Week Ending 12/29/07

- Interior painting and trimwork,

- Tiled and grouted boy's shower,

- Boy's and master toilettes installed,

- Boy's and master shower installed,

- Master tub installed,

- Last window installed (downstairs bathroom).

It was an odd Christmas, spent in work cloths frantically laying tile to prepare for the plumbers at the end of the week. We made our deadlines, and were able to enjoy family time and Christmas traditions despite the ongoing project. Grammie Rucquoi filled a lot of gaps cooking and caring for the kids to allow us time for the work. By the end of the week, not only do we have most of the bathroom functions working (showers still need doors and sinks are not yet ready), but the many large boxes of plumbing fixtures are gone from the master bedroom. Along with the Christmas gifts, the children's room took many decorative steps, transforming them from a construction space to a living space. Outside of the continuing effort to trim and paint, the next big hurdle will be receipt and installation of the 26 interior doors.

Week Ending 12/22/07

- Island countertop installed,

- Downdraft installed,

- Cooktop installed,

- Interior trimwork and painting,

- Boys bathroom tiling,

- Installed Jessica's medicine cabinet (Thanks Pete!),

- Diagnosed some issues with the sound system (Thanks Pete!)

- Cleaning,

- Christmas decorating.

Week Ending 12/15/07

- Sheet rock repair,

- Jessica's bathroom plumbing completed (she took her first bubble bath in her new tub),

- Boy's bathroom tiling,

- Interior trim and painting,

- Holiday decorating,

- First fire in the fireplace since rennovation,

- Driving vendors (countertop, tile, doors, windows, GC, etc.).

Week Ending 12/08/07

Finally, after about 9 weeks of waiting for the 4-week-committed interior doors, they arrived. That's the good news. The other news is that they delivered the wrong doors. That's just one example of the job queue this week. Most of the week was spent driving issues to senior levels to gain momentum. In two cases (doors and windows) that includes escalating to senior levels at the manufacturer. Primary outstanding issues for completion and the Certificate of Occupancy include:
- Delivery and installation of interior doors;
- Repair and adjustement to windows;
- Shrinking the footprint of the house about 12 square feet to meet zoning requirements (it was not built to plans, which resulted in zoning violation);
- Replumbing boy's bathroom sinks to specifications (they are 4" off center);
- Delivery of kitchen island counter (and resulting installation of cooktop).

There is much more that needs to be done for the house to be complete, but these are the major hold-ups to everything else. In the mean time, this week:
- Master countertop installed;
- continued installing intioror trim work;
- continued interior painting;
- worked to repair basement stairwell sheetrock;
- continued cleanup;
- unpacked and settled in.

Week Ending 12/1/07

It's sure hard to believe December is here.

This week's activity included:

- Interior trim

- Interior painting

- Cleaning

- Moving in

- Boy's vanity installed

- Kitchen cabinetry finished

- Alarm system installed

- Inspection for Certificate of Occupancy (expect temporary C.O. to be issued)

Thank you Stephan, Dave, Aaron, Max, Chase, Jenna and (especially) Mom for all your help this week!

Week Ending 11/24/07

This past week the floors were sanded, stained and polyurethaned. During this time we:

- Confirmed trim design and materials

- Picked master bath stone and scheduled installation dates

- Scheduled delivery of master bath fixtures

- Re-picked kitchen island stone, scheduling installation

- Repaired basement exterior door (damaged in flood, and need for C. of O.)

- Exterior painting

- Interior trimwork

- Closet systems

- Sound system now functioning

- Cleaning, and lots of it

- Began moving in

As we celebrate all that we have to be thankful for, we prepare for the inspection for our Certificate of Occupancy on Monday, and the move from our New Canaan apartment to our new home before the end of November.

Week Ending 11/17/07

- Handrail installed
- Electrical fixtures installed
- Interior painting
- re-sheetrocked basement stairway
- Interior trimwork
- Master vanity installed
- Mudroom bench installed
- Cleaned out house for flooring to be finished starting Monday

Week Ending 11/10/07

- Delivery of interior doors postponed another 4 weeks
- Delivery of kitchen island top postponed another 4-5 weeks
- Continued interior painting
- Continued installing interior trim
- Completed wiring all speakers and volume controls
- Mudroom tile sealed
- Boy's bathroom floor sealed
- Continued installing interior light fixtures
- Jessica's bathroom plumbing fixtures installed
- Kitchen plumbing completed
- Master bathroom tiled, completion pending additional tiles
- Staircase to 2nd floor removed and replaced
- Flooring moved out one week (11/19-23)
- Move-in date moved to 11/24.
pictures will be posted tomorrow (Monday).

