It Went Well

Prework.

I’ll start with a little realism. My job included:

• Mold Remediation.
• Floors in Two Bedrooms, Hallway, Living Room, and newly adjoining Kitchen
• A wall Removal.
• New Cabinets with slight relocation of the Stove and Dishwasher.

Before I started I made a list of what I wanted to do. And I stuck to the list. I started by investigating pricing for the mold remediation, water proof laminate floors, cabinets, and countertops. I had a budget with a desire not to take out any loans.

To save cost, I found I could put the laminate over the top of my ceramic tile floors.

After studying the finances, I came to the conclusion that I could have all the work I desired well within budget constraints. So I decided now is the time.

The Kitchen Plan

Starting with a floor plan:

I wanted a wall removed between the kitchen and dining area. There were several reasons. There was a pass through between the dining area and the kitchen, with cabinets over the top. I could not reach these cabinets, making them useless. Often times I would buy something and find later it was already stored in the high cabinets.

The second issue was the cabinet space between the stove (yes, I can spell it) and the dining room was dead space with no access.

So the target was to remove that wall with a result.

This would remove a floor to wall mirror in the previous dining room replacing with cabinets. There is a window 12 inches from the dining wall which limits the depth of the cabinets. The result is about the same countertops, but a lot less wasted space in the kitchen.

On the wall opposite the stove, I have set up my office. Above my desk is an air vent. Removing the wall would expose part ff the air vent. I resolved this issue by adding 20 inches to wall next to my desk. This would hide both the air vent and my desk a little. But I would still be able to look outside thorough my sliding glass doors.

There are 3 light switches on the extended wall. The dining room on the outside and kitchen and office area on the inside. I had the switches on the inside of the wall moved onto the new wall extension.

Schedule.

First project was mold remediation. I was already planning to do this even before I decided to remodel. I had held off this for a couple of years, while I search for the source of the leak. Within the first couple of months living here, my upstairs neighbor had a washing machine water hose burst. When a member of the Home Owners board knocked on the door, I ended up slipping on the wet tile floors fortunately avoid any major injury.

The mold remediation was scheduled for the first of November.

I started by ordering the kitchen cabinets and a quartz countertop. As part of this process a cabinet layout was done. The sales person immediately positioned a cabinet between the sink and the dishwasher and another between the sink and the stove. The purpose was to provide a person at the sink room to load the dishwasher comfortably. The down payment set in stone that my project was now underway. He provided installation plans for the cabinets.

Flooring was another issue. Flooring is delivered to the curb. I needed to figure out how to get the floors inside from the parking place. Lead times from order to pickup was minimal, and I decided to wait until it was closer to the time I would be ready to install the floors before ordering.

I then researched contractors willing to do the work and hired one about an hour to the south. He agreed to pickup up the floors when the time came. We also decided to do the floors in stages. The scheudule was as follows.

• Finish the bedrooms as soon as the mold was removed.
• The rest of the house after the lower cabinets were installed.

I used the floor plans to discuss the job with the contractor. His comment was that communication was the key to a successful contract. I was comfortable that I had properly defined the job.

This plan led me to believe I could stay at home and move between rooms. I schedule a crew to help with the moves between rooms and we were off.

Mold Remediation.

The problem was extensive. The work was estimated for only the Laundry Room and Utility Rooms, even though I also pointed out a potential problem in my bedroom.

Dry wall was removed. In the laundry room, hall and utility closet studs were left bare.

It took three three days of work and testing to declare the laundry room was clear of mold. The master bedroom tested positive for mold. This delayed the installation of the floors. I moved out of my bedroom for the mold remediation.

The First Move

This occurred on Saturday, Nov 5th. I was now a nomad in my own condo. I spent the next few weeks sleeping on the couch amidst boxes and excess furniture. My waterbed frame was between the couch and the wall. The mattress was under the dining table. I would have to move back into my bedroom before the wall could be removed.

