Tuesday, July 22, 2014

{Life Lately...and a House Update}

When I blogged last - July 2nd - things were going great!  My cabinets were in, my tile had been laid, & everything had been painted.  I was supposed to have lights & floors the following week, and although I knew we wouldn't make the original mid-July closing date, I felt certain I would be moving in by the end of July, beginning of August.

Boy was I wrong.

Why haven't I had a blog update in 3 weeks you ask?  Well, that would be because there have been no changes.  I did get lights on July 4th and toilets were installed a few days later.  
{Real exciting progress, right??}
Since then, with the exception of a few mistakes being corrected, nothing has happened.  Nada.  Things are moving right along at the other houses around me, but for some reason - mine has come to halt.  To say I am frustrated is an understatement.  Frustration has now turned to anger & yesterday - I may have just about lost it.  If I had a Plan B - I would definitely be considering it.  

I have been told floors should be going in tomorrow & that things will start moving after that.  I will have to see it to believe it because right now, I am not real convinced.  There is still a laundry list a mile long of stuff that needs to be done.  I have heard that my walk-thrus aren't going to be until the last week in August with closing the first of September.  When I sold my house last May, I really expected to be in a house by this past April.  If only I had known then what I know now...

And so now I wait.  And add gray hair by the day.   We won't even talk about the broken out face from all the stress.  If you are looking for me, I'll either be in a bar or padded cell.

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

{Are We There Yet?}

When they started on my house back in February, my hope was that I would be closing this week....I would have the nice, long weekend to move, etc.  Well - clearly that's not going to happen. =(  Slowly but surely, they are making progress & getting closer to the end. But now that the end is in sight, I think it's getting harder & harder and I am getting even more impatient. 
And it's becoming WAY more stressful. I know not everything is going to be perfect, but that's hard when you're kinda, sorta a perfectionist when it comes to things like this.  So, I have to pick my battles & really only push for the things that I know will drive me crazy when I see them every day.  Like the misplaced light switch on the column that ended up being the first thing I saw every time I walked in the front door or the sidewalk that didn't line up with the end of the porch.  Otherwise I would drive the builders crazy & I don't want to be known as THAT person {although I probably already am}.  =)

When I blogged last, I had gotten my cabinets.  Since then, they poured my driveway, installed the interior doors & trim, painted, installed the granite, and tiled the floors & backsplash.  The fun stuff is happening now!
Picking a paint color was another issue because they paint all of the rooms & ceilings one color.  I knew that once I moved in, I would want to repaint some {or all} of my rooms to add some color.  What I don't want to have to do is repaint the ceilings.  So, I went with a very light, neutral paint color throughout the house.  Once I close & before I move in, I plan to go in & repaint almost the entire interior.  I actually love to paint; its something I enjoy & find kinda therapeutic {weird I know}. Now, ask me again after I have painted an entire house in a weekend I might have a different opinion of painting. =)
 
After paint came the granite.  I can't say that I am in love with my granite, but unfortunately my choices were limited.  I think I had 4 to pick from?!?  It's ok & I certainly don't hate it; it just wouldn't be my pick if my options were unlimited.  I went with a light, travertine tile backsplash to lighten things up a little & to match my white rock fireplace.  My floor/shower tile is just a basic beige with a little gray in it.  It's hard to get a true picture of any of it right now since I don't have lights yet so all of the colors are off a little.
I was looking at pics on my phone & came across this one...had to take a selfie in front of my new cabinets! =)
 They are telling me now that I should close sometime in mid-August.  So just a recap for those keeping track....I put my house on the market at the beginning of March 2013.  I closed on it & moved back in with my parents at the end of May.  I picked my lot & signed my "unofficial" contract in August.  So, this whole process has been going on for nearly 18 months.  To say I am ready for this to be my permanent view is an understatement {minus the rock pile, trash container & porta potty of course}. =)