Week Ending 11/3/07

- Jessica's Bathroom grouted & sealed
- Exterior painting
- Interior painting
- Trimwork
- Boy's bathroom floor grouted
- Mudroom tile layed
- Master shower mud base layed
- More fixtures installed
- The coming week is our last week to do any interior work before moving in
- Stairs to be replaced next Saturday
- Wood floors scheduled to be finished starting Monday, 11/12.
- Plan to move in Saturday, 11/17

Week Ending 10/27/07

- Boy's tile arrived. Floor installed.
- Began installing window trimwork.
- Front walk installed/repaired.
- Island granite deemed unfit
- Rest of countertops installed
- Met with architect and builder to determine solution to overage. Solution pending.
- Interior painting
- Exterior brackets installed.

Week Ending 10/20/07

- Basement dried out.
- Basement carpet cleaned (again)
- Exterior drain system installed.
- Exterior grading to avoid further flooding.
- Gutter inserts replaced with "better" version (we'll see).
- Kitchen cabinets installed.
- Kitchen appliances delivered and installed.
- Kitchen counter template made
- Fabricator lost our granite, which we helped them find.
- Light fixtures installed.
- Continued exterior painting.
- Continued interior painting.
- Attic drop-down stairs installed.
- Jessica's bathroom tile almost finished.
- Boy's tile ordered.

Could not attach pictures. Will try again later.

Week Ending 10/13/07

A rough week. In addition to general orchestration:
- Door order placed
- Trim package bid out
- Tiling Jessica's bathroom
- Picked tile for boy's bathroom
- Kitchen & Jessica's bathroom plumbing fixtures delivered
- Porto potty removed
- Heavy rains backed up where construction debris left, gutters overflowed. Result was 3" of water in the basement on Thursday night. Once trenches dug flow stopped entering house. Damage significant.
- Surveyer reported house over the alloted 20% allowance. Architect blaming builder. Builder blaming architect. Zoning not yet informed. Violation = 11 square feet.
- Kitchen cabinetry delivered and 1/2 installed.

Week Ending 10/6/07

First week in October behind us...too fast.

- Builder cleaning up

- Master bedroom window finally in, stained glass installed

- Kitchen cabinets stained and painted

- Construction of bathroom vanities begun

- Continued painting exterior trim

- Mudroom fire door installed

- Completed staining and finishing of front doors

- Locks installed, house now secure for the first time since May

- HVAC final installation and tuning of zones

- Painted kitchen, family room, pantry and 1/2 mudroom

- Set tile flooring for Jessica's bathroom

- Basement carpet cleaned (coffee stain mostly gone)

- Speakers installed on 1st floor

Week Ending 9/29/07

- Continued painting exterior trim

- Gutters installed

- incorrect window trim replaced

- Exterior French door handles installed

- Front and mudroom doors stained

- Picked up tile for Jessica's bathroom and began dry layout.

- Reinforced mudroom floor from the joists underneath, to provide strength while keeping the tile on level with the 1st floor oak flooring.

- Met with cabinet maker for final kitchen details and plans for bathroom vanities.

- Created timesheet for October push (as we hope to be in before November), coordinating with all trades. Inspection for C/O should be possible by 10/29, if everyone is on time...

Week Ending 9/22/07

Wood flooring went in starting Monday. All rooms are now installed (it took 3 days). sanding, staining and poly-ing will come later. The electrician showed up with extra crew to install all switches, outlets and fixtures. Since Wednesday we've had power throughout the house for the first time. As we've had beautiful weather, I've been squeezing every hour of daylight on a ladder priming the fascia boards, with the goal of having them painted next week for the gutters to be installed. Josie brought dinner to the house, where we ate off a plywood table on plaster buckets, with plaster bucket seats, every night since Wednesday. The administrative aspects of the project are interfering with my ability to do the work. Subflooring was laid for Jessica's bathroom. Rain on Saturday changed my plans from painting to laying subflooring in the boy's bathroom. It's all progress. Garage door was installed. Interior doors (about 25) are out to bid. Tile for Jessica's bathroom has been ordered.

