we can move, can't we????

While halfway through our punch walk with the builder on Tuesday, the inspector appears for the final inspection, the one we need for the Certificate of Occupancy, what the cool kids call the CO. The builder was a little miffed because although we've had the same inspector through the entire build, the city sent a different guy for the final. And sure enough, there was trouble. In short, we failed the final inspection for the three reasons: (1) the porta-pottie was still on-site (like we would leave that there [even though the mailman asked {jokingly, we hope...} to leave it out there]) and (2) the gas line wasn't pressured up to show him it had no leaks (that actually seems important).

The third reason was goofy. It was the second inspector's opinion that the garage should have been built under a separate permit from the house, despite the fact the entire project was permitted together, the first inspector was cool with it, and the garage has been inspected along with the house. The second inspector said the city didn't realize the garage was not attached to the house. The builder pointed out that the permit clearly stated "house plus detached garage", but to no avail. The garage was the third ding.

The goofy part is that we needed to permit the garage and go through all the inspections with the hope the inspector didn't make us tear down the drywall and insulation for the inspections that already happened. Frustrating as heck. The city has a bad rep for stuff like this, where there's no final say or policy on anything: It's all up to each individual inspector.

Ultimately, this is a waste of time and money, and for what purpose? The big broad reason for these inspections is to ensure the safety of the folks that will ultimately live there. How does re-permitting a structure that has already gone through inspections achieve that goal? If there's a grey area and safety is not compromised, it seems the grey should be interpreted to benefit the consumer, not to earn a macho point or two. Sigh...

We could have fought the re-permit-the-garage conclusion but, as the builder pointed out, that would almost certainly take longer than simply re-permitting the garage. The builder said that as he went through the re-permitting process, a number of folks downtown were quizzical as to why he was re-permitting the garage.

When everything was addressed and the builder requested another final, we got word that we have a third inspector. The builder warned us: Who knows what this third guy will do. That guy showed up on Friday. While yapping about water in a Dallas high-rise, my phone buzzed in my pocket, but I wasn't able to see who was calling until a couple hours later. It was the builder. He had left a message. He sounded despondent. He said "I need you to call me."

I pressed his number. He answered. I said: "Give it to me straight. I can tell this is not good news." He seemed perplexed. "Have you seen my email?" he asked. "Nope." "We passed!" He had sent an email with the good news and was already onto the next challenge to wrap things up at the house.

Hallelujah!

So there you have it. We have CO! As well as big, big smiles!

week 40: schedule, gas, fence, power pole, backsplash, rails, horno

the white house

The sweetheart down the street (she's 93) told me the other day that she and the neighbors refer to our house as "The White House". I guess that makes sense since the house is (ahem) rather white. Bright white, actually. She says she brags to her friends that she knows someone in the white house.

One challenge of taking photos in the house (as you know, it's mostly white on the inside as well) is that sometimes (about 25 percent of the time) I can't get the camera to auto focus, so I have to go rogue (manual), at which point I see why the auto focus has a heck of a time because I have a heck of a time as well. Everything blurs together into infinity. It's rather calming...

the schedule

Not posting a schedule anymore because the schedule is, sadly, a bit uncertain at the moment. That's a bit miffing, especially since we put in our two months notice to vacate on our rental a couple weeks ago based on a recently determined June 7th completion date. Then a week ago we went from "June 7th" to "maybe the end of June". Maybe? The builder says he'll have a better idea after this week. One issue is that it takes up to five days to get an inspection once you put in for one. I noted that there has to be something to inspect before an inspection can occur, and we're not there yet.

