216 Remodel

The park we planted around the house

2008-03-22T07:31:00.001-07:00

Our neighbors are probably very relieved that we finally populated the dirt with ground cover,hardscaping, low voltage lights and plants. The front is all planting - no lawn - because it fits the style of the house and it's environmentally responsible. We also think it looks really good.

The bouganvilla is planted where one lived before the remodel and is wired to climb up to the second story of the house. We hope it thrives as it will bring a burst of color to the front of the house. Stay tuned.

In the back, we created four spaces - a large patio for eating and entertaining with considerable seating available on wall tops. We have a fountain and fire pit area for more intimate conversation and contemplation. Across the back is the "field" as the boys call it. This is where they play ball, roll around and basically own the area. There are shrubs growing across the back to color that rear fence with green. Off to the site is the gardening area where there are fruit trees and two large planters. The only thing left to do is the drip irrigation for the planters and we'll get this done this weekend.

Finally, at night, everything is beautifully lit. The pergola has down lights and the privet tree has an uplight right through the middle. There is an overhead, gas heater attached to the pergola to bring some warmth to cool, Northern California evenings. It's a yard that draws us outside to be together, to play and to relax.

Saving us from ourselves

2008-03-22T07:19:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I wrote about how our high-end, LG dryer was a lemon. After considerable investment of time with dryer repair people and our general contractor, I've learned that LG is trying to protect me from myself by making it's dryer oversensitive to heat in order to prevent dryer fires.

I have no doubt that dryer fires happen and are very dangerous. We clean the lint after every dryer cycle and I'm fine with having the exhaust cleaned annually if lint builds up there. We also have a sprinkler system throughout the house in the event of a fire to put it out. So, LG, I'd really like my dryer to be my responsibility to keep from igniting.

There is an internal trip wire in the dryer (and,according to my General Contractor, every high end dryer made in the last 2-3 years) that cuts off the heating mechanism if it senses that the dryer is not getting enough air. Let me be clear, the dryer is vented. In any case, the only person who can access and reset this trip wire is a dryer repair man. Thank G-d we got the extended warranty because this person has been at my house at least five times. He'll be coming again next week, although he may not know it.

According to the General Contractor, he is re-installing dryers in every house he does because if the exhaust is longer than SIX INCHES, the dryers trip off. Six inches is roughly the width of an exterior wall - meaning that if your high end dryer isn't backed-up against an exterior wall, you are going to have this problem. Our laundry room is a shocking 8 feet from the exterior wall. Our solution will be to re-route the exhaust from under the house to visibly through our laundry room. We're considering adding an exterior booster fan to keep pulling the hot air out of the dryer. Because, with a family of six people living here,three of which are under 7, we need a working dryer. Please LG (and every other dryer manufacturer), let us reset our own trip wires and take responsibility for ourselves. Really, I can handle it.

A lost opportunity for a customer for life

2008-02-05T17:33:00.000-08:00

We have an 18 month old LG Dryer that has broken down and required new parts three times in the 12 months we’ve used it after moving into our remodeled home 6 months after buying it. Granted, we do a lot of laundry, but my Kenmore handled it for 5 years without complaint. When the LG fails, it simply doesn’t dry. And every repair cycle has left us with wet laundry for 7-12 days. We've replaced the igniter and now we are replacing some other part. With a family of six people (three younger than 7) – you can only imagine the volume of laundry we produce. Unreal. So, after calling the repairman for the third visit in 12 months, I called LG and said – this particular unit is a lemon – you have to agree that different failures three times over the course of a year is outside of manufacturing tolerances. I’d like you to replace the unit.

For 30 minutes, I heard how that was impossible because the unit is more than a year old. For 30 minutes, I heard that I can call the repair people as much as I like to fix breakages. Not until the very end, when I told them that I would go public with the story to the best of my ability, did they say we will connect you with our Voice of the Customer/customer advocates. The rep then told me that he completely agrees with me that it should be replaced, but LG policy is against him.

What a lost opportunity – LG could have created an advocate for life by standing behind their products (like Nordstrom does), apologizing and making plans to deliver a reliable, comparable machine to our home. Perhaps send us rolls of quarters to take our wet laundry to a Laundromat to dry it. Or send a laundry service until the dryer was repaired or, preferably, replaced. Instead, we are sitting on wet laundry and hoping that LG’s Voice of the Customer agrees that a premium brand trying to establish itself in the US should over-extend on customer service – it will pay off in droves.

Stay tuned for more about it.

Hardscaping Complete

2008-02-02T10:57:00.000-08:00

We started the landscaping in December and there was a lot of clean-up and prep work - mostly not photo worthy. Now we have the hardscaping pretty much completed. In front, the wall is done and we think very pretty. We also added a trash/recycling paved area so that things weren't so messy. And the curved path is well used. Lighting will come soon.

In back, we now have a huge patio with a small pergola. We are trying to figure out where on the pergola to mount the giant overhead heater. We are thinking of adding iron work to hold it. Thoughts? Suggestions?

