All I Want for Christmas is a Finished Kitchen

Of course, I also want world peace and to win the lottery, but right now I would be happy as pie to have a finished kitchen. My kitchen contractor stopped by last week and we discussed the details: staggered subway tile, black granite, lower cabinet locations, upper shelves. The plan was to be fully operational by Christmas. Yet, here we are on Christmas eve, with everything in boxes.

Good, Cheap and Fast - Pick Two

Traveling and house hunting (not for me) has put a kink in my new kitchen's construction schedule. The plan was to have my kitchen in before the holidays, but my kitchen contractor is backed up with another job. So I had to make do with a temporary IKEA table top on top of the cabinet boxes and make multiple trips to the garage to find miscellaneous mixer parts, during a prime holiday baking weekend. This is where my new motto, "Good, Cheap and Fast - Pick Two" reminds me that I'm waiting for the good contractor and saving lots of bucks. Fast will just have to wait.

I did go ahead and install one of the corner cabinets and lazy susans so that I could unpack the boxes. Living in the midst of boxes is never fun and the exact opposite of calming.

Nesting Phase

I can't seem to avoid it. At last week's designer meeting, I was stuffing hay in tins for Elena's bird nest necklaces. The main character of my favorite show, 30 Rock, had a monologue on a necklace that attracted birds. Just the other morning, I watched a squirrel jump from branch to branch. Yesterday, while standing outside, I saw it. Right outside my bedroom window, is this lovely nest.

Kitchen - My work here is done.

The boxes are assembled and where possible, sitting in their rightful place. I'm leaving the leveling and screwing of cabinets to the wall to the kitchen guy. That way I'm not at fault if the countertop is not level.

I'd say that I spent probably 12 man-hours assembling the boxes. That averages out to about 2 hours a cabinet. Some took longer, especially those with drawers. Again, you save money with IKEA cabinets, but you definitely need to budget and plan for the time it takes to put them together.

Let the Door Speak

I love my entrance doors, but after living in the house for a few days I felt uncomfortable with their transparency at night. I picked up some Gila Window Film because I knew it would let in light, while providing me with some additional privacy.

After a successful installation on the first door, I decided to experiment with the next one. The door to the garage also includes the house number! I briefly considered using the words, "house" and "garage" but didn't want to have to work too many curved lines with my xacto knife. The final product is pretty darn good.

On my way to work, I walk by a few windows with cutouts in their frosting. The quality of my DIY version is just as good, if not better.

Rack up the Garage

I have two friends who are house hunting, so during the weekends I often tag along as they go house hunting. Last weekend, we stopped by a townhouse that must be going into foreclosure. The guy was selling everything, from light fixtures to appliances.

A shelving system is one of the things on my list, so when I spied some shelves in his garage I was ecstatic. Its commercial grade, not those flimsy plastic things. Fifty dollars later, we were loading them up in my wagon. After a quick trip to the hardware store for a masonry drill bit, I drilled the racks into the wall.

What an improvement! I still need to get rid of more stuff, but it is so nice to have a semi-organized garage.

Building a Kitchen on a Budget - Part 1

My wagon continues to earn its stripes. I got the call Friday evening that my IKEA shipment had arrived. By picking up my cabinets from the airport, I saved the $80 delivery fee. I did have to call in the troops to help me get a few boxes upstairs. Anything less than 42 lbs, I can carry by myself. The lazy susans were in the 80 lb range. Thanks again, Gordon!

Assembling the boxes with football games playing in the background is fun. Putting together the first box took me a little over a quarter of a game. By the time we got to the 3:30 PM game, I could assemble two boxes in one quarter. I made a few rookie mistakes, but nothing worth sweating over. I nailed the interior white panel facing the outside and switched out two of the pull outs. If I hadn't told you, no one would have known.

Lesson Learned: Assemble the simplest cabinet first.

One Project a Day

The long list of things to do on the house continues to grow. It can be sort of overwhelming, so I've decided to adopt the one project a day mentality. The project can be big, it can be little. Yesterday, I switched out the bathroom light fixture.

