Remodeling Woes

[Darren Henry]

So how far did they get today? Did they manage to get it boarded and taped today---or were they a no show after they "went for lunch"?

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Actually, they didn't take lunch break.  They finished framing the three sides that will be rocked.  Foundation side, Ray and I talked over and I think it will look cool with textured finish painted.  Ray agreed that will be a nice touch.   Finished framing the changing room and the tub area.  Got one wall completely rocked.  These aren't easy walls because they aren't just slam up and nail in.  We have furnace pipes, etc that have to be cut around so it was kind of a pain in the wazoo for them.  Also, Ray and I probably talked for 30-45 minutes.  I wanted to make sure that he hadn't forgotten a couple of things, like needed a sconce light in the changing room, the platform for my alterations customers to stand on so that I'm not sitting on the floor any more, where the vinyl rolls are going to be hung, etc.

He left at 4 to watch one of his kid's intramural basketball game and assured me of being here bright and early in the morning.  I won't be surprised either way.  It was exciting to see the room actually take shape, as much as it has.

Too funny that he actually showed up after my last email though.  It was very nice, no disparaging remarks at all.  I'm sure though that he could tell I was tired of the bs and that it stops and stops now.  I had talked to George earlier as the hs his kids go to has boy's basketball game in town Saturday night.  Two of his kids are stars on the team and if he hadn't shown up to work or contacted me in a satisfactory way, George and I were going to go have a "come to Jesus" moment with him.  Dang, I'm almost disappointed that didn't happen.

Seriously, I am really excited about it now.  It's one thing to diagram the room out but when you see the shape start to take shape, it just takes my excitement to a whole new level.

Virginia

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Shocking today ; ) 

Ray and his helper pulled up a little after 8:30 and didn't break for lunch until a little after 12.  Ray did make a point of yelling in from the foyer that they were leaving and would be back after lunch.  Took a reasonable lunch break and worked until just before 4. 

That worked perfectly for me as I had a high school girl due at 4 for her fitting.  Didn't want her upstairs as hubby and George were in the living room yaking and they both might have suffered massive heart attacks if they had seen this young lady in her dress.  I am still trying to figure out how she will be able to dance in it without showing her behind.  Her mother was here for the first fitting so she knows just how much flesh daughter is baring so not my problem.

Back to the remodel.  It was an up/down kind of day.  Very up as Ray showed up, worked hard and got a lot of dry wall up.  Removed the old closet facade in Sew & Sew and got the drywall up on both sides.  That was an adventure as the guy who drywalled S&S was lazy and put a sheet on top of existing drywall.  Don't ask me why so they had to do an extra step so that there would be a smooth transition.  It looks great! 

I am having my fold out ironing board moved from the old laundry room to the new digs.  Ray removed the cupboard a couple of weeks ago and there is a hole in the wall there too.  I had some stuff stored under there as I ran out of boxes.  But Bob ordered a bunch of coffee for our Kuerig so I'm flush with boxes again.  I got everything cleared out of the existing laundry room, floor swept, etc so Ray could go to work in there.

Where the cabinet was, I'm having Ray build a closet for me to hang my alteration garments in.  He framed that out this afternoon, except that we have to move one of the ceiling lights which requires a new piece of ceiling (suspended) so he'll have to buy a sheet.  I looked where they stash extras after projects and didn't have any.  At any rate, I was thrilled to see work starting in the existing laundry room as that is basically going to be storage.  The closet, plus Ray found a cool set-up for my rolls of vinyl to be stored on.  I'm not sure how many rolls can be stored at once but it's going to be great!!!  That will go where the utility sink is now and where the washser and dryer are currently located will be a bunch of shelving units.  No excuse for mess or clutter once this is done and I get everything put back in order (right now I've got stuff jammed in every nook and cranny I could find.

