A Busy Weekend

We swung out to the house Friday morning before heading to Milwaukee where I had to do a couple of doctor's depositions. When we got to the site, the workers were already at it. So we were less than enthusiastic about barging in and poking around.

Outside, we could see that the sidewalk had been poured as was the walkway up to the front porch. We even have a porch step finally.

I ran inside briefly and looked around the downstairs. The drywallers were taping and spackling away. Kerry didn't come inside and we decided we'd return on Sunday when the workers would be away.

In Milwaukee, after the depositions, we went up to my mom's furniture store and looked at more dining room sets. And we actually found one that we could actually agree upon. It didn't have a matching buffet server but it's definitely a possibility. We just need my mom to price it out. We then went to The Chancery with Gerry, my mom's husband. Back at my mom's, Kerry stayed up for a few hours but was wiped out before my mom got home from work.

Saturday, we visited my dad's gravesite and saw a couple of coyote's running through the urban/city cemetary. That was very interesting. We then buzzed down to my buddy Mud's house for his wife Suzie's 40th birthday. We got there well before the party was to start and Mud gave us a 10% off coupon at Home Depot. We then killed a little time there and bought an electric weed-whacker and a landscaping book. We stayed at the party for a few hours and headed back down to Illinois.

Sunday morning, we headed back out to the house and saw the house had been entirely drywalled and taped. Still appears to need some smoothing but with the walls up, we could really start to imagine the living space. When we got out to the garage, we saw that the vinyl siding had been delivered. One would have to assume that the vinyl would be going up this week now. We then ran out to Elk Grove Village for Bill and Ann's son, Liam's 1st birthday. So we had a very full and fun weekend.

We'll have to see how long we're still able to get into the house before they start securing the locks. I would have to think it would just be a couple more weeks once the stove, ovens and fixtures start going in. I doubt we'll be given a construction key.

Drywall, Drywall, Drywall, Part II

I went out to the house tonight because I was fairly bored and knew I would be recording the season premier of House tonight anyways. It was dark already when I got there but I noticed something different right away. The "Fechner Family Home" sign that had been up since we put our money down was gone. I wonder if we can salvage that. Now, our home is marked by a mailbox with our house numbers. Also of interest were the forms for a sidewalk and our walk up to the front porch that looks like it is being prepared for pouring soon.

The ground was muddy and I had to be careful where I stepped. I still got some muck on my sandals but scraped them off with some scrap pressboard before going in.

Inside, I saw that the drywallers had been fast at work. All the drywall appeared to be up throughout the house. A fine, white powder covered the floorboards. The scaffolding was still up in the living room/dining room and it looked like they still had to tape and fill. There was a large store of joint compound kept in the garage.

But there are definite separate rooms now. The only lights in operation remain in the basement. I had a little crank-powered flashlight to see around as I snapped pictures. It seemed like much of the rubbish that had previously been left on the floor by the workers (much to Kerry's consternation) had been picked up. The entry to the basement was partially drywalled going down. We'll have to figure out how exactly we will want to finish that off when the time comes.

On the way home, I swung by Ikea and grabbed a catalogue. Apparently, when we were there this weekend, the checkout woman was so gung-ho to recycle that she took Kerry's catalogue (again, much to Kerry's consternation).

Moving On Up

I got a call from my Town & Country Homes sales representative who said that John our site foreman says that the closing has to be in October, not November 2nd as previously scheduled. I have always felt that the soon, the better but I was concerned that we wouldn't be able to close on a Friday which would screw up Kerry's schedule or require me to present a Power of Attorney for her at the close. And I was sure she would very much want to be there. It would also be unbearable for me because I would want to go over to the house immediately after the close but I wouldn't want to do that without her. Awwwwwwwwww.

So, I told the agent that we could close on the 26th of October but the final walk-through would have to be pushed up a week to the 19th. This also screwed up a seminar thingy that Kerry was kind of planning to do that weekend and required me to re-schedule some depositions but it will all work out. I also called the movers and had them re-set our move to November 3rd. Finally, I let the mortgage agent know that the close had moved up and also let her know that GMAC Mortgage (her previous company) was still trying to keep our business. I let her know the rate GMAC quoted and told her she needs to beat it. She said she didn't think that would be a problem.

I have a trial set for October 29th but it looks like that is going to settle now. That will free me up for a week (evenings) to shuttle little things over before the movers get the big things. So now were all set to walk-through on October 19th and close on October 26th. We'll be in in time to put a pumpkin on the porch for Halloween!

P.S. The Brewers are all but done in the playoff chase. But the Packers are 3-0 and looking good!

Drywall, Drywall, Drywall

Back out to the house site for the first time since the walkthrough last week. The first thing we noticed was the masons put the brick front on the house. I hadn't given it a lot of thought since we made the color selection back in April but there it was. We both couldn't have been happier with our pick. And we noticed that the front porch rails were installed (except the side rails). So, the front elevation continues to move towards full-housiness. The front door was also installed but there still is no step up to the front porch yet.

Inside, we could see that the drywall had been delivered. The exterior wall insulation was completely in and the vapor barrier in the upstair ceiling was in as well. The electric boxes which we saw the electricians working on last week were installed throughout. The carpenters had sanded down the seams in the flooring. I still think the loft area could use some more sanding but it's definitely more even. We did notice about 3 or 4 more broken panes of glass. Obviously, that's something that will have to be addressed before the close.

Downstairs, we could see that the electricity was flowing as the basement lights were working. In the garage, the door to the utility room was in place. The overhead garage door hasn't been delivered or installed. The side rails and front door pillars were still stored in the garage.

