We had the dining room floor refinished during the last couple of days - the smell was something else. Contractor left an acidy concoction sitting on the deck in a garbage bag and it burned a couple of holes in the deck - we were not impressed and all he could offer was a "sorry". Tomorrow the basement stairs is being carpeted. We can now finish off the painting this weekend and get our rooms back in order. Hopefully the replacement cabinet will be in next week and we will finally be finished and non too soon for me.
Sunday, June 18, 2006
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO ALL DADS
AND
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY WISHES TO KEVIN AND ELAINE
There is a city tree on our front lawn that has been giving me heartburn for a number of years. It is prone to disease and at one time was sprayed every spring but now they do not use presticides which is a good thing as we have enough with all the lawn companies spraying their toxins around. Every year this tree comes out in leaf and then decides to drop most of its leaves leaving a rather sick looking tree. This year it also dropped sap over everything including cars that park under it. I contacted the city which at the time I deemed to be a useless effort but low and behold a city employee who was quite knowledgeable about trees, etc came to our door. He mentioned that fact that there are at least 10,000 trees in this area and they cannot take them all down and that our tree was not the worst (close but not as bad as some). They have a few options of how they might treat this disease but are not sure they will work. He did say however that if it does the same thing next year to contact him and he will mark it with a red X and have it replaced - I am keeping my fingers crossed that it will drop its leaves again but with my luck next year will be one of those years that it does well as it has had the odd good year. All in all I am glad to see that the city does listen to our complaints.
Reno update - waiting for the new cabinet to be installed and microwave to be lowered - dining room floor will be sanded and finished this week along with new carpeting installed on the stairway to the basement.
AND
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY WISHES TO KEVIN AND ELAINE
There is a city tree on our front lawn that has been giving me heartburn for a number of years. It is prone to disease and at one time was sprayed every spring but now they do not use presticides which is a good thing as we have enough with all the lawn companies spraying their toxins around. Every year this tree comes out in leaf and then decides to drop most of its leaves leaving a rather sick looking tree. This year it also dropped sap over everything including cars that park under it. I contacted the city which at the time I deemed to be a useless effort but low and behold a city employee who was quite knowledgeable about trees, etc came to our door. He mentioned that fact that there are at least 10,000 trees in this area and they cannot take them all down and that our tree was not the worst (close but not as bad as some). They have a few options of how they might treat this disease but are not sure they will work. He did say however that if it does the same thing next year to contact him and he will mark it with a red X and have it replaced - I am keeping my fingers crossed that it will drop its leaves again but with my luck next year will be one of those years that it does well as it has had the odd good year. All in all I am glad to see that the city does listen to our complaints.
Reno update - waiting for the new cabinet to be installed and microwave to be lowered - dining room floor will be sanded and finished this week along with new carpeting installed on the stairway to the basement.
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Kitchen Reno
This is a follow up to my last blog - got a stroke of intelligence which does not happen to often this time of the night and I uploaded photos of the kitchen reno into my photobox on my website. Of course I tried to edit the third blog I attempted tonight to add the info re photobox and guess what, it hung up on me again. Anyway if you so desire you can see the photos on my photobox. Why does technology have to make my life sooooo difficult???
This is a follow up to my last blog - got a stroke of intelligence which does not happen to often this time of the night and I uploaded photos of the kitchen reno into my photobox on my website. Of course I tried to edit the third blog I attempted tonight to add the info re photobox and guess what, it hung up on me again. Anyway if you so desire you can see the photos on my photobox. Why does technology have to make my life sooooo difficult???
Kitchen Reno
Okay, this is the third (and last) try to do this blog. First try blog disappeared when I tried to bring in a photo so I rewrote it and again attached a couple of photos - the computer hung up and I had to reboot. So my patience (what little I have for things techy) is slowly wearing me down. The kitchen reno was completed a little over the two week time period. One reason being that the young, sexy blond salesgirl (the kind you need to draw picture for - guess you cannot have everything!!) messed up on the delivery date of the fridge and microwave so yesterday the above the stove microwave was installed - thought something looked weird (which you cannot see now because I cannot publish photos!!!) and when I had to use a footstool to cook in the oven I knew something was wrong. Called the company this morning and discovered they delivered the wrong size cabinets for above the microwave so a rush order is in and they will rectify the situation. We were impressed with this company and the workers were very cooperative and went out of their way to do more than was required of them. We worked like slaves all weekend carrying dishes, food, pots and pans, etc from the basement, priming and painting the kitchen, hallway, dining room and front hall, cleaning windows and blinds, cleaning up tons of dust, etc and were sooooo tired. A little more painting and the diningroom floor will be sanded next week. We will surely not be taking on another project like that anytime soon. Sorry about the photos, computers UGH!!!!!
Kitchen Reno Update
It was two weeks yesterday and we are nearing completion. On Monday the finishing touches on the cabinets was done. Tuesday the plumber came in to install the sink and the dishwasher. In the afternoon the electricians spent the afternoon installing light fixtures, etc. and will be here today to finish it all off. The fridge and microwave will be delivered today the tile man is installing the backsplash so except for the finishing - baseboards, window trim, etc. the room will be complete as far as they are concerned - we will then have to paint and clean up. Very impressed with this company. I am very pleased with the new kitchen even though a one room setup would have been ideal and the countertop although nice it is not "granite". The completion will be non to soon as I am about to have a real "meltdown" with the makeshift "kitchen" in the basement.
