Week Ending 3/29/2008

While there has been little progress on the footprint and front door leak issues, the tangible streak of progress from last week continues.

One of the largest standard-of-living impacts of the project was finally realized when the plumber came this week and installed the faucets for the boy's bathroom and the master bathroom, and repaired some issues with previously installed items. For the first time all bathrooms are 100% functional.

The phone company connected all the jacks, and the water company installed an electric transmiter on the meter, allowing them to wirelessly read the meter from the street.

The container was removed from our front yard, providing the first unrestricted view of the new house from the street since the container and dumpster were delivered, this time last year.

Progress on the door headers / trim is in full production, and layout of the upstairs hall wainscot has begun.

Week Ending 3/22/2008

Our Cabinet maker came and installed the covers for the beams, as well as making final adjustments and additions to the cabinetry (cabinet shelves, fridge panel, cover for exposed pipe in mudroom). Actually, he couldn't fit all 6 14+' boards in his van, so I had to go pick them up with our Suburban. It was fun helping him install these.

I also spent a good part of the week completing the wainscot in the master bathroom, employing some of the most complicated carpentry I've used to date. I started building the headers for doorways (which will take several weeks), and worked to clean out the storage container on our front lawn. The call has been made, and this should be picked up in a couple of days.

All this was while waiting for some promises of "I'll get back to you" by some trades, which I'll need to follow up with on Monday. Regardless of the administrivia, it was great to return to some tangible work with tangible results this week.

Happy Easter!

Week Ending 3/16/2008

When administration is the order of the day, pictures and frequent updates don't have the same value. Most of the punchlist has been addressed, and paid for. The door leak has been addressed twice, but it is still leaking. Builder is now planning on removing and re-installing the front door, but waiting for me to get the door maker on site as well. Footprint issue pending final specs from the architect. Plumber expected next Tuesday. Final cabinetry pending for this week. I've been working on trim, where possible.

At the same time, we've had a birthday party for Ben (6 boys), party with our sailing friends (14 adults), and Church group (10 adults). It's been great to see the house in action and realize the functional benefits of all the work. We are hoping and praying that this month will mark the end of the functional and legal (C.O.) hurdles of the project.

More to come.

Week Ending 3/1/08

March is here, and with it the beginning of the end of this winter.

The grouting of the boy's bathroom is completed, and we have requested the plumber's last visit to get the master and boy's bathroom faucets installed.

Most of the week was consumed with communicating with the builder. We are now down to the punch-list (see above), and our relationship has deteriorated significantly. After a very ugly call we left it that he would send me a confirmation of the final outstanding balance (which he did), and I would send him the punch-list with corresponding valuations for each item (which I did, along with a check for the outstanding balance beyond the punch-list valuation). I have not heard from him since. Legal threats have been made (by him). Lawyers have been retained.

Unless there is a significant change in trajectory, we will be going down a pathway in which no one wins. I hope that is not the case; and, while I wait to hear from him, I followed up on other warranty and service issues. With this new month, I hope this is also the beginning of the end of the project.