It’s a date!
Sure, it’s tentative, but still: June 21, 2024
We just got an updated construction schedule, and that, dear reader, is our estimated move-in date.
Let’s check out what’s still standing between us and it over the next few months…
Drywall Tape & Float (21 work days)
As I mentioned in my last post, drywall involves many stages and lots of time. It’s meticulous and laborious and about as interesting as watching joint compound dry, which, as it turns out, is mostly what is happening.
Stucco (17 work days, split)
Like drywall, stucco involves several stages:
Stucco lath. This is basically chicken wire that holds the whole thing up. We’ve had this up for a few weeks now.
Scratch coat (4 work days). This is a mixture of sand, cement, and reinforcing fibers applied directly to the wire lath. It basically looks like you’ve poured concrete over the exterior. The surface is scratched horizontally to allow the next layer to adhere to it better.
Brown coat (5 work days). Basically the same mixture as above, but not scratched.
INTERMISSION. Not sure why, but there’s 18 work days between Stages 3 & 5. Scheduling? Curing time?
Mesh and bond coat (4 work days). Helps prevent cracking.
Finish coat (4 work days). Another layer, but make it smooth and pretty.
Cabinet Installation (7 work days)
On my list of things I was willing to throw money at, cabinets were right up there with tile. My brother is a woodworker (by heart if not by current profession), and I defer to him on all wood-related items. At the very beginning of this project, I asked him to straight-up tell me what to do and I told The Husband that there was little to no room for negotiation here: when it comes to wood, my bro’s word is law. He told me if he could pick one wood for the whole house, it would be natural white oak. Done.
Here are the final drawings and renderings for all our cabinets:
Tile Installation (26 work days)
It finally happened. I placed an order for the remainder of the Heath tile we needed.
First, a recap: Over the past six months, I have made at least 10 trips to Sausalito to visit Health Ceramics and comb through their Seconds Shed. That time was well spent. In the end, I only needed to order the following items:
40 square feet of Ogawa Green Manganese 2x6s to complete the kitchen backspash, plus trim pieces
39 square feet of Opal Pacific 2x6s to complete the primary bath backsplash, plus trim pieces
41 square feet of Alpine 3x3s for the girls’ bathroom floor
171 square feet of White Pumice half hexagons for the primary bathroom floor
For the record, this order cost nearly $1,300 more than I spent getting tile (much of it first quality!) from the shed.
Counter and Slab Installation (4 work days)
This one is the subject of much consternation in my household. We first selected quartz countertops back in September. At that point, we hadn’t fully nailed down a lot of our design details, so I wanted to revisit my picks with samples of both tile and cabinet material in hand. I now find the Santa Margherita Vermont quartz a little cold and the Virginia quartz too yellow. The Husband and I also realized that while the tiny samples can give you a pretty decent idea of color and undertones, you really need to see the big old slabs to make an informed decision.
Unfortunately, we also need to have the slabs in hand for fabrication in just a few short weeks, so we can’t fall in love with something we can’t source within that timeframe. Here’s a few picks on the short list right now:
Etc.
The above will pretty much take us through February and March, with a few extras thrown in along the way:
Garage door installation (1 work day)
Missing kitchen window installation (1 work day)
Interior trim and door installation (11 work days)
Waterproofing for shower pans (5 work days)
New water meter and main (5 work days)
