Posts
First things first: new pics are up in the Gallery.
Lots of painting going on right now: kitchen, dining room, hall, and family room. We're also trying to finish out the kids' rooms before the influx of family next week.
My office is just about done. We just need a good framed WW2 aircraft print and to hang up Pepper's picture and medals.
Pool's set to be finished this weekend. Should be groovy!
Help!
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Our house is buried in boxes! ;)
Trucks were unloaded last week Thursday and we've been slowly unpacking them all. The kitchen appliances are all finally installed (the warming drawer and oven/microwave combo were put in today) so we can finally cook regular food!
We had a yard sale on Saturday since our neighbors were doing it too and sold off some of the excess furniture we had. We have literally two sets of just about everything since Summer's parents are with us.
The pool remodel is going to start on Friday. We're getting new flagstone coping, redoing the concrete surrounding the pool, replacing the old tile in the spa with natural stone, replastering the pool with a mix of colored mica to darken the appearance of the water, fix the lighting in the pool, and pour some concrete to create a patio near the house. The spa will have a neat little fountain feature too.
We should be getting our couch for upstairs very soon. We still need to redo some carpentry in the upstairs living area so that we can move the TV to its final spot, along with the components. Once we clear the downstairs, we will install yet one more TV and then we should be done with the entertainment areas.
More later...
Trucks were unloaded last week Thursday and we've been slowly unpacking them all. The kitchen appliances are all finally installed (the warming drawer and oven/microwave combo were put in today) so we can finally cook regular food!
We had a yard sale on Saturday since our neighbors were doing it too and sold off some of the excess furniture we had. We have literally two sets of just about everything since Summer's parents are with us.
The pool remodel is going to start on Friday. We're getting new flagstone coping, redoing the concrete surrounding the pool, replacing the old tile in the spa with natural stone, replastering the pool with a mix of colored mica to darken the appearance of the water, fix the lighting in the pool, and pour some concrete to create a patio near the house. The spa will have a neat little fountain feature too.
We should be getting our couch for upstairs very soon. We still need to redo some carpentry in the upstairs living area so that we can move the TV to its final spot, along with the components. Once we clear the downstairs, we will install yet one more TV and then we should be done with the entertainment areas.
More later...
Oops
Friday, October 26, 2007
For some reason, my previous blog entry said that our trucks were delivered 3 days ago. Not true! We had them delivered and unloaded today and now we're in a maze of boxes and half-assembled furniture. Tomorrow we begin digging through everything in earnest so that we can make this place truly home. We also need to quickly identify items that we can sell at a yard sale on Saturday. One of our neighbors is having a yard sale that day so we thought we'd piggy back on their advertisement. :)
Our attic is gonna be full of boxes and such when we're done. We're trying to stay away from renting a storage unit since they are so pricey. Hopefully the HOA doesn't get uptight about our 3 vehicles being parked in our driveway.
Pics soon!
Our attic is gonna be full of boxes and such when we're done. We're trying to stay away from renting a storage unit since they are so pricey. Hopefully the HOA doesn't get uptight about our 3 vehicles being parked in our driveway.
Pics soon!
Trucks this week
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
We're having our belongings finally delivered today and have hired a local moving company to unload. After moving a bunch of crap up and down the stairs here when we first moved in, I was done with that and will gladly pay the pros to do it for me. I'll get some pics when the trucks are here. Whee!
Pics are up!
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Finally, the pics are up. I prefer SmugMug as my photo host so go to the gallery and let me know what you think!
Oops! Forgot to update...
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
I really need to sit down and upload the pics I have. I guess I'll create a separate post for that.
The hardwood floors are 95% done. The quarter-round trim still needs to be installed and that's scheduled for Wed. The tile is being installed this week with the goal to be finalized Thursday.
My office should be finished Thursday too. There is some trim work that needs to be finished but the floors and steps are done. The office furniture is scheduled to be delivered on Friday.
We finally ordered our bedroom furniture and that's set to be delivered next week.
We have to rebuild the built-in entertainment center upstairs to accommodate a larger TV. It was built in the early nineties with the original house and was not designed to hold a TV larger than 40". A TV that size is way too small for the space it's in.
Speaking of the upstairs living space, we ordered a leather sectional that can accommodate 10 people. This is going to be the primary entertainment area of the house so it needs to have plenty or seating.
