Finally Done...

Well, we got someone else to finish the job but the long journey is finally complete. Overall I think we're fairly pleased with how everything came out. The cabinets are still not ideal and I'm pretty sure the sample we looked at was of higher quality than what was ultimately installed but I'm so psyched that we're done that I don't even care!

Click here to see the before pics.

Day before the last day...maybe?

Big Day today. Arnold, a guy I don't know, and Arthur are all at the house. The goal is to finish everything but the punchlist items. This means install the dining room light (already done as of 12:30), fix the island light, finish grouting the fireplace (done), install the bathroom mirror, finish up the floors, etc. If the items I just listed get finished, we can call the inspector AND we can begin moving furniture. I'm betting that having family room furniture is going to make a WORLD of difference.

Mantle Grouted

Fireplace Floor Grouted

Dining Room Light

Backsplash + Grout

So Close

Stopped by the house this morning to see how the island countertop looked and was pleasantly surprised to see that the backsplash was finished. Here are some updated pictures. As I was leaving I also saw Arthur pulling into the subdivision.

Partial Backsplash/Oven

Things are coming together. The backsplash is looking solid, the oven is installed, Arthur is at HomeDepot buying the pieces necessary to finish the dishwasher and install the kitchen sink, Luigi's guys are on their way to install the island countertop, and Arnold's nephew is over cleaning the cabinets so they can be used. After tomorrow, I believe we'll have what amounts to a fully functional kitchen.

Back by popular demand...

...or guilt. Maybe it's back by guilt! Just kidding. Here are some updated pics. Pay particular attention to the last picture, I'm thinking option 2 but won't send the email to Arnold until 9ish. If for any reason you think we shouldn't go that route, please let me know before that time.

The circled part is option one. This is just a standard brick pattern. The other part is option two. With option two we'll have three or four different sized bricks with one of them being a different colored marble. Arnold suggested emperador brown which can be seen by clicking HERE.

Countertops and Appliances Video

Double Oven Cutout Email

Arnold-

I've attached copy of the double oven specs which include a diagram (the cutout specs are what's relevant). Currently we have about 54 or 55 inches vertically and 27" horizontally. What we want is 60-3/4" vertically and only 25-1/2" horizontally. If you look at the attached pictures, this means the two horizontal bars need to be removed, the top one should be moved somewhere close to the top of the tape measure , the two cabinet doors will probably need to be replaced with smaller ones, and a couple small filler pieces will be needed to shorten the width (current opening is 27" wide, we want 25.5").

Finally, the installer said we're missing a 3/8" valve under the sink for the dishwasher and we need that before they can install that appliance. He also said to make sure there is a "3" return on dishwasher opening to mount dish."

Abt is still coming next Thursday to do the installation. I'm going to be at my parents place Mon and Tues next week, if we can get this stuff in place, and finish up the fireplace/wall by Monday evening, I can schedule the inspection for Tuesday. Let me know if you think that time line works and I'll call them to schedule it.

Thanks,
Pratik



Also, he's now hoping to install the counter tops on Saturday.

Punch List

I spoke to Arnold today. Unfortunately, the counter tops won't be installed until tomorrow. For reasons I can't explain, he said he never received my email yesterday. That email had a punch list of items that still required their attention. He didn't send Arthur to the house today because he didn't think there was more than a quarter days worth of work left. Obviously that's very wrong. I resent the email with the items listed below.

