-site to see who, if anyone is working. When I arrive at the house there are no cars, but as I walk in I can hear the radio going.  I have one painter working.  He tells me one more will be joining him later.  This is moving along slowly...don't you think?  But when they are here, even I have to admit they do take their time and the quality is wonderful.  

With the new knowledge that I've lost my granite slab that I reserved, I'm off to two larger fabricators to see what they have in their yards that will work.  I am so glad that I had them BOTH measure the scullery, just "in case".  If I had not, it would have meant another trip for one or both of them. I'll also have to replace all the other areas that had been chosen with the builder's fabricator, since I'm not going to use them now.

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

The painters are here today! YAY! I also have my first real walk through with my builder since 2/12! He's back from surgery and back in the saddle, armed with paper and pen, and I have my list.

In the afternoon I work in my garage rental and "try" to pull apart the mahogany top for the guest bathroom so the fabricator can use it as a template.  I started at 4:30 PM, 2 visits to Lowe's for tools, and still struggling.  So much so, that the maintenance man living near my apartment volunteers to find "other" tools.  The "other tools" are a paint scraper, wood chisel, and a crowbar!  He finally gets the top off at 9 PM!! Time for dinner!  Moving on!

Praise God for good neighbors!

I was able to remove all the screws in the front, but could not remove the 4 screws in the back.  I had socket wrenches with 1/4 drill adapters, etc. etc. Yes, I did think about removing the back panel.  But the panel had over 60 "screws" that looked more like upholstery tacks, this furniture was made at the turn of the century, the last century.

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Remind me, if I EVER complain about the mess my husband makes in the master bedroom, just show me this picture. Yes, this is our master bedroom, and yes they are mixing mortar on the floor where the stain grade baseboards have yet to be stained.  I intervened and moved leftover backboard to protect the baseboards.  The painters we climbing the walls in opposition.  Hopefully, I got them protected in time.  And no, my husband is not messy at all, I am the one. My mother will attest to that! Right mom?











Thursday, March 26, 2015
Today is a cloudy day, perfect skies to go back and check out a possible slab for the scullery.  I found it truly hard to decide on some of the slabs because it was too bright outside, and most of the other days it was raining.  I did go to slab yards and walked in the yards in the rain too.  Found it!  Nikki Fontana had shown it to me yesterday, but she encouraged me to come back "tomorrow" when it was cloudy. Finally, ALL the counter tops have been selected.  It feels like forever, and since I started my search back in the fall, it just about is.

Friday, March 27, 2015

Septic line

Today the painters are there, the trimmer, the electrician, and the septic lines are going in.  We have to use an aerobic septic system as a condition of our deed restrictions.  After walking this property and dealing with the clay and sand subsoil and I can see that makes good sense.  Lateral lines that I was accustomed to in New Jersey would not work well in this dirt.  It was key to be present for the install so that I could let them know just how much water we get on this property so that the lines could go in where they needed to be, AND not be in the way of future contouring anticipated with the final grade.  They had to get their lines in BEFORE the driveway is poured, whenever that happens.

28 feet of 183 feet of retaining walls

The good news is that we've had dry weather all week.  My masons were able to re-dig all the footings for the retaining walls. (The first dig was done on February 27, exactly one month ago!) We had planned to pour on Wednesday, then Thursday, but it wasn't until Thursday after lunch that we got a solid scheduled time in with the concrete truck.  There has been so much rain, that everyone is behind.  My builder has been waiting to pour 3 more pads, but has been delayed because of the rain.  So Monday morning at 7:45 AM we should be seeing a concrete truck roll down the driveway. The next rain is scheduled to come in just hours after our pour, sometime afternoon.

Say a prayer every one!  Thank you.
Let's keep this moving on!