August 21, 2007

Just noticed, it was exactly 46 years ago today that I left home to join the Navy! I am so old!

Oh well, not anything I can do about that but, I can show you the latest pictures of the house.

Weekend before last, Troy and Travis helped me all weekend begin laying the floor. To say it was great having them and their families with me is very much an understatement!

As usual, it took a lot longer than expected but, it looks great, even if I do have to say so myself. Last weekend, Troy and family came back down and we all worked all weekend. We still are not finished but, we finished the livingroom/kitchen, pantry and utility room floors. Next I'll tackle the bedroom and closets. The loft will get carpet.

Kitchen cabinets arrived yesterday and I hope to start installing them soon. The appliances are scheduled to arrive this Saturday.....only 4 weeks late! But, I got a deal so can't complain too much.

My schedule of being finished by Labor Day was wishful thinking. I'll be lucky to finish by Thanksgiving. Course, it doesn't really matter if it takes another year except, I'm about worn out.

Dana selected the tile for the bathrooms and I have decided to try to find a tile man to do the install. We are on the downhill side now but, the details are going to be very slow coming.

I decided to install a whold house water treatment system. Not a water softener. Basically a carbon filter type system. We'll see how that works soon. Hope to get the hot water heater and filtration system hooked up within the next couple of weeks giving us hot and cold water. YEAH

Here are the pics and for those that are interested I took some more detailede shots of the stairway. I don't believe it is code approved with the radius turn in the center but, for our use, it should be just fine. I plan to use the same cable system as on the outside deck for a railing. Still working on a design for the newell posts. Already have the bullnose for the treads.

Quick update 8/9/2007

No new pics this week. Forgot to take any last Sunday before I left for home and the real world.

Appliances were scheduled to arrive last Saturday but, did not and are now re-scheduled for this Saturday, August 11. Got a lot of painting done but, have a lot yet to do. All the living room/kitchen/hallway has been cut in and some of it rolled. Color looks pretty good. Pantry
and utility rooms are finished.
Had to go meet the truck with the hardwood flooring on Tuesday. Truck driver dropped off two pallets of boxes and I had to carry them all inside the hosue. There were 56 boxes that weigh 71 pounds a piece!! Now that is a job for an old man like me but, I got her done and then painted some more.
Travis and Debbie arrive tomorrow afternoon and we are meeting Troy, Pam and the girls for some ribs at Angelo's!!
I have a floor sander and nail gun reserved at Grooms' rental center in Mabank and need to pick them up at 7 am on Saturday. Troy and Debbie are staying with Troy and Pam and driving down on Saturday morning. My plan is to get as much of the hardwood floor down as possible.
I decided to use 3/4" thick 5" wide heart pine.
Brings up an interesting point. Where can you purchase unfinished flooring without going thru something like a 'Lumber Liquidators'? I couldn't find anything anywhere.
I bought the prefinished flooring. Unfinished was $2.99 sf and finished was $3.79 sf. I figured for $.80 sf, it was well worth it. Went with Charleston Chestnut color.
As far as I know, kitchen cabinets are still due a week from Saturday, Aug 18th. Hopefully, I can get them installed that same weekend along with the appliances and maybe finish up the flooring/painting, etc that I know won't all be complete.
Biggest job left after that is the bathrooms which we haven't even started yet.
But, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Pics taken 7/29/07

Well, as you can see, the trim now has it's first coat of poly. This weekend, the plan is to steel wool it and put on a second coat. Hopefully, that is all it will take. We also hope to get all the walls painted too. The ceiling is done already.

The appliances are due in this Saturday and I plan to store them in the house. The next weekend, Travis and Debbie fly in and my hope is that we can install the hardwood flooring that weekend because the kitched cabinets are due in the next weekend.

I also bought a whole house water filtration system which arrived at Tim the Toolman's store Monday and I wil pick it up when I go down on Friday.

If all goes according to plan, we might be able to move in by Labor Day! Might not have bath rooms finished so that is tentative. Football season starts on Sept 2 and Labor Day is Sept 4th.

Very optimistic schedule and doubtfull we'll make it.

To date, total cost is approaching $130,000 which includes the new retaining wall, sprinkler system and boat house repairs including new metal roof and wireless lift and all new wiring and lift cables. Compared to what it would cost if we had not done all the work would be well over $150,000 at least!