He also complained that the island light he agreed to install was supposed to be a simple fixture, not something that required a half days time. I get what he's saying, but honestly I think Arthur made it more complicated than it should have been. When I came home that day during lunch, he was confused because he though boxes for the island light and the boxes for the dining room light were all for one light fixture- the one for the island. That's what caused the delay. I didn't mention that to Arnold but I will if it becomes an issue. Anyway, here's the punch list:

1. Tile in the corner of the bathroom, under the sink, doesn't reach all the way to the trim so there's a visible gap. If we can fill that in with grout I think it would look fine.
2. During demotion the round decorative base at the bottom of the foyer stairway was cracked/chipped. If someone can just patch the chip and repaint it, I think it'll be okay.
3. Drywall from the basement ceiling chipped off because of the force of the nail gun when installing the floors. If someone can patch that up.
4. Some damage was done to the ceiling in the garage. I can't be more descriptive because I'm not sure what this is, but my mom said she talked to you about it back when it happened
5. Screen door frame was damaged by being stretched open too far. My mom said you guys spoke about this as well.
6. One pantry door was damaged during cabinet installation
7. According to my mom, two small garbage cans, sized to fit the roll-out garbage cabinet, were supposed to be supplied with the cabinet
8. Cabinet soft close is installed in some but not all cabinets
9. Since the electrical was installed for the can lights, the lights outside the garage door keep blowing out. Seems like there are periodic surges blowing out those bulbs- we swapped them out three times (6 total bulbs) before we stopped. Martin said he'd take a look but I guess he hasn't done that yet.
10. The roll-out trays in the base and pantry cabinets still need to be installed
11. I realize the fireplace is still a work in process, but I wanted to remind you that the mantle was going to be installed in a special way to make the tiles look uniform. (If Arthur wasn't aware of this and to do it would require demolishing what's been done and starting over, give me a call. I don't think the mantle looks terrible, but will have to talk to the family to see what they think.)
12. Carpet is still hanging loose in foyer and the basement
13. Air Conditioning vent under the kitchen sink was closed off when Arthur installed the toe kick. That should be cut open so the heat/cold air can get out.
14. Dining room light still needs to be installed. This light shouldn't be too complex. In fact, before we ordered the island light we spoke to Martin and even though we preferred pendant lights each with their own transformer, he said get the kind with one transformer and a line because that's what we're setup to install. I understand that installing the line was a little more work but can't imagine it took half the day. Obviously I'm not an electrician but take a look at the light and let me know what you think (it's literally one transformer with a wire connected to it). Also, to be fair, we only bought what Martin told us would work, we're not trying to sneak one in on anyone. If we were, we wouldn't have told him what we we wanted to order before doing so nor would we have requested his input on what would work. In any event, the dining room light is just a more modern chandelier like was there previously, I imagine it wouldn't require as much attention as the pendants.
15. Some trim still needs painting
16. Bathroom mirror needs to be installed
    

As far as I can tell, these items along with the fireplace, remaining can lights, and back splash are all that remain. Shoot me an email or a text so I know you received this- I'm not sure why you didn't get yesterday's email.

Week 7

Floors will be buffed and finished today. Mom went to Bensonville this morning to look at the granite scrap for the island counter top- she liked it a lot, and we've arleady told Arnold to use it. All of the counter tops, including hopefully the island, will be installed on Wednesday/Thursday. Sadly, Abt can't come in to install the appliances until next Thursday. This means we'll basically have another week of downtime. Hopefully we can get the back splash mostly installed and the other items finished up before Abt shows up.

Timeline

Arthur's been working on the cabinet trim today. I had a busy day at work so i couldn't spend much time in the house, I only stopped by to make sure someone was there.

Arnold called me and left a message asking about the size of the cooktop. I forwarded him the product information. He said he anticipates a Wednesday/Thursday installation for the countertops and said we could schedule a Friday install with Abt. He went on to say that Arthur will install the soft close fixtures for the cabinets and work on patching up the drywall around the fireplace today and he expects everything but the floors and the backsplash to be finished by next week. Finally, by Tuesday/Wednesday of the following week he expects the project to be complete.

Day Nine Thousand

No car today so no lunch time pictures. But it doesn't really matter, I don't think anyone came to the house today...again. I did get a call from Arnold around lunch time because the girls from the stone company couldn't get in the house to measure the countertops. Apparently someone accidentally locked the inside door. Again, I had no car, so I just gave him our garage door code. We can always change it if we need too.