We also have two fountains and a firepit (gas/wood). They match the look of the house and create a peaceful, meditative spot in the yard. The giant slate stepping stones lead to what will be a mid-sized lawn. Perfect for soccer, football and general play. We also had the outdoor kitchen covered in matching stone to the house and WOW, what a difference. Hope you enjoy.

The Landscaping begins

2007-12-03T21:27:00.000-08:00

The final stage of the project is underway - the one that literally lives. We came home today to find that the landscaper had started the initial demolition and layout of the new gardens and hardscape. Exciting. We decided that we're going to eliminate the second patio in the rear in favor of more open play space (lawn) for the kids. They really enjoy soccer, baseball and general roughhousing - something lawn is excellent for. If they become really interested in basketball, we'll put a hoop up over the garage or something.

The front gardens are all drought resistant, mediterranean plants. Of course, we'll be growing a new bouganvilla in the spot constructed for it. I hope it's happy there. IT was before! We had our shed installed in the dark part of the yard to store our bicycles and outdoor play gear (as well as Neal's incredible collection of gently used power tools). I just bought the hanging overhead heater that should keep us all warm outside regardless of the weather. And Neal's new telescope provides considerable amazement and entertainment.

Stay tuned - when there is something to photograph, we will!

Spring, Summer and Time for Planting

2007-10-01T11:37:00.000-07:00

We've been living in the house for almost 10 months now and we do love it. My parents were in town from mid-August to mid-September and the September portion was started by the healthy birth of my sister's daughter Emma - so my Mom was with my sister's family and my Dad was living with ours. The fact that he was comfortable and we were comfortable and everyone had enough personal space to enjoy being together was a testament to our semi-private guest suite. Love it.

We were lucky that my former company was acquired and Neal's Grandparents wanted to contribute to our home - the combination enabled us to get serious about landscaping. Yes, it's been a dirt sand lot for the last 10 months. Many thanks for our patient neighbors. It's incredible what can grow without regular water. Mostly weeds, but the cherry tomatoes that sprouted in the front lawn were surprisingly good.

We retained Rick Fath (rickfath@yahoo.com) to design the front and back yards. We decided that we'd be ecologically sensitive and go with a drought-resistant, lawn-free front yard and limit the amount of lawn in the backyard so that it's fun to play, but not an eco-disaster. So - the backyard has a deck that leads to the patio with a pergola with integrated heat and lighting (so we can dine outside 9 months a year). Surrounding the patio are gardens and stepping stones. The back third of the property kept the paved area (for biking, scootering, basketball) and added open lawn. I think we need nets over the new fences to catch the balls the boys are hitting easily "out of the park". Ideas? Something that can come down most of the time so that it's not an eyesore.

Stay tuned for photos.

Progress with Thermador

2007-01-15T14:51:00.000-08:00

Thank you for all your good humor as we navigate the process of getting a working fridge. Funny how challenging that can be. In any case, Thermador did approve replacement including the protection and reuse of our existing cabinet and panels. But then, the unit was back-ordered. This is keystone cops world. The installation people called to schedule installation for today...and learned today that the unit wouldn't be available until Feb. 6. Thankfully there is someone at Thermador who knows how to get things done (the receptionist who is the only person who actually understands the situation, took action and called with updates)...she is amazing. She confirmed the back-order status and then worked with their A/R people to find a unit available (in Tempe, AZ) and had it shipped to Northern California. She, and no one else at Thermador, embodies the sort of support and out-of-the-box problem solving I expect from a premium manufacturer. I'm not saying her name in case she bent some rules...but if she reads this - Thank You! So - hopefully, next week.

In other news, we are on the cusp of our final inspection. Every few days there is a flurry of work and today's theme was IRON. So now we have the proper iron on the upstairs french doors and the deck. I'm in Miami, but the report from Neal is that it's beautiful. Tomorrow morning, more IRON - decorative hardware installed (third try) on the garage door. And hopefully, more IRON with the shutter hardware getting installed. Two of the three fireplaces work and are finished - one more should be done today. Don't you wish I could find the digital camera? I do. But Neal and I may give ourselves an early anniversary/housewarming gift of a new one...soon. Suggestions?

The kids like the house. Yesterday the downstairs furnace was off (they shut off gas to fix the upper fireplace and forgot to relight the fuse on that furnace) so the boys camped out in sleeping bags on the floor of our bedroom - which was cozy with heat and Daddy time.

We also have the home theater installed and I have to say - WOW. Aaron Rosenbaum at Ambleside put together an awesome system. The sound and visual (at night - we need the blackout curtains for high quality daytime viewing - it's viewable during the day, but at night, it's amazing) simply say - never go to a movie theater again. At the house, we can have wine (two months to go...), food, a comfy couch, fireplace heat and an amazing theatrical experience. You are all invited - let us know when and what movie. Kids welcome to join or go to sleep somewhere while the adults enjoy the entertainment.