The bathroom light fixture is a perfect example of why I shouldn't settle for something just because it is a deal. The former light fixture had a matching finish and at $20 was a good deal. The fixtures at the big box stores were in the $80-$120 range and just okay. I settled for the $20 fixture. As soon as I started living with it, I knew that I hated it - to the point where I wouldn't turn on the light unless absolutely necessary. Fast forward one month, I broke down and bough the Cade Sconce. I flipped the switch this morning and smiled.

Lesson Learned: Don't buy something just because it is cheap. You'll end up buying what you really want in the end and paying twice for it.

Chunk of Furniture Love

My wagon is definitely earning its stripes this weekend. I swung by the model home warehouse furniture sale and scored Kartell's bubble club sofa for $100 (regular price approx. $1000). I've been eyeing the chunky bubble chairs for a while now. It fit my new furniture criteria: modern, affordable and liftable. After this last move, I decided that I need to be able to lift any new furniture.

My latest accessory is my Taylor cup trophy. Third week in a row, baby! The silver trophy looks great in my house.

Kitchen Quotes

The kitchen quotes are still rolling in. The last one was for $13,000. I now know the difference between an inset and an overlay cabinet door. Insets are more expensive. While I realize that the designer kitchens are out of my price range, some of the appliance suggestions are turning my head.

Check out the baby retro fridgerator by SMEG. The pink example above is from Poppytalk. Without seeing one in person, I'm worried that it will be plasticy. I'm still waiting on the final specs and price. If the economy holds up, this may be my Christmas splurge.

Love It, Hate It

Sometimes with IKEA, it is a love/hate relationship. I finally settled on the Lidingo cabinets and figured out which cabinets would work. Lazy susans are going in the corners and I'll have a bank of drawers by the refrigerator. I'm going down to a 30" sink base so that I can squeeze in another cabinet at the end. I did my homework so it should fit.

After work, I picked up a friend and we went to order my cabinets. Note I said order cabinets, not look at cabinets, not ask questions about them, but to order, pay and pick them up. The kitchen designer said that I was the easiest order of the day. The bad news was that the actual boxes were not in stock. I would have to wait 10-14 days and pick them up at their warehouse by the airport. That totally messed up my need for instant gratification.

So as to end on a good note, when I changed my address, the Post Office mailed me a little package that included a $25 IKEA coupon. I used that and the final bill for the cabinets (and two boxes of cookies) came out to $1,113.34.

The Carriage House Needs a Kitchen

The code compliant kitchen that I have now is totally livable, but it is time for my kitchen to grow up. Pantry items and dishes are just not meant to live in moving boxes. After I finished my last kitchen renovation, the amount of cooking I did at home doubled!

Quotes from local kitchen design studios ranged anywhere from $9,000 to $10,000. No appliances included. Both studios spec’ed out granite and engineered stone countertops at the consistent price of $65/SF - comparable to the big box store prices.

The economy and my industry are slowing down, so I hesitate to spend too much money on this kitchen…that will eventually be for a future tenant. That led me to the path of IKEA cabinets. I’ll only install lower cabinets (another cost savings) and put it together myself. My ex-boyfriend’s ex-neighbor will move the plumbing and install granite countertops. I was leaning towards the engineered stone, but at $24/SF, I’ll take granite.

My overall project budget for this kitchen is $2,500 and right now the numbers work.

Taylor Cup

Do you know how hard it is to catch up on football games from the west coast? The girls got a good laugh as I scrambled to check scores on Saturday. My picks are not necessarily based on how well the team is playing football. I picked Georgia Tech to win out of loyalty and TCU to win because bootcamp boy (and now Susan C.) went to school there. My only loss was Pittsburgh v. Navy. End result? I went 11-1 and am the highest ranked member for the week.

The Next Carriage House

Cottage/Garage Interior - Living Space

Floor Plan

My new fixation is trying to conceptualize my next project. Ideally, it would be an intown, lakefront home with room to grow. Rather than start with the most expensive part of an estate, I'd start with the garage. There are just so many things you can do with a garage, but most people fill it with their cars and laundry room. Additional living space for visitors? A home office?

