Finishing Up...

Well we are coming down the home stretch, the electrician got the rest of the lights installed and got his final inspection signed off.  With that the next day Progress Energy had our meter installed and we had power in the house.  We had a few issues with some three ways not working correctly but electrician is fixing those tomorrow.  The landscaper came in and got the grading finished up and did the basic so we can get the final inspect, he will come back in a week or two to add some height to the beds and add more plants. We also got the plumbing inspection signed off so we have running water in the house.  The painter has been in doing final touch-ups along with finishing off the front porch. We have been busy finishing off the deck, I think I have bit off more than I can chew, I had to get the contractor and his guys to help me finish it up in time.  The carpet was installed upstairs. The gutters were finished up Friday.  We (Mandy and I) had several discussion on the color of gutters.  we could match the trim or get a dark.   We even drove around one afternoon looking at gutter colors...man we had no idea it would come to this.  We finally decided on the dark color and I think it worked out.

We are shooting for getting our CO sometime this week so we can start moving our stuff in this coming weekend.  We still have one final coat of finish to put on the floors which will not quite be cured for couches and beds to put on it but we can walk on.  There are some little details that still need to be so I would like to finish all those up before we get all moved it just to move it around for those details.

Still need to add the mantle...and the Kudu!

Need to finish the crown and light trim on the cabinets plus put a finish on the island counter top.  

Need to add some cabinet hardware.

Lights...Camera....

Well its been a busy week at the house.  At the first of the week the electrician got most of the lights installed along with the oven and microwave.  We got the HVAC permit all signed off.  Then the hardwood floor contractor pretty much took over the house with sanding, staining and finishing. no pictures because every time I go the floor is wet. We also got the fireplace contractor to come in and install the gas logs along with the fireplace doors.  The driveway was poured on Friday, 47 yards.  I have been working on the deck and got most of it done but ran out of time and energy.  (sorry for the dust on camera, did not realize it until I got the pictures on the computer)

Master Bedroom

Upstairs Girls Bath

Study

Foyer

Kitchen with Island

   This week, the electrician is coming to finish up the ceiling fans in the living room along with a few other lights and to hook up the HVAC.  After that we will call in the permit inspection on the electrical, after we get the "OK" Wake county will fax Progress Energy a copy and hopefully we will have a meter installed by Thursday to have power at the house, here's hoping.

Also the plumber has to come back and install the hot water loop pump and the outside faucets.  Me-t with the landscaper on Friday and he is planning on coming Monday to graded and seed the yard.  Unfortunately its a bad time of the year to try to plan anything good, so for now its just rye grass to be replaced later on once spring gets here.

Bath hardware and mirrors are coming Monday also along with the master shower door.

Carpet is coming Wednesday, the concrete drive should be hard enough by then to let him drive up to the house.

With power to the house the HVAC contractor can come and make adjustments to the system along with getting the door blower test completed.

Again another busy week planned but its all starting to come together now.

Update

Well the contractor had a busy week this past week with another this coming week. This pass week we had the painter come in and get the first round of paint on the walls and ceiling.  He will come back after all the trades are done to fix all the dents and scratches.  Also we got the water line dug to go under the house, we had left the water source out front for different trades to use.  Also the electrician got the line to garage ran while they had the machine digging trenches.  The trim contractor finished the stairs along with the trim in the foyer and the closets.  The garage doors were installed.  We also got the cabinets in the laundry installed  and painted along with laundry chute which comes down from Zoey's room.    They also got the beams installed in our bedroom but I think we need to work on the trim around the ends of the beams.

Stairs

Window Seat

Foyer

Kitchen, missing the island.

