1 year, 1 month later...

You're not going to believe this (*I* can't), but we're moving in next Wednesday, 5/3. The countertops are being installed tomorrow, then Max will connect the appliances so we can move in. It's been such a LOOOOONG process, but it's going to be worth it (IMHO).

what's left to do?

Unfotunately, we're not exactly done with Albrecht & Son yet. We still need our warranties and installation/user guides for the a/c, thermostats, and back door before the final check is written. The first time we asked for this, we received a brochure for the a/c and a user guide for a different model thermostat. Their second attempt included a user guide for a thermostat in Spanish! Oh, and again, wrong model. See what we've been dealing with? It's stuff like this since October. They can't do anything right the first time. It's ridiculous. In the last 2 weeks Max and I painted and installed trim and baseboards, put in the fridge (Thanks for your help, Spotts!), stove, and dishwasher, put in the vanities, sinks and faucets. Max is aiming to finish the baseboards this week, plus connect the water supplies to the sinks. We need to finish the kitchen cabs this weekend (glass doors, finish exposed sides with trim, toekicks) and hopefully get the coutertop guys out here next week. I'm getting window covering estimates in the next couple of weeks, too. Max talks about moving at the end of February. I'll believe it when I see it. We still need the closets and pantry put together...(sigh)

week 45?! whatever!

I know I promised to keep the blog up to date no matter what - but boy! - it got REALLY ugly!! If we thought it was bad in the fall, we had no idea how much worse dealing with Albrecht & Son would get. It has been extremely frustrating and depressing that thoughts of abandoning the project was brought up several times in the past months. (Of course, "litigation" was mentioned as well.) I did continue to take pictures but talking about the remodel has been a sore subject to say the least. Why are we starting again? 2 reasons: 1) we have made great progress in the last week that we're getting excited about the house again, and 2) Max's friend, Bob, told us to update the blog. Someone reads this? Ok then, let's blog...! Here are some pictures to see the transformation of the kitchen.

Opening the cabinet boxes was a bit scary because our window of opportunity to send damaged cabs back was closed. We just crossed our fingers and appreciated the touch-up kit included!

The cabs are full overlay, slab (flat) cherry wood w/ a cabernet stain...

Fun, huh, to see the transformation in successive pics like this...

The floors are 6" wide Santos Mahogany planks...

It's looking like a loft, isn't it?

week 26: who knows?

I don't even know where to begin. We had a setback a couple of weeks ago and it was distressing to write an entry for the blog then. It's worse now. But I will attempt at keeping the blog updated with the good, the bad, and the ugly. To keep it short, let me put it this way: we're on our 3rd crew chief and have been upgraded by the contracting company as a "squeaky wheel". What was supposed to be a 6 week project is now going into week 11. No one over there seems to listening to what we asked for or what was agreed upon. They were supposed to remove a skylight, and they did, but only on the inside. The new roof went up and I saw the skylight still on top. Need I say more? It's a lot of stuff like this that really beat us down. Wrong windows ordered, no window ordered, pantry is the wrong size, new electrical box not relocated (no room for stucco where it's at now), exterior "pop-out" trim around windows that we didn't want...it's too much. Apparently, the crew chiefs don't keep our notes and we have to repeat everything to the new crew chief. We're tired of it and just want our house back...

week 24: setback...

week 21: great room opened up!

Things are happening so fast. The original back of the house was busted down and opened up to the expanded great room. You can see the sink pipes from the kitchen. Next week they're going to finish the framing, then I think we're getting windows and doors... oh, and probably ceilings!

week 20: great room walls up

Wow! What a difference a week makes! We had a meeting with the "project manager". (Who were we dealing with all this time?) Anyway, the great room walls went up and they started on the new roof. They also worked on the drywall inside. i was so excited about the outside that Max had to show me the bullnose corners on the inside of the house. TIP: If you're not getting your ideas taken care of call a meeting with the contractor. That's when I found out who the players were. Now I know who to tell to make sure our house turns out the way we want it.