Our kitchen renovation started on the Tues after the long weekend (7 am):
Tuesday was messy and noisy - they tore out the cabinets, took down the wall and layers of flooring down to the bare floor. With the wall down the area was bright and airy and I wish we could have gone with the one room renovation. Samantha was quite tramatized on the first day with all the noise and commotion - thought maybe she would need some valium but as the week worn on it was I who was in need of some strong medication. Wednesday the plumber came and did the rough in plumbing and on Thursday the electricians spent the day doing the wiring, etc. Monday the subfloor was laid and the drywall was completed. Tuesday the drywall mud was applied. Wednesday another coat of drywall mud was applied and in the afternoon the kitchen tiles were laid and we had to do the dipsy doodle as we needed access to the basement so the contractor left one tile out so we could get to the stairway or into the bathroom to go around to the front. Thursday yet another coat of mud on the drywall and the kitchen tiles were grouted. Friday was a busy day with the drywall being sanded, a truck load of cabinets, etc delivered and the cabinets being installed. I had to run off to the dr as the govt in its infinite wisdom decided that all those taking estrogen needed to make an appt with their dr and obtain a special prescription form. The workers did not need to deal with a woman who is low on estrogen!!
Overall the whole project is going quite well - the workers are well qualified in their line of work and were friendly and helpful taking time to explain things and keep us informed about the schedule. It has been busy with contractors coming and going and someone had to be here - we could not leave Samantha alone and she spent most of the time in the basement much to her dismay. It seems like I was constantly cleaning up dirt and trying to keep the mess from being tracked through the house. The makeshift kitchen in the basement (who needs a stairmaster) made it difficult to get meals prepared with one table and one outlet. The cabinet installer will be back on Mon to finish off the cabinets and the rest of the work should be completed by mid-week very close to the two week time period predicted by the company. We will be doing some painting this weekend. Then we will be very busy for sometime with painting, cleaning and hauling boxes and boxes up from the basement to find a place for everything. We decided to take up the rug in the dining room and to sand the hardwood floor (that should be fun or not). This type of renovation would have been easier and less stressful about twenty years ago - it is not something I wish to do again anytime soon!!
Okay, this is the third (and last) try to do this blog. First try blog disappeared when I tried to bring in a photo so I rewrote it and again attached a couple of photos - the computer hung up and I had to reboot. So my patience (what little I have for things techy) is slowly wearing me down. The kitchen reno was completed a little over the two week time period. One reason being that the young, sexy blond salesgirl (the kind you need to draw picture for - guess you cannot have everything!!) messed up on the delivery date of the fridge and microwave so yesterday the above the stove microwave was installed - thought something looked weird (which you cannot see now because I cannot publish photos!!!) and when I had to use a footstool to cook in the oven I knew something was wrong. Called the company this morning and discovered they delivered the wrong size cabinets for above the microwave so a rush order is in and they will rectify the situation. We were impressed with this company and the workers were very cooperative and went out of their way to do more than was required of them. We worked like slaves all weekend carrying dishes, food, pots and pans, etc from the basement, priming and painting the kitchen, hallway, dining room and front hall, cleaning windows and blinds, cleaning up tons of dust, etc and were sooooo tired. A little more painting and the diningroom floor will be sanded next week. We will surely not be taking on another project like that anytime soon. Sorry about the photos, computers UGH!!!!!
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Kitchen Reno Update
It was two weeks yesterday and we are nearing completion. On Monday the finishing touches on the cabinets was done. Tuesday the plumber came in to install the sink and the dishwasher. In the afternoon the electricians spent the afternoon installing light fixtures, etc. and will be here today to finish it all off. The fridge and microwave will be delivered today the tile man is installing the backsplash so except for the finishing - baseboards, window trim, etc. the room will be complete as far as they are concerned - we will then have to paint and clean up. Very impressed with this company. I am very pleased with the new kitchen even though a one room setup would have been ideal and the countertop although nice it is not "granite". The completion will be non to soon as I am about to have a real "meltdown" with the makeshift "kitchen" in the basement.
Friday, June 02, 2006
Tuesday was messy and noisy - they tore out the cabinets, took down the wall and layers of flooring down to the bare floor. With the wall down the area was bright and airy and I wish we could have gone with the one room renovation. Samantha was quite tramatized on the first day with all the noise and commotion - thought maybe she would need some valium but as the week worn on it was I who was in need of some strong medication. Wednesday the plumber came and did the rough in plumbing and on Thursday the electricians spent the day doing the wiring, etc. Monday the subfloor was laid and the drywall was completed. Tuesday the drywall mud was applied. Wednesday another coat of drywall mud was applied and in the afternoon the kitchen tiles were laid and we had to do the dipsy doodle as we needed access to the basement so the contractor left one tile out so we could get to the stairway or into the bathroom to go around to the front. Thursday yet another coat of mud on the drywall and the kitchen tiles were grouted. Friday was a busy day with the drywall being sanded, a truck load of cabinets, etc delivered and the cabinets being installed. I had to run off to the dr as the govt in its infinite wisdom decided that all those taking estrogen needed to make an appt with their dr and obtain a special prescription form. The workers did not need to deal with a woman who is low on estrogen!!
Overall the whole project is going quite well - the workers are well qualified in their line of work and were friendly and helpful taking time to explain things and keep us informed about the schedule. It has been busy with contractors coming and going and someone had to be here - we could not leave Samantha alone and she spent most of the time in the basement much to her dismay. It seems like I was constantly cleaning up dirt and trying to keep the mess from being tracked through the house. The makeshift kitchen in the basement (who needs a stairmaster) made it difficult to get meals prepared with one table and one outlet. The cabinet installer will be back on Mon to finish off the cabinets and the rest of the work should be completed by mid-week very close to the two week time period predicted by the company. We will be doing some painting this weekend. Then we will be very busy for sometime with painting, cleaning and hauling boxes and boxes up from the basement to find a place for everything. We decided to take up the rug in the dining room and to sand the hardwood floor (that should be fun or not). This type of renovation would have been easier and less stressful about twenty years ago - it is not something I wish to do again anytime soon!!