One of the movers also did contract work and was willing to remove the mold in the bedroom and some additional mold in the master bathroom, replace the drywall and paint my bedroom. I told him he had the job if you could do it the next week.

He agreed and then used car trouble to delay the job. Finally, I went to Home Depot and got the materials for mold remediation. I removed the baseboard and sprayed the area multiple times. The mold in this area was not extensive, but there was a lot of dust.

The work I did was sufficient to get the flooring done in my bedroom. The contractor picked the flooring up and delivered it to my bedroom.

Bedroom Flooring.

On Nov 22nd, the bedroom flooring was completed. The process included, removing the wall to wall carpeting and padding and adding 1/2 inch cork subflooring. Both bedrooms had new floors.

The baseboard was left undone. The plan was for the painters to place the baseboard after completing the mold inspection. But I knew I liked my new floors.

The insane week.

The week after Thanksgiving the painters arrived and the demolition crew arrived. The demolition started in the kitchen, with the removal of all the cabinets.

It took the painters two days to do the work in both bedrooms. A lot of work is done in South Florida on a cash basis. The painters worked on that basis. My waterbed was back up in my bedroom when they left. My only comment to them would be, let me be in charge of assembling my waterbed. I’ve done it many times and I now how to do it.

It took me a couple of days to finish filling the waterbed. But my days on the couch ended in late November.

With the bedrooms done, it was time to move the Livingroom and Kitchen into the bedrooms. The alcove opposite the kitchen serves as my office. I purchased a new office desk and with matching file cabinet.

The unassembled desk arrived. With space limited, I now had a new heavy and unmovable bedmate.

Move 2 Completed.

The workers were ready to take the wall down. I had help planned that evening to clear the area near the wall. The workers left not understanding my plan. Throughout this process the workers English was better than my Spanish. Communication with the work crews was often difficult.

We moved the rest of the dining room into my bedroom that evening. My next door neighbor volunteered her place for overflow. The dining table went to her place.

The wall comes down

The workers went away for the day, not knowing the moved planned that evening. The next day they didn’t show up thinking I was not ready. I called the office and said “the dining area was cleared.”

After a day delay the wall came down. The result was an immediate, Yes more space.

And oh, what are we going to do with the wires.

The ceilings are preformed concrete slabs. Putting the wires in the ceiling was not an option. I had not planned for this issue, but I don’t think it surprised either the contractor or myself. The solution was to build a false beam overhead.

The electrician moved the chandelier to over where the table now resides.

Cabinets and Then Floors.

Part of my plan was to have the cabinets put in prior to the floors. I want the cabinets just that little bit lower to compensate some for my vertical challenge. The cabinets arrived on time. So now it was time for the cabinets.

The question was how to deal with the beam. I floated the idea of lowering the cabinets, that was vetoed by the contractor because the toe gap would be lost. In retrospect that was the correct decision. But the uppers were a problem.

This is where the communication gap became a challenge. Every time I asked what they would do, he would respond no problem. As the uppers went up the cabinets to the left of the stove were about an inch higher then the cabinets to the right of the stove and as I kept asking I always got an answer of “No Problem.”

All the uppers were in place except for where the beam is and still “No Problem.”

Then it hit me. The solution was to buy a shorter cabinet to accommodate the beam. I called the supplier. The cabinets were in stock somewhere in the US and they could have one buy Wednesday. I ordered another cabinet and had the planned cabinet placed to the left of the refrigerator, where it can serve for cleaning and office supplies, but another delay.

Living Area Floors.

The lower cabinets were in place. It was time for the flooring. Watching the floors go in was amazing. One worker did the living room while the other worked down the hall.

The hall was completed quickly. This worker started on the detail work around the edges. He also completed the baseboard. In total it took about 3-4 hours for the whole floor. I did measurements for my flooring for all the rooms and came up with needing 775 square feet before ordering the flooring.

When I ordered to floors the expert decided to actually order 43 boxes at 20 sq feet per box for 860 square feet. When done there were 6 full boxes and scraps for about 1 more box. So the floor was closer to 740 square feet. Since I had already added a little, I figure my number was pretty good.

