Stuff got done, but a minor screwup

We're really getting into the nitty gritty now, the odds and ends stuff that doesn't seem like it should take that long, but inevitably will.  I'm sure this also means that equal parts frustration and weariness will be the result.  I mean, you're making progress, but it's on such miniscule stuff that it doesn't seem like you're going anywhere.  Well, that's where we are.  Of course, by "we" I mean the actual people that are putting hammer to nail while I'm reading the latest Kim Kardashian article at "work".

It stinks even more when you take a slight step to the side (but not backward!) when something doesn't go exactly as planned.  That's kinda-sorta what today was.  The whole house got a little softening up today with the installation of roughly 15 square feet of carpet in the master bedroom.  It's a little weird to see something not gray or white, but I think it looks good despite that OBVIOUS flaw.

Figure 1.  My value added is in the literary (not visual) arts

It's not easy to get a picture of flooring in a room that's roughly 8' x 2.5'.  You can also notice the fiery light of death that was introduced in a previous post.  It hasn't killed anyone or burned down the house yet, but I know that sonuvabitch is plotting, scheming, just waiting for the right moment.  Also featured in the photograph is one of the thresholds that the boys installed.

Out in the living area the new stone hearth got poured.  Concrete counts as a stone, right?  I mean, it's certainly not a wood, not carpet, not shingle, thus... stone!  It's still drying, curing, whatever, I'm no civil engineer so I can't really describe the process very well, but it's not ready for tile or finishing.  It's still drying.  We're still trying to decide if we should tile it (if so, with what...  MORE GRAY/WHITE/BLACK!), just polish the concrete (GRAY!), or something else entirely.  Either way, that's looking a bit down the road, because it still looks like this now.

Figure 2.  Yup, concrete, ppppuuuuurrreee excitement

Sometime around that (I'd be misleading you to say "after" since I don't really know the sequence of events, I just know I'm not a liar), the guys were also doing a little mudding, trim work type stuff in the kitchen, closing up seams and generally avoiding doing electrical work.  ...and I certainly can't blame them for that.  Ikea did deliver the 8' panel to back the cabinets as they face the dining room.  The guys have cut that and need to come up with some trim work to accommodate for a sloping wall.  As it stands, they cut it allowing (unintentionally, of course) a roughly 1/8-1/4" gap at the top of the panel as it abuts the wall.  That makes it square on the bottom and flush with the edge that faces the walkway into the kitchen.  To mitigate this, I think the plan is to put in a small piece of trim running vertically in that corner (the left side in the picture below) that will run from floor moulding up to countertop and paint it brown to match.  Not ideal, but I think it's the best way to fix the screwup short of ordering another 8' piece of hoo-ha from Ikea that'll take 3 more weeks to deliver.

Figure 3.  Kitchen progress

You'll also certainly notice how close the cabinets are to the edge of the tile-to-wood abutment.  We'd hoped (ok, planned) to have the cabinets finish neatly on this edge and we may have to do some finagling with toe kickish trim to make it all work and hide that.  Bosslady (Hi Wife!) will be back tomorrow to make that call.

Until then though, tomorrow's progress will likely stay around trim work, painting, door installation, electrical, plumbing, bathroom countertop installation...  Ok, yeah, tomorrow looks like a good day to play some catch-up.  Until then, then!

When the cats away...

...one would hope that the mice would stay their course and finish building out a kitchen.

...and that's pretty much what they did.  With our being out-of-our-respective-townses this weekend, we'd left a worklist with Tim, Dave, and dog and rode away with our fingers crossed.  I must say that I'm generally pretty pleased with the progress and I can now officially move this house out of the third world.  Seriously, it's pretty legitimately 2nd world and half at least (or would it be 1st world and a half?).

Figure 1.  RUNNING WATER INSIDE THE HOUSE!

A mini-backsplash has also been installed that I'll need to add a couple coats of polyurethane to, but that's easy-peasy.

But, before I get much farther, I feel I need to explain myself for why I've abandoned my crew as we near such a critical point in the construction.  Allow for the defense to submit Exhibits A-C, shown below as Figures 2-4.

Figure 2.  That's a layered lemon cake courtesy of a Mrs. [BH] Steele

Figure 3.  ...a modified blueberry business type of cheesecake thingy courtesy of (another) Mrs. [MA] Steele

Figure 4.  My favorite (not to take anything away from the others), from one of the aforementioned Mrs. Steeleseses.  There are too many Mrs. Steeleseses and one of them wasn't even present.  It's getting confusing keeping track of all this and I'm related.