After a quick lunch at Portillo's (Italian Beef sandwiches and a very nice chopped salad), we went to Ikea to look at window treatments and other items. Found some nice blinds but we couldn't remember how many windows we have to treat. And we can't decide if we want to go white throughout, darkish brown throughout or brown in the home office and master bedroom and maybe some other room and white elsewhere. We'll have to decide on that at some point down the road. We also checked out some bookcases, kitchen items, a bathroom magazine rack among the countless things the jam into those gigantic stores. But in the end we only bought a mirror and some Swedish meatballs.

We the popped by Home Depot with a gift card my sister and nephew got me for my birthday. Picked up a 4' step ladder for future painting and whatnot and a yard tool rack for installation in the garage. Thanks, Tammy and Devan. I also got a gift card from Kerry's mom for Lowe's. I'm really easy to buy for now.

Now time to sit back and watch the Brewers keep in the chase for the playoffs.

Closer to Closing

Town & Country called to set our closing date. November 2nd. A tad later than we had hoped (we hoped to be in by mid-October). Part of it was due to our schedule and need for a Friday close. We set our walk through for October 26th (also a Friday). It should all work out. I also asked the builder's agent to confirm that because of the early close, they would honor their agreement to pay for our December rent on our apartment. She said she needs to review all that with the old agent and the builder and would get back to me. If they welsh out on that, I will be quite put-out.

I also have a call in to a mover to try to schedule a November 10th move. That would put us in for a nice Turkey Day with my nephew, sister, mom, Gerry and Shadow at our new digs. It might not be a fully formal event but it'll be fun.

Now, I just need to finalize the mortgage arrangements and hopefully with the Federal Reserve dropping interest rates 1/2 point this week, we'll get locked in at a good number. I can't wait to get out to the site this weekend and see what's been done since last week's walk through! Oooh! And I can pick up my new suit at the tailor! How exciting! I'm down-right giddy!

Update: Town & Country just called back and said that covering the December apartment rent would be fine.

First Walk Through

We met with our site foreman, John, on Friday the 14th. I was happy that we were able to arrange things so quickly because of Kerry's Monday through Thursday travel schedule and the fact that it was the last Friday that I had free for the foreseeable future.

He gave us a walking tour pointing out various highlights of the construction and indicating where the options we selected are or would be going. While we were there the electricians were getting the wiring in and it was a bit noisy at times. It was, in fact, the first time Kerry had been to the site while workers were there. I mentioned the fact that we had come out on the weekends and John mentioned, "Well, the next time you sneak around out here you'll see this and such." I retorted rhetorically, "Would you prefer us out on the weekends or visiting the site everyday bothering you?" He had to laugh.

He did put the kibosh on us trying to get Kerry's new light fixtures and the garage door opener installed before the close. Oh, well. We'll just have to schedule electricians to come out the day of the close, if possible.

Now, it's just a matter of time. We do need to work out the details on the mortgage. The Federal Reserve just announced a reduction in the prime lending rate so hopefully that will get us a better bottom line figure when we're ready to go.

Night Visions

Went out to the house Tuesday night. Thought I'd have a quick peek and listen to the first place Milwaukee Brewers on the way out and back. I remembered to bring a legal pad and a Sharpie® marker so I could label the pictures as I shoot since I have the short-term memory of a tsetse fly lately.

I didn't expect to see a ton of progress but it certainly looks like someone had been out there. The concrete moulds for the front porch and rear steps had been removed. There was some work done on the curb by the street. Inside, they appear to be laying out the electrical boxes to be installed. The master jet tub, shower and tub in the second bathroom were installed. I also noticed that one of the windows in the family room was cracked. We didn't notice that Saturday so I wonder how that happened. The fireplace venting had also been installed. There was also a bit of water in the basement although nothing like the earlier flood.

Laying Pipe

Another relatively dry week and more progress is made. The plumbing and gas lines have all been installed. The windows are in place. The front porch has been poured. Steadily, the house is moving towards completion. So, we really don't have any complaints so far.

I took lots of pictures of the pipes and whatnot for future reference but when I uploaded the pictures, I couldn't remember what was what. I'll have to lable the pipes before I take pictures of them again next week. I don't think that'll be a problem since I think the next step would be the initial wiring. They can't drywall until we've had our pre-drywall walk-through orientation with the foreman. I called to see if we need to schedule that but I'm still waiting for word from the builder. Normally, the foreman calls us so I may be a little ahead of myself right now.

Kerry and I spent most of the day in Plainfield. Took a new suit I bought on Thursday to a Plainfield tailor. Went to Lowe's and bought my birthday present: a 3/4 HP belt drive Chamberlain garage door opener. How exciting! We also picked up Kerry's replacement light fixture for the kitchen -- this time a brush nickel pot rack light (below). After a light lunch at Panera Bread, we went to see 3:10 to Yuma. It was good. Not great.

We also had our first guests at the new house. Bill and his son, Liam, met us for buffalo wings and then came out to the house. Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of them.

I Love It When a House Comes Together

When we got to the site today, we almost didn't recognize our house. Not only had the trusses been delivered and put up over the week, the roof and shingles had been installed. It looks like a real house. So much so, I almost drove right by when we got there.

Inside, the sub floorboards and basement were bone dry. The entire week had been rain-free but they must have pumped out the basement and did something to draw the water out of the wooden flooring. There was some slight puckering of the floorboards in the loft but I think it can be easily remedied. Otherwise, the builder and I will have a little conversation.

So, Kerry and I can actually start to envision where stuff will go in the house. There is PVC piping in the garage along with the front porch pillars. So I would assume that would be going in next. We really need to get the pre-drywall orientation scheduled and start taking to the lender about the setting a closing date.