Master Bedroom

Master Bath

Master Closet

Bonus Room

Mikaela's Room

Zoey's Room with Laundry Chute

The counter tops are coming Monday with the plumber coming Tuesday granted nothing gets in the way.  The counter tops where suppose to come Thursday but the guys were laying the stone on the front porch so there was no way into the house for the tops. So they re-scheduled so we had to reschedule the plumber.  The electrician may be coming out this week to get started on installing all the outlets and switches along with some of lights.  I made a run to Home Depot this weekend to get some ceiling fans and a few LED recessed lights.  I tried to get LED's where I can but man those are not cheap.  We also have the contractor to come out and install all the door hardware this week along with getting the final measures for the shower door and the mirrors.  

This Week's Update

The weather warmed back up a bit so the stone contractor made his way out to finish the exterior.  One of the carpenter's finished off the stair case and the other got started on the master closet.  The paint contractor came out and did some priming which helps find the defects in the drywall.  The drywall guys came out on Friday to fix all the defects the priming found plus to finish off some details around the trusses. Also the septic and drain fields where installed.   We also got our cook top so the counter-top guys to get their template right.

Septic Tank Lids

Master Closet

Master Closet, center drawers.

I'm real happy the way the stairs have came out.  I would like to take credit for the design but I actually saw the design on Houzz.com.  You can also see the paneling that we have installed in the foyer.  For the master closet, I got some unfinished drawer sets which will be "built" into the closet system to give the over all built in look once its all painted.  So it really seems like things are rolling fast again with the garage doors coming Monday, the remaining kitchen cabinets coming Tuesday and the counter-tops Thursday followed by the plumber on Friday. We are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Update

Thought it would be time for another update.  Well the cabinets in the kitchen have been going in but during the installation we noticed a few cabinets are missing unfortunately.  So we'll have to wait till they get in to finish.  Also all the stair pieces came in last week so the carpenter has starting installing those. I had to order all the pieces on-line to match the hickory flooring.  Also another carpenter has been helping out finish the trim molding throughout the house.  We also picked out paint colors and the painter is suppose to come start Tuesday.  The counter top guys came out last Tuesday to make templates of the kitchen and master baths.  The stone for outside was delivered but the outside temperature was to cold for the grout to setup correctly so the guys said they will be back next week once the temperature increases.

We had a few things planned for Friday but the weather changed our plans.  The fireplace box width needs to be increased but the floor installer had wrapped the existing box so we need him to come back out and widen the cut out around the box.  Once that is done, I can complete the window seat.  Hopefully if things work out the plumber and HVAC contractors will be back in two weeks to finish and the electrician will be back in three weeks.

Friday's Weather nothing but ice

Flooring.....Finally!

Its been awhile sense my last update but work all but stop in waiting for the hardwood flooring to show up.  Well the hardwood flooring finally showed up.  The wood was delivered in the back of transfer truck so me and the builder off loaded 5000lbs of hardwood flooring. (yes 5000lbs, my body reminded me I am not as young as I once was)

We decided on Hickory flooring with different widths, 4" 6" & 8".  We also chose to go with 60% select and 35% character grade which provided us a few knots to add some character.

The floor installer got it down in three days.  Since the floor is a wide plank we glued it down plus toe nailing like other hardwood.  The glue acts as our vapor barrier whereas normally you put down paper. It will help that our crawl space is conditioned so the humidity should be the same on both sides so hopefully we will not have any problems with the flooring.

once we get closer to finishing the installer will come back and sand and finish the flooring.  We are planning on adding a darker stain.

Once we had the floor down the cabinet company delivered the rest of the bathroom cabinets and the kitchen cabinets.

Here is the living room full of kitchen cabinets.

white cabinet is the surround cabinets and darker will be the island

The contractor already installed the master bath cabinets and the girls cabinets.

So its now busy busy at the house with the cabinets being installed and the doors and moldings being installed.  The outside rock is suppose to show up Tuesday but they are calling for rain for the next three days so that will probably be pushed back a week.  The septic tank should go in next week if the ground dries up.  Also progress energy will be running their line from the transformer to the meter on the 21st.  So hopefully work will be picking up and getting us to closer to finishing.