We had a problem with the kitchen: the appliances we ordered won't work. We ordered an overhead microwave but the space it was intended for just won't work without it looking totally out of place. This means that we need a downdraft cooktop so we have to return the one we ordered. We also have to return the double-oven and reorder a microwave/convection/oven combo instead. Hopefully it will all get here before the granite goes in next week.
We've patched all the obvious holes in the fence so the dogs can't get out. Backyard stuff is progressing. We had a little storm pass over yesterday that showed us the limitations of our current gutter system which need to be worked out.
We painted the laundry room a bright yellow and it really makes the red LG washer & dryer stand out. It's purdy in there! :)
Pics soon, hopefully.
The hardwood floors are 95% done. The quarter-round trim still needs to be installed and that's scheduled for Wed. The tile is being installed this week with the goal to be finalized Thursday.
My office should be finished Thursday too. There is some trim work that needs to be finished but the floors and steps are done. The office furniture is scheduled to be delivered on Friday.
We finally ordered our bedroom furniture and that's set to be delivered next week.
We have to rebuild the built-in entertainment center upstairs to accommodate a larger TV. It was built in the early nineties with the original house and was not designed to hold a TV larger than 40". A TV that size is way too small for the space it's in.
Speaking of the upstairs living space, we ordered a leather sectional that can accommodate 10 people. This is going to be the primary entertainment area of the house so it needs to have plenty or seating.
We had a problem with the kitchen: the appliances we ordered won't work. We ordered an overhead microwave but the space it was intended for just won't work without it looking totally out of place. This means that we need a downdraft cooktop so we have to return the one we ordered. We also have to return the double-oven and reorder a microwave/convection/oven combo instead. Hopefully it will all get here before the granite goes in next week.
We've patched all the obvious holes in the fence so the dogs can't get out. Backyard stuff is progressing. We had a little storm pass over yesterday that showed us the limitations of our current gutter system which need to be worked out.
We painted the laundry room a bright yellow and it really makes the red LG washer & dryer stand out. It's purdy in there! :)
Pics soon, hopefully.
Day 2
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
The wood floors are 90% finished and the tile work is to start tomorrow. The office is walled in, the doors hung, and taping/texturing has begun. They've even put in nice baseboards that match the rest of the crown-molding.
Tomorrow is when the finish work is to be done for the office with the goal to be done by Friday so that the tile guys can get their stuff done.
I'd upload some pics but I can't find the transfer cable for my camera nor can I find the silly SD card USB adapter. At least I got my gaming rig up and running.
Pics tomorrow? I think I know where the stuff is...
I hope we're not annoying the neighbors too much. This should be the last day for the loud stuff since the construction is mostly finished and it's just the smaller detail work that needs to be done. There's an HOA here so I'm sure we'll hear something from them if it continues.
We did have our first hiccup: the floor guys accidentally tossed the color-matched trim pieces as they thought it was scrap. They went dumpster-diving for it but to no avail. Needless to say, their boss was none-too-pleased about that as he has to eat the cost of expediting trip here.
My wife has been fantastic in talking with the contractors and firmly asking for what she initially requested. I'm lucky to have her. ;)
More later...
Tomorrow is when the finish work is to be done for the office with the goal to be done by Friday so that the tile guys can get their stuff done.
I'd upload some pics but I can't find the transfer cable for my camera nor can I find the silly SD card USB adapter. At least I got my gaming rig up and running.
Pics tomorrow? I think I know where the stuff is...
I hope we're not annoying the neighbors too much. This should be the last day for the loud stuff since the construction is mostly finished and it's just the smaller detail work that needs to be done. There's an HOA here so I'm sure we'll hear something from them if it continues.
We did have our first hiccup: the floor guys accidentally tossed the color-matched trim pieces as they thought it was scrap. They went dumpster-diving for it but to no avail. Needless to say, their boss was none-too-pleased about that as he has to eat the cost of expediting trip here.
My wife has been fantastic in talking with the contractors and firmly asking for what she initially requested. I'm lucky to have her. ;)
More later...
Day One
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
We moved in today. It's been a crazy, draining day and I need to sleep so I'll post a more substantial post later.
Let me know if you want my new address.
Here's a quick overview of the day:
1. Get up at 0630CT and go to the new house to unload the in-laws' stuff from the UHaul trailer they brought from Midland.
2. Get back to apt by 0800 so that Summer can leave with her mom to meet the contractors and give her mom a tour since she's never been to the house. Saij went with them.
