The Mood Has Changed

The last time we had a home improvement project done was about a year ago when we had new windows installed. When the project started we were so excited. After a few days without the project being completed our mood changed and the whole thing just became super frustrating. We wanted it to be over so that we could have our house back again.

We expected the kitchen remodel project we’re currently involved with to take ages. The contractor told us he would have everything installed by the end of the second day. Then we needed walls patched and tile work done, plumbing work, and touch up and paint work.

The tile guy got here yesterday around 8:00am. He left a little before 10:00pm. It was around 8:30pm or so when the mood for this project changed again. We just crossed some invisible line between excitement and frustration. It’s is totally unfair to the contractors because we are still in their estimated window of how long it would take to finish everything. It doesn’t matter. It’s all just stress now, no more excitement.

The tile guy is coming back today. The plumber is coming too. It’s 9:26am and we haven’t heard from either of them yet, but we aren’t expecting to until after 10:00. IKEA was just here picking up some of the things we need to return to them. There is a mountain more stuff that needs to be returned. We aren’t sure if we can get them to come back or not. I expect we’ll be driving down there one of these days soon. We also need to book a junk pick up because there’s a lot of stuff that needs to be removed still. We also need to clean off all of the dust that is covering everything before we use anything in our new kitchen.

I’m stressing out. We’re stressing out. It’s starting to be difficult.

I went to Home Depot this morning to pick up some stuff for the tile guy. Pics from the drive home… because.

City Hall
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The clock… of course

Installation: Complete

They are finished installing our new IKEA kitchen. I am thrilled and amazed. I love it!

The walls will be patched and tiled tomorrow and the plumber will finish the sink and dishwasher installation on Monday.

Wow!

Kitchen: Lunch Break

I snuck out to the kitchen while the crew was on their lunch break. The progress is surprising to say the least.

The plumber is here, though we weren’t expecting him until next week. Something was leaking so he had to come early. There is also an issue with a pipe sticking out of a wall that needs to be moved into the wall so whatever needs to go in front of it will fit. There is a hole in the ceiling that we’re not sure what will happen to. We had a visit from the tile guy. He’s coming back on Sunday to do the back splash and (I think) touch up some paint.

I am really surprised at how fast this is progressing. It’s amazing.

Photo a Day

The progress being made in the kitchen is stunning. The demo is done and they are installing cabinets. It feels like they might be as much as half a day ahead of schedule. We’re already starting to talk about things that weren’t supposed to happen this weekend. Tiling and painting, specifically. The tile guy is coming on Sunday. It’s absolutely nuts!

Anyway, here’s today’s photo a day pic. I took it before the kitchen guys got here this morning because I didn’t know if I would get a chance for anything once the crazy arrived.

183/365 - March 1st
183/365

Demolition: Underway

The contractors are here. The demolition of our kitchen is underway. They got here a few minutes before 8:00am, spent a few minutes going over the details, and here we are at 9:19am and most of the kitchen is already gone.

On top of that, half of the cabinet boxes are already put together. They are blowing through this at world record speed. It’s amazing. Maybe they will be finished by tomorrow night like they predicted.

Maybe they know what they are doing and I should stop worrying about it and just let them do their very impressive thing.

Kitchen Demolition Starts Tomorrow

Our kitchen cabinets are going to get nuked into oblivion starting tomorrow morning. The plan is for the new installation to start on Saturday. They told us it would only take a day. I will believe it when I see it, but I am also really hoping that prediction is accurate.

I still have a few things to move out of the kitchen before they come tomorrow but I figured I’d take some pictures for posterity’s sake.

The appliances (except for the microwave) are staying, though one is moving to a new location, but the cabinets and the counter tops and the shelves are all coming down and being replaced. While I am at this, let me also post pictures of the piles of boxes that IKEA delivered to us over the last few days. Again, just for posterity’s sake, but also sort of just for shits and giggles.

I’ll post a follow up to this after they leave tomorrow so we can see the changes.

I am both ready for this project to get started and ready for it to be over. Please let it end quickly. I want my kitchen back.

Upcoming Stuff

The IKEA kitchen deliveries are happening on Monday and Tuesday. A few boxes on Monday and almost 200 on Tuesday. The plumber is coming to disconnect everything on Monday. Demolition of the current kitchen is Friday and installation of the new kitchen is Saturday. They are telling us they only need one day to install but that seems crazy to me. The plumbing hookups, electrical work, and the addition of the backsplash all happen at some point after the install. When? We don’t know yet.

Both of my step kids are going on trips over spring break. They are coming home the week after the kitchen install. I have to take a day off to drive them both to the airport. We have Harry’s flight information already but not Bellana’s. Not yet at least. The following week we’ll pick them back up at the airport but as of now it doesn’t look like I’ll need to take time off from work for that.

I also have five days to finish the RPM Challenge. I have three songs finished, six ready to mix, six ready for lead guitars, and five waiting for vocals. Two of those five have lyrics and a melody written. I did those earlier today. I am hoping to get to the other three before I sleep tonight so I can get them all recorded tomorrow morning. If I can’t get through it all tomorrow I’ll have to finish up before work on Monday. Then I just have a ton of lead guitars to record and multiple tons of mixing to do. I can get to it all, but it’s going to be tough. I have some late nights and early mornings in my near future.

There are so many things to do in the coming weeks. So very, very many things. It’s going to be pretty crazy around these parts. I’ll post lots of pictures as things progress.