Kari and I had intended on documenting the process of getting our new house ready to move in to, but it turns out that the process hasn't left us much time for anything else. I'll try to update more and include more fun details as I remember them, if I do, but for now, here is a recap of what's happened so far (we'll post "before" pictures soon):
Day 1 (Monday 10/5/09)We finally got the keys after closing late and the purchase not getting recorded until after the weekend. We moved cleaning supplies, paint, tools, etc. over that night. This would be the easiest night by far.
Day 2 (Tuesday 10/6/09)We went over after work and began demo on the three closets that would soon become one new master closet. Steve and Erin assisted with Erin hammering away on drywall and Steve using his FPPP slow-pitch softball bat. That drywall would've cleared the fence I think.
We also started ripping out some carpet and, of course, drinking some* beer. Mark Jensen (later to become known as the Godfather of home repair) laid out the plan for the closet.
* A lot!
Day 3 (Wednesday 10/7/09)Kari and I both took the day off of work and went to town on the place. I finished demo-ing the closet while Kari worked on getting the walls ready for paint, removing baseboard and carpet tack (which we later found out we didn't need to do). More carpet removal and misc. cleaning.
We went and bought the rest of the appliances for the kitchen. Yay new appliances, boo lighter check book.
Jesse from work came over to fill me in on our landscaping and what we need to do to make things survive, etc.
Day 4 (Thursday 10/8/09)I took another day off and laid some vinyl sticky tiles down in laundry room/tool shed, ripped up more carpet and tack. I also get a new control box for the drip system so that we can stop turning the water to house on and off to use the bathroom without flooding the yard. Water conservation FTW!
Mark "the Godfather" Jensen started working on the new closet while I was at practice and by the time I got home had it almost entirely framed out. We finished up framing then went to get the drywall. Mark told Kari and I about the time he nailed three fingers together, ripped the nail out with his teeth and kept working. ... I coach diving. :-(
We hung the drywall and Mark made fun of my girly-hammer swinging. He should us awesome drywall cutting techniques that I still can't do. Fail.
Day 5 (Friday 10/9/09)More work on the closet. This project is way bigger than it was in my head. ... I coach diving.
The house looks like way more of a disaster area than I could've imagined.
Kari took the day off to prime and get more things ready for the weekend. She also got the cubby for the refrigerator painted so that could slide in when delivered Saturday.
Day 6 (Saturday 10/10/09)Kari rounds up the troops for a day of painting and home repair while I was off coaching a diving meet in Scottsdale. I return to new paint and new appliances, only one of which was in its place.
The Carnival of Follies begins with the Frig not fitting in the cubby by an 1/4 inch (or less) as we discover the wall is not plum. We have to rip out the drywall on each side and replace with new 1/4 inch drywall to make room. When we go to get new drywall I walk face-first into a 2x4 hanging out of the truck and nearly take my eye out. Oh the fun.
We stock up on baseboard too while we have the truck.
Mark texturizes the closet to match the rest of the walls, helps fix the cubby, finishes cutting the counter so the range will fit and generally makes his case for the home improvement Hall of Fame. This how he earns the nickname "the Godfather".
We also learn that the range still doesn't fit because among the not-quite-level installations done on the house was an uneven floor cabinet. Also, the distance between the two cabinets is, you guessed it, a 1/4 inch too small. Now we must use a hand plane to make it fit.
Day 7 (10/11/09)On the 7th day God rested. We did not.
I was off to Day 2 of my meet while Kari and crew continued to make our house livable.
Matt grouted the guest bath, rewired the range (after nearly blowing himself up the day before) and pretty much kicked butt. Kelley continued her roll as painter extraordinaire and other helped as well, though I don't know who did what because I was gone.
Heller and I finished getting the range ready to move into place including a lengthy leveling process.
Kari and Erin take to painting the kitchen while Heller and I move on to removing the nasty doors from the master shower and fixing the broken tiles and bad caulk job.
Steve joins us later to help finish cleaning and dump more trash.
