The mess gets bigger and bigger as we near the end

Since the floor fiasco has been completed, things have not gotten back to "normal" at the old house.  We now have a plywood kitchen floor, both bathrooms are down to the studs and the ceiling is open showing us the attic. Needless to say, we have taken up residency elsewhere, but visit the site daily.

Every open wall shows years and years of patch work that the 16 prior owners used to "fix" things. In the bathroom, we found 4 different materials used to "build" a 4-foot stretch of wall. Each new material was added on top of the last, leaving a 3 inch wide patch on the wall that intrudes into the already tiny space. Pulling all of the layers off and disposing of them continues to keep the level of dust high and the fear of asbestos and lead in our thoughts. Our contractor is very, very careful with his "guys", which allows us to sleep at night.

Accomplishments this week are few and far between. The biggest jobs are the invisible ones.  Though the plumber had me get down on my knees to see his handy work under the house so I could appreciate the "totally new house" we have. And the old knob and tube electrical wires have all been removed and lay in the driveway reminding us of how lucky we are that this old house never had a fire.  But the progress on the aesthetic items, like the double hung windows is slow. The beautiful floors have made it hard to drag equipment in and out, so all of the prep work has to be done outside. Torrential rains put an end to the outside work and we are wishing we had a covered space to protect everything.

My "monster oak desk" got completely drenched with water as did the discarded electrical fixtures from the house. These "monsoon-ish" days with 90 degree heat and 100 percent humidity are horrible.

The house no longer has air conditioning vents (they were patched along with the new wood floor) so there is virtually no circulation in the house. We would like to move back in soon, but the reality of living without air and with the loads of dust isn't a pleasant one. We do miss our front porch and our easy walks down town.  Being out in the "burbs" seems inconvenient now that we are "city dwellers". We do greatly appreciate our lovely hosts and the great space they have given us to live.

I will be out-of-town for a bit and progress will mostly involve putting up the picture rails, finishing the window framing, re-installing the base boards, and hopefully getting the bathrooms going. The bathroom fixtures and tub still haven't arrived and the toilet arrived with a crack, so that scene is not great.

We met with a interior decorator last week. She was quite the champ, we couldn't walk on the unfinished floors so we sat on the front porch in 105 degree heat, looking at color swatches and talking interior design.  I couldn't even offer her a drink of water because the kitchen floor was missing, thus I couldn't get to the fridge. When she told me she has 7 children, I started to understand her hardiness and unwavering focus on the goal.

I, on the other hand, was so uncomfortable, I would have agreed to anything she could offer as long as it meant getting into my cool car and driving away.  We spent 2-hours talking colors, area rugs, focal points and accent walls. In the end, I am thrilled that she has started us down a path that I hope will make this little house come to life. Me and design are not friends, so finding a designer that I like and one who can tolerate the inconvenience of our current situation has been a blessing.

We have decided to accept all of her recommendations and move ahead, knowing that anything we can add will just muddy up the brilliance of her art.

I am feeling pretty cocky since we have made all of the big decisions.  We have chosen all of the floorings, counter tops, and selected a cabinet maker, I have even ordered all of the bathroom fixtures down to the toilet paper holders. Whew, for those who have been here, you know what an accomplishment that is. I am using my son's philosophy of "make as few decisions as possible". So, I found one faucet I liked and used that design for everything in both baths and the kitchen. I found one counter I liked and we will use it everywhere there is a counter, matched the mirrors, lights, sinks. Not terribly colorful or interesting, but I love just focusing on what I really like and then going for it. We are also "embracing the age of our house". So if something doesn't fit the 1890's it is not even considered. Luckily, restoration hardware, Victorian fixtures and 1890's elements are really in right now, so I haven't had any trouble finding anything.

October update: Half of the fixtures were too big and had to be returned. The cute corner toilet didn't fit, and the cabinet maker turned out to be, let's just say, a bad fit. 

Not sure our contractor is as enthusiastic about our progress.  He and his crew have still not seen the fixtures (lost in transit), they are waiting for us to put paint samples on the walls (it is too hot to paint in the house), and the plumber was using a prior draft of the building plans so he put the toilet in the wrong place and now we have to pay another $1,000 to correct that mistake.

But, all-in-all, things are going along, we hope to be sleeping back in the house next week. The hot water is on, and the electrical is mostly working.

Things I am really grateful for include:
1. We love our contractor and the guys are just great. So glad we went with someone we liked, rather than someone who was less expensive.
2. The money hasn't run out yet!
3. We love everything that has been done to the house and can't wait to move back in.
4. The stress of remodeling hasn't worn us out yet.
5. We decided to do this in phases and phase 1 and 2 are nearly done. Then we get a 3-month hiatus before ripping off the roof.

I would post some photos, but I have lost my tiny little connector that allows me to load photos. Darn, another thing lost along the way.

October update:

Hardware piles grow as the correct sizes arrive.