Casings

So we had some windows replaced and today the "guy" (David) came and installed the casing around them. We thought they looked good before... now they are stunning
Hard to believe this is the ugly window outside the bathroom, isn't it?

A taste of how we are living

So we have had lots of questions about how we are making out in our makeshift kitchen and we realized that we had not given any of you any idea of how we are living.

Well it is a treat. We have our kitchen (and everything that entails) in the dining room. We have the cooking station, the coffee station, the prep station, and of course the clean up station. In addition to all of that we also have the "beauty regime" station which lives right beside the "cleanup" station. It may not be pretty but it has lasted this long.

floors

So Friday the floor guy came and installed the new floor. Wow it looks great. Of course it isn't finished (stained, sealed etc) but we are no longer looking at the old stuff. Things are happening.

Sadly the tile isn't level in the bathroom yet but the rest of it is. All that is left for the tile guys in there is grouting. They have done a great job. The shower looks truly wonderfull. You imagine what it will look like but we were wrong. It looks better

Tuesday and what's new?

So although we were out Tuesday night we were quite anxious to see what had happened so first thing when we walked in the door we headed to the back of the house to check it out. Well something happened for sure it appears that someone has been here. There are tools and a boombox (a sure sign of work in my experience, after all who can work without music?).

Also GREAT news is it looks like the floor material has arrived. Last we heard that wouldn't be happening for a while so seeing (and smelling) beautiful pieces of wood was very exciting. WooHoo things are coming together.

So on to the bathroom... toilet, no toilet, grout, no grout????

OK no grout but yes a toilet still and they have started up the walls in the shower.

The tile detail that runs through the middle looks great. We knew what the plan was but seeing is believing. Even the edge looks great.

Oh my what will we find after work Wednesday? Stay tuned more to follow.

Monday

Well Monday rolled around and we were a bit nervous about heading home I must say. Would we have a toilet or would we not?

Well the floor was in and we did have a toilet but sadly no grouting had happened. This means the toilet will have to come back out so that the floor can be grouted. Oh well at least we have a toilet. To make it worse nothing else had happened either. We were away from home for 4 days for no apparent reason.
After a meeting with one of our contractors I think we have it sorted but we shall see. While I don't think they were any happier than us that nothing happened, they are not the ones living in the middle of it all.
On the plus side the tile looks great. One small problem the floor is NOT level, which is what the waiting was about. The tiles by the heat register will have to come out and be reset in order for the heat register to lay flat and the baseboards to sit on the floor. We have been assured this will be fixed. Fingers crossed.
Ah the trials and tribulations of renovations.

more bad news

Well Friday the 20th rolls around and another email appeared.

Sorry but the toilet is still out and won't go back until Monday. The tile is in but it has to be grouted before the toilet can be reseated. Goruting apparently can't happen until Monday and so no toilet until then.

Great assurances that we will have a toilet Monday. So we head back home for more clothes. Boy it is hard to consider what you might need for work on Monday on a Friday afternoon.

At least we can go back to Debbie's for the weekend.

How would we ever manage without friends I have to ask?

Bathroom issues :)

Sooooo,

Well we knew it would happen eventually we just didn't know it would happen on such short notice. Thursday morning (the 19th) we got an email from our contractor saying that the tiling was beginning in the bathroom (yippee) and that meant that the toilet had to come out and would not be going back in until Friday. Well crap... oh well a little more notice would be good but things happen I guess. A quick call with our friend Debbie let us know that her guest room was available. Whew we won't be homeless. We made a run home after work for a change of clothes and to check out the progress. Here is what we found.

OK so the floor looks more level for sure, which is good news, no toilet but at least we are getting closer.

Also good news, the floor of the shower is in. Maybe we will eventually not have to shower in the basement with the sump pump.

A kitchen sink

So we came home Wednesday and the kitchen sink and taps were in. Wow. You picture what things will look like as you buy them but you really don't have a clue until they are installed. We think we picked well.

We went with a "biscuit" sink rather than white as we thought it might be too stark against the granite.

It is starting to come together.

Cabinets

Yippee

Well they aren't all in but we are on our way. Friday the 13th, Keith came to start the cabinet install and man oh man do they look amazing. The biggest set of uppers along the long stretch of counter are up, no doors of course (they go in last) but what is there looks great.

The cupboards are also mounted on the wall above where the stove will be, again no doors.

The pantry is partly in and he will be back soon to complete. Wow, so that is what it will look like when it is a real kitchen.

There is still crown moulding to go in above all of the cupboards so it only gets better.

Next is tile. Not sure when that starts but the HEAVY boxes full of tile are "in the house". We can't wait to see what it will look like.

Countertops

So Tuesday was window day but (today) Wednesday was granite day. We thought the windows made a difference. When we came home and saw the granite all of a sudden it felt like a real kitchen and we could visualize what it might look like when it is done.

We chose a granite called Santa Cecilia for the counters,

and for the bathroom a small piece of marble called Emperador.

It is hard to believe that when only a counter changes it makes such a huge difference.

Finally... change

Yippee things are once again moving. We were beginning to dispair :)

So today James (our window guy) came to install the new windows. Wow are they beautiful. We replaced the window over the kitchen sink with one that matched the period of the house, rather than being so modern and we also replaced the window outside the bathroom. It was a fairly ugly single pane of glass. It didn't open and it just looked like a black hole. Not now!!!!!

The kitchen window is beautiful

Even more amazing to us though is the new window outside the bathroom. We cannot believe what a difference it makes to the look of that end of the kitchen. Thanks James you are an artist with the windows.

Finally

So today could be the day where something new finally happens.
We expect that our new windows (kitchen and outside the bathroom) will go in today.
I spent the weekend staining and varnishing them in anticipation of them being installed, the hold up was the hardware had not yet arrived. We were reluctant, strangely, to install them without the ability to lock them. The hardware has arrived and with any luck when we get home they will be installed. We can't wait.
Today the windows tomorrow maybe the countertops.
Stay tuned