Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Remodeling for Dummies

Reminder to me... DO NOT REMODEL HOUSE EVER AGAIN! This is a nightmare! Seriously... I don't have the energy for this. My mother keeps telling me how "fun" this is.  FUN???? I think she may need to check out the definition of fun again.... It just seems like one project turns into 15 other related projects that need to be completed by different people and add more to the cost. So here is a list of a few remodeling do's and  A LOT of don'ts from me:

DON'T let your tile guy talk you into letting him remodel your bathroom without completely finding out ALL ADDITIONAL COSTS!!! He BEGGED me to let him tile the bathroom and shower area in addition to the flooring that I wanted him to do. So I agreed... with the final price in mind. After he rips everything out he starts asking when the plumber will be there. Say what??? The PLUMBER? I didn't call a plumber... I had no idea that I needed to call a plumber! So, apparently, I now need a plumber. Tile Guy recommends one and we call him... plumber crisis resolved for a mere $1000. :(

DON'T anticipate being able to reuse ANYTHING after tile guy gets ahold of it.  I see the shower glass is outside while bathroom is being tiled and it is still is good shape. So I plan to just replace the hardward and reuse the glass. YAY! The next day... GLASS IS BROKEN INTO A GAZILLION PIECES!!! Now I have to get quotes on replacing shower glass... again crisis solved for another $1000!

DON'T assume Tile Guy will replace everything he rips out. Apparently replacing baseboards is NOT in his job description. GRRRRR!

DON'T listen to Tile Guy when he tells you that he has a buddy who will replace the baseboards for "real cheap". Apparently "real cheap" means different things to different people.

DON'T pay Tile Guy for his finished work when he still has to replace a few poorly placed tiles... He may SAY that he will be back on Monday... but he has yet to return a phone call. Hmmmm???

DO find yourself a nice, hardworking handyman that can do multiple things for you when you barely mention it to him. I LOVE the guy installing my new pantry. That was what he was hired for... however our conversations go a little something like this:

Me: "Hey, Sean... Tile Guy left the front door with an inch gap at the bottom and say's he can't fix it... do you know anything about that?"

Sean: "Yeah... I can fix that for you."

Me: "Hey, Sean... I really would like to remove the flourescent lighting in the kitchen and put in canned lighting and finish off the ceiling... do you  know anyone who does that?"

Sean: "Yeah, I can do that for you"

Me: "Hey, Sean... the previous owners ripped out this cabinet and left this awful looking space here... do you know where we could get a matching cabinet and have it installed?"

Sean:" Yeah... I can get you a matching cabinet and install it."

Do you see the pattern here??? I LOVE this guy! :)

He is doing all of this, plus installing the granite in my bathrooms and later he said he would come back in put in invisible hinges on my kitchen cabinets, because we currently have exposed ones and they don't look that great with the new paint.

Here are a few pics of the project that is still underway...


Kitchen with painted cabinets

Still need to get rid of the hinges and replace the hardware

Removed the wood desk and installed a BIG pantry... Woohoo!!! Mama likes her some storage space!

Master shower (sans shower glass... grrrr and tub)

Middle of the backyard and built in kitchen

Pool
Front

Front

So there it is... this has been an UTTER and COMPLETE... PAIN. IN. MY. HINEY. I am praying that we will be able to move in this weekend. We will see. :)

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