The bad news was that the dumb @ss plumber did not rough in for the washer and didn't do something that Ray needs for the corner tub so he didn't completely dry wall today.  He said he would work tomorrow and plans on having the plumber in as well.  When I raised by eyebrows at that, he said it wouldn't be a problem as the plumber wants to be paid.  I laughed and sang my favorite Springsteen lyric from Darlington County:  "County man said if he don't work, he don't get paid."  So that was the down part of the day.

At any rate, this is the Ray I knew from Royal Indian Cuisine job.  If the plumber actually shows up, shouldn't take him but an hour I would hope to rough those two things in and Ray has all the drywall in the new room and is ready to slam that stuff up and then start the mud and tape process.  He would like to be able to sand and prime on Monday and work on the tile on Tuesday.

Tomorrow he said he will work on the doors and bench for the changing room area.  This place is truly going to kick @zz!  I am totally fired up over it.  I take my customers down to look at it, even if I have them change upstairs.  Am I a nut or what?

Virginia

[gene]

Am I a nut or what?

If you are not a nut, what else could you be? I've found that there is a lot of freedom in being a nut. I can talk to myself without worrying about what others might think. I can laugh at my jokes even when others do not. I can appreciate whatever I appreciate without concern for social norms. I can affix my stare about 2 feet behind the store clerk's face and let a bit of drool drip down from the corner of my mouth and they always give me the discount. Sanity if for those who lack imagination.

I was once hanging pictures inside a mansion in the very rich part of our town. This was additional work to some upholstery I did. These pictures looked like they were stolen from a museum. I'm hanging a 20 foot high mirror and I notice water dripping from the ceiling. I told the homeowner and she said she had a plumber working on one of the bathrooms upstairs earlier that day. I wonder if that was the same plumber you are using, Virginia?  ;D

gene

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Gene sounds more than likely that it is.

I've been taking pictures every day of the progress.  It's also nice as it gives me a timeline of what days Ray has been here working and what days he hasn't as well as what was done each day.  I have more on my camera that show the new look better (most of it is framed) but I need to download.  Thought I would share a few of the early on.

First three are all before (I opted not to take any before it was emptied as it was stuffed with our stuff and everyone we knew was storing stuff in there as well.







This is the wall that is shared with Sew & Sew.  The door is to my right and the opening to the left was my old closet.  Washer & Dryer will go there since the plumbing stack is there.



Framing has begun:



Last, but certainly not least, the changing area:



I'll get some more uploaded, maybe later this weekend or the first of the week.  It's really cool to chart the progress!

Virginia

[Darren Henry]

LMAO---When Dad ( the electrician) moved the little house to Gladstone Man. in '71  and added on he just put pull chain lamp holders in the basement "temporarily" . . When they moved to Saskatchewan in '82 only his office, Sheila's room and the rec. room had switched fixtures.Took him the better part of the afternoon to get that ready to sell the house. He built a beautiful house in Saskatchewan. Four bedroom, three bath bungalow for he and Mom ( and us kids and grand kids when we showed up) but the down stairs "bath" looked a lot like that for several years right between the finished rec. room the finished 4th bedroom and the closet for the hot water tank and softener .

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

If ours looks this way for "several years", I"m in hot water for sure.  So let's see, the "new" Ray didn't show up Saturday as he said he would.  I had told Bob Friday afternoon that I wouldn't be a bit surprised if Ray would not show up Saturday. 

I emailed him Sunday evening asking him what his schedule was for Monday and if he had gotten hold of the plumber.  Got an email from him Monday that he would be over shortly.  He was here around 10, in fact, I was just thinking that he wasn't going to show up when he knocked on the side door. 

Finished framing the closet (think he tore down what he had done Friday as he didn't like it) which was an absolute bear because the guy that framed our existing laundry room didn't bother to make sure that everything was plumb.  Anyway, got the closest dry walled and also cut the hole in the new room for my fold away ironing board to go.  We also chatted about the bench in the changing room.  We were both thinking that a triangle in one of the corners would be cool but it's a small enough area that we were both concerned about having a bench comfortable enough for my plus size ladies to sit on to change.  So it will be on the wall opposite the swinging doors (think old Westerns and the saloon doors).  Ray left early (2:30 ish) to "work at home".  Said that he has a different saw that he is using to cut out the doors and was going to work on them some more as well as cutting out the wood for the bench.  He's supposed to be bringing me the top as I am going to upholster it.  Have some fabulous fabric and think I have enough for the bench and the teeny-tiny window (non functional) in the room.

