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.