Inspiration from the west coast is evident in my recent trollings to Socked Site where they highlighted a Cole Valley home. It may not seem spacious in plan, but look at all of the light shown in the picture above. What I like about this example is that it maximizes space and function while not dominating the site.

New Home, New Name

Perplexed looks. That's usually what I get when I explain to friends and others that I live in a garage apartment. So, the garage apartment will now be referred to as the Carriage House. It sounds better already, doesn't it? My front house is now the Main House and together we live on the Estate. I know it's a stretch, but as soon as I get to work on the landscape design, the Estate will have formal grounds and gardens.

Lessons Learned

I'm still unpacking, but the good news is that my car fits in the garage. Traveling is definitely taking its toll on me and my productivity. Regardless, here are some of my lessons learned after living in the space for a few days:

• The architects in the office explained that they typically put the light switch where a door swings open. As a righty, I'd prefer them on the right side in my closet.
• Forget the pretty lights outside. I should have put in motion detecting lights. It doesn't bother me because I drive straight into the garage, but visitors have had to use their cell phone to light the walk.
• Plan ahead for a future bathroom in the garage. The windows are on the north wall. The sanitary line is on the south wall. I'm still scratching my head to try and figure something out.

Moving Day

The day of stuff. Compared to most people, I don't have much stuff and prefer it that way. Think again. When you move, you realize that you have lots of stuff. With the help of Gary and Don, we (and I really mean they) moved all the heavy stuff last night. My vintage steelcase desk is now in the new office / garage. That desk is a tank and not meant to go up stairs.

I now have four hours to empty the kitchen and finish cleaning the main house for the new tenant. Everyone beware of cranky girl.

Tenant Move In

Uh-oh. The good news is that I found a tenant for the main house. The bad news is that he wants to move in this weekend and I'm off to Vegas.

Close-out

Progress on the garage apartment was clicking away at a pretty good pace, while my contractor was on board. Now that it is up to me to schedule and finish things up, we are moving at a snail's pace.

So, what's new...after three appointments, I broke down and gave up on cable iternet. I've been without internet for 3 weeks now. Yes, I've missed it. But, the world kept moving on.

In my quest for air conditioning, I've learned how to turn on the meter, disconnect, and open the panel on the condenser. As it turns out, the mechanical contractor didn't turn it on. It wasn't me!

The confidence meter is definitely up a notch from where we were before I started this project. After work, I go home and dremel away bad caulk. I also replaced my shower fixtures by myself and picked up everything I need from the Big Box in one trip! The last time we did this, Don helped me and brought the other supplies that he knew I would forget to buy.

The Lights Are On

The power company pulled through in the end. They got me hooked up and running on Wednesday. It is a new line that connects the pole to the house underground. This is a wonderful thing. If you've ever lived through the aftermath of a hurricane, you understand how valuable it is to have underground power. Now, the line to the transformer is still overhead, but I'll take whatever I can get.

Powering On

I'm still here. Almost 2 weeks after I got my C.O., I'm still trying to get power. No power (and air conditioning) is a deal breaker for me. On Monday, I finally got to the right person because when I went home to wait for the Cable/Internet folks, an inspector for the power company was there and told me that I had been fast tracked. Today at lunch, I noticed that the cable was dropped off. The boys are work tell me that I still need to wait for the line crew and then the meter crew. One more day at best...

It's Not Over Yet

I let out a huge sigh of relief last Wednesday, but it doesn't end once you get your Certificate of Occupancy. Now it is time to get the power, cable and internet hooked up. I hesitate to move anything into the apartment without air conditioning. So, right now I'm limited to hanging some drapes and pictures. Those hurricane straps are coming back to haunt me. They keep setting off my stud finder. I probably had to putty and paint a half dozen holes already.

Whistle Clean Windows

I have some super cool windows that hinge in and out. Between that feature and the balcony, I can reach and clean most of the windows on the second story. The rear yard skylights are above the stairwell, so those windows are trickier. I called in the professionals at A Perfect Services, Inc. to clean those. It really is all about having the right equipment. They were in and out in under 30 minutes and it looks great! I can't believe that I actually thought about leaving them as is.

