Now with all the old torn out from the old kitchen, we are step by step building back a new kitchen environment, seemly done.
New tile floor laid wall to wall - step one. It sure looks good to me, especially after the beat old linoleum has bee erased from my mind's eye.
Walls and ceiling stripped down to sheet rock and drywall torn our where the old pantry closet once stood - step two.
Relocated plumbing for new sink position and rewire for new electrical outlet placement - step three.
New drywall replaced over the holes and walls and ceiling textured - Step four.
All of this is proceeding as planned, ahead of schedule even. This is too good, surely this can't last to the end?
Of course not...
The custom-built cabinets have been sitting in the garage, waiting for the proper sequence in the process of installing all of the pieces before they are to be installed. They day has arrived, and it is a Saturday. The crew is here at 8:30 AM. The cabinets that sit on the floor have been examined and found to all be undamaged and are ready to be installed. Measure twice, cut once they say. A check of the floor plans and each piece of cabinetry is brought in from the garage and installed solidly to the wall. Then it is time to hang the overhead cabinets, however, some arrived damaged and have been reordered. Those that have arrived unmarred are measured and the mounting plans are consulted once again. Hmmmm....
The contractor is confused and puzzled. This is not going to be good. He cannot figure out how and why the new cabinets do match the expected dimensions. He shakes his head and consults with the crew. He comes back inside and motions for me to come into the kitchen. He begins to explain; "You have a 33" cabinet sitting here in the floor next to the dishwasher, but the cabinet above it, over the counter top is only 30". So the design calls for a 3" 'filler board' to cover the 3" gap. The cabinet above should line up to be the same dimension as the one below."
"What do you think about that?"
I tell him I do not like it, I thought I had paid for a full length set of cabinets above and below the counter top.
"Good", he tells me, even if you wanted to go ahead with this installation, I'd try and talk you out of it - this kind of install work does not reflect well on me.
We will reorder a third set of cabinets to fit the proper dimensions. At first we are told the four 3" filler boards that were planned for our kitchen were a 'cost-saving measure'. What? We agreed on a cost and nobody said anything about selling us short shrift on the upper cabinets to save costs, cost that were established before the plans were drawn up. True. Actually the computer design program ran four 3" spacers around the kitchen after the design tech mistakenly entered in 30" instead of 33". Put garbage in and the computer compensated with garbage out.
Some of the cabinets onsite in our garage actually do fit properly, so those are installed - step 4 1/2. We wait for another few weeks before the third set arrives.
Meanwhile, I put up the painters tape, go toe the store and select a handful of color swatches and test them out. I select "Paris Mist", what i feel, is soothing, cool and placid green for an east-facing [hot Texas Sun] room. The Paris Mist walls will be accented with bright white baseboards, door frame and the vaulted ceiling in the Breakfast Nook. I like picking colors and applying them to the walls - step 5. This is starting to look like a nice room to be in some day in the future.
New tile floor laid wall to wall - step one. It sure looks good to me, especially after the beat old linoleum has bee erased from my mind's eye.
Walls and ceiling stripped down to sheet rock and drywall torn our where the old pantry closet once stood - step two.
Relocated plumbing for new sink position and rewire for new electrical outlet placement - step three.
New drywall replaced over the holes and walls and ceiling textured - Step four.
All of this is proceeding as planned, ahead of schedule even. This is too good, surely this can't last to the end?
Of course not...
 |
| Demolition Phase finished. Drywall repair and texture to make a new kitchen environment |
The contractor is confused and puzzled. This is not going to be good. He cannot figure out how and why the new cabinets do match the expected dimensions. He shakes his head and consults with the crew. He comes back inside and motions for me to come into the kitchen. He begins to explain; "You have a 33" cabinet sitting here in the floor next to the dishwasher, but the cabinet above it, over the counter top is only 30". So the design calls for a 3" 'filler board' to cover the 3" gap. The cabinet above should line up to be the same dimension as the one below."
"What do you think about that?"
I tell him I do not like it, I thought I had paid for a full length set of cabinets above and below the counter top.
"Good", he tells me, even if you wanted to go ahead with this installation, I'd try and talk you out of it - this kind of install work does not reflect well on me.
 |
| Cabinet Installation (Partial) |
 |
| Those cabinets that arrived undamaged are mounted on the tile floor and against the wall. Counter top templates can be made once the lower cabinets are installed. Progress. |
 |
| Partial installation of the upper set of cabinets |
Some of the cabinets onsite in our garage actually do fit properly, so those are installed - step 4 1/2. We wait for another few weeks before the third set arrives.
 |
| Color goes on the wall while Sue is out of town running church camp for the weekend. The color selection and painting are all my decision - but she approves once she returns |
Meanwhile, I put up the painters tape, go toe the store and select a handful of color swatches and test them out. I select "Paris Mist", what i feel, is soothing, cool and placid green for an east-facing [hot Texas Sun] room. The Paris Mist walls will be accented with bright white baseboards, door frame and the vaulted ceiling in the Breakfast Nook. I like picking colors and applying them to the walls - step 5. This is starting to look like a nice room to be in some day in the future.
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