I feel as though these exhibits at least demonstrate that my presence was required, dare I SAY REQUIRED elsewhere for the weekend.

But, back to the action, with the house now comfortably nearing first world status with conditioned air, outhouses moved INSIDE, and running water (it loses points for still being tied into Orlando's nastyfied city water, but still...) we're beginning to put finishing touches in place.  Beginning to finish, yeah right.

The guest bathroom tub is almost been completed.  New tiles have been installed (they still need grouting), but I think it looks great.  The juxtaposition of the old and new tiles here is an effort to remind the future homeowners of both the old-world-charm of the house's 1950's roots while at the same time offering reassurance that we've designed with a modern touch.  Very sophisticated.

Figure 5.  Seriously fancy/deep design work

Correction, the whole tub and enclosure's going to be re-glazed.  It's not going to stay with six white tiles.  They should all be white by the time the chemical people have come in and taken our dollarbucks for the re-glazing.  Should look nice.  We're still going to replace the handle with something a little less 70's.

In the kitchen, the crew continued with some trim work.  The door has been framed in, the window has returned to look like a window should and some trim pieces were installed on the cabinets.  Yeah, I'm shotgunning this to you, but I still have to run an errand or two before Sunday's over.

Figure 6.  Door framed (yes that's hardiplank!)

Yeah, so that's framed with Hardiplank, but lucky for me and the boys, the wife (hi Wife!) wasn't here to veto and frankly there aren't that many options with the thicknesses we were needing.

Figure 7. Window-FRAMED!

I don't even want to know all the crap they had to do to get that window framed in "properly" because that wall was not even close to straight.  Yeah, there's a joke opportunity there, but like I said, I'm rushing.  You can also see the subway tile backsplash is nearing completion (needs grout).  I think that looks pretty good, too.  We've removed the switch for the overhead bar lights, too, because we've eliminated the bar.  As a result, I think I'm going to have them put in another outlet there to allow for maximum-kitchen-appliance usage!  Meh, it seemed the best way to utilize the double-box, that's all.

On the other side of the kitchen the guys finished installing the shelves and running the backsplash tile.  I also think this looks good, though I'm not sure if we should tile behind the shelves.  Part of me thinks it looks a little weird without it, but then again, if it DID get tiled, it wouldn't match the window-wall.  Seems like a lose-lose so since it's less work to go without and just paint, I expect that to stick as-is.  You can let me know if you think that's an awful decision, though I'm sure our realtor (is that spelled right, because I'm getting the red squiggly underneath) will disagree with umptee-three of our decisions.  Oh well.

Figure 8.  To tile or not to tile, I think that was Macbeth's real question

That about wraps us up for the weekend, hopefully Publix hasn't closed on me yet.  ADIOS!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MA!

With our hired help back in the mix, real, tangible change was once again made.  Some good, some bad as with all things.

Perhaps, most importantly though, the best (and also simultaneously the worst) $69 ever spent...  The air conditioner has now joined the world of the living!  So, the sweatbox has now (hopefully) been banished forever.  There was much rejoicing!  Turns out, we had a bad breaker.  Oh well.

With that having been accomplished, one can only imagine what dreams may be realized over the next several days.  But, still and yet, there is history to recap before thinking of the future.  The first, and most major change since the last update was the great migration of the Swedish cabinets.  They've completed the spawn and have now arrived at their final resting places in the kitchen.  Behold:

Figure 1.  May they rest in peace!

If you look closely, you'll notice that this house is still old and saggy.  But, hey, just don't look!  If you do have eagle eyes though, you may notice that the gaps over the cabinets provide a gentle slope as you move from the window...  to the WALL, and the sweat runs down my....  Nevermind, got carried away there by the dulcet tones of Mr. Lil Jon!  The slope is actually from the window towards the door, but whatever.  Here's hoping that the new owners are simply mesmerized by the beauty of the rest of the kitchen instead.

While that was going on, or technically before, I suppose, the crew repaired some of the framing around the window, so instead of peering into broken drywall, viewers are instead charmed by the ENDLESS YAPPING OF THAT DAMN NEIGHBOR DOG THAT THEY CAN SEE OUT THE WINDOW!  How quaint!

Figure 2.  Looks like a blurry window

More astute blog readers may have noticed that the windows are in fact closed.  That's because the air conditioner is now working.  Oh, I mentioned that already, well, color me shocked, I guess we're just excited about that one.

