Finished product

There are now only 2 things on the renovators 'to do' list. (Many more on mine). After many years of dreaming, months of planning and weeks of craziness, I am pleased with the final result. Thanks for following my progress. Please come have a cup of tea with me sometime soon. I'd love to show you all my favorite things.

Plumbing detour

Superior Cabinets came Friday and added all of the finishing touches to the kitchen It looks amazing.
However, on Thursday night we had a plumbing emergency which  overshadowed all of my joy.

Somehow our kitchen drain became clogged. May have been a lack of use over the last 2 months or a garburator issue. No one seems to know. However, after doing the usual plunging, liquid plumber and prayer routes, there was no change in the clog. The problem was the water was going down somewhat slowly. Hmmm does this have anything to do with the water running down the wall in the basement. Ahhh yes it does. There is a crack in the drain pipe under the sink. Which had the clog not appeared we would not have learned about. Thankfully the clog happened on a day we were all here not gone with the dishwasher running and draining into a clogged pipe and out the crack all over my new floor, cabinets etc. Thankful for the clog on a convenient day.

Of course this is hindsight talking - I was not so grateful that day.

Emergency plumber rates apply on Thursday evenings and by the time they arrived we had borrowed a snake from Steve and Kris and mostly cleared the clog, diagnosed the crack and stopped the water running.

The very expensive plumbers sent their snake down and throughout the house at 1 am just to make sure there were no further clogs. Things no longer seemed like an emergency so I asked them to leave and we would reassess the next steps when the clock wasn't ticking at their overtime rates.
Friday my contractors plumber came to assess the plan and said he would return on Sat. to replace the pipes.
Sat he finally arrived and he once again marveled at this very strange crack in the pipes. The cracks in these pipes were installed with a vertical crack which we never found because we never had a clog in the drain before. It would have had to be replaced at some point. Now we have replaced 3 sections of this pipe. We are not putting the drywall back but an access panel. Undoubtedly we will not need access again if we do that. Saturday evening my kitchen was finally workable and ready. Just in time to have people over for the Grey cup.

Living in my kitchen

After my many weeks of waiting, I now have a mostly workable kitchen. There are still 24 things on the finalization list to complete but the biggest parts are available for use. It is so wonderful to linger at the table and chat after a meal. Both nights we have still been sitting at the table with our dirty plates at 9 at night. Eating on a couch in front of the TV is nice for a change but can't be compared with a conversation around the table with my handsome men. My stovetop is not yet working so our meals are still a slightly sketchy but I still love it. I will probably stop posting pictures for a while now as the final changes are small. By the end of next week they hope to have all things completed so probably one final photo shoot.

Ridiculously close

This is so close to completion - I can taste it now. Kitchen pun intended.

There are approximately 40 details left to complete but as of tomorrow I will be able to cook a meal in my kitchen, watch TV in my family room, sit at a table to eat a meal and have a glass of juice without a trip to the garage.

However, I committed to going to NB to help out with the YP weekend. I have waited 3 months for this day. I can wait one more weekend. And of course all of the details are not completed so perhaps more of those will be done by Monday. In your time Lord.

It is looking quite amazing and not like my house at all. But perhaps in a few weeks and a whole lot of moving back in - I think I will be very happy here.







Painting day

After a very trying day yesterday of many small finishing details failing. The painters came and rolled paint on the big walls making a significant difference. It is now a totally different looking house - well the dust is the same.

Once I quit looking at the small problems and focus on the big things - I shall begin to enjoy it.

Unfortunately they didn't finish today so they need to paint again on Monday. Which means we have another weekend of no further advances. Undoubtedly next weekend when we are gone to NB I will finally be able to move some of my things in. Patience Jane patience.

Tiling

There is a lot of work happening this week but everyday becomes a bigger mess than the day before. This is due to painting issues. Much taping, covering, priming is necessary to get this job accomplished; its a good thing I didn't attempt it, as I would have gone stark raving mad by now.

However, the tile guy showed up and gave me a small ray of hope that this may someday look lovely.

Backsplash tiles

Wall tiles - this is an alcove for a computer screen

 These are the pictures of what our house really looks like.

This is the entranceway looking into the living room - now filled with all of our furniture.

Beautifully draped stairwell

Family room aka Tom the painter's office

Staining the oak

 Staining has been going on in our house. It has been a bit of a nightmare except for the wonderful friends who invite us to get out of the house. The painting should start today or tomorrow.

Few last touchups on the stain. Loving it.

This is the entertainment unit in our family room. It was a lovely honey oak color which set the color of my whole house. Now it has a whole new look to it. Ignore all the overspray, taping and paper on everything.

Likewise the staircase is now in this 'cranberry' color. I would call it
Dark Chocolate myself.

