It's all about the timing
Construction projects require the coordination of many different tasks and contractors. That's what you hire a general contractor for. But when you discover that something you thought was covered in the contract wasn't? Then you've got to hop to it to make your own arrangements and get that scheduled in where it makes sense.
We realized / discovered that installing flooring was not part of what the contractor said he'd do. So we scrambled and found some options at Lows. But it was coming down to the end and we needed flooring in, like, yesterday, while Lows was saying it would be 2-3 weeks!
We had the installation people come out because they have to see the space before they can start talking about scheduling. They agreed to squeeze us in quick because we're only doing the office/bathroom and kitchen.
But, they would not install 2 of the 3 product options we thought we had... so we were down to one option. They, however, can't set a date until they confirm there is product available. Ginger went back and verified with Lows that they had the product in stock. We should have been set! Not so fast, butster.
Thursday we made a special trip to Lows to pay for the contract - because suddenly we had to have payment before we could discuss scheduling. So we did. The installers were to call us Friday to set the date.
We got the call - but it was from Lows saying that the product was NOT in stock and it would be a few weeks to order it in. Furthermore, they'd told the installers this so they still didn't have us scheduled. To Ginger's credit, she pitched a fit. She said they had visually verified it was in stock (turns out it was a few feet short) and that it could be done right away. She threatened to cancel the order. The person asked if she could call Ginger back. She did so - and she said they agreed to drive down and pick up the new stock on Monday. However, by this time Friday evening the installers had closed...
So it wasn't until Monday morning that we managed to get through to the installers. Fingers crossed -- they still should be able to install the floors on Wednesday. Which will allow for the kitchen appliances and bathroom fixtures to go in. We fudged and went ahead and put the cabinets in before the flooring because they were ready to go last week.
This past weekend we were to be installing kennels, but work on getting the concrete floor cleaned and sealed last week lagged such that Dave and I still put most of a day in on Saturday finishing up the cleaning - scraping and mopping wallboard mud out of the concrete. Since we aren't going to put a surface on the concrete immediately, this was a task of some importance. We got the remainder of the floor scraped and scrubbed and then sealed all but the one section where all the stuff has been piled on Saturday.
Sunday we got to the kennels - but gosh, nothing goes as smoothly as it should. We had some major panic attacks because we probably did not request structural stringers in enough places in the walls to attach the kennels to. Since all of the walls have been covered with FRP (and wallboard), it isn't really an option to open them up and retrofit.
We pushed forward and I think we've concluded that the places we don't have stringers aren't so much of a structural connection, so we may be fine with wallboard mollys.
Then we realized that the stupid noise-dampening ducts that were installed inside the air vents interfere with the gates for the kennels against the walls. On a whim we'd ordered two gates that swing in and out instead of just out. So we can monkey with the kennel placement enough to put two in-swinging gates next to those ducts, but we don't know how at least one will be affected.
Lastly there are two drain vents embedded in the far wall. Each has a clean-out dealey about a foot off of the floor. And you got it, one is SMACK behind where a kennel panel attaches to the wall. The flange of the panel is 2.5" inches wide, the diameter of the cut-out hole is about 3.5", and the hole just peaks out from either side of the flange. This panel we could not move, so we decided to screw it and hope we'd never have to access that clean out. After all of these discoveries, we managed to get about 1/3 of the kennels installed.
The inspection for our kennel license is Thursday. We assume we don't actually have to have everything in, but it would be best if it were. So, this is bound to be a week of a lot of late nights - particularly since we have quite a few social / smoozing engagements this week to contend with as well!
We realized / discovered that installing flooring was not part of what the contractor said he'd do. So we scrambled and found some options at Lows. But it was coming down to the end and we needed flooring in, like, yesterday, while Lows was saying it would be 2-3 weeks!
We had the installation people come out because they have to see the space before they can start talking about scheduling. They agreed to squeeze us in quick because we're only doing the office/bathroom and kitchen.
But, they would not install 2 of the 3 product options we thought we had... so we were down to one option. They, however, can't set a date until they confirm there is product available. Ginger went back and verified with Lows that they had the product in stock. We should have been set! Not so fast, butster.
Thursday we made a special trip to Lows to pay for the contract - because suddenly we had to have payment before we could discuss scheduling. So we did. The installers were to call us Friday to set the date.
We got the call - but it was from Lows saying that the product was NOT in stock and it would be a few weeks to order it in. Furthermore, they'd told the installers this so they still didn't have us scheduled. To Ginger's credit, she pitched a fit. She said they had visually verified it was in stock (turns out it was a few feet short) and that it could be done right away. She threatened to cancel the order. The person asked if she could call Ginger back. She did so - and she said they agreed to drive down and pick up the new stock on Monday. However, by this time Friday evening the installers had closed...
So it wasn't until Monday morning that we managed to get through to the installers. Fingers crossed -- they still should be able to install the floors on Wednesday. Which will allow for the kitchen appliances and bathroom fixtures to go in. We fudged and went ahead and put the cabinets in before the flooring because they were ready to go last week.
This past weekend we were to be installing kennels, but work on getting the concrete floor cleaned and sealed last week lagged such that Dave and I still put most of a day in on Saturday finishing up the cleaning - scraping and mopping wallboard mud out of the concrete. Since we aren't going to put a surface on the concrete immediately, this was a task of some importance. We got the remainder of the floor scraped and scrubbed and then sealed all but the one section where all the stuff has been piled on Saturday.
Sunday we got to the kennels - but gosh, nothing goes as smoothly as it should. We had some major panic attacks because we probably did not request structural stringers in enough places in the walls to attach the kennels to. Since all of the walls have been covered with FRP (and wallboard), it isn't really an option to open them up and retrofit.
We pushed forward and I think we've concluded that the places we don't have stringers aren't so much of a structural connection, so we may be fine with wallboard mollys.
Then we realized that the stupid noise-dampening ducts that were installed inside the air vents interfere with the gates for the kennels against the walls. On a whim we'd ordered two gates that swing in and out instead of just out. So we can monkey with the kennel placement enough to put two in-swinging gates next to those ducts, but we don't know how at least one will be affected.
Lastly there are two drain vents embedded in the far wall. Each has a clean-out dealey about a foot off of the floor. And you got it, one is SMACK behind where a kennel panel attaches to the wall. The flange of the panel is 2.5" inches wide, the diameter of the cut-out hole is about 3.5", and the hole just peaks out from either side of the flange. This panel we could not move, so we decided to screw it and hope we'd never have to access that clean out. After all of these discoveries, we managed to get about 1/3 of the kennels installed.
The inspection for our kennel license is Thursday. We assume we don't actually have to have everything in, but it would be best if it were. So, this is bound to be a week of a lot of late nights - particularly since we have quite a few social / smoozing engagements this week to contend with as well!
Labels: Ranch
posted by Monica at Sun Pony |
10:06 AM
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