Ok, so we broke ground over a month ago. This project is supposedly going to take just four months, soup to nuts. We were off with a bang - tree came down in a day and then excavation was done and the foundation framed before the next week passed.
Then, no one came for a few days.
Then, inspections began. Inspecting the size/shape/placement. Inspecting materials usage. Inspecting inspectors... and that set the tone for these past weeks. Someone was here until like 8pm on a Saturday finishing the foundation frame which made us feel like the project was kicking into high gear when in fact we paused for another FOUR days for more inspections. An inspector comes, then we wait for his report. Then there's a follow-up inspection... then someone inspects that. Then someone inspects whether that has been inspected. Then someone comes and hammers in one nail. Then nine inspectors come and contemplate whether we can move forward for another few days.
Ok, maybe I'm embellishing a teensy bit... but here we are nearly five weeks in and it's a bit anti-climactic.
You can imagine how excited I got just now as the lumber guy arrived to deliver all the framing materials. Frames will go up on the addition in the week ahead! Then it will start to look like house. Still no work has happened in the existing house - which is actually nice. I'm being laid off at work after 11 years, so things are a bit stressful at the moment. In addition to my job (which doesn't end until 5/6), I'm job hunting, interviewing, networking... exploring the possibilities. I don't think I could handle having my office in shambles this week. I'm close to what I hope will result in an offer from my top pick company and heading up to interview with my #2 pick Monday. Anyway, more on this later... BUT we're taking the twins to Disneyland the week of 5/6 and I think the builder plans to demolish our kitchen while we're away. I hope the house sitter likes takeout!
Oh! Also, we picked floors. That has been a huge hold-up on my end. We have cork in the house now which is amazing for many reasons. It's durable, looks nice, damage is invisible, dirt is invisible... great for the twins. On the downside, it's badly sun-bleached everywhere there's a window.
So I was on a flight this week coming back from a job interview in the bay area and sat next to a veteran flooring saleswoman. I told her we'd been vacillating on the idea of hardwoods but were deterred by the cost... and that I'd found an engineered hardwood that was less expensive but didn't know if it would last. She happened to know a lot about that brand and said it will outlast our other options by "years". So, the front center sample below is what we'll use in all rooms but the bathrooms.
I love how the colors vary so it will camouflage dings and scratches. So pretty! So, now that I had to rush to make that choice... we wait a couple of months or more to actually install it.
For an action oriented type-A like myself, this whole process is a massive lesson in patience. Deeeeeeeeep breaths.
xo,
Jenn