Countertops finally

It seems like nothing much has been happening.
However, the floors did get finished and yesterday they installed our counterop.
It is quite lovely but a little bit anti-climatic after all the waiting.
Waiting for the tile, painter, electrician, plumber and it could actually be finished.

Unfortunately not before Randy and Joanne come to visit next weekend. No big deal except that- the one time I finally have them in my home I can't make them a meal or have enough seats to sit on or beds to sleep in. Hopefully they feel sorry for us and come back again someday.

Floor

The last couple of days there has been progress but it is quite slow.

Today it is starting to look like a real floor.

Island

The island is now in place the countertop guys come to measure everything today. I need to choose a backsplash tile and lighting over the island. Thankfully my friend Ruth is coming to help me today.

Cupboards in place

It is beginning to look like a kitchen. It almost seems anticlimatic now but I could almost start to get excited. The pantry is massive and a little overwhelming but I am sure it will be awesome if I can just get it organized- somehow. The cupboards should be finished tomorrow.

The pile is decreasing

The pantry

PIles and piles

We returned from our holiday yesterday. All of the drywall was completed while we were gone. Yesterday they delivered boxes and boxes of cupboards and hardwood. Now I have large piles of stuff. This morning they are putting it all together - I hope by tomorrow things will start to look like a kitchen again.

This is my new pantry starting to take shape.

Drywall Progression

I have been slow to post anything as the progress is exceedingly slow. There is a lovely gentleman here every day taping and mudding drywall holes. However, it never looks like much. He is mostly done now and the sanding begins tomorrow. Thankfully my boys get to endure that dust fest. Kelvin and I are heading out to the city that never sleeps. I look forward to coming back to all the dust settled and ready for some installations.
I am posting photos of the nice smooth walls. Not terribly exciting.
I am having issues with my tile options so I have chosen to take a break from it until I get back.

Kitchen area

family room

Tile and countertop options.

pantry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Electricians

I haven't updated much this week but there has been a lot happening.  The electricians have completed all of their work.  Looks like a lot of lights going in - after years of poor lighting I may have overdone it.
Today they were apparently in a big panic to get the drywall done - it's 10 am and no one is here yet.
They also have framed in a space for a new computer screen. This proved to be a little bit harder to do than I thought but I was finally able to get my vision across.

The screen box looks unimpressive but it took a day of work.

 

 

Another useless day

Another quiet day on the reno front. The cabinet makers were here this am to discuss my pantry plan. They scared me when they used their tape meaure to subtract. I had a vision of cabinet makers as math wizards.
The framer was also here to make a plan for a new wall with a cubby I have a vision of. Again 3 dimensions seems to be challenging.
I am hoping that I am just not understanding their communication styles.
By 10 am everyone was gone. Not sure what is supposed to be happening.
Went for lunch with Kassi and Kim.
I hope I am not coming down with Kelvin's cold - feeling crappy. Might have something to do with being awake since 4 am.
It is unfortunate that I can't drywall, plumb or install electrical fixtures. I could have this all done I am sure.
Waiting patiently.

Tuesday

So apparently my renovators have issues. Yesterday they worked like crazy and today no one showed up. Little bit frustrated and waste of a day waiting for them to come discuss our pantry plans.
Kelvin is feeling better today; worked from home since there was no activity here anyways.
Spent the day looking for a faucet, light fixtures, tile ideas, speakers and computer. Hopefully tomorrow we get more accomplished.

Labor Day

Renovators arrived today. They tore out everything and have begun to create my new pantry.

Overwhelmed is the word

The new wall of the pantry - ie half of my old dining room

TV Room

Kitchen

Long weekend

This weekend, Kelvin and I packed up and/or moved everything from our main floor of our house.
Thankfully Kelvin did all of the heavy lifting on Friday night as he was sick the rest of the weekend. We now have parts of a kitchen in our storage room, basement, garage and spare bedroom.
This is definitely a work in progress

Empty dining room

TV room

Kitchen

All of our furniture in the living room

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Procrastination

There are renovators coming to tear apart my kitchen and main floor next week. I am in complete denial of this and so have started a blog...obviously. I have been working on the plan for this reno for some months now but it is finally ready to begin. I have a drawing, a plan, a renovator, a cabinet designer, all working ferociously to prepare what I have asked of them. All they ask of me is to clear out the main floor of my house to make room for this reno. This is were my block comes in. Suddenly my kitchen seems perfectly fine and without any need for a renovation.
I am completely tearing out my kitchen, dining room and some of my family room to make this happen. My office, laundry room and bathroom will also be affected as the flooring will change in there also.
Thus, my main floor needs to move out to my garage, basement or second floor to make room for all of this.
So here I am blogging...obviously. Here is a few photos of the rooms before we started: