Singing a duet on new floors

The duette blinds are installed while the floor guy is looking at the floor. Some parts will have to be fixed, but overall it's not bad. We write a check for the wood and we're off to the races once again! Tomorrow Mr. Art of Hardwood will bring the wood to compare the moisture content with the wood in the house. It has to match before he can install. He may even start this week, wow.

The Floor

Another pay day and Furlough Friday rolled around, and we turned our attention to the floor. We set ourselves a deadline of Monday, Oct. 5, to get the carpet up for the final estimate from The Art of Hardwood, which meant we had to finish painting over the weekend.

We had moved and packed somewhat leisurely during the week, thinking we would paint on Saturday. Friday was busy with errands and appts., and John was busy all Saturday morning. Painting got moved to Sunday but at least we managed to prep things pretty well.

Sunday morning I had to have some tea and paper time in the kitchen, figuring it was the last for a while. When we started painting it went faster than we had thought, and we were also running out of paint. Having a large open space with partial walls helped. John had to go back for more while I did the corners.

When he came back, I suggested we push on to finish the hallway. That done, John got ambitious and wanted to paint the ceiling in the family room, to complete the continuity and unify the rooms, even if the family room was not going to get finished for a while. The room looked like granny's attic but we managed to drape everything, including the plants, and then that was done and we wished we could have continued. We decided we could do one wall per furlough weekend, after the living room was back together, and rip up the carpet as well.

But it was time to do the nasty carpet. John cut and rolled it out while I started pulling up staples. The revealed floor was covered with paint and pet stains, but we could see the potential. It was another indication of how shlocky the sellers of the house were - they did the absolute quickest, cheapest cover-up possible, throwing down carpet instead of repairing and finishing the floor. It remains to be seen what the verdict will be. We figure we should stain the floor a darker color anyway, to complement the cabinets, and we're also going to add extra finishing for durability. With three cats, a big dog, two men and assorted friends, the floor needs to be tough.

Is it worth it?

Today begins in a relaxed way as we go to a camera swap and find a vintage light meter for Richard. We stop at Target and shop leisurely for such things as paper towel holders.

Back home we discover that person or dog unknown has stepped on the border in one spot, and since it is not reinforced with anything, two tiles were dislodged. Much fretting as we wonder how to fix it. Eventually we go to the home improvement store for tile adhesive and grout, and John does an excellent job putting the small pieces back. The border tiles are slate and they do crack. We had given our friend all the leftover tiles (in hindsight, should have kept a few) but no problem. John just glued them back together and it's invisible.


Ahead in the next few weeks we must pack the living room, move the furniture, paint, take up the carpet, then figure out how to live without a kitchen and keep animals out of 2/3 of the house for three days.

Is it worth it? A definite YES for the comfort and improvement in quality of life!

Tiling the entrances

Our friend arrives an hour late to work on tiling the entrannces, but that's OK. He's doing us a favor and he will stay until it's done. As it turns out, it takes all day, from noon to 8:30, before the job of tiling the front entrance and the kitchen entrance from the garage.

He did a really pro job, and had good advice about how to make the pieces fit together. John was also a key assistant, and had to go to the store twice.

That evening we marveled at how well it turned out. I did not want the tile to bump up against the desk, so there is one row with enough room for a wood transition. By limiting the border it is consistent with the style at the front door and remains simple but interesting. We have to wait two days, then clean it with vinegar and seal it.

Mr. Fix-It

Ray does the final fix-its and walk-through. There were very few, in my estimate, but it did take several hours, and I appreciated the care he took to make everything right. We reminisced about the transformation. When the floor and living room are done, we will have a party and invite the Simply Kitchens crew to see the finished project.

It was hard to believe that wouldn't see the SK guy again, until the party anyway. They have a new project starting Sept. 28 and I wish them good fortune. I know the design and final kitchen will turn out beautifully.

With a final signature and handshake, Ray was off with the trailer (they had done a very nice job of clean up, taking away everything). Now we were on our own to finish painting and taking up the awful carpet.

While Ray was over the window coverings guy was over. Like Weatherite, the company, Rico's, is one we've done business with before, and we are return customers. Initially, the purpose was to replace the Roman shade in John's office, as it was showing several years of cat rubbings and he wanted one that could go top-down. We went with a duette with a light blocking layer. I was going to wait on the kitchen window but decided to get a top-down duette as well, for privacy. We found a color that is very compatible with the counter and cabinets.

