Decisions, Decisions

So this is what it’s like to stare at a blank page (screen) without much progress over at the site! I have neglected to post over the past two Saturdays because nothing much to speak of happened. Of course, I have lots of information in reserve to share with you during the slow weeks. But this week I think that I will subject you to the same waiting game through which I suffer. Six weeks down—about twenty weeks to go, I believe!

So why the delays? I am learning about all the possible things that can slow down the process. We were supposed to have the foundation poured two weeks ago, but then: 1) engineer was called out to consult 2) engineer’s solution had to be run by the City 3) the City ($#!&@!!!) is only available for plan check one day per week in person and one day on Zoom, so you have to wait for an appointment, 4) the City has to inspect the massive rebar cage that’s in the ground and which will be covered by the concrete pour 5) someone on the concrete crew was diagnosed with a serious illness 6) five people on the concrete crew are brothers and had to return to their home country due to the death of a family member from COVID…. next thing you know, the foundation work is being put off for a month. Small things continue to progress, but nothing that would make for good stories or photos on the blog.

It looks so READY, doesn’t it?

We are in an intense decision-making period regarding the details of the finished project, which seems like an abstract exercise when the house appears to be in ruins and the addition is not yet out of the ground. It’s something we must do as soon as possible, yet it won’t bear fruit for months from now due to the loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong lead times for the manufacturing of windows and doors (which, it’s worth noting, will take place locally over in the San Fernando Valley).

Doors: one panel or five panel? Raised panel or flat panel? Mortise lock or tube latch? Paint grade or stain grade? What size and shape and type of hinges? Knobs? Metal color and finish of knobs: brass? Satin, antiqued, polished; lacquered or not?

Windows: swing in or out? Crank or push? Fixed or roll-up screen? Paint or stain? Metal color and finish of screen frame, latch, hinges; and if you have to mix manufacturers, will they offer the same finishes, and will the satin brass of one match the satin brass of the other? Will you notice? Will it matter?

I’m pretty sure I would cry if the doors arrived and the hinge plates had radiused corners instead of square.

These are the mind-numbing details that I am working out this week.

Before that, of course, we had the more general choices to make. We selected tile and countertops for the kitchen, as well as a cabinet style and color. I’m fortunate to have an interior designer in our architects’ office to work with on all of this—someone creative with good taste who’s also interested in working through things collaboratively and methodically. I’m still working on the color/pattern for the Marmoleum floor that will work with them. The guy at the flooring store thought I should go with RED. There will be much more to come on color as we get closer to that point.

So I have my work cut out for me. I need to finish going over the order for the windows and doors and making all my decisions and notes and hoping that what I see on the manufacturer’s website reflects the reality of what is available AND won’t result in a big upcharge. I won’t tell you how many thousands of dollars we managed to add to the already-outrageous cost of the windows and doors when we made a visit to the showroom two weeks ago.

Our goal is always to avoid avoid being the ones slowing down the project, but that isn’t always realistic! Yet it matters to us more than to anyone!