Also, the sink has been set in the master bathroom, and it all looks, well...  like a sink should, I suppose.  No real excitement there.  Kinda boring, but still, it's another thing that makes it that much closer to done, which is neat-o.

Figure 3.  What a beautiful vanity

Shockingly enough, we DO plan to actually place that receptacle (a GFI, thankyouverymuch) back into the box and not leave exposed wires out for future owners.  We're cheap and lazy, but not that cheap and lazy.

Knowing you, dear reader to be as keen as you are, though, I'm sure you're wondering about that supposed "bad stuff" that was mentioned before.  Well, prepare yourselves...

Really.

Sit down, it's SERIOUS.

Meh, not really, but it does require some additional work that we hadn't anticipated.  Though, it's not really work that either of us will likely personally take on, so it's almost like a tax of sorts.  ...and I can live with that.

Figure 4.  Broken fireplace parts

Ruh-roh!  Yeah, the "hearth" broke.  It finally yielded under the substantial weight of that great herd of Scandinavian cabinets, I guess.  I think our design consultant has settled on some sort of concrete mini-hearth.  It will be interesting to see if what was conceptualized is going to be what's delivered, but that's half the fun.  Fun fact: The other "half" of that equation is about 60% frustration, 30% expense, and 10% cussing.

Well, the lights are getting turned off around me, so I suppose it's time to go to sleep.

Happy Birthday MA!

A Day at the Outlets

...ok, a Day With the Outlets, but close enough.

Having knocked off the rust yesterday, Team Steele was back at it again today.  There were solid expectations to finish off the painting of the trim and get going on some electrical work.  ...perhaps we should've established lower expectations, because we didn't exactly finish, but good progress was made.

With newer, white outlets and switches (the big fat ones!) we were thinking that it'd help to pull the house out of the 70's from whence it came.  Seems pretty decent so far, and I have to give compliments to the previous electrician for successfully being able to jam 6 feet of copper wire into a junction box.  Having that much there made it seem like we were trying to cram 10 pounds of [CENSORED] [Ed.: Poo] into a 5 pound bag.  I'll be a little surprised if all the outlets test ok and the grounds stay attached, but, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it, if necessary.

Figure 1.  Outlets and painted trim.

While the outlet- and switch-work was going on the chief (Hi Wife!) was painting the trim in the bedrooms, hallway, and living areas.  Ok, it probably would've been easier to just say that she painted everywhere that needed it, but I didn't think she got that far.  Guess I'm selling her a little short.  Oops.  Nice work!

Figure 2. Notice the EXTREME difference between the window and base board. (I had to ask what the deal was, here)

...but, she did skip a window sill or two and made some kind of absurd comment about adding a second coat.  I may have been hallucinating from the sunburn (not from the beach, thanks, but from "running") and the dehydration in the sweatbox, but I think I saw her wielding a caulk gun, too.  Some things just go better left unsaid.

Lastly, in an effort to add a new color to the white, gray, black seen everywhere else, Kelly shopped for the counter top for the guest bathroom.  I was a little shocked at how out of left field it seemed ...kinda taken aback about something so "exotic", but I'll let you be the judge of how crazy it is...

Figure 3.  Technically, this is just a piece of rock, but they somehow manage to charge many dollarbucks for it.

...I mean, it's DARK GRAY?!  HOW CAN WE POSSIBLY BE SO DARING WITH ADDING DARK GRAY TO LIGHTER GRAY, WHITE, AND BLACK?  IT'S UNFATHOMABLE!

I happen to dig it.  If I kinda squint, I can see some weather patterns developing over some islands in a weather map.  Hopefully the piece that we get will look pretty neat-o, too.  You'll just have to tune in, I suppose.

Catching Up

It's due time for an apology of sorts.  Last time we got together I put an unnecessary burden on you, dear reader, sorting through our progress without sufficient pictures to document our progress.  We've gone to great lengths, even using multiple photographers! to capture the real grandeur of the evolution that has been made.  Prepare yourselves.

The first order of business is really a pretty old order of business.  Way back when when we took revenge on Ikea by forcing their employees to stay well past closing, we selected "Nougat" countertops.

Figure 1.  This does NOT look like a Snickers bar

I guess the idea is that we're going for that "hospital chic" with the white and white and white and white and gray everywhere, but whatever.  It could look nice if it's ever all clean at once.  Given that, I suppose we're targeting homeowners very different from ourselves.