That evening we went back to the store for tile supplies - a friend of ours was going to lay the tile Saturday - and we got the inspiration to get a border set of rectangular slate in place of the squares we chose earlier. When we got home it looked so much better, so it was a fortuitous trip. John laid out the pattern and we looked forward to one more item on the checklist getting done.

A day off

This is the first night we didn't clean, demo, shop, or do anything that had to be done in the kitchen the next day. We've been hanging out at the island; Richard comes in from school and throws all his stuff on the counter, then does his homework while munching a snack.

Tile shopping

Tonight after work we went to buy the tile and small pieces for the border. We went to three stores before we found it. We laid it out and it worked perfectly. We used 17-1/2" squares of porcelein tile that has the look and color of slate; it is less expensive and does not chip like slate, although just handling it we chipped two rather easily!

Surprise

Marcos comes by to take pictures of the backsplash - I don't think he's done one like it before - Mattias does "fix-its." Ray wants to do the walk-through but I'm at work and can't get away, so it will have to be Friday.

John later tells me I have a surprise when I get home. When I arrive, he is sitting on the steps, looking hot and tired. He had just finished taking up the last of the dreaded underlayment, the stuff with 1- 1/2" staples every two inches. He had also cleaned it up. I had expected to help him Thursday and Friday - he took care of it as a favor to me, and it was very sweet.

Lights, action . . .

Mattias finishes the window, and he did a great job, as usual. Then he finished the lights and we're glad we went with the can light over the sink. Another pendant would have competed withones over the island, the can provides more light. I wasn't sure what the other lights would look like, as they are open and I thought they would be covered with a glass shade. They have a finished look with a "cone" shell that is part white/part metal, so it is bright but not glaring.

Moving day

Over the weekend it's like moving day: I go through about 11 dishwasher cycles and five rolls of shelf liner. On Sunday morning I make scones and we go to IKEA for odds and ends. Everything is falling into place. The Mac is set up on the desk and now there is Internet and music. Everyone likes hanging out in the kitchen; it has almost everything except TV, which we don't have anyway.

We found the perfect lights for the island - brushed steel, frosted glass, simple shape - but couldn't find a pendant that worked over the sink. In the end we opt to go with the can light, which is what Mattias recommended.

Furlough Friday's bad hair day

It's another Furlough Friday and Marcos calls early to say he'll be there at 9:30 to do the backsplash. I have a hair appt. at Noon and we wait in vain until 11:30 before leaving to drive downtown. We had planned on taking the bus but ran out of time waiting for the granite guys. Well, that's the home remodel life, I guess; as in our emergency yesterday, people get called away at the last minute. Mattias is doing the dishwasher, disposal and faucet today. I am so ready to move the dishpan out of the bathroom.

John gets his hair cut and goes back home; I will take the bus after I'm done. On my way home John calls to say the backsplash is in, and looks great. The window ledge is deeper than I expected, which was a nice feature, and has the same edge as the counter. It looks like it was all planned that way, but came about quite impromptu.

In the evening, I start wiping down everything prior to lining the drawers and cabinets, and load the dishwasher. The lights and drywall around the window will be done Monday.

Marvels

Wednesday evening, we explore the kitchen and marvel at how good it looks. The granite guys have to come back to do the backsplash in a couple days. That was another piece of inspiration. Marcos suggested doing the window ledge from the same slab, which led to the backsplash going from counter to windowsill for a really unified look. That will be installed Friday. Meanwhile, we discover a slight problem where the drawers next to the sink are hitting the sink because there is a little give in the drawer and no margin of room the way the sink is set. It's all tightly fit and to move anything means moving everything. I send a note to Ray and Marcos suggesting they come by and take a look next day. Both are responsive and arrive Thursday morning ready to do whatever it takes fix it.

Short of tearing out the sink and counter and repositioning, it looks like the only recourse is to adjust the drawer fronts or hardware. Through great cooperation and experience, a solution is found, mainly by lightly grinding the edge of the sink and adjusting the drawers. The sink also has to be anchored to the cabinet underneath the apron front, and once that is done, it should not impede.

