Our realtors say this is about the point when most people are done. Not actually done because there is still a lot to do; but mentally ready to be done with the thing already.
We’re certainly not lingering on any decisions right now. A critical criteria for any choice these days is “how long will that take?” If it’s not fast it’s simply not an option. We continue to hustle to be ready to move upstairs to our suite, to have the rental suite (where we are currently living) ready for our Jan 1 tenant, and to have Suite 3 ready for listing early in 2020.
Living on a construction site has been, let’s say, unique? My forest green fleece housecoat complete with snowflakes and reindeer was never really intended for public eyes, but so it goes. (It’s definitely too comfortable to not wear). I look forward to not having to sweep the dirt and sand from our suite several times a day. I look forward to not having piles of tools and nails mixed in with dishes that don’t have a home. I look forward to not having to go out one door, along a muddy path, and in another door to then extract my bike from some sawdust covered corner in order to go to work.
We’ve only unpacked the bare essentials and scattered the rest of our worldly possessions among the three suites as out of the way as possible. I did my best to place boxes of things we might need in accessible locations and memorize where I’d placed them. Box with bakewear – suite 1 near the entrance. Box with extra coats and hats – tall one in suite 3. Recipe books – I forget what I told myself about that one because I can’t find it.
I’ve given up on finding that pyrex casserole dish for the time being, and I bought a new issue of Cooks Illustrated with the recipe I needed.
Meanwhile, Matt has been working seven days a week on-site, carving out windows of space and time to work on kitchen cabinets in between jumping in to help Interactive with a long list of finishing tasks: doors, trim and baseboards to be installed and painted in our suite and Suite 2; kitchen backsplash tile installed; CO2 heat pump system installed and commissioned; ventilation system install completed and commissioned.
And that’s just inside. Outside, the concrete guys have been here on evenings and weekends working on three sets of exterior concrete entry stairs, and Abbey Road has made the most of a brief window of availability to make headway on our hard landscaping. On the house’s vertical surfaces, the cedar accents and flashings are now mostly installed, and all that remains is to install the siding and stucco.
If all goes according to plan, we will be in our suite the day before Christmas. Yes, of course, minus some finishes like cabinet doors and drawers, a couple of bathroom vanities and closets, but functional enough.
As a side project to our side project, I did a Pecha Kucha presentation a few weeks ago as a two-year update to the one I did just before our rezoning public hearing, the preparation for which consumed my evenings for a week. Despite the extra work, it was a great opportunity to reflect on what I’ve learned through our project and to share it with others. In a way, sharing is what makes it all worthwhile, and I never regret making time to look outwards and connect with our friends and community.
On that note, enjoy the latest photo installment and thank you for reading. Happy Holidays!
Starting outside:
Moving inside:
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