But, actual, tangible progress was made at the house.  As stated in previous editions, we have begun construction on the cabinets.  DISCLAIMER: They are not done, done, they're just done enough to be mounted (chuckle), ok, "Installed".

Figure 2.  A herd of wild Swedish upper cabinets have been penned into the laundry room.

Figure 3.  ...and the lowers are kinda/sorta in place in the kitchen.

A fan and a kitchen light fixture have also been installed.  Basically, these were efforts undertaken in order to avoid painting trim, because neither of us really wanted to sand, prime, and paint trim.  Problem is, the previously mentioned electrical gremlins have put our new fixtures out of commission temporarily.  But, to demonstrate what functional, new kitchen lights look like:

Figure 4.  Beautiful ladder

Figure 5.  Given that there are TWO pictures of a light, guess who worked on the light (Hi Wife!)?

Figure 6.  HAS NOT BEEN VERIFIED TO FUNCTION YET

Having now brought you up to speed on what was completed prior to today's work, it's now time to review what we actually did today while one of our friends who shall remain nameless went to brunch, the beach, had cocktails, etc. (no, I/we aren't bitter), while "visiting" "us" in Orlando.  Said "friend" is currently asleep in the chair next to me as I CONTINUE TO SLAVE AWAY KEEPING YOU ALL UP TO DATE from his oh-so-busy day of sunshine and playtime.  Jerk!

Deep breath.  I'm fine.  Really.

This is probably an appropriate time to remind you that the air conditioner isn't working in the house, so all activities performed below were done in a damn sweatbox while our "FRIEND" was having fabulous pancakes with pineapples, almonds and coconut (notsomuch, kthx!) and mimosas and such.

Either way, we did install a light in the guest bathroom.  You can also see, if you look closely, that the other artisan-crafted vanity has been shoehorned into place.  Putting on the right door may prove difficult, but hey, here's to outsourcing!

Figure 7.  LET THERE BE LIGHT (and take that bucket outta there)!

Figure 8.  This is what the light looks like in the dark, I guess.

NOTE: Given that Wife played a critical role in the installation of the above light, there are more pictures, but it still basically shows a bathroom light in a bathroom.  Not that exciting.  Also, additional pictures are NOT being displayed because if provided with enough evidence, you may notice that the entire fixture itself is pulling off the wall...  which may or may not lead to the ultimate fiery destruction of the house.  But, fingers crossed that this happens after the sale!

While this was taking place, someone else on the work crew was sanding, priming and painting the trim.  But, alas, there are no pictures of that, but I suppose that's because it's not complete yet.

...but, there's always tomorrow!

A shorter read this time

I primed some stuff and stained a vanity.  That's it.  :|

There are no pictures because no matter if I hired Michelangelo to paint/stain someone would recognize the poor job that was done (Hi Wife!).  But, I was cranky anyway, so I really mailed in the job.  I'm sure that there's paint all over the floor, but they're going to be sanded down anyway (or covered by carpet), so that doesn't really even matter, now does it?  But, for update's sake, I think that the trim in the bedrooms and hallways has been primed.

Seriously though, that's about all that was accomplished today, though we've made a lot of progress since the last update, it's just that the blog has been a little neglected.  Since we last were in touch we've built all of the cabinets so that they can be mounted on the walls and the floors.  I must admit that thus far, the Ikea cabinets have been far more reasonable than I expected.  Of course, there's still time for them to come around and get a good cussing, but so far so good.  Cabinet assembly was a critical path activity that will allow for the countertop folks to come in and get a template going allowing us to wrap this up just in time for the holidays!  Tune in later this week for pictures (what a tease!).  ...Maybe (what a lazy chump!).

Also during that time, Kelly installed a light fixture or two, we put a fan up, and have had more electrical shenanigans.  Starting to make me think that this house is an old Mercedes with all these electrical problems.  Oh, and the AC has taken a hiatus.  ...which is lovely.

I do realize that without any pictures that this post is basically worthless.  As a matter of fact, I'll bet only two people are still reading this: "I mean, what is this, the dictionary?", they'll say.  I should cut and paste one of my short stories write here.  I could probably put anything here and no one will even know.  But, on the other hand certainly someone will just glance past that last paragraph and catch the typo (Ed. Note: It's not a typo if it's intentional, it's just dumb).  Bearing that in mind, I'll probably just wrap this up, because it's late and I'm tired.