Oh, also told me that he was having trouble getting hold of his wonderful plumber but that he thought he had found another plumber that would finish up.  Man, I kick myself every day for wanting to save money and not hiring the ones that we knew.  I told him that if the other guy wanted to come last evening, no problem we are more than willing for him to do it that way.  Got an email from him last night that he heard from the plumber and he would be here today.  I emailed him back to see if it was the first guy or second guy but he didn't answer back.  I think that tells me that it's the first time.  We'll find out today.  Problem is that Ray's done just about everything he can until the plumber finishes up the rough in, which he told me when he left that Saturday that he had finished and that Ray was "good to go".  Jack wagon.  There are like 4 or 5 pieces of dry wall left to hang which can't be hung until rough in is completed and then it's ready for mud and tape.  Things will go really quick once mud and tape is done.  Paint, lay tile and then it's time for fixtures to be put in place which of course means the darn plumber again.  Then move the washer/dryer over there and Ray tears out the utility sink and repurposes the old laundry room into an excellent store room.  Then nirvana for Virginia and a most excellent space for my customers to change into.

Virginia

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Happy days are here again!  Plumber showed up (original one - grrr) and got all the rough in finished finally.  Ray is following right behind them getting that last wall completely dry walled.  Tomorrow the guy who muds/tapes should be in getting that done.  Ray will paint/tile, move washer and dryer and then we can get the tub/toilet/sink installed.  Plumber will have to do that and will take out the old plumbing in the laundry room at that time so that Ray can "repurpose" that room.  I'm beginning to feel like we are going to survive this project after all.

Ray and I had a long talk this morning.  He asked me if I would be interested in doing his books as his words are that he is terrible about book work.  I told him that I would if he's serious but that the biggest thing he can do for his business is to lose this plumber.  So we shall see.  I was surprised to find out that he didn't know what an AIA is.  It's just a standard form used in contracting business that the sub or general submits each month to get paid.  You have categories on there (plumbing, electrical, supplies, labor, alarms, etc) as well as corresponding dollar values for each category.  Those values add up to your bid.  Each time an AIA is submitted and you are paid for it, you receive 85% or 90%, depends on the contract.  After the job has been accepted by the owner and the contractor is paid by the owner then all of the 10 or 15% retainage is paid to the sub.  I told Ray that especially with this plumber, it is vital that he use the AIA form.  Interesting chat but we'll see where it all goes.

I'm over the moon that the stupid plumber finally finished the rough-in.  Cannot wait to get this job finished.  Oh, also got my wood slab for the changing room that I will put foam on it and then upholster it.  So I can start cutting foam and fabric this evening.  Yippee!

Virginia

[Mike]

Virginia  im not here a lot but I have been checking in on you thread good to see things progressing,   what is the upholstered board in the changing room for?

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Mike:

That is the bench that people sit on while changing clothes.  It's been so long since I was in a real changing room that I have no clue if those are hard or soft benches but I wanted mine to be soft.  And I have a fabulous piece of fabric that I've been dying to use for something.  Matches my paint and tile wonderfully.  I did get fabric cut for that last night and found a 3" foam remnant that I'll use.  Also determined that I don't have enough of that fabric (long since discontinued) for the windows but I have a solid that coordinates well enough.  I have enough excess of the print that I can add a ruffle and that should tie everything together.

Virginia

[Darren Henry]

but I have a solid that coordinates well enough.  I have enough excess of the print that I can add a ruffle and that should tie everything together.