While I could return the boxes, my plan is to use the left-overs to eventually floor my closet and the laundry room.

One other issue arose was the need for T-connectors between the hall and both bedrooms. When I went back to the store I ordered the flooring from they were out of stock. I had to go to Sunrise to find the T-connectors needed. Eventually, spending about 3 hours traveling around South Florida. Fortunately I did this before the flooring guys arrived.

The last cabinet arrives…

But I’m still concerned with the discrepancy of heights. This time I get in touch with boss. I told him my position was that the discrepancy was “Not a Problem,” but it also wasn’t right. Eventually we got out the elevation plans for the cabinets. The crew boss pointed to how the cabinets which make up the pantry on the far right line up with the top of the lower cabinets.

We got out the elevation drawing. He indicated they line up. I said “yes to the top of the countertop”.. At which point he went silent and said he would be back tomorrow.

The next day he fixed all the cabinets.

The Microwave.

And movement of the stove comes in play. When we decided to move the stove, I checked the electrical outlet for the stove and concluded that it would be no problem. I didn’t however check the outlet for the microwave.

Because to the 12 inch move the microwave used a different socket. “No problem.” Wait it is a problem. The socket the worker wanted to use was a switched plug to control the kitchen lights. I don’t want to have to walk across the room to use the microwave. It took some doing, but eventually, he understood the situation.

Two days later on Dec 17 an electrician arrived to locate an additional outlet. He installed the microwave rehung my support for my shelves in my laundry room. (I rehung the shelves.) He checked that the doors of all the cabinets were properly hung. I had notice 2 problems. He reset many doors and installed the bumpers.

He left with a final check for the contractor.

The Countertops.

The other thing that could happen once the lower cabinets was to start work on the countertops. I had selected a white sparkle quartz counter top. I called and schedule an appointment with him.

He arrived in the midst of finishing the work on the upper cabinets. I believe the date was Dec 15th and my plans were to be out of town between the 20th and the 29th. While he was here we schedule the countertops for Jan 2nd.

Before leaving on my vacation, I got a call that I needed 7 sq ft more of countertop, then I ordered. Another little added expense.

They arrived on time, installed the countertops and a new sink. He did not however do any plumbing, I found this out the day before he arrived.

So I needed a Plumber.

I went to google and found the two highest ranked plumbers. The first would be available on Jan 11th. The 2nd could come out that day to do an evaluation. I chose the 2nd plumber based on availability. He did the evaluation for connecting the refrigerator, dishwasher and sink. Some additional work was needed because during the demolition the drain pipe was broken inside the wall. The plumber told me he could come back tomorrow.

He came back two days later and completed the job. I now have a completed kitchen, minus a painted wall.

While I still have a lot of putting away to do. This evening I fixed a full meal for the first time in my new kitchen.

Miscellaneous Add-ons.

Stanley Steemer cleaned the A/C vents. The plumber evaluated the work needed to connect water in the kitchen. I played a session of bridge online (it was not fair to my partner or my opponents.)

All this took place, while the countertops were being installed.

With new floors came a desire to clean them well. I went out and bought a robot vacuum/mop. I’ve set it up to do the big room at 3:00 in the morning. It gives the room a once over while I sleep. I’ve set it up to do the hall and both bedrooms at 1:40 in the afternoon. It takes about 20 minutes to do all 3 rooms.

There are areas it can’t get to, but I feel like the rooms will be less dusty.

Things left to do.

• Organize the whole house.
• I did not replace the sheet rock in the laundry room. I am waiting for a potential leak in the spring.
• Decide what to do around the beam and above the cabinets.
• Decide on lighting under the cabinets. Some type of covering for the bottoms of the uppers.
• Paint the kitchen, study, dining room, laundry room, and 2nd bedroom.

I also still need my air conditioning/heating condenser cleaned. That is schedule for next week.

At this point my bank account needs some recovery time. But I also need some down time. It’s been a tiring process.