New house update #10: general update

You haven’t missed a post, I promise. The new house is pretty much the same as it was in November and December.

I have been busy making corrections to the electric.  This stage has been taking a couple of months by now.  At least, it seems we’ve been working on plumbing, HVAC, and electric for a very long time.

First, the electrician went in and installed boxes and indicated where fixtures and wire will go.  The project manager knew I had multiple requests and changes, but still thought this was the best way to begin.  Then, I spent hours walking the house with them to tell them what would need to come out, be moved, or be added.  I’ve bought fixtures for places they had pot cans installed.  I have pendants where they put fans.  They put outlets high in the wall for cabinets and shelves that don’t exist.  I guess that’s the benefit of not having walls yet. Still, seemed like a giant waste of time to me.

When I pointed out that I don’t want long plates with 4 different switches on them, the electrician told me that was a whole different beast.  In order to have one plate with multiple buttons, we needed to bring in a home automation company.

So we met with them in their office and again on site, went through lots of options, agreed on a package and pricing, and they were finally able to begin their installation.  We are going to have a closet that will house the server and equipment that will automate some of the lights, TVs, door locks, and speakers.  They also are pre-wiring for low-voltage.

Once all this took place and the New Year had passed, the electrician was able to come back to correct the things I wanted changed. We approved a change order to add more exterior lighting and I chose the type of switches and plates I want.  We are nearing the completion of this process now.

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We’re almost ready for the pre-cover walk before getting insulation and drywall, but we have another delay.

“Delay” is just as bad a word to me as “custom” these days!

We are connecting the house to the garage on the first level. The framer came out last week to begin that work and quickly realized that the drawings from the architect and structural engineer were not correct.  It may have to do with us moving the house forward before we broke ground, but the measurements are not correct so they could not proceed.

The delay comes in because we have to install wiring there and into the adjoining areas and have it inspected before we can close up the walls.  So the electric in the house might be done but we cannot do anything else until the connection is built.  And we can’t build the connection until we get the correct plans back from the engineer.

So we wait.  Again.

It’s frustrating to have days pass with nothing happening at the house! It seems that our June move in is definitely off. Now we’re hoping for a smooth transition from our rental house to the new house. The owner of our rental is expected to move back in sometime in August. I sure hope we aren’t still here. We don’t talk much about timeline with the builder these days, knowing that they are doing all they can, calling the engineer every day.

In the meantime, SG and I have been plugging away at purging our rental house of things we just do not need.  She’s done a great job going through paperwork, books, toys, and games.

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Here is a recap of what we’ve been up to:

Friday, 12/14: HVAC is complete.

Monday, 12/17: Meeting with framer to go over all frame punch items in house and ordering material for framers to start with additions and revisions.

Tuesday, 12/18: Electrical drawings are being updated with low voltage plans. Framing continues through Thursday. Top out pipes have been delivered; tub and valves are on site.

Back porch pot cans and fans

SG’s new closet

Wednesday, 12/19: Plumbers are working today.  Home automation company is on site starting low voltage rough in today.

Thursday, 1/3: Meeting to go over locations for valves in showers and found some minor corrections. Plumbers will be out on Friday. Roof penetrations have been called in.

Tuesday, 1/8: Plumbing top out passed inspection this morning- tubs and shower pans. Electrical rough to start tomorrow.  Completed HVAC roof – exhaust fan wiring. Getting with electrician and HVAC to get start up on garage apartment now that larger meter has been installed.

Friday, 1/11: Home automation started their electrical rough today and will continue next week.

Monday, 1/14: Electricians continue rough today. Plumbers on site.

Powder room plumbing and reinforcement for floating vanity

Wednesday, 1/16: Fireplace installed today. Master bath floor tile also received and secured inside house. Following up with The Shade Shop for dimensions for the shade pockets.

Thursday, 1/17: Discussed niche locations and dimensions, shower valve locations, and adding storage below stairs. Breezeway work starting on Tuesday.

SG’s bath area

Art room and closet will have ample storage niches

We added a little wall niche for my daughter’s loft bed so she can keep a book, her glasses, and an alarm clock right next to her. She also has a little reading light up there.

1/18: Plumbers to complete top out by Tuesday of next week and inspecting Wednesday. Electrical additions to be worked on Wednesday of next week. Scheduling polysteel for Friday of next week.

Tuesday: 1/22: Plumbers to install valves this week. Framers coming on Thursday to start framing additions inside of the house. Apex concrete to start tomorrow the connection from new house to existing garage.

Thursday, 1/24: Home automation completing rough.  Electricians will be coming by on Monday after our meeting on Friday to make more corrections. Getting price on removal of trees at front yard. Structural revisions for house connection to garage have been sent back to structural engineer for better details.  Electricians low voltage and HVAC technicians need to have wires running from the existing house to the garage where the service panel is located.