Arnold also told me he'll be sending some guys over tomorrow to hopefully wrap up most, if not all, of the remaining items. I think them finishing everything is a bit ambitious but I also think Arnold wants to ask for another check but is hesitant because he knows we're frustrated with the speed at which the project is moving. With that in mind, money is good motivation, so maybe for that reason he sends the cavalry tomorrow. We'll see.

Fireplace

Not much to post. They sanded the floors yesterday and will varnish/buff them today. I'll try to take pictures tonight but I don't think that sort of thing is recognizable via photograph.

Late last week they finished the fireplace. Here are a couple pictures:

Fireplace

Island Light

Not sure about this light...

Bathroom

Arthur finished most of the bathroom and when I was home during lunch he was working on the lighting for the island.

Running Water!

Finally, we need to decide where we want the toilet paper dispenser and the towel holder.

Toilet paper dispenser can pretty much only go in front of the toilet. I talked to Parag and we think the best placement is the wall to the right of the toilet, I'm thinking somewhere centered between the back wall and the front edge of the toilet.

I'm also thinking the towel rack should be on the back wall, centered between the edge of the vanity and the leftmost edge of the toilet.

If I don't hear from anyone saying otherwise, I'll tell Arthur to install them in those locations tomorrow.

Handles 2

We video chatted on Monday and discussed the handles for the cabinetry/drawers. It was obvious to all of us that the smaller handles worked fine everywhere except possibly the larger drawers. Personally, I didn't think the smaller handles necessarily looked bad but it was clear that the larger handles looked very good and by comparison better. The point of the pictures below is to determine whether the smaller handles would even work. Included within the pictures is one pic of my 27" drawer and it's 6" handle. The cabinetry and handle style/colors are very similar. My drawer is 3" larger and my handle is .5" smaller then the ones we're looking at for Wheeling. We've all been to my place and I don't think any of us ever thought the handle looked too small for the drawer, so I think I'm comfortable saying the slightly larger handle will work for Mom's slightly smaller drawer. That said, I still think the larger ones would work better. I believe we've already ordered larger ones, not knowing but hoping, that they match the already installed handles. I say, if they do, we go with the larger ones. If they don't, then go with the smaller ones. Thoughts?

Handles

The layout of the handles is obviously different from what we discussed. For the drawers, mom decided to go in the middle because she was afraid centering it in the space above the indentation would be too close to the counter top. She also decided to go vertical for the cabinets because she didn't like the look of the off-centered horizontal handles on the cabinets with the centered horizontal handles on the drawers.

Indian Food Kitchen

Progress Pictures

Paint

First coat of paint will be finished today. Grout is already laid in the laundry room where the washer/dryer will be installed today. Bathroom grout isn't yet installed but will be shortly. Arthur will come tomorrow to paint the trim.

Between today, tomorrow, and Monday the guys will be getting things prepared for our Tuesday inspection by the village. They will finish pulling the 220v line, they will install the bathroom light fixture, and reinstall the existing light over the island. The only unfinished electrical remaining will be the exhaust fan's whip as well as the not-yet-started fireplace.

Overall, things are starting to take shape.

More Pictures

Some updated pictures. Nothing too crazy to report today. All of the cabinets except the laundry room sink cab are installed. Apparently that cabinet was delivered to the wrong work site. Other than that the guys are doing small things like touching up cabinets, putting a second coat of pain on the ceiling, painting the edges of the walls the appropriate colors, etc. By the end of the day they will have the grout laid and there's a decent chance we can get the washer/dryer reinstalled tomorrow- only potential hold up is the fact that we don't have a dryer duct anymore, both because the siding guys sided over it (per our direction) and the reconfiguration of the laundry room made the original hole unusable. They can fix this but Martin couldn't do it as of lunch today because he was waiting for Arnold to deliver the parts.

Cabinets

Cabinets almost finished. Grout should be installed by days end. They also plan on priming the remaining walls and dropping colored paint on the already primed walls. Finally, I spoke to Arnold about Mona's cubby hole idea, he said that wouldn't be a problem.