Finally

After some buzzing of the fire alarms - there are a total of four, the inspector signed off on the final building permit. For comparison purposes, my main house is 1,000 SF and only has one fire alarm. What a difference the 2004 building code makes.

One more quick trip to City Hall yielded the much coveted Certificate of Occupancy. I'm thinking of framing it.

Final CO Scheduled, Fingers Crossed

What a day! I decided to take the day off work to sit at home and wait for the engineering inspector. We passed with flying colors and she liked the idea of using a rain barrel to catch the water from the gutters.

The final building permit inspection is scheduled for tomorrow morning. If all goes well, I can get power hooked up and work on a whole host of housekeeping things.

Address Permit

Did you know that you have to call for an inspection of your address number? Nope? Neither did I. When the City issued the building permit, it came with a new address. So, silly me thought that it was something they just *give* you. Well, you actually have to get a separate permit for the address, pay a $50 fee, call in and pass your inspection, and then call again for a final engineering inspection to confirm and close out the permit.

This not-so-little extra step put a kink in the schedule. That's okay because I wasn't ready to move yet. I'm still doing little things like switching out the draperies and shower curtain in the main house...now, if I could only get the doorbell to work.

While I try to find something I want within my budget, I painted this little thing. Jessi was kind of enought to help me with the swirls. My left brain was too focused on making sure the numbers looked even.

Punch Out

We're definitely moving on up. My painting work passed muster with the contractor, so yesterday they installed the stairs. This morning, I pedaled over to the lumber store with my wood sample to get some matching wood putty. The last little bit of gravel rock was spread today. There's no long punch list because we've been punching as we go.

Weekend Project

So, I've been carfree for almost a week and a half. That's made me very focused and productive on the weekends. This weekend I worked on my little project - prepping, staining, varnishing and painting the wood for the stairs. Boy what a difference it makes to have the right tools and materials!

The last time I did something like this, I used scraps of sandpaper and products off the shelf from the Big Box. This time I had some good direction from my contractor, a real hand sander and the good stuff from Sherwin Williams (thanks again to Kyle). I dare say it was almost fun. Having a garage made a world of a difference as the afternoon rains returned.

Here are my product raves and reviews. I highly recommend the Harmony paint by Sherwin Williams and Sanding Sealer by WoodClassics. The Harmony (also low VOC) paint did not have the coverage problem that I experienced with EcoChoice. EcoChoice is a thumbs down. For us gals, Sanding Sealer is sort of like Frizz Ease for wood. You apply before finishing to smooth out the frizzies.

Final Inspection Count: 3 Down, 1 To Go

I was home when the electrical inspector came by yesterday and we passed! Way to go electrician. The final termite treatment is scheduled for Tuesday. I also called the building inspector to give him a heads up on my "sparse" kitchen. He said that it should be fine. He'll just add a note to my records. All of my paperwork is with the bank and they will have the appraiser call me so that I can schedule it after I get my C.O. Last but not least, I put together the permit for my internal privacy fence. The end is near.

Here's a picture of power tools I do not have, nor know how to operate. The guys at work think it is funny that I post pictures like this and of material deliveries. Late last night, Dave and Charlie finished up the floors. They glued and nailed down the floor. Have I mentioned that it looks fabulous! I have some extra boxes and we decided not to go with the stair shoes, so I'm going to return those today. My quarter round was on back order, so I'll pick that up too.

Also on the to do list this weekend is:

• A trip to the Big Box Store
• Painting the Wood for the Stair Risers
• Staining the Stair Treads
• Fixing the Doorbell in the Main House
  

Status - More Driveway Gravey (aka I-4/408)

Here's the latest progress. Thank goodness we are primarily working on the interior. We have had rain non-stop the past few days courtesy of Faye. Walking to work in puddles reminded me why things were so stinky in NYC. You were bound to get wet walking to and from the subway station. I don't know when he did it, but the electrician installed the last few fixtures and wired up the box yesterday.

On a side note, I'm starting to think that the scale of my chandelier is off - given all the open space.