Mattias sets up the washer and dryer and does a great job finishing the facade around the sink. The drawers now clear the sink and the day ends in relief and great happiness, as I start on the mountain of laundry I've saved up.

Counters!

Mattias installs the three outlets above the island for the pendant lights, and the light in the laundry closet. We use the fixture we took out of the area as a win-win for both: Ray doesn't have to buy a light and trades that for the install of the door chime. It doesn't cost us anything, and at this point every dollar counts.

Marcos has said he'll be over after 1:00, so a major phase will be done today. I understand we won't be able to touch the sink or anything for 24 hours. Mattias had started working on the windows and I don't think he wanted to do the washer and dryer today. I can wait another day, especially as the counters will take up the rest of the afternoon.

The counter guys show up, but no Marcos. We assume he'll come by later. The guys seem very efficient, know what they are doing. We see the counter for the sink and it's perfect, just beautiful. So glad John insisted on the full bullnose edge; it's so nice and smooth. We can't watch all the installation - kind of like watching sausages being made. There is cutting and something about the sink not fitting and we figure it's best not to look over their shoulders.

Windows and laundry closet

The day starts off a little shaky. While on my way to a dentist appt. at 9:30, I'm calling the contractor because there was no one at the house. I said we needed to know what the schedule was so we could plan our time. Cynthia said they were waiting for Marcos and the counters, but I pointed out that there were several other things to be done that were not related to the counters. She said she would call me right back, and a few minutes later she called to apologize because Mattias was late, and they had assumed he was at the house. He was on his way, and she said that had never happened before so it took them by surprise, too. She promised Ray would come by later and pin down the plan for the rest of the week. She had also called Marcos and said they were waiting on our decision about the edge, so I called him back. They had cut out the piece -- so exciting!

When we were back from the dentist, Mattias was working under the house on venting and plumbing. (When I asked how his weekend was, he revealed that his daughter, 19, had suddenly decided to get married and he went to Reno on Friday to be there. That might explain why he didn't work on Friday and why he was late this morning. Well, what can a parent do? She goes to school, has been living with her boyfriend, and that's what they wanted to do.)

Then he put in the new window, and Ray arrived after lunch.



While we discussed the cabinets, window finsihing, and laundry area, Mattias took out the old window. Ray discussed the stucco with Mattias and they decided that the traditional two-step process was just as practical as the so-called one-step process. I emphasized that the washer and dryer were my priority before the counters arrived, and the stucco could wait. They proposed that Mattias could do the first layer of stucco and then install the washer and dryer while it was drying. Ray also adjusted the hinges on the corner cabinet; they were not the wrong size. Meanwhile, I start painting the fireplace.

We went to Home Depot to get particle board and adhesive tiles for the laundry closet. They cut the board for us and John put the floor down in a snap.



While John worked on the floor, I tested out the oven for the first time to cook some pizzas. After the oven was warming up it occurred to me that I hadn't cleaned it out, and sure enough, there was sawdust and styrofoam inside, because the doors were put after installation. That would have been interesting. Pizza turned out fine, but I have a lot of experimenting to do to learn all the features.

The oven vents warm air below the oven and continues to run until the unit reaches an cools, which is good because the oven is in a wooden box and you don't want it to get hot. I think because the kitchen is so large and open, the warm air will never be a problem, as it might in a smaller enclosed space.

Barstools and sofas

We spend the day driving from one end of the city to the other looking for barstools and pendant lights: first at IKEA in West Sac, then downtown, then to Rancho Cordova and beyond. The fancy stools with backs and swivel seats are astonishingly expensive - $300 and up! We almost buy three on a verbal discount offer from one dealer, for $200 each, but luckily decide to think about it. Instead, we went to Naturwood to look for more barstools and ended up buying a sofa and chair! Well, what can I say - it was a red sofa and I loved the fabric on the chair. We got 2-years no interest, plus free delivery.

As we contemplated stools, floors, lights, costs, etc., we decided that perhaps we didn't need the fancy barstools right away, and IKEA and Target have some interesting ones that might do. We also saw lights at Home Depot that were relatively inexpensive, so the money we save on the stools and lights will offset the new sofa.

Tea Party

We hung the mirror and lights in the bathroom, and put as much as we could in the pantry. We figure that will not be affected by the window or countertop work. I have one drawer just for tea. There is much more space than we would ever need for food.