And Neal and I returned to our first home improvement task - gardening. For final inspection, we needed to have 4-6 shrubs installed to complement our tree in the front yard. We went over to Golden Nursery on 2nd and talked about the house, the coming Bouganvilla and our needs. George at Golden Nursery recommended some very interesting plants that complement the bouganvilla and the house. Neal planted them with the boys on Sunday and they look terrific. Another need for the camera...

SO - that's all for now.

Stay warm in the Bay Area (unusual cold/frost). And everywhere else you may be!

Definitely ThermadON'T

2007-01-10T20:26:00.000-08:00

To continue the saga of the Thermador...last week, a pleasant customer service representative at Thermador told me that they would be replacing my useless fridge with one that worked and that they would be responsible for the custom panels and custom cabinet removal and re-installation - with a target date of January 11. While this date was another week off, at least we had resolution...I thought.

It's January 10 and I haven't heard from Thermador about delivery and installation. Seeing as I don't generally sit around the hosue waiting for deliveries every day, I thought it might be good to call. Upon reaching someone (10 minutes on hold this time), I was told that the replacement was approved (how nice) but that the unit was back-ordered and they had no idea when it would be delivered.

For a timeline reminder - we moved in on Dec.23. This was supposed to be our primary refridgeration for the house. It's currently a balmy 70 degrees in there (warmer by 20 degrees than the Bay Area). I asked Thermador what they were planning to do to stop inconveniencing my family - and suggested that they deliver a 48" fridge for us to use until the proper fridge (custom panels, external ice maker) was available. This seems reasonable. Alternatively, they can refund the full cost of the fridge and the panels and we can purchase one from a vendor more interested in supporting their products and customers.

So - be warned...don't buy a fridge from Thermador. Their customer service people are very nice, but are not allowed to provide compelling service for their high margin products.

A rant - may future Thermador Buyers beware

2007-01-02T17:03:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone - this is not my usual update. On that - we are in the house, the story is funny and we love it. I will post more, but right now, I solicit your help letting a vendor know that bad customer service never pays.

In the re-model, we decided to upgrade to a 48" built in fridge and researched extensively. According to online and in store experts, the Thermador 48" with custom panels is a high quality, well serviced appliance - one of the best. So, we coughed up $6K to purchase one and additional money to have the panels made. There was some error in the order so that it came with trim that doesn't work with custom panels - but that's somewhat easily fixed (she says after spending a month trying to get it fixed with no response).

I should have known this fridge was a problem when no one could figure out when it would ship. It finally ships and Fedex Ground has no idea how to deliver it to a residential address (it's a residential fridge)...but hey, those are typical hiccups.

Of course, a fridge that cannot reach a temp below 70 degrees in the fridge and 68 degrees in the freezer is nothing more than a very overpriced pantry. And since we moved on 12/23, the problem could not be seen by a service tech until 12/28 (12/23-12/26 everyone was on vacation and same day scheduling is impossible). That service tech took one look at the problem we described on the phone and said - I cannot fix this - its a sealed system problem and Thermador needs to fix it. Thermador calls very politely by the end of the day (12/28) to let me know that they will be replacing my fridge. And that they will do nothing about the paneling on it, around it (it is sold to be installed as a built in) or the small cabinet that must be removed and re-installed in order to dislodge it from my kitchen. Apparently all of those costs are mine for a BRAND NEW BROKEN REFRIGERATOR. Let me be clear - I have never used the fridge - it never worked. And you need to have it run for 24 hours to find out if it works...

So - DON'T BUY THERMADOR. And if you are in the retail or distribution end...this brand is not meeting it's price:quality expectations and the support makes you look bad too...and if you work for Jade, Viking, Sub-Zero...give me a call, I'd be a great testimonial to you. In any case - please join me in sharing this story with everyone in the appliance retail business as well as future home re-modelers. It's unfortunate that Thermador is not meeting our expectations for quality.

Contrast this story to Costco. We bought two copper sinks (around $200 each) from Costco and our contractor misplaced one of the drain sets that came with it. I sent a note to Costco explaining that it was our mistake and asking them where/how we could buy another drain set so that we could use the sink. Costco didn't ask any questions...didn't tell me anything either. But they did ship us two drain sets (copper), no questions asked. This from a volume warehouse seller - and I recommend people buy from Costco whenever possible - reliable, expeditious and WOW customer service.

So - what do you think the margins are on sinks and drains from Costco versus a 48" custom panel, Thermador built in side-by-side fridge (costing over $6K)...let's just say that I expect Thermador to have been embarassed by their manufacturing quality and to trip over themselves to not further inconvenience my family and replace the fridge with no costs to us. It was an opportunity for Thermador to create a loyal customer - instead, they have a ticked off one.

25 minutes on hold to get disconnected on 1/2/06 (from 4:45 - 5:09). Lovely.

Please join me in letting Thermador know that every customer matters and that we expect our products to work and, when they don't, we expect the manufacturer to handle it with ease.

They are so committed to customer service that they have no email address for service complaints or questions, no online knowledgebase and the only thing their phone number let's you expedite is finding a retailer. Someone needs to tell these people that supporting the product counts as much as selling it.