We're on the street after July 7th...

we've got gas

And not just from eating at the Texas Chili Parlor. We missed getting a photo of the big hole to connect our gas line to the street. Still not connected to the house yet...

rear fence

The rear fence is partially up, and it looks pretty darn good. Really complements the rest of the place.

power pole

I don't know if it was my pep talk or not, but the electricians finally started finishing the electric.  I think part of the delay was the light guy not putting in our order for lights, so they are arriving later than they should (and somewhat randomly). About a month ago he sent us a note that the light for the pantry was back ordered until late June. We said "That ain't gonna work. What's an alternative?" and was greeted with dead silence. After a week of no response, I bought a light at IKEA and sent him a note to cancel the light order for the pantry, to which he responded "No can do: That light was special ordered and it's now in-house." Thanks for letting me know, buddy...

So for the lights still missing, the electricians have either put in placeholders or blank plates so they can get the go-ahead from the city to turn the power on.

The curly-Q is a holder for a directional art light in the master:

Here's one of the several plates in the house (behind which are wires stubbed off with wire connectors) waiting for final light fixtures to arrive.

Here's the power pole at the garage:

There are three circuit boxes on the property: the one above on the garage, the one outside the house where the wires come out of the ground, and the one in the pantry. That's a lot of boxes!

Here's the doorbell chime (this is one of those all-white photos where it was hard to focus...):

And outside is the doorbell:

And there it is on the approach:

The architects originally had it centered under the window, but that wasn't going to work with the in-wall toilet in that wall under that window. Ditto on the plug. Aesthetically, that would have been better, but here we are...

Here's the CO detector:

And here's the lights in the garage (in battle formation):

Yea-haw! The house looks ready for the "soft electrical" permit, although the floor plugs aren't stubbed off. Not sure if they forgot or are coming back. We shall see...

jumpin' jack backsplash (it's a gas, gas, gas!)

The backsplashes are in, and they look grand!

railing against the world

The beginnings of the railing upstairs has gone in:

horno arrival

The horno arrived, and we are glad to have a horno at the house. A house is not a house without a horno at it. Hornos are warm, cuddly, and ours has a blue plug in its rear. Sweet! Horno love!

Another photo of that shower drain

a visitor...

punch list

There is still a lot to do...

black = builder
orange = us
gray and crossed = done!

master bedroom:
- art can (partial)
- seal outside door
- outside door hardware
- plugs in bedside tables
- the standards:
   - touch-up paint
   - polish floor
   - clean windows
   - seal sills
   - door hardware
      - knob
      - doorstop

master closet:
- light
- hanger poles (partial)
- the standards:
   - touch-up paint
   - polish floor
   - clean windows
   - seal sill
   - door hardware

master bath:
- faucets
- toilet
- tub
- shower faucets
- tub spout
- tub faucet
- mirror
- vanity lights
- above tub light cover
- drawer plug
- drawer adjusts
- switch cover in toilet room
- touch up tile trim
- the standards:
   - touch-up paint
   - polish floor
   - clean windows
   - seal sill
   - door hardware
      - knob
      - doorstop
   - pocket door hardware

master hall:
- thermostat
- the standards:
   - touch-up paint
   - polish floor
   - door hardware
      - knob
      - doorstop

buds and suds:
- faucet
- LED lights
- backsplash
- plug cover
- counter plug electric
- light
- cab adjusts
- the standards:
   - touch-up paint
   - polish floor
   - clean windows
   - seal sill
   - pocket door hardware

rear entry (hee hee!):
- CO detector
- art can (partial)
- level door
- thermostat
- the standards:
   - touch-up paint
   - polish floor
   - clean windows
   - door hardware
      - knob
      - doorstop

pantry:
- hot water control
- cable/data hookups
- the standards:
   - touch-up paint
   - polish floor
   - door hardware
      - knob
      - doorstop

kitchen:
- peninsula wood
- back splash
- cooktop electric
- cooktop gas
- fridge
- oven/microwave
- dishwasher
- LEDs
- cab adjusts
- sink faucet
- potfiller
- seal countertop edges
- hood
- hood top cap
- the standards:
   - touch-up paint
   - polish floor
   - clean windows
   - seal sills

