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Post by mama2three on Jul 23, 2014 12:38:48 GMT
We have been talking about adding on to our house for years. Met many architects, builders and other contractors. Last week we agreed we would move forward and signed the contract. I had no idea of how fast this would move, how much would need to be displaced, and how little lead time we would get!
The next morning the contractor was at the house wanting to know why the attic and garage weren't empty yet (we had only just signed the contract and hadn't yet heard what the schedule would be. We didn't know they would be starting immediately!) We had to empty the garage and attic that night in 90 degree heat. Our back porch and dining room are now full. The entrance to the new addition will take away our linen closet (a new linen closet will eventually be built as part of the new construction), so in the meantime, we had to empty the linen closet. Linens for a household are now piled throughout the house. DS's closet is in the way and was removed yesterday, necessitating removing all the clothes hanging inside - we hung them on a rack in the laundry room thinking they were out of the way. Nope. That was right where the electrician had to pull wires through and needed everything moved. I had kids move some boxes to the basement. Turned out that's where they have to add support columns. The AC duct work will travel through closets in the other bedrooms. We were told to empty the closets, including the built in shelving units. Haven't done that yet because I don't know where to put anything at this point.
Monday at 7 am the builder indicated he had to work in the living room and needed pictures off walls, barrister bookcases removed, furniture moved in the next 10 min. (the work was originally not supposed to impact the LV room at all). There is now a big hole in the living room ceiling and others in the kitchen. The electrician said he can't replace the ceiling fixtures until the builder repairs the ceiling, so we will have minimal light in the kitchen for the next week or two. As the vibration will shake kitchen cabinets, he wants those emptied and dishes and glassware packed up out of the way. At this point there is no "out of the way". Everything is pulled out of every storage space. DH just called to tell DS to pack up everything on his floor to ceiling bookshelves. The contractor made some snide comment about how we're such messy people! I nearly jumped down his throat with a retort of, "I wonder what your house would look like if you had to pull everything out of your garage and attic and out of every closet, cabinet, bookshelf, etc. on last minute notice with no other place to put stuff. Probably not pretty. "
Meanwhile, I'm supposed to be at work but have had to be at home with the contractors every day. I'm fortunate to have some flexibility, but I can't get much done with all the noise and interruptions, and I have pressing work deadlines I can't meet. DH doesn't understand. He gets up and goes to work at 7:30 every morning and comes home long after the workers are done. We were supposed to be away on vacation next week and had wanted to start construction after we return. It took a lot of pre planning and notice to get my work to agree to my time off and I'm way overdue for vacation time. Given how much has to constantly be moved to provide contractor access, I don't think we should go away now. Have you left town while having contractors swarming all over your house? What do you do about access and making sure it is locked up? How do you handle the fact that they need stuff pulled out of closets and relocated around the house on a daily basis?
To top it off, the builders have just tromped through and over all the plants in my (previously beautiful) front garden, so it too is a disaster with plants smashed to the ground. I know we'll be happy with the finished product, and I can't wait to have another bedroom and sewing/craft room (finally!). I'm glad this is moving along at a fast pace, but how am I going to survive this remodel? I am so overstressed it isn't funny.
Those of you who have been through this - Any words of wisdom?
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scrappert
Prolific Pea
RefuPea #2956
Posts: 7,960
Location: Milwaukee, WI area
Jul 11, 2014 21:20:09 GMT
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Post by scrappert on Jul 23, 2014 12:47:35 GMT
I have not been through this as an adult, only as a child when my parents wanted to remove all the lathe (sp?) and plaster on all our wall in our 3 bedroom, 2 story house and put up dry wall. I remember the plaster dust being a real pain in the butt! And the heavy carrying of the plaster to the dumpster (we did all the work ourselves). I remember the mess and wondering if it would ever be back to normal again. And it did get back to normal.  Hang in there, it sounds like you guys do need a vacation after all the moving and emptying. I was exhausted reading it! I don't have any advice, just wanted to say it will eventually end and you will have your nice new addition! There is light at the end of the tunnel! |
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lindas
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,277 
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Post by lindas on Jul 23, 2014 12:56:44 GMT
I don't envy you, I hate remodeling! Have you considered a Pod to store everything in until the work is done?
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Post by mama2three on Jul 23, 2014 12:58:50 GMT
I don't envy you, I hate remodeling! Have you considered a Pod to store everything in until the work is done? I like seeing it come together, but we've never done a project on this scale, and it is overwhelming!
We considered a POD, but there is no where to put it with the big dumpster covering the driveway, plies of lumber covering the front and side yards, and no way to easily access the backyard.
