Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Final Inspection

We got final inspection today and we passed! So that means we've got the go-ahead to move in! Yeah! Now, the question is, "Is everything done?" Well, the short answer is "no". We're still waiting for the bookshelves and fireplace to be built, and then rocked, which is supposed to be happening next week. And the rock on the front of the house. The driveway needs sealing, too. We're also waiting for the girls mirror in their bathroom. The front door didn't get painted, so I guess we'll end up doing that. Then there's the landscaping, which we haven't even touched! But the important things are done! The shelves for my pantry came today. I think it's a little excessive, but I'm not complaining! Too late to change anything now, anyway, but if you ever need to store some kitchen stuff, I've got more than enough space!
We also got the shelving for the walk-in closet.
I don't think we have that many clothes!
The girls bathroom closet shelves are done, too.
And we have hooks in the mudroom.
Moving day is tomorrow, and internet is supposed to be hooked up then, but I don't know when we'll get around to hooking up the computer (knowing Darcy it won't be long!) so this may be my last post for a few days. But I'll be back with all the last minute details!

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Garage Door Opener

We got the garage door opener installed today. It will be nice to have remotes for both vehicles. It's also nice and quiet because it's on a belt instead of a chain.
This keyless feature is nice to have, too, though I tried changing the code and it took forever! This is now the code for life! What a pain!

We've Got Mail

We must be moving soon because look! We have mail! Our shower arrived today. Look at all that glass! Hopefully it won't be too much of a pain to clean, because it sure looks nice! The tape can come off tomorrow. No word yet on when they're coming with the closet and pantry shelves. I installed all the screens today. Good riddance to those bugs that kept coming in! We would like to get a Phantom-type screen for the door to the deck, too. One of these days. Speaking of decks, here's how it turned out with the sealer on it. Kind of a bit of a glossy, wet look. This is the base for our lamp post we're getting. The lamp posts remind me of Narnia. Every house on our lane has one. T minus two days! Yikes, I've got lots to do!

Monday, May 26, 2008

In A Hurry

I was in such a hurry last time I took pictures of the house that I forgot to look at some things! The fridge did fit. Barely. It's up and running.
It's even got this nice cold water/ice maker.
The dishwasher is installed, too.
And the girls cracked sink is replaced. There's still the chip in their tub, though. Hopefully there's some paint we can touch it up with.
The railing guys installed the railings going downstairs. They look pretty fancy.
And they put the tops on the posts going up.
Someone put up our house number today, too. Hard to remember, isn't it! Actually, it's the unit number and we still have the actual house number to remember, too. That's at the front of the lane.
Here's a picture of one of my nice vacuum sweepers. This is in the mudroom, and I have one in the kitchen, too. Goodbye endless dustpan-line-that-you-can-never-sweep-up!

The Home Stretch

We're almost done now! The sink we were waiting for in the powder room has arrived.
The painters are there doing little touch ups.
The garage is getting cleaned out.
Nathan was there installing the self-closing hinge on the mudroom/garage door. But he still hasn't started the bookshelves!!!! Time's a-wasting!
These are the front porch stairs we did on the weekend. And as we were leaving today the railing guy showed up to put the railing to the downstairs on, and to put the caps on the posts and plug the screw holes. Supposedly final inspection is supposed to happen today???

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Last Minute Details

Well, with moving day coming later this week, we had some last minute things to try and finish up. On Saturday Kendra
and Claire came to help clean house. When you build a house you get all kinds of sawdust absolutely everywhere! It took almost all day to clean out the kitchen cupboards. Shannon made us lunch and watched the girls for us which was also a big help.
Yesterday Darcy built the stairs both to the front porch and from the garage to the house. Today I stained them both, as well as sealing the concrete deck in the back. (This pic is pre-stain.)
Gord and Torrey came to help move the last of the appliances from the old house to the new house.
They were wondering whose bright idea it was to put the laundry room on the second floor! That'd be me.
There's a big gap behind the washer/dryer because the dryer vent doesn't line up with the hole so there has to be space for the tube. We'll have to put a shelf or something back there so we don't drop stuff back there.
We're hoping the fridge will fit. We gave the cabinet guy measurements for it and then he gave us an eighth of an inch wiggle room. The plumber has to hook it up so we can have cold water and ice from it before we can push it back. Don't drop anything under the fridge because you're not getting it back!

Friday, May 23, 2008

Parlez-Vous Francais?

Chris installed our microwave for us today. But it's French! All the buttons and the message in the display screen were in French! I thought that was pretty strange to send a french microwave to this part of the country! But then, he pulled off the template for the french buttons and changed the setting to english! Ha ha. That's Chris for you! The trim kit they sent is too big, so they'll have to send us a different one. Actually, they did send us the right one but either the appliance people faxed the wrong info to the cabinet people or the cabinet people just built it wrong. But it's cheaper (and easier!) to just switch the trim kit than change the cupboards!
Nathan finished up all the baseboards now. And he covered up this heat vent in the walk-in closet. There was a beam in the way, so they could either drop the ceiling downstairs (which everyone would see) or they could build out this tiny little piece in the closet (which only Darcy & I would see). Seemed like a no-brainer to me! He also finished installing all the doors and closet doors, and put the hardware on the doors. No, this still is not the correct door color. It's supposed to be very dark brown one of these days. And this is a little heater we had to install in order to get the laundry tub in the garage. In case it gets cold enough to freeze the pipes. It's not likely to happen around here, but inspectors are kind of picky that way. And the rainscreen is all up and ready to be rocked. Should be happening Monday.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

You Rang?

Chris, Nicole and Torrey were at our house this morning finishing up the last of the electrical. Kaitlyn tested out the doorbell to make sure it worked. The cabinet guy installed the cabinet in the powder room. And Nathan was back installing all the doors. T minus one week till move in day!

Walking In The Light

Chris finished up the lights yesterday. Nicole came to help him after her last day of work. The house looks ready to live in now that we've got lights on demand.
The plugs and switches are all in. And the NuHeat thermostat to heat the tile floor in the ensuite will be very nice on cold winter days.
We put a dimmer switch in the living room and dining room so things don't always have to be so bright.
These puck lights underneath the cabinets are a nice feature I could get used to really fast.
The heating guy was here yesterday doing his thing.
Heat registers and cold-air returns are all up and running.
He also installed the stove/oven. It's a gas convection oven, and yes, it does have the "convection converter" button I was hoping for. You input the regular time and temp of your recipe and it automatically adjust the time and temp for the convection oven. It also has three levels of self cleaning, depending on how big my mess gets!
The thermostat is installed and working to keep us warm in winter. The painters didn't feel like removing the old one that was temporarily there to paint under it, so now we have a nice pink spot under it. They'll be back, and they'll be touching that up!
We (by "we" I mean Chris) put a fan in the vaulted ceiling of the master bedroom to help keep the heat down on those (hopefully) hot summer days.
The plumber switched the shower fixtures in the girls bathroom. That'll make it so much easier to wash their hair! And the shower, too!