Holiday slowdown

Matt comes back to do some adjustments and trim on the cabinets. He says he got the wrong hinges for the corner cabinet, and would have Ray fix that next week. We're disappointed that there is no other work done today. I had taken time off for the whole Labor Day week, expecting to start putting stuff away or do laundry at home. Since Monday is a holiday, nothing will be done until Tuesday.

Through a glass darkly

The windows arrive and the two in the bedrooms are installed by Weatherrite. They did a fantastic job, as usual, and the windows look great with the new wood trim. It was worthwhile cutting the stucco to put in full size windows instead of retrofit, which we had done in the other rooms. There is less frame, more window. The kitchen window does not go in because Matt is installing all the cabinet hardware. They look great; there are just a few that need to be adjusted.

Ding dong

All the electrical outlets are hooked up and covered. The doorbell is installed,and the vent is cut into the floor for the downdraft exhaust.

Appliance and plywood

Mattias cuts out the opening for the cooktop and downdraft in the plywood, and installs the corridor canlight and the oven. Oven looks great. In retrospect, I might have lowered it six inches, because the top oven requires me to reach up, but on the other hand, it's probably ideal for the spouse and son, who are taller. Marcos measures for the quartz but has to come back next day.

Bump out

Mattias installs the plywood on the counters. Now we can see what the "bump-out" on the island will look like. He also patches the floor and Matt installs the glass in the cabinets.

The Green Wall

Today I painted one wall of the bathroom a dark green. It is the wall with the sink, toilet and mirror, plus outlets and the big old window that we are going to cover with a shelf. Because of all the plumbing and the small area, I painted it all with a brush, sometimes lying on my side on the floor to reach behind the fixtures, but it was worth it, I think. Once the shelf is in and the floor is cleaned, it will look much better!

DalTile and the last of the floor removal

Today we went to DalTile to look at the slabs and pay for them. They looked fantastic, just like the samples, and we knew we had the perfect colors and material. Later that afternoon John and I took up the floor by the bathroom and laundry. We had a system down that got it done neatly in half the time it took before. We expect/hope that the washer and dryer will go in next week.

Work and Not work

We expected more work to be done today, but the cabinet installer came late saying the shop was closed and he couldn't get the parts he needed. Then Ray called to say there was no work that day as something else had come up that needed their immediate attention. Not sure how that all works, but we were disappointed. However, it was a regular workday for me, and we heard that the slabs were in, so that was good news.

The feel of the layout

Most of the cabinets are in, including the island, and we can tangibly sense the feel of the layout now. The amazing thing is that even with the big island, two people can pass each other anywhere with ease. The kitchen is attractive from any angle. There are lots of finishing pieces still to be added and the desk looks great also. There is tons more work on the rest of the house.

Week 4: Cabinets!

Week 4
Mon. 8/24: The cabinets aren't quite ready and will be delivered Tuesday. Mattias is back to build the platforms - kickplates -- for the floor cabinets. It was a trip to come home and see the foundations of the cabinets, like watching plants growing tall in one's garden.

Tue. 8/25: The cabinets are delivered into the garage and they are gorgeous! The color is fabulous, everything is very high quality and solid. We had arranged to meet with Cynthia and Ray in the evening and Cynthia has not seen the kitchen since we signed the contract. I think she was struck by the transformation and also very pleased. Together we all did a great design. We touched bases on the schedule and got an understanding of the order things would happen.

The counter guy is supposed to be out this week to measure and take the sink and cooktop. I haven't heard about the slabs yet, but he is supposed to be cutting the slab while the upper cabinets are going in. It takes about 5 days, so that might not get done until next week, but there is still lots to do.

We looked as hardware samples and decided on a style, but now have to pick sizes.

We need the window too. Where is the window?

Wed. 8/26: The pantry and floor cabinets are in - OMG, it's so exciting! We went to pick up the sink after work and it looks perfect. The island and oven will go in tomorrow, maybe some of the wall cabinets. It's rather intoxicating. I am trying to picture where everything will go. I want to have a garage sale and buy all new cookware. In the 5-1/2 years in the house, we kept our utensils (forks/knives/spoons etc.) in a box on the counter.



I call the window place and find out the window came in but with the opening the wrong way, so they returned it. Much consternation but they will try to get an ETA tomorrow morning.