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lindas
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,277
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Post by lindas on Jul 23, 2014 13:17:36 GMT
I don't envy you, I hate remodeling! Have you considered a Pod to store everything in until the work is done? I like seeing it come together, but we've never done a project on this scale, and it is overwhelming!
We considered a POD, but there is no where to put it with the big dumpster covering the driveway, plies of lumber covering the front and side yards, and no way to easily access the backyard.
Can't you put it in the street for a day or two? I'd be packing that thing up with everything that was absolutely necessary for day to day living then have them take it to their storage facility until the work was done. |
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Post by brina on Jul 23, 2014 13:29:19 GMT
living through it right now as well, and it sucks. I just keep focusing on the end result.
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bklyngal62
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,227
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Post by bklyngal62 on Jul 23, 2014 13:32:17 GMT
I can only imagine the stress you are going through, but think of the end results that you're going to love.
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Post by sisterbdsq on Jul 23, 2014 14:40:25 GMT
Gypsy is right...I work with contractors all day and I'm currently doing a remodel in my own house. YOU need to set guidelines, YOU need to be in some sort of CONTROL in your own home. You do NOT let a contractor dictate to you what is going on while you sit there like a giant puss. You should have received a timeline. I don't know who the f&ck you have working for you, but he sounds like a real dick.
I'm also calling BS on much of this as there is no way a contractor could have pulled permit overnight.
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Post by mikklynn on Jul 23, 2014 15:08:59 GMT
BTDT! You'll survive, but it won't be pretty! I've had them shut off my water at the street BEFORE they rang the doorbell to tell me. At 6:30 am!
You need to insist your DH take a turn at staying home with the contractor. And, no, I would NOT leave town during this major project. You need to be home to be sure everything is closed up overnight. Trust me!
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Post by mama2three on Jul 23, 2014 15:18:05 GMT
Gypsy is right...I work with contractors all day and I'm currently doing a remodel in my own house. YOU need to set guidelines, YOU need to be in some sort of CONTROL in your own home. You do NOT let a contractor dictate to you what is going on while you sit there like a giant puss. You should have received a timeline. I don't know who the f&ck you have working for you, but he sounds like a real dick. I'm also calling BS on much of this as there is no way a contractor could have pulled permit overnight. No, the permits are all in place. We were still on the fence about whether or not we were going to go forward but were pretty sure we were going to do the work. While we were still arranging financing, we had the general contractor we were going to use go ahead and file the plans with the town to get the permits. That process took about a month. We weren't locked into anything at that point but figured it would keep things moving so we wouldn't have to do the work in December.
At the time we had the contractor file the plans with the town, the framing crew wasn't available until late August, so we were gearing up for August/September timeframe. The day we signed our contract, the framer indicated he had had a cancellation and could start immediately or we could wait and begin at the end of October/Nov. DH wanted to get it moving, so here we are. If we had waited until vacation was over, we'd be looking at the later timeframe to start.
We love our general contractor. He has been great. The electrician has been a joy to work with. It's just the framing crew that is a pain in the neck. They are doing a good job and working efficiently despite the heat, and they're well known for the quality of their work, it's just that the head guy is not a friendly sort. Very gruff. We've told him we need to know the day before what time they are showing up and what they plan to work on so we can accommodate them. They expect to be done next week.
I have been working very long days at work for the past month and have not been able to pack and clear out things ahead of time (really, when getting home from work at 9 pm, who feels like doing that?). Really thought we'd have more lead time, but this is better than having no roof in the middle of winter or having everything displaced through Christmas. DH doesn't want to do anything that would slow up this process and wants to be as accommodating as possible (easy for him to say since he is not here all day). Hence me working from home so someone is here all the time.
One part of the house is not being impacted (Ironically, the only rooms we had not yet remodeled since moving in here and which need work), so I have my temporary office set up there.
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Post by Darcy Collins on Jul 23, 2014 18:53:02 GMT
Cancel the vacation - seriously. You will absolute regret leaving at the very beginning of a major remodel. Something will come up, you won't be there, and they will do the opposite of what you would want. It will cost time, money and aggravation to remedy. DO NOT LEAVE.
Contractors we've worked with have been very clear about what needed to be clear of personal belongings and when. It is the general contractors job to coordinate when, who and what is being done. Typically they are ultra conservative of when things need to be ready and cleared, as it costs time and money if the subcontractors show up and can't do their job. It sounds like the framing crew is dictating what is being done and the general is MIA.
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Post by joyfromny on Jul 23, 2014 20:14:01 GMT
Best of luck!
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mimima
Drama Llama
Stay Gold, Ponyboy
Posts: 5,073
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Post by mimima on Jul 23, 2014 21:45:19 GMT
Hugs. I have no words of wisdom, just sympathy.
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