Stay tuned - I'll let you know how the story ends...

Best,

J

The exterior color

2006-12-06T19:29:00.000-08:00

With much deliberation - we chose a color for the body of the house and it's been 90% painted. Take a look! Corbels, shutters and stone to follow. If you look carefully by the front stairs, you'll see the start of the stonework.

Enjoy!

Closer and closer - T minus 20

2006-12-02T15:35:00.000-08:00

We are moving in on 12/23 and now everything is about getting to final inspection and getting enough done that we can move into the house comfortably. There are some big things still to do - the travertine for the breakfast bar and granite for the master vanity are both being fabricated right now while the new showers upstairs still do not have glass doors - could be pretty wet. The two new medicine cabinets have been framed and have to be finished.

But other things are coming along. The exterior, as you can see, has been primed and will be painted this weekend. The team has also completed the driveway and is pouring the garage slab on Monday. This will enable the garage door to be installed and the garage to be finished up - and we'll probably be able to secure the house. In addition, they've bought the cultured stone and it's been delivered so the stone will be installed early this week on the exterior and maybe even on the mantle.

The kitchen is fully installed (other than the previously mentioned breakfast bar) and has a very interesting stove (we hope you like it, we do) with a fully operational and silenced hood exhaust. We also installed two mini-pendants over the breakfast bar, but they are a little low right now. We've also got a bunch of the beams installed upstairs and they're looking sufficiently farmhouse while they aren't yet stained. And check out the red bathroom - that's the downstairs bathroom that guests and the kids will use.

Stay tuned...

Majors and Minors

2006-11-28T19:15:00.000-08:00

Sorry it's been so long between posts - with the new job and insane travel between Neal, my family and our family, it's been hectic. I have been at the site almost every morning because so much is happening. As you can see from the photos, most of the tile work is complete and very pretty. We are pleased with our selections as well as the craftsmenship of Javier at Golden Gate Contractors in making sure it was well done. Although it's not pictured here, we have the most elegant laundry room (used up some old tiles).

The interior of the house is 90% painted with the exceptions being the brown windows and the brown dining room. The exterior has a coat of what I think is primer and the trim is getting painted. The roof is DONE. Deniz's team is now laying out the pavers in the driveway - all 54 x 10 feet of it. Once that's done, I suspect we will pour the concrete slab for the garage and install the garage door. We also haven't started the stone work - but it's imminent.

We are planning to move in on Dec. 23 - which is a little under four weeks from now and I need to start packing. Where are the little nymphs to do that for me...nowhere. But there is much less to pack this time - since 50% of the house is still packed and living in the garage of the apartment. I know it will all get done, but it's certainly a bit stressful to have it looming over us. Me, actually. Neal's traveling a bunch in the next couple of weeks. Ah well, it'll get done.

We also have 90% of the lighting installed and it's all working nicely. A few more trim efforts with the medicine cabinets and pantry shelves as well as the turret and playroom bath and we're in good shape. The carpet should be coming any day now, but we won't let them install until all other work is done in the rooms with carpeting. It's been fun and we are looking forward to living in the house and entertaining all our readers. Of course, the landscaping will not get done right away - the money tree refuses to bloom!

Tile and finish part 1

2006-11-04T08:07:00.000-08:00

Now that the structural work is done and we've entered the rainy season, the focus is on the interior of the house. We'll finish the stucco, paint the house and install corbels and shutters in between rainy days. Meanwhile, the master bath is getting itself ready for Monday's installation of the vanity cabinet. Our goal was to create a grotto-like space in the master bath that feels sort of indoor/outdoor. Here you can see a picture of the two-person shower and then the bath platform.

In the second bath upstairs, we wanted to create something simple, but elegant. The primary users of this bath are guests and our live-in (hopefully we'll resolve that in the next 3-4 months). This picture shows the shower/bath enclosure. We've taken to accepting the tile layout/design advice of Javier, the tile expert installing everything. We figure he has done a lot more of this than we have and so far, his instincts have been terrific.

Finally, they've started installing the first floor hardwood floors. We are using a maple, pre-finished, handscraped engineered floor that requires no refinishing with a 50 year guarantee (or something silly like that). Deniz and the team want the floor perfectly flat, so extensive plywood has been installed and shimmed to ensure a level floor. This floor "floats" so the team is installing acoustic padding that will support the floating floor and reduce the amount of noise from walking on the floor. This floor - Vintage Chapparel in Sour Ghum - will be in the living, dining and family rooms.

I also spent time this week comparing carpet prices and have decided to go with our first store - Floorcraft/Carpet One. The esthetic we prefer is best available there, so we'll order tomorrow and in a few weeks, that'll be installed. Deniz and I discussed that the carpet is absolutely the last thing in the house prior to us...I also ordered the sectional sofa for the family/media room to be delivered on our moving day - December 23. It's going to be very cozy/comfy.

Meanwhile, our architect is designing the deck and hopefully we'll have that design by next week so that Deniz can build it once the final coat of stucco is finished.

