Why I Hate Contractors - Part 1

I have been busting my ass for over a week to get this damn kitchen ready for new counter tops. As you may recall, I pulled the sink last Sunday in anticipation of an installation sometime this week. Was told Monday, it would happen on Friday.

Missed golf both days last weekend. Blew off my favorite activity of the week on Thursday...missing Thursday Night Talk. Had to leave the solving of the world's problems to rank amateurs. Took Friday afternoon off to put the finishing touches on a few things. Got a call at 2:30 p.m. telling me it would be 2 or 3 more hours before they could get here. They said they could do the install, but it would be 11:00 p.m. or later when they finished.

I said, "Bullshit, you are not installing my $6000 worth of granite in an exhausted stupor." They asked if they could bring the stone over and leave it for the weekend, and come back on Monday. "Sure", said I..."when will you be here...around 7:30...fine."

At 9:00 pm, the stone was finally delivered to my garage, and there it will sit until the contracting gods deem me worthy of an actual install. At least I have the goods in hand. Maybe some of my good friends can come help me lift it into place.

This is the state of the kitchen until further notice.

Rocky Top

Got the sink out today, and hung the new microwave. We are high and dry now til the granite arrives.

A few more before and afters...

Out of The Dust

Long time...no post. Sorry. While nothing photo worthy has occurred, I have been busy on the kitchen job. Got the matching stainless microwave ($400), the matching stainless kitchen sink ($210) and bar sink ($190). Total, so far...$9,400...so much for staying under $10K. The good news is, the floor is the last big ticket item left. I have bumped my hopeful maximum to $12K.

I was able to remove the old vent hood, re-wire and re-vent for the new microwave, build the two narrow cabinets beside the new range with salvaged material, and I think I have enough left over lumber from previous projects to build the bar extension.

The counter tops are being manufactured as we speak, and may be ready to install next week. Thus, I get to spend this weekend removing the old sink, finishing some cabinet work, and taking off the old counter tops. With my usual luck, I will get all of this done, and the granite folks will call and inform me that due to overwhelming demand in China, it will be three months before they can complete the job. Good thing the wife bought a large supply of paper plates and plastic cups (screw the environment), as we will have no functioning sink until the granite is installed.

Well, that's about it...photos as they seem warranted.

Let the Re-building Begin

Finished with the major demolition today. Got the fridge moved to its new home. Now, for the fun part. Start re-building cabinets, and get the counter tops ordered. Don't let the photos fool you...what looks like the wife mopping, is actually her showing me how to do it properly.

Round Two...To the Wife

I am beginning to believe kitchens are like women's clothing. They get away with murder on what they charge, because women like this stuff. I found a perfectly good stainlees steel range for $450, but the wife had her eye on one for $2000. So, we "settled" at $1400. Most men would "settle" for a hot plate, and a countertop microwave.

Anyway...I am enjoying the demo more than I think I will enjoy the put back. Today, I tore out the old cooktop and cabinets to make room for the new range. Had to re-wire and install a 220V plug for the new stove which will be here Tuesday. Managed to do it without standing my hair straight up, or burning down the house. On a positive note, I am finally getting around to labeling the circuit box. I ended up turning off every item in the house in an effort to find the breaker for the old cooktop.

Some more befores and afters...

Change Order No. 1

This is why I don't hire a contractor to do this kind of work. Got the new fridge delivered yesterday, and had it placed where we thought we wanted it. Well, shit. This massive beast juts out into the kitchen so far, it looks like a wart on the rest of the kitchen. So, we figure I will be removing some additional cabinetry and placing the fridge in a different location.

I am attempting to post a few pics, showing the kitchen in its before state, and its current state, and the giant fridge.

The Battle is Joined

On September 11, 2008, I finally conceded, after seven years, one month and ten days, to move forward on the wife's much longed for kitchen renovation. She has been wanting to do this since we moved in, and I thought I had convinced her that puke yellow rubber counter tops and non-functioning kitchen sinks in the middle of the kitchen were making a comeback. But, alack and alas, she responded to my news of NOT getting the job in Amarillo, with the ominous phrase, "Sorry. Now here is what we are going to do to this house."

It began in glorious fashion last Thursday, as we spent a fun-filled afternoon, refrigerator shopping in the heaviest rainfall in the history of Lubbock. Battle One was fought to a draw, as we settled on a fridge that "split" the difference between my desired $600 model and her $2500 model. We settled at $1800.

Of course, stainless steel and granite are all we are considering, even though I showed her a nice piece of Formica that, to me anyway, had the exact same qualities of the granite. And how can I say no to a $1300 range with five burners (exactly 3 more than we use today) and a convection oven which will heat our nachos in half the time it usually takes? I have given up convincing her that yellow molded rubber and avocado were the granite and stainless of the 50's, and some day somebody will be wondering what the fuck we were thinking when we put all this stuff in.

In all seriousness, I repress the urge to push the cheapskate button every day. I want this to be nice, and exactly what she wants. (Don't tell her, but I think I may like the granite counter tops more than she does.) I am excited about the opportunity to build again. I will be doing all of the cabinet work myself.

Demo began Saturday, with the removal of the offending extra kitchen sink and accompanying cabinetry. I also removed the shelving that was blocking the view from the kitchen out the front windows. Of course, before we could begin, we had to pack all of the contents of these cabinets and shelves into boxes for safe keeping. She's such a girl. I was just going to stack everything in a corner in the computer room.

At any rate, it has begun, and I am only out $1800 so far. I have decided to shift my efforts to convincing her exposed walls and plumbing, offset by a shiny new stainless fridge are all the rage on the home improvement shows, and if we stop now, our home value could increase dramatically.

Stay tuned for how that works out.