I can tell that Bob the Builder has been in the business for a while. When I mention things in passing, he files them away until the time is right. Things like “when will we be able to move the appliances out of the living room?” and “we can’t wait to see the vent installed” and “wow, this looks great. Will it be done tomorrow?” (That last one was a joke, but I still said it. Out loud.) Continue reading
Tag: renovation
End of Week 3: Survival
I was standing at the front door, watching with wonder as a team of cleaning professionals came through the door. Equipped with dusters, mops, vacuums, and smiles, they began to attack the layers of dust and disorganization that my house has become. I looked at Bob the Builder, who simply smiled and said “it’s just part of the service, ma’am. Just part of the service.” Suddenly, a loud harp-like noise started to build in the living room. I looked around – what could it be?
And then I woke up.
Have you ever had a dream that you really, REALLY wanted to climb back into? Continue reading
Week 3: Cabinets
This was a big week. I practically squealed with glee when Bob the Builder left a message that the cabinets would be installed a day early – the same day our shiny new range would be delivered. And Amazon was delivering our faucet! THREE things in one day! After a few days of little to no activity, I could barely contain my excitement. (To be honest, I didn’t.) Continue reading
End of Week 2: From the Floor Up
It’s funny how the demolition is so fast and the build up is so slow. This week marks two major events in the remodel – floor repair and wall painting. Our floor guy is the most patient person on the plant…and according to our neighbor, a “true artisan” when it comes to hardwood floors. That’s great news, because our repair certainly needed it. He pried up the floor piece by piece to fill in where the wall was and is “feathering out” the stain to match. Don’t let the pictures fool you – it doesn’t match yet. Continue reading
Week 2: Decisions, Decisions
Now that the major demo is over, some real decisions have to be made. Pinterest can only take me so far. On Friday we discovered that our original plan for the chimney style vent won’t work – the exterior vent runs into the a lower roofline on the back of the house. Bummer. That means hours and hours of research trying to find a solution that is within budget. We received the final costs for the cabinets with the continual upgrades that we keep adding…..and then take off. The good news is that Jeff will still get his dovetail cabinet drawers. The countertop costs came in above the estimate, but again, we added a bit of counter for a beverage bar that we’ll love once it’s done, so when I’m cooking out of my budget cookbooks for the rest of the year, I’ll only have myself to blame. Understanding how everything is priced out can be a bit confusing, but since this is not HGTV, we’re learning how this works in the real world. Continue reading
99 cookbooks 