Children's wing

2006-11-02T21:42:00.000-08:00

The first rooms to have complete color - albeit no flooring - are the kids' rooms. We splurged on the walls of the boys room because they've lived through this craziness and we want them to be really excited about moving back in.

Plus, we're going to make prints of the handprints from the nursery and put them on the walls of the nursery to surround the baby with the hands of those that love her. But her room is sweet too.

As I prepare to start my new job at Engage, I am racing around trying to finalize finishes and materials - like the pavers, carpets, lights and window treatments. Time is precious.

It's a colorful world

2006-10-21T14:55:00.000-07:00

The house after two coats of stucco. The final coat and the stone work come next week. Of course, the front steps would be nice. We won't be getting the front door until November 4, but it's likely to be the last thing installed on the exterior. Just wild. They are ahead of schedule now.

The view from the foyer into the living room. The turret starts at the beginning of the right third of the photo. No trim in here yet - it has to be hand made to accomodate the curve.

The French Provincial kitchen - a work in progress. The tile has been laid, but not grouted and the walls have been painted sunflower yellow. The cobalt blue Aga range is patiently waiting in the garage for it's installation (and it's buddy, the 48" Thermador fridge). The tile for the backsplashes is sitting on the countertop on the left (you can see a box) but won't be installed for a week or so.

The breakfast nook area with a view into the guest room/playroom which has the greek blue that makes us smile. It's our corner of the sky. :-)

Speaking of the happy blue room - the windows are trimmed here. The bathroom back here will be a rich, midnight blue when it's painted. Calming and beautiful, we hope.

Neal is waving to me from the landing at the entry to the office/library. You can see the green of the dining room (of course) in it's first coat. The office is Toffee while the halls, stairs and living room are a peach beige.

The boys find the scaffolding an entertaining device. Perhaps we should permanently install some in the playroom or backyard - it could come in handy. We don't let them climb unsupervised.

The master bathroom is taking shape. You are looking at the shower floor (with an extra piece of drywall for standing upon while installing tile and painting). The green around the window is the primary wall clolor. And the cream drop cloth is protecting our wonderful (and mounted) tub.

Finally - we didn't think we'd care that much about the door style. It was easy for us to pick and now that they are installed and trimmed, we are really happy with the door style. They'll be painted a pecan/caramel brown (trim to match). The windows will be stained pecan. The only exception on the trim is in the two blue rooms - they get white trim.

Hope you enjoyed the color tour. The house itself will probably get painted this week and, in theory, the roof will be completed. Once the house is painted, we'll install the raison torte colored garage door!

Besides the painting, I found time between interviews and the boys to select granite for the master vanity. The owner of All Natural Stone handled the backsplash mural, painted tiles and travertine for the kitchen and family room. He had good sized remants of Sea Green Granite from Brazil that work great in our bathroom. We made a good deal and Deniz's fabricator - Omega Stone - is off to make the top. I ordered the copper sinks from Costco and we should have them by the end of the week - so that we can cut the granite to the right sizes. Finally, Debbie from Your Style Interiors and I finalized all the fixtures except one so that the house can be wired up. Neal and I selected and bought ceiling fans for every bedroom so that people could cool or warm the room as desired without air conditioning. Should be nice, airy and comfortable.

Stay tuned - we'll definitely move in in December and start the entertaining plans. We'll have four months before the baby and that's enough time to see everyone at least once!

Been a while

2006-10-16T23:21:00.000-07:00

Sorry my readers - as you all know, life itself has been hectic although things with the house are going great. In keeping with the craziness, I lost the charger for the digital camera (yea, eBay for having a replacement power supply I could buy reasonably) and so I don't have photos with this post. But the house is amazing at this point.

All the walls are taped, mudded and textured. I loved watching the mudders on their stilts to reach the upper walls and ceiling. They are very balanced and efficient - turns out that stilt walking is a job requirement! Next we prime them for paint and we install the crown molding and baseboards. We have selected all the colors except for the laundry room - which will probably be the same color as the kitchen and breakfast nook. We have ordered almost all the lighting with one big exception - the main chandelier - and one small one, the light/fan for the guest room/playroom. We didn't install A/C, but all the bedrooms have ceiling fans. That's so pleasant.

Also - the tile has begun to be laid. The kitchen tile is spectacular (the range arrived as well and we cannot wait to see it installed). We'll tile into the new pantry as well as throughout the kitchen. As soon as I can add photos, I will. The guest bath on the second floor is getting tiled now - we bought a lovely, antique looking white vanity which matches the marble texture of the tile. It should be a lovely room. Our bathroom is also getting tiled - starting with the shower and tub platform. Also will be a good picture, I am sure. The tile expert suggested a corner shelf in the shower for a footstand and it looks perfect.

On the outside, the roof...still isn't done. My only true subcontractor and it's a constant struggle. Delays are expected, but I want to understand the source and cause of the delay to eradicate it. The scratch coat of stucco is on most of the house (chimney and entrance excluded) and the second coat may have gone on it today. We are waiting on an estimate from the carpet people for those costs. The flooring is pending.

