Lots happened over the past week as the builder and his crews worked to finish the house. Still unclear when the finish date will be, but it's getting closer every day. The builder won't commit to a solid date (frustrating...), but we reckon it's because he doesn't actually know: There are still a few things to work out, Murphy's Law is prevalent, and who knows what luck we'll have in getting a timely inspector for the certificate of occupancy.
landscaping is scaping...
Lots of progress on the pavers. It's slow going (they're still working on 'em...), but they're looking real good:
The guy laying these pavers is a little unclear on random...
Cutting up a brick. It drives the bride crazy to see folks not wearing eye protection...
The grass is in the grassy knoll:
We'll need to be out there every evening making sure it gets watered until it settles in.
That horno looks rather epic in the distance, like something out of Egypt...
The bride is already making plans to cook a chicken in there this weekend!
Some of the mulch and gravel has been placed in the back-back yard, including beside the garage:
And here's the Texas black (which is a bit gray with dust at the moment...):
Here's the grasscrete with my foot for scale. The builder said it originally got delivered to some dude up in Dallas. Had to get reshipped here.
They have the rock and sand base laid for the driveway, so they should be setting this stuff soon.
plumb happy about the plumbing
A goat herd of plumbing fixtures got installed over the past week (all except the tub):
The robot arm for the kitchen sink.
The potfiller.
That expensive (for) IKEA faucet in the laundry (buds-n-suds) room.
One of the faucets in the master bathroom.
Powder room.
The tub in the master, not yet placed.
The toilet in the master (with beautiful dual-flush buttons on top).
The master shower fixtures.
The tub spout (in the ceiling...) for the master.
Faucet in the guest bathroom upstairs.
Tub fixtures.
The sink and faucet in the powder room.
The toilet and flusher in the powder.
appliance reliance
Many of the appliances are now installed.
The Bosch dishwasher, which is not the one we ordered (wanted one with none of the controls showing). Apparently the one we picked out is no longer available, so the appliance provider chose a comparable model (without talking to us...). We think it's actually OK, but will check to make sure it's not a downgrade...
The Whirlpool fridge in the mythic "White Ice" color, which is really just a shinier white without all the texture low-rent white appliances tend to have. It works! and is already producing ice cubes. The color of it and the dishwasher (and the range hood) go well together (something I was worried about...) and with the cabinets.
The hood is now installed (yay!).
It sticks out a wee bit from the wall, but it matches the size of our goofy three-burner cooktop. We're visiting with the cabinet lady tomorrow to discuss exactly what we want to do to cover up the tubing at the top. Something asymmetric methinks...
Yes, it has a light.
doorware
Getting some doorknobs:
clean and clear windows
All the stickers and stuff on the windows are off, so we can see clear through. Nice! The large window in the living room is particularly dramatic.
Out the master bath.
Out the upstairs Romeo-et-Juliet landing.
Out the guest bath.
Corner of the bedroom upstairs.
Another upstairs bedroom window.
Yet another.
Out the kitchen window.
wood on the stairs
The wood floor upstairs on the stairs is all done.
gate posts
Steel posts for the gate are in:
in hot water
And the hot water heater is hooked up. No gas yet (my understanding is that the city will only allow either gas or electric on at a house under construction to prevent folks from moving in before a certificate of occupancy is issued).
clean-up crew
The builder had a crew in the house cleaning it. They made two passes. Stocking feet in the house here on out... The floor is supposed to be polished this week.
leaning out of the loan
Here's another advantage to going with a single-close loan: No worries on scheduling a closing date for final financing with all the uncertainty concerning when the house will be finished. Stopped in to talk to the banker today, and he said "Move in when you can. You don't need to tell us or get our approval." There will be some paperwork to close-out the construction pay out (and make sure the builder has paid all the subs and there are no liens on the property).