dining:
- art cans (partial)
- paint pillars
- the standards:
   - touch-up paint
   - polish floor
- crystal

living:
- speakers
- art can (partial)
- LEDs
- touch up cabs
- cab pulls
- seal upper windows to wood?
- floor plugs
- the standards:
   - touch-up paint
   - polish floor
   - clean windows
   - seal sills

entry:
- light switch covers
- door bell chime
- door knob
- the standards:
   - touch-up paint
   - polish floor
   - clean windows

coat closet:
- pole
- door hardware
      - knob
      - doorstop
- the standards:
   - touch-up paint
   - polish floor

powder:
- sink
- light
- mirror
- toilet
- door hardware
      - knob
      - doorstop
- toilet button
- the standards:
   - touch-up paint
   - polish floor
   - clean window
   - seal sill

office:
- door hardware
      - knob
      - doorstop
- the standards:
   - touch-up paint
   - polish floor
   - clean windows
   - seal sills

stairwell:
- missing plug
- treads
- hand rail
- the standards:
   - touch-up paint
   - clean windows

romeo landing and hall:
- railing (partial)
- floor plug
- thermostat
- gas to furnace
- ceiling switch covers
- cans
- pendant lights
- door hardware for utility closet
- switch cover
- the standards:
   - touch-up paint
   - install wood floor
   - clean windows
   - seal sills

guest bed:
- closet pole
- closet doors
- door hardware
      - knob
      - doorstop
- closet door hardware
- the standards:
   - touch-up paint
   - install wood floor
   - clean windows
   - seal sills

guest bath:
- faucet
- mirror
- light
- tub faucet
- can light
- shower rod
- toilet
- door hardware
      - knob
      - doorstop
- the standards:
   - touch-up paint
   - clean windows

work out room:
- door hardware
      - knob
      - doorstop
- ERV cover?
- closet bars
- light
- closet light
- the standards:
   - touch-up paint
   - install wood floor
   - clean windows
   - seal sills

garage:
- garage door
- entry door
- entry door hardware
- garage door opener
- stain floor
- switch cover
- lights
- faucet
- back light

outside:
- faucet by master
- plug by master
- cable
- plug by condenser
- water heater
- gutters
- gas meter
- gas connection
- clean up clean out
- wire to outdoor light
- window bottom at front
- window bottom at back
- entry plug
- doorbell
- seal limestone to door
- roof over limestone
- carport faucet
- paint eyebrows
- seal to cypress?
- clean roof

landscaping:
- north side fence Sol
- north side fence fancy
- gate side fence
- gate
- south side fence Sol
- south side fence fancy
- rear fence
- white gravel in back
- mulch in back
- pavers
- grasscrete
- black gravel in back
- black gravel in front
- mulch in front
- feather grass
- trees in front
- trees in patio
- tree on south side

week 36: fencing, move-in date

Well, not much happened on-site this past week. The fence got started (probably on Friday; possibly Saturday morning):

But there is much more to go. At least they're going to reuse/recycle the fence material:

Countertops are supposed to go in on Wednesday. Countertops are needed before other parts of the house (tile, tile backsplashes, plumbing fixtures) can go in, so there may be quicker progress after that. 

The electrician is supposed to come next week and start installing the lighting and electrical fixtures. The city is supposed to also drop power to the garage so the electricians can start firing the house up. The builder said that after all the electrical is working, he can get a permit from the city to turn (and leave) the power on at the house. This will allow them to turn on the AC in preparation for the wood floors to go in (and we're starting to peek into AC season round here in Austin). 

I asked the builder (finally) about the move-in date. He says we'll have a CO (certificate of occupancy) the first week of June. So let's call that June 7th. Recall that everything was supposed to be done by the end of May, so if he hits that date, that's pretty darn good. We have to be out of our apartment by July 10th or so (signed up for an extra month as a safety and sanity factor; turned out to be wise). 

46 days until we get a green light to move-in!