Oh - I also bought all new fixtures for the kids/hall bath to convert it to chrome as the brass felt out of place with the white and grey tile. The walls will be cherry red and we replaced the vanity with a more practical one (pedestal sinks belong in powder rooms, only).

Deniz believes he'll have the house ready by the end of November. We're expecting to move in December 23. It's going to be fun and we're getting so close!

Wrapping the house and drywall

2006-09-16T10:04:00.000-07:00

The last week has been when the team is shrouding the house in waterproofing, closing in the roofline, adding flashing and hopefully getting more of the roof on the house. It's pretty dramatic to see it scaffolded although the most dramatic thing I saw was that yesterday the team was drywalling inside the house and was perched across internal scaffolding as they mounted drywall on the roof of the dormer - about 30 feet in the air. Three guys to hold steady while one nails down the drywall - or up as the case may be. All the vaulting which we really like certainly will make finishing a perilous activity.

So the house is almost fully "wrapped".

It's hard to see - but this is the ceiling over the bed area of the master bedroom with our large exposed beam.

Let there be roof!

2006-09-10T20:00:00.000-07:00

At long last, the house is getting its roof. We are happy with how the colors are blending and although one of our only sub-contractor has confirmed why we are glad not to have many (and the others are personal friends), he is doing a fine job of laying out the roof.

In addition, the house is scaffolded for the scratch coat of stucco. We actually need to make some final decisions on colors - specifically outdoors. The house will be ready for the garage door and the front door within the next two weeks. Wow. And then we're talking about flooring, trim and walls. Entering the home stretch. Running guess is that it's done right after Thanksgiving. That would be amazing (and on schedule). As long as we are in before 12/26, I am a happy camper. That's the last day on our lease and the less time I throw money away, the better.

By the end of this week, the house will have stucco and be partially drywalled - really fun. We're bracing to think every room is a lot smaller!

100 decisions, made 4 per day

2006-08-30T20:14:00.000-07:00

Now that the house is framed and we're getting our inspections, we've entered the zone of making many decisions at the pace of 1-4 per day in as many phone calls or visits. Less happens that's obvious - but I am learning what things like flashing are (the metal that is at the edge of roofs, I think). Deciding how the master shower will be laid out - I learned from my friends Jessica and Aaron that having a seat with controls for the shower on the wall makes for an uncomfortable seat - so we avoided that. We selected our fireplaces for the master bedroom and the media room. It's amazing that in a home in a very mild climate, we have 3 fireplaces. But they are pretty and when we use them, effective for warmth. The one in our bedroom has a remote control - so we can turn it off from the bed. Should be nice.

I'm finalizing the lighting choices for the few sconces and chandeliers we have in the house. I also need to pick the color of the doors outside. Soon, we'll determine the color of the window trim and window interiors. Apparently, we need to select the crown molding too.

We did fix the light in the kitchen problem with a skylight through the garage into the wall near the sink. It's a little different from a design perspective, but the light in the kitchen makes it fully worth it.

So - sorry there's no photo. The roof still isn't on. Not sure who to hold responsible for that since the general contractor didn't quite have every last thing finished for the roofer, but the roofer isn't calling me back and keeping me informed. I really hope he's working diligently tomorrow and Friday since the guys are starting insulation this weekend and drywall on Monday. Wild.

Windows and roof felt

2006-08-17T19:57:00.000-07:00

As you can see, the house continues to mature. Inside, we've had heating ducts and fire-sprinklers installed. Outside, we've done more windows and the roof felt. We might even have roof tile - but I don't know yet. Next week, we wire for A/V and security, insulate and dry-wall. Exciting but there is a long way to go.

I had my first disappointment which was that the kitchen and breakfast nook have very little natural light and feel quite dark. Deniz, our builder is working on some ideas to get natural light from the garage ceiling or playroom into the breakfast nook. Hopefully tomorrow, when I visit the job site, we'll have some ideas to discuss.

It was funny - during this visit, one of the master carpenters showed me the roof vents and attic fan. He asked if the roof vents were ok. They're rounded and aluminum. I said as long as they are painted to match the roof and not highly visible, they're fine. Then he asked where I wanted the attic fan. My answer was - in the attic. I have no idea. It looked a little small to visibly cool the house, but we shall see.

Windows

2006-08-12T20:46:00.000-07:00

There are times in a remodel where you get a glimpse of the house to come. One is when the framing goes up and you can see the skeleton of the house. Another is when the windows get installed (we used Semco - . Although they arrived weeks ago, they were installed this week everywhere except the turret (save the hardest for last). We also got our roof inspection, so next week, we should have a roof laid on the house. Once the roof is on, stucco and drywall can start. Then the house will start to resemble the finished product. Of course, the details on the inside can take longer than the structure.

The windows will have shutters on both sides, so where they look a little small they are going to look larger with the shutters. The house is quieter (obviously) with the windows, but still very bright.

Stay tuned - next week you'll see the roof!