It's a relief to not have to worry about scheduling a closing while at the same time trying to figure out when we can move in. Yikes!
punch list
black = builder
orange = us
general items:
- touch-up paint
- touch up drywall
- various locations
- tops of doorways
- touch up drywall
- various locations
- tops of doorways
- polish/finish concrete floor
- seal sills
- door hardware
- knobs (partial)
- doorstops (partial)
- general clean-up! (partial)
master bedroom:
- art can (partial)
- seal outside door
master closet:
- hanger poles (partial)
master bath:
- tub (partial)
- cab adjusts
- touch up tile trim
master hall:
buds and suds:
- LEDs
- cab adjusts
- drawer interference with sill (bumper on sill?)
- plumbing connects
- drawer interference with sill (bumper on sill?)
rear entry (hee hee!):
- art can (partial)
- level door?
pantry:
- hot water control
- cable/data hookups
kitchen:
- wood for peninsula
- reinstall drawers
- reinstall drawers
- back splash (partial)
- cooktop electric (partial)
- cooktop gas (partial)
- oven/microwave
- LEDs
- cab adjusts
- seal countertop edges
- hood top cap
- plumbing connects
dining:
- art cans (partial)
- paint pillars
- crystal
living:
- speakers
- art can (partial)
- LEDs
- touch up cabs
- cab pulls
- seal upper windows to wood?
- floor plugs
entry:
- door bell working
coat closet:
- pole
powder:
- mirror
office: (done!)
stairwell:
- hand rail (partial)
romeo landing and hall:
- railing (partial)
- gas to furnace
- pendant lights (partial)
guest bed:
- closet pole
- closet doors
guest bath:
work out room:
- ERV cover
- closet bars (partial)
garage:
- garage door
- entry door paint?
- garage door opener
- stain floor?
- faucet
outside:
- plug by master
- cable
- wiring to stage (partial)
- wiring to hot tub (partial)
- gutters
- gas meter
- gas connection
- wire to outdoor light on front wall (partial)
- window bottom trim at front
- window bottom trim at back
- seal limestone to door at front entry
- roof over limestone/bookshelf bump-out
- carport faucet
- paint eyebrows (partial)
- seal to cypress?
- clean roof
- holes for outside speakers
- install outside speakers
- house numbers
- mailbox
- holes for outside speakers
- install outside speakers
- house numbers
- mailbox
landscaping:
- north side fancy fence (partial)
- gate (partial)
- south side fancy fence (partial)
- rear fence (partial)
- white gravel in back (partial)
- mulch in back (partial)
- pavers (partial)
- grasscrete (partial)
- black gravel in back (partial)
- black gravel in front (partial)
- mulch in front
- feather grass
- trees in front
- trees in patio
- tree on south side
- front walls
- horno base
- place horno
stuff we'll address later on our own:
- built-in shelves in the master bath
- gate beside the garage and property line (to hide trash)
- built-in shelves in the guest bath
- built-in desktop in the guest bedroom
- in-shelf shelves in the kitchen
- cat door
- stage
- planters
- garden
- shorter drop pole for the ceiling fan in the office
- upgrade plugs and switches
- upgrade outdoor plug covers
- upgrade outdoor spigots
- cabinets in pantry
- glass shelves for buds-n-suds
- wood for shelf in living room window
- plug cover for living room
- front agaves
- hedges
- rainwater tank
- solar
- wine fridge
- window treatments
- security
- clothes line
- front walls
stuff we'll address later on our own:
- built-in shelves in the master bath
- gate beside the garage and property line (to hide trash)
- built-in shelves in the guest bath
- built-in desktop in the guest bedroom
- in-shelf shelves in the kitchen
- cat door
- stage
- planters
- garden
- shorter drop pole for the ceiling fan in the office
- upgrade plugs and switches
- upgrade outdoor plug covers
- upgrade outdoor spigots
- cabinets in pantry
- glass shelves for buds-n-suds
- wood for shelf in living room window
- plug cover for living room
- front agaves
- hedges
- rainwater tank
- solar
- wine fridge
- window treatments
- security
- clothes line
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