Week Ending 9/15/07

The builder quickly took on the "punch list," though not too happy about it. Most of the issues have been addressed to some degree. The interior walls have been primed and the ceilings have been painted. The wood flooring was delivered Friday, and will acclimate for a few days before being installed. Josie and I tiptoed around the house finding and fixing squeeks in the floor last night. After six weeks, the front door was finally fixed. Most of the exterior trim has been caulked, puttied and sanded. By late Saturday I finally got a valuable part needed to hang ladders on the roof (so as not to make holes and still have footing). This will allow me to get most of the remainding difficult-to-reach trim. I'll need to bumb assistance on moving the 40' ladder to reach the rest. The gutter guy and I met Friday morning. He plans to come in 10 days to install, meaning I have to at least have the fascia boards primed with two coats of paint by then. I started priming that day. Met briefly with the electrician, who said he would come by to start installing the exterior fixtures and interior plates, switches, etc. I ordered the remaining exterior fixtures needed. Began process for ordering the interior doors, ordered the exterior door hardware, continue to shop tile and purchased the underlayment for the bathrooms. My tiling equipment has been moved to the house (from storage). We also stopped by to check on the progress with our kitchen cabinetry. Mark, the carpenter, had several logistical questions which we were able to solve at that time. While there seems to be no end to the list of items stollen, quality issues, broken windows, broken promises, materials arriving broken and such, the truth is that the progress far outweights these setbacks. Now for a day of rest and worship before another week of progress (Psalm 127:1).

Week Ending 9/8/07

Spent most of the week on ladders continuing external paint prep. Still can't get to some spots, but too busy to stop, hoping solution will present itself when necessary. Met with Architect, who met with the builder re: "punch list" items. Basically quality assurance stuff that I caught. Frustrating, but to be expected. Sheet rock is completed, and tapers are busy smoothing everything out. Decided to get quotes for priming and ceilings. First of two are within the range we needed. Frantically researching tile options. Very soon I will be "on the spot" for interior trim, tile and painting. Our goal is to be out of the rental before November.

Week Ending 9/1/07

Builder and his son picked up the bunnies on Monday. Summer is now over, and the kids started school Thursday, 8/30. By Tuesday, insullation was completed and we passed that inspection. The Polish crew is cleaning up odd's and ends (leveling floors, minor trim & shingle work, French door banister, etc). I started paint prep for the exterior trim. Each of the kids, Josie and our friend Jenna helped, taking time to also clear rocks from the yard. Sheet rock has been delivered and installation is nearly completed on the second floor. Taping/plastering has started on the 2nd floor. Access to all of the exterior is rough, as I can't handle the scaffolding or 40' ladder by myself. Needed to get a yellow-jacket nest exterminated. The boys got into swinging a pick-axe to help level the back yard. Two big piles of dirt were moved from the front to the back,to allow level ground for the ladders.

Week Ending 8/20/07

While the carpenters missed some days working, due to rain, there was still a lot accomplished this week. HVAC and plumbing roughs were completed. I was able to install about 120' of blocking (for towel bars, soap dishes, coat hooks, etc.) throughout the house. Half the sound-system was ordered (speakers, wires, volume controls), received and installed, and recorded with pen and pictures (so I can find the wires after the walls go up). The fire/burglar alarm system was wired. Mechanicals inspection took place on Wednesday (we passed). Kitchen cabinetry is now under construction. Insulation was installed, and should be completed Monday. Mason work on each of 3 stoops completed. Carpenters completed siding and trim. They also boxed in some of the plumber's work and began repairing the floors. By Friday, the Ukrainian carpenter crew (who had been working on the house since June) were done. While a few of them weren't here, I was able to grab a quick picture before they left. Sheet rocking crew scheduled for Wednesday. The replacement door arrived; and, like the door it was replacing, it too was the wrong door. Regardless, it's been a good week for progress!

Week Ending 8/18/07

All plumbing roughs delivered. Most plumbing rough completed (Jessica's very excited to see her tub installed). Electrical rough completed. Electrical fixtures are starting to arrive. HVAC install continued. Exterior trim and cedar shakes continue to get completed. Lines to septic worked on. All trenches, footings, gas tank and lines buried. Ground leveled, large rock removed from next to driveway and excavator now gone. Much work with building department re: clarrification on code for alarm system (each of four quotes interpreted laws differently). Downpayments for granite and cabinets made. Alarm service chosen (service will cost $250 annual, insurance discount will be $520 annual), will be installed 8/21. Researching soundproofing and multimedia, preparing trim bid (materials). Masons started, chimney done (big). Stoops next. Expecting mechanicals inspection next week. Installed blocking for towel bars, etc.