Finishing the frame

2006-07-29T09:18:00.000-07:00

Now that our architect returned from vacation, the framers and he were able to decide how to frame the roof of the turret. Once decided, the turret roof quickly was framed. Our neighbor's 6 year old says they are the only house next to a palace - because we have a two-story turret.

The cabinet maker came to measure the front door, breakfront and master vanity. He's also going to do some work in the library/office. Ultimately it's going to be a terrific escape for Neal and I, upstairs in the library. Of course, it may be years before we can afford to finish it, but that's ok. We're also thinking that we won't open up the ceiling in the kitchen so much - but then we lose natural light in the kitchen - so I think we're going to keep that ceiling open.

I also checked and the cobalt blue of the Aga Legacy 36" is a true cobalt (not very purple at all) and will look great with the flooring. We're going to order the appliances so that they arrive by October, when we'll need to install them. Everyone is telling us it's going to go very fast now that it's framed. We'll see. The roof should start to go on in a week and the windows will go in by the end of the next week - so it really starts to look like a house. Amazing.

More is coming together...

2006-07-19T21:32:00.000-07:00

Stopped by the project today...it's funny because when I showed up unexpected, the foreman was really glad I was there so we could discuss some issues. Guess it's good that I randomly show up. They're putting the sheeting on the outside of the house - and have about another week. They've framed the new wall and breakfast nook and it looks quite sizable. The closet in the former master bedroom looks sizable still - although not quite as big as it was, obviously.

One of the questions was how to do the interior of the dormers. Since there is so much volume in the house, the foreman was concerned that making the dormers volume interiors would be overkill, plus, he didn't really have enough space to insulate them properly if we did. So, I was pretty easily convinced that the dormers didn't need to be peaked on the inside. They'll look plenty pretty as is.

They've also started sheeting the turret. This part is a pain in the neck for the carpenters because they have to bend the plywood. You just have to be patient with it. They bend it around the turret and will cut out the windows when they need to.

One more week of framing, but they start electric and plumbing tomorrow. We're going to do an electrical placement walkthrough on Tuesday morning. Deniz, the General Contractor, is eager to get the finish guys started and the exterior guys started - the framing was more complicated than he thought. Oh well - the house is looking great, no?

coming together

2006-07-18T20:47:00.000-07:00

Framing is very exciting - and roof framing is like a final frontier. You can see the entire house - in skeleton form. The builders are doing a great job and really thinking through every connection to make the house beautiful and well constructed. I appreciate their care.

The sun rises to the right of the house so its hard to get great pictures - but you can see the full roof in these shots and hopefully start to envision the finished house. They expect to close it in within two weeks and start working the interior as well as exterior in parallel. That means they need to do the garage, turret and plywood in the next two weeks. Plus the electricians and plumbers are starting their work. It will be great to have new plumbing throughout (under) the house - perhaps we'll get water pressure and faster hot water. Who knows.

I also started talking wtih a color consultant about the walls because we'd like the house to reflect our personalities - bold and perhaps a little eclectic. I also think I found flooring for the kids playroom - Fiberfloor. It's highly recommended but I want to see it in person. Exciting news was that our stove - the Aga Legacy 36" - is now available in Cobalt Blue - the accent color of the whole kitchen. I think it will be gorgeous. I may have to return to cooking. Wouldn't that be wild. I wonder if it will inspire Neal to cook again too. Our boys like to cook - perhaps it will become a weekend activity for our family. Fun.

Enjoy.

Roof Rafters

2006-07-12T20:28:00.000-07:00

Roof rafters are pretty impressive - as are the guys that install them. They are walking on thin rails as they stand 2.5 stories above the ground. In any case, the ceilings on the second floor will be 10 feet high and the dining room ceiling will have 30 feet of height. Incredible. Check out the archway into the office (the room with the upper turret).

Master roof and the second story

2006-07-01T20:40:00.000-07:00

Today's visit highlights that the master bedroom has a roof frame and the second floor is really forming. The boys and I are standing at the doorway to the mastersuite. The breakfast nook is getting it's floor and the wall to the master bedroom (old one) is gone and getting rebuilt.

Enjoy the photos and Happy 4th of July.

Second floor floorboards

2006-06-29T07:28:00.000-07:00

By last Saturday, we were able to walk on our second floor. Pretty wild. You can see that the turret is taking shape and the house is starting to show what it will look like finished. Next week, rough plumbing starts and rough electrical already has. Really an amazing transformation...Look - you can see Neal and the boys standing on what will be the second floor landing from the stairs.

Tile selections

2006-06-21T21:49:00.000-07:00

No pictures today - but I did visit the site. Tomorrow we will have stairs - to nowhere since the second floor isn't framed yet. Progress is a bit slower now - lots of work getting done, but it's highly incremental. The first floor boards for the second floor were installed over Benjamin's room this week and the guys are putting in the shear walls where necessary. Oh - many windows were removed as well so the house is well air conditioned right now.