Week 3: Plaster work, paint and the floor demo

Mon.- Thur. 8/17- 20 : The taping and plaster is done expertly so that you can't see where the room was divided and the new walls are blended into the old.

Wed. 8/19: The brother-in-law of the nice lady who does facials at Spa Simply Skin comes over in the evening to give us an estimate on tile. We consider either tile at both entryways, or all the way across the floor between island and cabinets. The kitchen place asks us which hardware we want, and we have no idea. Turns out they don't have the samples of the styles we are interested, except one or two. We keep looking at the pictures on the Internet and try to narrow it down. They will bring samples wit the cabinets Monday.

Thur. 8/20: I ordered the slabs from Daltile after getting estimate from Marcos, Capital City Granite. They should take about a week. The sink and slabs should arrive about the same time - we hope. The plastic sheets are all down, and we get used to coming in the garage door and walking through the kitchen.

Fri. 8/21: We go to Manuel Joseph and order the downdraft. We learn some things about telescoping downdrafts and our guide confims Cynthia's recommendation that the GE Profile is the best. As with the other appliances and sink, we open and account to get 10% off and 6 months to pay - thank goodness everyone needs our business! The oven and cooktop are due next July, the dishwasher , exhaust and sink are due in January, haha, right after Christmas.

We saw a Jenn-Air cooktop on a deep discount and couldn't remember how much the one I ordered cost, which was a Maytag. John decided the knobs on the Maytag were a problem. We were all ready to take the other one back and buy this but needed to look at the one at home. Once home, we saw that the Maytag cost less, so we decided we were quite happy with it. Does seem sort of odd - the cooktop made by the washer company; but I think they bought out another mfr. The walloven is a GE profile, and really neat, because it's not only convection, it's a double oven in the space of most singles. It can roast a turkey in the bottom and cook a pizza or cookies in the top. The dishwasher is a Sears Kenmore; not the most expensive but lots of cool features. Anything would be better than the old one we had, which only ran water on one side and forgot to rinse.

A comment about shopping: I buy fairly often online because I don't like taking the time to go to stores. However, I spent hours and hours on the Internet shopping for appliances (and the sink and faucet) and found everything locally for less. If you are lucky and flexible you might find the perfect thing on a deep discount from Overstock.com or a big distributor back East. But I picked out the brand and model I wanted first, then looked only for those, which eliminated random sales. Online you pay shipping but no tax. Here you pay tax but usually no shipping. I was happy to support local business and keep money in California.

Sat. 8/22: We go to Home Depot, learn about primer, go home, tape and wrap, and then we
all three spent a grueling hot afternoon rolling and brushing. John did the backbreaking ceiling; Richard did the walls, and I did walls and trim. John said I got carried away because I had to do the fireplace. It was time for the pink wall to go. I had to go back for more primer, but we were able to return two unused cans the next day. We even went back to the store again and found the perfect faucet. All that is left to buy is the disposal.

Sun. 8/23:
We were going to get Richard up early to paint, but he was up late and exhausted, so John and I went to the store, picked out a white from about 23, came home and finished in a couple hours. It wasn't as hard as primering, although I did the entryway and as much of the living room as I could.



Later that afternoon, we attack the floor, having to remove the masonite underlayment before the cabinets can go in. Turns out the masonite is attached with about 500 1-1/2" staples. This requires another trip to the store for more tools, since the tool we rented does not work at all. This was probably as hard or harder than the demo of the cabinets and countertops three weeks prior. Imagine trying to get some lift on material that is literally stapled every four square inches. What actually happens is you rip off the masonite, leaving behind hundreds of bent and broken staples, so that the floor looks like a medieval bed of nails.

That night and the next two, John and I became obsessed with pulling the staples out, because of the cabinets and wood floor going in. We have not heard anything from the tile guy, and we wonder why. The staple pulling results in yet another trip to the hardware store for special tools. We develop great staple-pulling skills. John yells at me to stop at midnight.

Week 2: Electrical, sheetrook

Mon. 8/10: The electrical wiring and boxes are put all over.

Tue. 8/11: Lights go in, 8 in a square. Mattias is very particular about how they are placed in relation to the layout of the room. We thought we had asked for a light over the sink as well, and we wanted to add one in the corridor, which Ray said was no problem.Water heater is taken out, and wow! John removes the old frame footing from the old wall by the family room, adding a foot to the width of the doorway, and that becomes much more comfortable. Some insulation done.