Design Concepts

Final Inspection Count: 2 Down, 2 To Go

At loong last, the final mechanical inspection passed today. The final electrical inspection is scheduled for tomorrow. I'll take some pictures as soon as there is a gap in the rain...it may be a few days. Final CO = FF&E Funds.

My goal is to start moving in Labor Day weekend.

Installing My Grass Floor

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Technically, bamboo is not wood, but a grass. The installation progress has begun. There is no way in holy heck that I could have done this myself. We hit a few roadblocks before we started. First and foremost, there were NO manufacturer installation instructions in the box. I called Lumber Liquidators to try to get a copy and all they did was refer me to their website. Really. Even IKEA has little cartoon, non-verbal instructions. After lots of sanding (be sure to tell your drywall guys not to splatter mud all over the floor) and vacuuming, the glue went down. A last minute phone call to Dave confirmed that he purchased VOC compliant glue.

If Hurricane Faye doesn't get in the way, we should make more progress tomorrow.

My Code Compliant Kitchen

I thought that as long as I had a sink, we would be good. Now I've come to find out that we need to have a range hood installed too? On Friday, I scrambled over to U-Save...again. Earlier this week I spotted a ductless exhaust hood there for less than $20. Don kindly donated a wall cabinet so that the hood could connect to something. I spent the weekend painting cabinets with Home Depot's low VOC paint, Fresh Aire. They tried to warn me that it would take more coats than their traditional Behr paint. Well, lesson learned after FIVE coats! I hate spending time and money on something temporary, but what can you do?

The good news is that plumbing passed its final inspection. One down, three to go.

Tina Conquers the Mountain

Today's activities include baby sitting. She's no longer a baby, so we call it Tina-sitting. It worked out well as the parents were attending a party down the street. I was carless, so we walked across the street for a good dinner at Logan's Bistro. Gotta love my neighborhood.

We ran up and down, and up and down, the mountains of gravel in my driveway. As soon as I figure out how to transfer a picture from my new phone, you'll see it here.

Dining Chandelier

This purchase was made via some internet shopping. I know it is not your traditional chandelier, but I like it and it costs less than $50.

Flooring Choices

...and the winner is vertical natural bamboo by Morning Star at Lumber Liquidators. Not that I have a tendency to over analyze things, but this purchase was based on aesthetics, compatibility with the floors in the main house, cost and availability. I loaded up the minivan yesterday and Tim, Nan and Tina came over to help unload the goods. It is recommended that you allow the flooring to acclimate in the installation area for 3-7 days. Well, we made it into the garage.

Yippe!

Bathroom - Done!

Bedroom - Fan Installed

Today was crazy. There were four trucks in my driveway as the plumber, electrician and contractor were on-site. I was trying to get ready for a meeting tomorrow at work, when the sink fiasco occurred. Again, thank goodness I have a good contractor and my resources at work. When I checked in after work, so much was done!

The bathroom is practically finished. You can see part of the fan blades in the bedroom photo. I cannot express in words how good everything looks.

Kitchen Update

Money is tight, so like many cities, I had to do a budget transfer to complete my project. The kitchen cabinets got cut so that I could do the re-roof. Now, that puts me in a pickle because I need a kitchen sink to get my Certificate of Occupancy. The good news is that the plumber is providing the garbage disposal, sink and fixtures. All I had to do was provide a sink base. Easier said than done.

I hate spending money on something only to replace it in the near future. So I went to IKEA - thank gosh we have an IKEA in town, and waited one hour only to find out that the 36" sink bases were up in the air. This meant that they couldn't get them down until the store closed. I would have to come back at 9 PM or the following morning. Why it took them an hour to tell me that, I don't know. Yoga classes while you wait would do wonders with their customer service. I returned my order and purchased a 30" sink base so that I could be on my way.

Another stop to the Big Orange Box and I landed a cut piece of 2x5 for use as a countertop. My direction to the very helpful employees was to cut the remaining portions of the 4x8 to any size, so long as it would fit in my wagon.