Over the weekend, Neal and I were given almost a full day by my parents so that we could shop for tile. This is necessary for the kitchen and bathrooms (3). We knew what we wanted for the master bathroom - greenish slate tiles (made of porcelain for easier maintenance) on the floor and cream on the walls. Rustic. We found what we wanted. We also found accent tiles to tie the room together.

The real discovery was walking through the tile shop and looking down and discovering the most interesting tile for the kitchen floor. It has six patterns of cobalt blue and yellow that is antiqued - very french and fits the house. We decided on subway tile for the other two bathrooms with glass trim. Clean and inexpensive.

But having found cool tile for the kitchen (and I've been asked if we are going to ambient heat that area - something I wasn't considering, but perhaps should as we love it in the master bath), we wanted to do the backsplash. We found that our first tile shop didn't have something that caught our eye. Because the kitchen doesn't have any eye level windows, I wanted to bring some light into the kitchen - with a mural behind the stove. The tile shop directed us to another that had the things we wanted - on travertine which has the rustic look we like. So we put together our mural, added some whimsical tiles of hot air balloons and set off on our way - 5 hours after starting. But at least it's done!

Pictures coming on Friday.

First framing and ordering more stuff

2006-06-14T22:28:00.000-07:00

One of the practices we're trying to do with the re-model is have a schedule of dependencies so that we know the materials arrive when the professionals are supposed to use them. An example is that it was recommended that we select and purchase our plumbing fixtures before rough in so that the plumber knows exactly what to do - how long to make pipes for the best connection. So - today we ordered fixtures. Going to order the bathtub and toilet too. Now that we are all using low-flow toilets, there's quite a bit of opinion out there about the best one - Toto Ultramax wins handsdown. So, we'll be getting that for the master bath. Amazing how strongly people (plumbers and bloggers) feel about that. :-)

Today we visited the site to see the start of framing. Our massive skylight has grown and now unveils 80% of the house. It's really quite a sensation to see the sky from virtually every room. There's something to camping, isn't there? We're just happy it's not rainy season and hoping we don't get unseasonable rain. They've started putting up what I think are called floor joists for the second floor - you can see them over the kids rooms.

So far, they're saving our precious handprints in the nursey. I don't have a lot of hope (and I do have good pictures), but just maybe they'll survive the project.

Mom and Dad Gropper came with me and walked through the open house. You can see them in the dining room staring out into the family room. We do have nice trees and blue skies. I'm thankful for both. I suspect that over the next week or two, the house will begin to take shape and that will be very exciting. Stay tuned.

Demolition

2006-06-12T22:17:00.000-07:00

Creation is coupled with destruction...in order to add onto the house, we have to demolish part of it. Because we really like the flow of the existing floorplant, we minimized changes to the first floor. We're expanding the living room and creating a foyer - hence the turret and the front entry change. The only other change is that the garage is about 4 feet lower than the house and the stairs to it were inside the house - consuming valuable space adjacent to the kitchen. By moving the stairs into the garage itself, we are able to create both a breakfast nook and a laundry room/Costco closet/spare fridge on the same level as the house and adjacent to the kitchen. Although the whole plan is great - this particular improvement in space use really makes me happy.

So - in the pictures you can see the giant skylight in our living room - it's roofless. And the ditch is the former home of the stairs. If you look in the windows you can see Neal and the boys in the bay window (say goodbye to it - the entire wall is going away).

Tomorrow- creation resumes and the framing begins on the new foundation. Ordered windows (Semco) and roofing materials (FireFree Quarry Slate) at as well as the new garage doors (roll-up carriage doors, insulated steel with paint-grade redwood outside). Need to order plumbing fixtures next as well as the front door. Perhaps tomorrow!

Forms

2006-06-12T22:10:00.000-07:00

Forms are the nice word for the trenches dug to hold the rebar and concrete that supports the entire house. We're native Northeasterners, so the whole concept of earthquakes is disproportionately scary. And the city insists on Richter 8+ quality foundation - so these are deep and fully reinforced. And that makes us very happy.

Our design called for very little expansion of the footprint of the house - only the turret, front entry and garage creep forward. Here you can see the forms for the turret and the front entry. The chimney is going to slide forward and get out of the way of the front door (thankfully - it's been in the way for years).

2 years to start the remodel

2006-06-11T23:12:00.000-07:00

Never been one to rush into things...so we started the process of considering the remodel of our Peninsula 3:2 by finding an architect and creating plans. The house started as a perfectly lovely 3 bedroom, 2 bath on a great lot (for the Peninsula). But with two boys and two careers and a family that lives mostly on the other coast, we wanted more space to work and host.

Then we fell in love with what we designed and wanted to build it. So, after two years of refining the plan, we decided to start building. Which actually means, start digging and demolishing. The end goal is a French Country Eclectic two story home that can accomodate our growing family, our extended family (when they visit) and our lifestyle for the foreseeable future. The first step was to demolish the front steps and reinforce the foundation under the existing house. Our terrific General Contractor (Golden Gate Contractors) had guys under the house chipping away at our rat proof (read: cement) foundation until the forms were dug and ready to pour - the day before we moved out.

Here are the first photos of demolition.