Long Overdue Update

Wow - do I stink or what? I just looked at my last post which was in February...Seriously?? Where on earth does time go? Sure, I could use the excuse of being buried in boxes, decorating, etc...well, regardless, I'm back.

I'll sum up the last 3 1/2 months in one word - WHEW! We finally made it in the house and have started to enjoy the new pad. I plan to continue the blog to track projects, ideas and lessons learned - all needed if we decide to tackle another custom home.

So the two big questions that many of you have been asking - was it worth it and would we do it again? {note - a fifteen minute blank stare just occurred} Gosh, tough to answer. Now that we are in the house, I would say Yes to both...but many of you know that was not the case a year or two ago. At the end of the day, I would do it again and yes, it was worth it - primarily because we learned so much and would not make the same mistakes....saving money, headaches, cash, nightmares...did I mention dollars?? Most of our mistakes happened in the beginning where we trusted in people and/or "thought" we were saving money - only to find that the cheapest route is not always the best. Case in point - our first GC and the original architect. I believe I hashed out that story in my very first post, so will save you all the trouble of listening to the same rant.

So here it goes - the new format for the blog to include a project, lessons learned and pictures...

Project - Veneer Stone added to the barrel ceilings and above the wet bar
We saw this idea in a few custom homes where veneer stone (looks like brick, but about 1/2 the thickness and weight) is used to cover ceilings, niches, fireplaces, etc. We used it in several areas including the two barrel ceilings to the left and right of the foyer along with the ceiling above the wet bar. We hired Ricardo - the same guy who laid most of our floor tile. He is amazing - does great, quality work with fair pricing.

It took about a day to cover each hallway ceiling and four hours for the wet bar area. Laying the brick looked simple, however, I'm sure there was more to it than meets the eye. The guys basically slapped mortar on the back of the brick and held it in place for a few seconds. Once dried, they came through with a gray grout and finished off the project. The stone adds a ton of character especially with the crown molding (more on that later).

Joe did his homework and got us a great price on the stone:
Approximate material cost - $400
Labor cost - $650
Satisfaction Rating - 10 - well worth the money

Lessons Learned
- Unrelated to the brick work, but worth mentioning - the barrel ceilings are not curved enough for my liking. I noticed it during the framing stages and should have spoke up requesting for more of an arch.
- In watching the guys lay the brick, they used a chalk rope to make sure the stones were straight - seemed to work great.
- We would have saved money by doing the brick work during the construction phase. Initially, the barrel ceilings had 3 light fixtures each which likely cost around $400. We then had to pay an electrician to deaden the lights and install 4 plugs for the rope lighting (more on that with the crown molding piece). Painting the ceilings - which is now covered with brick - also added to the cost.
- The guys were a bit messy with the mortar, so cover the walls and floor

Pictures

Before...















After...

House pictures

Remember Bewitched?? I so wish I was Samantha right now so I could wiggle my nose and have the boxes unpacked! All in all, we are about 2/3 done, but you won't be seeing any pictures of the garage which is a major disaster right now. We're also waiting on several pieces of furniture including the entertainment center, kitchen table, master bedroom set, desk, etc.


Partial view of the front yard and entry into the den.



Partial view of the front/courtyard area.


Shot of the pool and spa. Eventually the BBQ pit will go in the sunken area to the right of the grass. Basil broke in the pool today with her first ever swim!


Margarita Deck...but in my case, more of a red wine deck! :)


The kitchen - major work in progress - especially the island which seems to be my catch all for everything. BTW - check out our cool kitchen card table...



A shot of the den - patiently waiting for the rest of the furniture - which may be on back order until mid April...yes, April - that is not a typo.

Pebble Sheen

Here is a quick look at the pebble sheen going in the pool. They'll acid wash this morning and start filling at 10am.

As for us, we are wrapping up day 2 of the garage sale and moving a boatload of boxes! Our goal is to have everything moved today....should be interesting.

Final Touches...or so I think

Even though we received our CO on Tuesday, we are waiting for a few trades to finish up before moving. The carpet is going in today and the wood floor in the den will be installed tomorrow. The landscapers are finishing up and the pool crew will be doing the pebbletec this weekend.

We had to delay our closing until the above was in place so the bank inspection has moved to Monday. We should have electricity the first of the week and expect to sign the closing documents on Friday.

BTW - I love the landscaping! Here are a couple pictures from the front yard. I'll post more pics over the weekend. The folks are coming up tonight to help us with a garage sale at the rental. We'll likely start moving a few things on Saturday and Sunday.

Entry to Den:


Front Courtyard/French Door Entry to house (eventually we'll add a fountain):

Carpet going into master bedroom:

We have our Certificate of Occupancy!

Wahoo - it is official - we received our CO today and we're hoping to have electric by the end of the week. I was out of town today, but will post pictures tomorrow as I believe they installed the spiral stairs, margarita deck fencing and worked on the landscaping.

We also close with the bank tomorrow - fun stuff.

Oh so close!

We're less than a week away from closing on the house and starting the move in process! Several trades were at the house today finishing up their areas. Here are some recent pictures:


Bathroom located in back bedroom

Laundry room


Kitchen (Appliances go in tomorrow)


Driveway looking south
Driveway looking North

Counting the days

We're getting close!

Outside
The landscape crew is installing the backyard and driveway pavers this week and will follow with plants, grass, drip system, etc. in the coming days.

Stone has also been added to the breakfast nook area (see pic).

Granite/Appliances
The granite counter tops will be installed on Friday in the kitchen, bar, master bath and casita. I'm so exited to see the kitchen - it will really take form once the granite is in place and the appliances are installed (early next week).

Inside Tile/Stone
We've adding stone to the master fireplace and plan to do the same with the living room in the next month or so. All of the tile is grouted - including the sink areas in the small bathrooms, master bathroom tub, and laundry room. I love what they did with the back splash in the laundry room - I'll be sure to take a picture and post. We'll be cleaning and sealing the tile this weekend - should be an adventure.

Plumbing/Lighting
I'm hoping they start the plumbing this week. We'll be trying for the Certificate of Occupancy mid next week as it takes anywhere from 2 to 10 business days to get the electric turned on. Speaking of plumbing, we had a major set back a 1 1/2 weeks ago when our garage was broken into (rental house). All of our plumbing fixtures and lighting for the small bathrooms was stolen - along with other items. So sucks! We lost about $4,500 worth of stuff and the renters insurance is not covering us. The thieves broke in during the middle of the night while we were home - scary to think what they could have done had the door to the house been open.

Other Stuff
To help make up for our stolen items, we opted to do the cleaning at the house. So - my folks, sister and a few friends are helping us wash the windows, vacuum and seal tile this weekend. Those who know me well, know I'm actually looking forward to it...I love to clean!

Also, my sister and I are going to attempt to faux paint (marbleize) the columns in the entry. Depending on how they turn out, I'll post a picture. :)

I'll report back soon with more pictures - it's hard to believe we are less than 18 days away from moving in!!