Last night was spent watching the Olympics, assembling the sink base and sanding, treating, staining and sealing the wood. This morning, I found out that the plumber brought a double sink. Oh, my! That's a 33" bowl. He's only going to be here one day. Another day equals another trip charge. Chalk another one up on the list of things I've learned on this project...

A co-worker was kind enough to take me over to U-Save where we purchased a 36" sink base and trucked it home.

More on the flooring and pictures tonight. I promise.

Hello Appliances

Oops. I forgot to add that the appliances arrived Friday. I missed the delivery, but here they are all boxed up and on the 2nd floor. From left to right, refrigerator, range and dishwasher. We'll save the boxes for the kiddos.

Decisions, Decisions

Front Door to Entry

Staircase - Painted Walls and Stained Handrail

Balcony - Installed Light Fixtures

Status - Painted, Lights and Fence

There was a flurry of work on Friday. The painting crew arrived and painted the balcony railing and stucco. The electrician installed some more light fixtures and my contractor built the privacy fence. We moved the fence back so that the yard is a little bigger. I really wanted to move the AC unit during design, but setback requirements prohibited me from putting it in the rear and other side yard. Code requires a 24" gap around the AC unit for service, so that is what you see.

I have lots of shopping to do this weekend. On the to do list: more light fixtures, light bulbs, fan extenders in chrome, bath fixtures with an 8" spread, a doorbell, sink base and countertop.

It's Not Easy Being Green

It is and it isn't. A few people have asked, so here's what we are doing.

My construction project clearly utilizes conventional construction materials and methods; however, I've tried to incorporate a few "green" elements. First and foremost, this is an in-town and infill project - utilizes less infrastructure because no new roads, etc. are required. From a material perspective, I chose Hardie siding, low VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) paint and bamboo flooring. Hardie board is fiber cement siding that looks like wood, especially when painted. VOC's are sometimes recognized as that paint smell. It is stronger when first applied, but continues to emit VOC's and affect indoor air quality. Oh yeah, it also costs at least twice as much as regular paint. Last but not least, I'm loving the rock in my driveway. It is crushed concrete from the I-4/408 interchange.

Still working on the bamboo and formaldehyde free kitchen cabinets. I need a sink base by Tuesday because the plumber is coming.

Power It Up Baby

Kitchen

Living Area

Status - See Compressor by Door

The air handler and compressor have arrived! The electrician must have also made an appearance because wires and switches are installed. Last but not least, the trim paint is done and the stain on the handrail is drying. Pictures to follow once this proposal is out of my hands.

Stucco Monday

New Stucco Drying

Status - Stucco Application

The crew arrived a little before 8 AM. By the time I walked home for lunch, they were packing up. I can't wait for the painters to come back and finish this up. Then it will be time to hang the light fixtures and my super duper garage door key pad.

Weekend Assembly

I thought about laying the tile. I thought about installing the wood floors. I woke up and turned it over to the professionals. However, I did assemble the bath vanity this weekend. Here it is!

Delivery on Ferris

Delivery for me! Some 4x4's and caulking. See some of the new gravel rock that will soon line the driveway. UPDATE: The new-to-me rock is crushed concrete from the I-4/408 interchange. How cool is that.

Time to Paint

Sherwin Williams Harmony Paint - Zero VOC

The great guys at Sherwin Williams (thanks Kyle!) color matched the paint for me. We went with the Harmony paint because it is low VOC. The labeling says zero VOC, but once they add pigment, it adds VOC. The painter pointed out the color variation between the flat test quart and satin, but it doesn't matter to me. I also asked them to stain the wood handrail, rather than paint it. This had them scratching their heads because it was paint grade wood.

Landscape Design From Afar

Side Yard - facing south.

Side Yard - along fence, facing south.


Rear Yard - 15 feet wide, facing north.

Rear Yard - 15 feet wide, facing south.

I found a super nice and talented landscape designer/architect to work on my landscape design. We are having some technical difficulties with e-mail, so here my attempt to show her the "before" status of my yard. I don't necessarily have a green thumb or irrigation, so we are going the xeriscape route.

Marble Tile Flooring

Day 1 - Fiberock and Tile Arrangement.

Day 2 - Set, Grouted and Done.