Week Ending 8/11/07

Evergreens on either side of front door moved to back property line (got poinson ivy). Purchased stained-glass for master bedroom, received quotes for fire detection/security system, gas tank linked to house. Progress on external shingles/trim. Exterior doors arrived and installed (wrong front door, will need to be swapped). Plumber on vacation. Wood species for kitchen approved, with construction on cabinets beginning 8/13 (with delivery expected mid-October). Purchase of electrical fixtures begun. Working out final details of interior trim scheme. Researching media system options and soundproofing. Subfloor in old family room removed, allowing new wood flooring in new kitchen to be level with wood flooring in existing living room.

Week Ending 8/04/07

This week our propane tank was filled, the plumber and electrician did most of their work, and we met with the HVAC people. Plumbing would have been finished but the fixtures, which are now all purchased, have not all come in. We hope they will arrive while the plumber is on vacation next week. Stained glass was picked out for the master bedroom, final kitchen plans were made, as I'm trying to get the cabinet maker rolling (8-week turnaround). Ninth dumpster (at least), and more siding and exterior trim went up. When the dumpster was swapped out the driver backed into my neighbor's Porsche, pushing it back three feet and almost into my car. Plans for soundproofing and sound systems are now under way, as insulation, sheetrock and hardwood floors are soon to follow. I also was called upon to remove the stairwell walls and remaining living room walls (where I found a live cut wire and a great deal of water).

Week Ending 7/28/07

Wow, what a week! Monday started with the builder telling me the exterior doors were needed right away, and I needed to give all specs to the electrician and plumber. By the end of the week I had to remove trees and gut the living room ceiling. Cedar shakes and exterior window trim going on. LP gas tank buried. All old stoops removed. Electrician, plumber and HVAC started their work. Water in basement due to damage to Bilco door. While all mechanicals and carpenters were seeking my input, the architect was on vacation. Interior view (above) from mudroom entrance, through kitchen, to family room (old screen porch).

Week Ending 7/21/07

We've been away camping this week. Progress on the house includes: Most of the new windows are in, about half of the walls have Tyvek, mudroom and stoop-foundation are complete, roofing shingles are on, cedar shakes have been delivered, chimney has been re-worked, footings have been poured and re-covered, most of the framer's tools have been removed and the inside has been swept out. This week marked one year since we signed our contract with the architect.

Week Ending 7/14/07

Many things happening this week. Shingles began going on roof. Majority of interior and exterior walls now framed. Backhoe on site and digging footers, footers poured. Entire old second floor now gone. All old cedar shakes gone. Windows delivered. HVAC work begun. Someone dropped their coffee on our new basement rug. Two Master Bedroom windows not as planned, boarded over. Pastor Gish helped me remove roses and lavendar (for transplant to the parsonage) to save them from the backhoe (and neary died from heat doing it). He promised visiting rights. On 7th dumpster. 4 pics this week including mudroom foundation, back hoe and back porch, eyebrow frame for large window in master bath and Jessica helping me remove shingles.

Week Ending 7/07/07

Difficult to show all the progress this week. From the front you can see the whole ridge is up now, and all of the original roof is gone. Most of the joists are in place, along with sheathing, and the exterior walls, including the front dormers. The foyer has been gutted, and the stairwell is totally opened up (which I tried to show in the interior picture). The old chimney is entirely inside now, and will soon be removed and built back higher and more centered. About 2/3 of the interior framing on the second floor is completed. Next week roofing and windows will go in. Happy 4th of July!

Week Ending 6/30/07

Difficult to show the progress in the past week, but there has been much. The inside walls have been built out for most of the downstairs and half of the upstairs. In addition, having completed up to the left dormer on the main house, the builders have used the same measurements to compete most of the remaining exterior and interior walls and joists, all of which are stacked neatly on the lawn. It will be a fast push for the remainder to be assembled. Our windows have arrived, awaiting installation. The interior picture here shows the "new downstairs," from the front door to the old back porch, with all walls opened up.

Week Ending 6/23/07

We are on our 5th dumpster now. Half of the roof on the main house has been removed and is being replaced with the new roof. Jessica's bathroom, the boy's bathroom and the portion of the upstairs hall with the cupola have begun to be framed. Most of the downstairs wall that are being removed are gone, and are replaced with supporting beams. I've been working on decisions for external doors, granite, trim and tile. The very visible progress is encouraging!

Week Ending 6/16/07

Lots of progress this week. Rooms over the garage framed and sheathed. Thanks to Pete Hoffman and his pickup we were able to get all appliances and cabinets to the dump before they closed. HazMat came and went, and we were able to get clean bill of slate to the town before COB Friday, allowing me to work Friday night and Saturday to gut the kitchen (Ben helped too).