Wed. 8/12; Rest of the framing is done, and old stuff taken out. Insulation finsihed, sheet rock is put up, including over the big window.

The kitty cats don't like the plastic sheeting up; they are afraid of the loud banging but want to know what's going on.



Thurs. 8/13: More sheetrock, and now the room is really beginning to take shape. It's astounding how large the space seems without the water heater.The opening is cut for the new window.

Fri. 8/14 - We asked that the water heater get hooked up, and even though it was not part of the "rough plumbing," in the contract, they agreed to do it. However, poor Mattias had a lot of trouble with it, and spent much more time than he planned under the house. He was probably supposed to be off that afternoon and ended up leaving around 7:00. I think his wife got mad at him for working so late. We let him know we really appreciated his hard work. That was his last day for a week until Monday, the drywall finisher comes in and we're told it will take four days, then we paint.



This week we got estimates from two hardwood floor refinishers. We're happy to find out our original floor is top nail red oak, very common and easy to obtain and match, also to work with. One bid is a little lower but even then includes moving furniture and taking up the carpet; we feel we can lower the cost by doing that ourselves, so we plan to contact him later.

Sat. 8/15: The bathroom is so filthy I have to clean it. I literally scrub the sink and toilet, wipe the floor and then tape everything with plastic. Then I find I am able to order my sink through Lowe's, at a price lower than the Internet. It will take about two weeks.

Week 1: Demo Continued

Tue. 8/4: Mattias and Ray do lots of measuring and assessment of the low beam that runs across the length of the kitchen and appears to extend to the end of the hallway. After they leave John has the boys (anyone unlucky enough to be around) take down the ceiling, which includes all the insulation. A snowstorm ensued, snow was about knee-high.



Wed. - Thur. 8/5-6: The crew cuts and replaces the beam by lifting it up, creating a level ceiling and removing the wall next to the door. The bathroom wall is removed. The original plan called for the laundry closet to be the same size as the bathroom, but Mattias said it wouldn't work and made it just the right size for the appliances, leaving more room behind the island.

Fri. 8/7: Mattias works alone for the next 6 days. The garage entry door is moved over where the shower used to be. The laundry closet is framed.

Demolition derby

Here's what the kitchen looked like Saturday afternoon:

From Kitchen Remodel

And here's the same location Monday morning:

From Kitchen Remodel

Here's a slideshow from the demolition:

New overall rendering

The Wife received another version of the overall rendering. This one attempts to show the smaller oven (next to refrigerator) we've picked out. Unfortunately, the illustration program didn't have a double oven of the size we've purchased. Our double oven will be about the size of a single oven.

Final cabinet plans

Added final plans for cabinets to the kitchen remodel gallery.

Kitchen Remodel Photo Gallery

Check out the widget in the left rail with the images from our photo gallery on Picassa.

The Plan

Here are the sketches of what the kitchen will look like after the remodel is finished.





Here's what the kitchen looks like now.



And here's an overlay of the two.



This final picture shows the demolition work.

The Hughes Family Kitchen Remodel Project

Making an old house new again, one room at a time ...

Once upon a time, in the early sixties, this house was state-of-the-art! It was beyond hope when we moved in 5-1/2 years ago. We have replaced the HVAC, windows, doors, roof; insulated, painted, paved, pooled. Repaired the deck, cut down trees, demolished a tree house, installed fans, vents, cables, washer and dryer, refinished a tub, replaced a faucet, built a skate park, moved shrubs, planted groundcover.

And finally, I get a new kitchen.

Some people probably think we're crazy to do this in the middle of a depression. My husband was laid off after 28 years, and had to start a new self-employed career. I am a government employee on three days furlough.

But I know in my heart we're doing the right thing and it's coming together like a cake recipe.\

I love my design-build team, and I think you will too. We're going forward, investing in our future, doing our part to help the economy, and creating a beautiful, practical space for friends and family.

I'll try to share what we have learned as we go along. Sure, there will be days when my husband and I won't speak to each other, and others where I will fear I have bought all the wrong appliances. But I also know everything will work out perfectly in the end, and I can't wait to take a sledge hammer to the walls.

You're welcome to follow along ...