3. While women-folk are gone, pack and load trailer and trucks. We were about 80% finished when the women (and Saij) got back. Ciara and Sky were very helpful in clearing their rooms and helping to bring stuff down to the vehicles. We're in a 2nd floor apt and it sucks going up and down those stairs.
4. After a quick lunch, drive to the house to unload. Contractors already removed about 90% of the floor by the time we got there. I'll upload some pix when I can find the camera. There's a sizable pile of green marble tile and scrap wood from the old hardwood floor next to the garage.
5. Spent at least an hour trying to find a local Uhaul location that would take our trailer before we were directed to a large UHaul facility about 5 miles away.
6. Bought a new bed and a few other essentials.
7. Went home and finished confuguring my FIOS connection.
I'll elaborate more later. Have a good night.
Let me know if you want my new address.
Here's a quick overview of the day:
1. Get up at 0630CT and go to the new house to unload the in-laws' stuff from the UHaul trailer they brought from Midland.
2. Get back to apt by 0800 so that Summer can leave with her mom to meet the contractors and give her mom a tour since she's never been to the house. Saij went with them.
3. While women-folk are gone, pack and load trailer and trucks. We were about 80% finished when the women (and Saij) got back. Ciara and Sky were very helpful in clearing their rooms and helping to bring stuff down to the vehicles. We're in a 2nd floor apt and it sucks going up and down those stairs.
4. After a quick lunch, drive to the house to unload. Contractors already removed about 90% of the floor by the time we got there. I'll upload some pix when I can find the camera. There's a sizable pile of green marble tile and scrap wood from the old hardwood floor next to the garage.
5. Spent at least an hour trying to find a local Uhaul location that would take our trailer before we were directed to a large UHaul facility about 5 miles away.
6. Bought a new bed and a few other essentials.
7. Went home and finished confuguring my FIOS connection.
I'll elaborate more later. Have a good night.
First Post!
Friday, September 28, 2007
Hi everyone! If you think I should invite anyone else to view this blog or if you forward the link to someone in the family, let me know so I can open it up. It's set so that only people I choose can see it.
First off, here is a link to the listing. It will probably disappear soon since we are closing on Friday 9/28 (yay!) so I'll post the particulars here:
Square footage - 4713
Bedrooms - 5
Bathrooms - 4 full, 2 half
Built in 1993, one owner
Other features - formal living area, formal dining area, master down, 4 br up, master has loft connected by private stairs in suite, pool, spa, waterfall feature in backyard, terraced tree-line with path, deck by pool, stairs from 2nd level to pool, upscale subdivision with houses from 350K-1mil+, 1/2 mile from Keller Pointe.
If you pay attention at all to current trends, you'll notice that this house looks a bit dated with the green marble entry, carpet throughout the living areas, and the candy stripe wallpaper in the master suite. We're planning to live here for 2-3 years while we build our dream-home nearby so all the upgrades we plan on doing need to have a really good ROI (Return On Investment) so that we can recoup the cost. My in-laws will be living with us as well until we build the dream-home that will have a separate in-laws quarters. My father-in-law is very handy so it will help keep the misc upgrade costs down. My mother-in-law has a great design eye and she will help us color everything with the help of an interior designer we hired.
Here's a laundry-list of everything we're having done in the next 3 weeks:
+ Replace green marble entry with travertine tile. We're going with large 12x12 tiles and a neutral grout to try and make the entry as seamless as possible. There is a beautiful winding staircase that will pop out with the neutral-colored travertine tile entry.
+ Remove the carpet and existing hardwood floor and replace with handscraped oak hardwood flooring. The handscraped look is very popular and will also hide the inevitable marring and damage that the kids will do to the floor in the time we live here. The darker oak will warm up the feel of the home and will match the existing kitchen cabinetry.
+ Remove the existing laminate countertops and install granite countertops. We went with a lighter base color with darker flecks and veining along with interesting gold and quartz features throughout the slab. The color is called "Juparana St. Cecilia" and it's the cheaper version of the color we really wanted. The JSC is also 2/3 cheaper than the other stuff so it makes it more palatable as well. This color also really highlights the kitchen cabinets and complements the new hardwood floors nicely. Along with the granite countertop goes in a stainless steel 60/40 split sink.
+ Install travertine tile backsplash in kitchen. This is a necessary upgrade to complement the granite countertops. The color is "vanilla cream" and is pretty close to the linked pic.
