Jen here again. When we remodeled our old house, I participated in just about every way. Sure, Jim still did much of the work simply because he has physical strength, but I still carried tile, hauled in hardwood flooring planks, etc. Jim would mix the thinset and put the hardibacker down, but then I'd follow right behind screwing a million screws into each sheet. When he grouted, I would sponge right after. I was out there helping wash buckets, get equipment, prep, clean up. I was THERE. I helped. That house was a mix of both of our blood, sweat, and tears- literally all three. We didn't have children at that point.
With this house, I'm stuck at home with the kids. I adore my children, but it's a very frustrating and a completely helpless feeling. I'm used to being a helpmate. Jim and I, we're a team. We do things together. The projects we work on are a combination of the two of us. My heart is poured into these projects, and through some mishap, I generally leave a piece of me in each project. (smile)
I just feel so disconnected. Jim calls several times a day to consult with me, so I am definitely connected in that way, and we make decisions together, but I feel disconnected from the soul of this project. I have suggested more than once that I throw Gav on my back in the Ergo, and bring over the portable DVD player for Gigi so that I can help, but that's just not practical. By the time we load up the truck, unload it, deal with whiny kids who really don't want to be stuck on my back or in front of a TV, me and my kiddos generate a lot of lost time and lost effort. So here I sit. In a playroom surrounded by toys, waiting for the phone to ring, hoping it's Jim so that I can momentarily feel a part of the process, even if I can't be there and be a helpmate.
Helpless
Week 16, Day 109 - Tile and Stairs!
So this week has been all about tile floors, wood floors, trim, and painting. The cabinet folks have the countertop on the way, Larry the carpet guy was out to measure and the carpet is ordered, Ryan the painter is working on the painting, and Scott the painter/trimmer did the upstairs trim and is now laboring away on the stairs. I just marvel at the work that Wallman Homes' Contractors do! They are all such nice people and so helpful and do such great work!
Tim and I have been working on the tile floors, for which Tim gets most of the credit as he works much faster than I do. I ended up cutting most of the tile to fit, while Tim was putting it all down.
Also, it's worth noting at this point in the process that we are still on schedule for a move in date of 2/13 - that's 125 days after the bulldozer first started on the driveway! Who gets a house done in 4 months?!? Wallman Homes, that's who! And the quality of work has just been amazing.
Getting the sawhorses set up in the living room to cut plywood
Tile in the mud room ready to grout tomorrow!
Tile in the family bath - finished!
Tile in the master bath ready to grout tomorrow!
Master bedroom trim
The stairway...coming together!
All the pieces and parts that make up the stairwell.
Scott is doing a masterful job!
Scott hard at work on a post
Week 15, Day 103 - Gutters
Today work continued on the trim, painting, and cabinetry, while outside the house seamless gutters were installed!
Cabinetry installed!
He rolled the seamless gutters right off a roll of steel in the back of the truck!
Loving the doors!
More Trim...
Week 15, Day 102 - Doors! Tile! and Cabinetry! Oh My!
Today was a big day at the house! Tim laid down some of the tile in the family bath, the painters/trimmers installed a couple doors and trimmed out Gigi's room, I laid out the tile in the master bath, and the cabinets were delivered and the installers got a good start on getting them all installed! Whew! Lots going on, so let's get to the pics!
Unpacking the cabinets
The plywood for the floor
Passing the doors up to the upper floor
Getting the first cabinets ready
Bathroom Vanities
Doors ready to be installed...
Hanging the first cabinet!
Progress!
I *love* the contrast of the straight lines of the cabinets and the round arches...
Trim!
Installing the trim on the windows
Painting!
Family Bathroom tile...
Looking more like a kitchen!
We have an island!
Week 15, Day 100 - Color!
So today we started to see some color appear in the upstairs rooms. Tim did most of the work on getting the cement board down, and I helped when I could between runs to the store for coffee and supplies. The tile is all moved into the house, and Tim got a start on the plywood.
Keith (framer) showed up today to do a bit of tweaking on the stair framing, and one of the electricians stopped by to just check how everything is going. Mike did a little re-working on the stairs to free up a bit more space for ductwork in the basement. Here's a few pics of the current state of the house:
Having it painted makes it look soo much more like something we can move into! :-)
Primer, tinted to match the final paint color. Nice!
One of the painters, working his magic...
Tim putting down plywood...
The cement board in the mud room
Since it's Day 100, I thought I'd step back in time a bit to show how fast things have progressed and what a great job Wallman Homes has done for us!
10 Days ago, the drywallers were putting the mud on the drywall seams...
20 Days ago, the drywallers were finished installing the drywall upstairs and were just starting on the downstairs.
30 Days ago, the house had just become fully enclosed, and the electricians were pulling their wires...
40 Days ago, Keith and his crew were just putting the entryway on the house...
50 Days ago, Keith and his crew were just starting on the second floor sheathing, having just completed setting all of the joists...
60 Days ago, Keith and the crew were getting the walls of the main level of the house up.
70 Days ago, the main beams in the basement were being set in place...
80 Days ago, the footers had just been poured...
90 Days ago, the driveway was getting is covering of gravel...
(remember we had a number of days of delay due to road resurfacing out front)
100 Days ago, the driveway was just getting started...
Happy Day 100!
Week 15, Day 99 - Paint and Cement Board
The drywall guys are basically done, and the painters/trim people were here today. They primed most of the upstairs, some of the main level, and put in the first flight of steps going to the basement.
Tim and I worked on the tile for the bathrooms and the mud room. Actually, not the tile yet, but just getting the cement board tinsetted down. I've actually beenworking on it for two days, but real progress wasn't made til Tim arrived to help today. :-). We now have the cement board put down in the master bath, part of the family bath, and all of the cement board has been cut and put in place in the mud room. This was thanks to Mike and Tim both working on the mud room.
While all of this was going on, Mike's tile guys put the tile surround on our tub. It is looking fabulous!
With the prime in the walls, it's just that much closer to being done!
Onto the pics!