See now that's the difference between men and women. If I were building a shop it would be like ---"windows ? Good idea. but if I put a grease pit in the boat bay I could work on my vehicles on the weekend and stick the compressor in there under the removable boards to keep it quiet......."LOL

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Well the window is already there and the current curtain is the most hideous shade of peachy/pink I've ever seen.  Once Ray took them down, they revealed the nastiest looking little basement, non egress window I've ever seen.  So, I have no choice but to get it covered up as quickly as I can.

As far as today's accomplishments, that can be summed up in one word:  Nadda, zilch, nothing, the big goose egg, zippo.  Do I make myself clear? 

The jerk didn't show up, no phone call, no email, etc, etc, etc.

So, I'll send a friendly little email in a bit and enquire about tomorrow's schedule.  We're basically ready for the guy that does the mud/tape bit.  Possible that he was tied up but would have been nice for Ray to have communicated that to me. 

Anyway, so it goes.  I got a lot of work done on prom dresses (winter ball is Feb. 6th and have been swamped with young ladies all a twitter about their big dance.  Cannot believe how incredibly short the dresses are this year.  Not sure how they will be able to move on the dance floor without exposing themselves.  LOL I do sound like an old fuddy duddy don't I?

We'll see what tomorrow brings at any rate.

Virginia

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Happy Days!  Ray and his helper showed up bright and early.  I was just heading down the stairs when Joe started going off.  I looked out the side door and there was Ray's smiling race peering in at me.   As I suspected, he spent yesterday working on his other job because "That lady was really riding my @ss!"  I did a slow burn on that one but didn't say anything.

Anyway, he got the rest of the dry wall hung and most of it mud and taped.  Two inside corners he wanted his helper to mud and tape and he had gone to the other job.  Ray said he would be here tomorrow to finish the mud and tape business.  They will be in and out doing that.  He also said that he would be here Sat to sand and paint.  I will believe that when I see it, but as he said it's about a 2 hour job tops.

If I could keep him here working solid all next week and we get the frickin' plumber when we need him, the job could be completely finished by the end of the week.  Myself, I expect it to drag on into the week after that.

Ray also fixed the leak in the shower that his plumber created.

All in all, not a bad day.  I did tell one of my customers that he is absolutely the slowest dry wall hanger I've ever seen but so it goes.  At least he got it finished.

Virginia

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Happy Days are here again!

Mud and tape is done, except for the inside of the closet.  Contractor says that he will be here in the morning to sand and then paint.
He will start cutting tile on Monday.  I should be in the new room by the end of the week.  He will still have some stuff to do in the old laundry room but it is mostly cosmetic and then to install some shelving units in there.  Cannot wait to get in there.

I did get a favor from Ray for "being so good to him" (translation is that I haven't been a total witch about all the delays".  I have a pair of dining room chairs that I recovered for a lady.  Piece of crap stuff actually.  Original fabric was literally paper thin.  New fabric was much better quality.  Anyway, I was having a devil of a time trying to get the hardware back in place.  Ray helped finish putting the screws back in.  Actually bored out the holes a little as there was no way the thicker fabric would let us reuse the original holes.  Fun was getting the arm rests back in place.  It was a bear screwing back in, with the screw covered by fabric and inset in the stuffing.  Yes, I had a pin marking the spot but finding where the screw went was not fun.  Three were not too bad but the last side, holy crap, we both thought it was never going to screw in correctly.  Finally success and I can get these returned back to their owner who was less than understanding about this issue.  Ah well, can't satisfy all of them all of the time.

Hope all have a good weekend.

Virginia

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Quick update.

Doo-fus, I mean contractor was supposed to be here at 8:30 to sand and then paint the new multi-purpose room.  As usual, when Ray doesn't show up, there is no call, no email, simply no show.  That was the case again today.  Incredibly irritating as we are soooo close to the finish line and I'm soooo excited to have it done and relocate what is going into the new room.

I'll try to get this week's pictures uploaded tomorrow or Monday so that y'all can see what it looks like now.

Virginia