+ Install stainless steel appliances: convection double-oven, gas cooktop, dishwasher, over-the-range microwave, refrigerator w/french doors, and bar refrigerator or "refreshment center" to replace the outdated trash compactor. We went with KitchenAid for everything but the fridge (GE Profile) and refreshment center (Scotsman).
+ Install new kitchen faucet (Price-Pfister Ashfield) and Insinkerator under-counter hot water dispenser with the spigot at the sink.
+ Retile downstairs fireplace with travertine to match entry.
+ Convert downstairs formal living room into a study/home office with pocket French doors that slide into the wall instead of opening out into the entry. This gives the room more flexibility in the future in case a future buyer wants to convert the room back into a formal living area. All they'd have to do is remove the doors and they'd have an open space into the entry. We're thinking that we're going to go with darker wood office furniture and replace the Ikea Beechwood Galant stuff I have now. The decor of the office will be WW2 Aircraft themed and I plan on getting a couple of nice framed prints by Robert Taylor or similar.
That's it for now. I'll post more later on what we've got coming up as well as why we need to move into the house a bit sooner than expected. ;)
First off, here is a link to the listing. It will probably disappear soon since we are closing on Friday 9/28 (yay!) so I'll post the particulars here:
Square footage - 4713
Bedrooms - 5
Bathrooms - 4 full, 2 half
Built in 1993, one owner
Other features - formal living area, formal dining area, master down, 4 br up, master has loft connected by private stairs in suite, pool, spa, waterfall feature in backyard, terraced tree-line with path, deck by pool, stairs from 2nd level to pool, upscale subdivision with houses from 350K-1mil+, 1/2 mile from Keller Pointe.
If you pay attention at all to current trends, you'll notice that this house looks a bit dated with the green marble entry, carpet throughout the living areas, and the candy stripe wallpaper in the master suite. We're planning to live here for 2-3 years while we build our dream-home nearby so all the upgrades we plan on doing need to have a really good ROI (Return On Investment) so that we can recoup the cost. My in-laws will be living with us as well until we build the dream-home that will have a separate in-laws quarters. My father-in-law is very handy so it will help keep the misc upgrade costs down. My mother-in-law has a great design eye and she will help us color everything with the help of an interior designer we hired.
Here's a laundry-list of everything we're having done in the next 3 weeks:
+ Replace green marble entry with travertine tile. We're going with large 12x12 tiles and a neutral grout to try and make the entry as seamless as possible. There is a beautiful winding staircase that will pop out with the neutral-colored travertine tile entry.
+ Remove the carpet and existing hardwood floor and replace with handscraped oak hardwood flooring. The handscraped look is very popular and will also hide the inevitable marring and damage that the kids will do to the floor in the time we live here. The darker oak will warm up the feel of the home and will match the existing kitchen cabinetry.
+ Remove the existing laminate countertops and install granite countertops. We went with a lighter base color with darker flecks and veining along with interesting gold and quartz features throughout the slab. The color is called "Juparana St. Cecilia" and it's the cheaper version of the color we really wanted. The JSC is also 2/3 cheaper than the other stuff so it makes it more palatable as well. This color also really highlights the kitchen cabinets and complements the new hardwood floors nicely. Along with the granite countertop goes in a stainless steel 60/40 split sink.
+ Install travertine tile backsplash in kitchen. This is a necessary upgrade to complement the granite countertops. The color is "vanilla cream" and is pretty close to the linked pic.
+ Install stainless steel appliances: convection double-oven, gas cooktop, dishwasher, over-the-range microwave, refrigerator w/french doors, and bar refrigerator or "refreshment center" to replace the outdated trash compactor. We went with KitchenAid for everything but the fridge (GE Profile) and refreshment center (Scotsman).
+ Install new kitchen faucet (Price-Pfister Ashfield) and Insinkerator under-counter hot water dispenser with the spigot at the sink.
+ Retile downstairs fireplace with travertine to match entry.
+ Convert downstairs formal living room into a study/home office with pocket French doors that slide into the wall instead of opening out into the entry. This gives the room more flexibility in the future in case a future buyer wants to convert the room back into a formal living area. All they'd have to do is remove the doors and they'd have an open space into the entry. We're thinking that we're going to go with darker wood office furniture and replace the Ikea Beechwood Galant stuff I have now. The decor of the office will be WW2 Aircraft themed and I plan on getting a couple of nice framed prints by Robert Taylor or similar.
That's it for now. I'll post more later on what we've got coming up as well as why we need to move into the house a bit sooner than expected. ;)
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