Week 17 ~ End of Hell week

Thats right ~The end of Hell week although with this morning shenanigans it is shaping up to be worse. As you would know it was Kitchen Install week. Before I begin my waffling ~ Let me be PERFECTLY clear. We still think the Kitchen company we chose and have paid a large sum of money to ~ create a high end quality product.
What has done our head in?

We were dissapointed to find that they also use the "Thats not our Job" catchphrase.

I was stunned!

See the torn ceiling and gap in the left corner?

More Gaps

We are NOT gap people. We wanted stylish and seamless

The kitchen went in and WOW is all I can say ~WOW! It looks amazing in the pictures but I noticed a tear in the ceiling at the top of the cupboards and of course worried myself into a flap ~ as ya do. To be honest I am pretty sure I was thinking ..........
Pfffttttt it will be nothing and I am a sillybilly ......

Then the phone calls started .... yep it seems that while we paid $862 to:

" To Fill the space above your cabinets and extend to the ceiling" ..... apparently that does not include Cornices.

Whats your take on that statement Reader? They made MDF Bulkheads and installed ..... with a gap around the whole thing and cut out bits near the Cornices. When asked by our Builder about what was going in ~ he was told ~ That's not our job to do Cornices. We then feel stupid that we obviously misinterpreted what we agreed to.
I called the Kitchen People and were told they had discussed this ~ Ummmmm no ~ I am absolutely positive I would NOT have paid $862 for MDF strips and a gap. POSITIVELY positive on that one.
Once again it is a lesson ~ DOUBLE and then TRIPLE check everything. Even if you think you might be annoying people? Remember it is YOUR hard earned money so make sure you TRIPLE check everything. Also remember we are doing The Long Distance Renovation so maybe it is easier when you are on site all the time?
Bottom line is ~Our Builder called the Kitchen People then they called us to inform us they would pay to have the Cornices replaced.....

*Blink*

Provincial kitchen starting to come together

Our Blind and Floor chap arrived this morning and called to say he could not do the Floors downstairs because of the rubbish ~ *sigh*
Another round of calls with everyone blaming everyone else ~ of course that is the ones who actually answered their phones.
It also appears our Rangehood did not go in as planned last week and is sitting downstairs on the floor. I had to call to find out.
A simple email or text message or call to advise what is happening. We are starting to believe that unless you have actually done a Long Distance Renovation you cannot empathize or understand how awful it feels. That must be the reason why people seem to dismiss us when we try and find out whats going on!
The above picture was kindly sent to us by our Blind chap to show us his work. You can see the Cornice chap has been in and put the Cornices up as we thought they would be and I am thrilled with how much better it looks.I am pretty impressed with how it is starting to look and cant begin to describe how excited we are about arriving home in 6 short days. We know there will be massive amounts of work ~cleaning up and moving stuff from both balconies (Thats where the Trades put anything) ~there will be hosing and sweeping and preparation as we have a day full of deliveries and all of them will be coming up through the Back Man deck so that area must be cleaned of all the dust from various workmen.

So the update in the last week is:
* Final Grouting in upstairs Bathroom and Downstairs Laundry
* Splashback in Kitchen
* Ceiling in Bathrooms/Toilet/Kitchen
* Stairwell Painting
* Shower screens and Downstairs toilet
* Downstairs Floors
* Security screens

When we arrive next Monday 14th ( we are leaving earlier to ensure we can get the work done before the movers arrive so will arrive about 3am and start work) we will have to:

* Clean Mandeck and hose down
* Clean Zen Balcony and Hose down
* Start cleaning up the garage and moving rubbish outside to load in trailer
* Mr Fab will collect trailer
* Clean down each room including washing the shoe prints from the newly polished floors even after Trades were asked NOT to wear shoes ..... (we have pictures)
* Collect lighting from Carseldine
* Unload car and start to unpack in preparation for the Movers arrival

I am feeling overwhelmed .....

Stay Fabulous

fs vintage
xx

Do it yourself?

Imagine ~ 2.00am and you cant sleep because the ONLY thing rattling around in your head......

Image via Google ~The border is similar to ours

Image via Google

"Did we do the right thing with the Plantation Shutters?"

Now we do not for one second regret the Shutters ~ nor do we regret the expense .... well ok it makes us a little itchy when we think about it ....
The problem is I was having a Date with Mr Google and I saw the whole Do it Yourself Shutters thing. Then I picked up some old decorator magazines and found advertising for the whole Do it Yourself Shutter thing.

"Up to 50% off " they screamed
"Save up to half the price" they teased and taunted

*sigh*

We have discussed it this morning and used the Positive approach. We have paid our deposits to Dezine A Blinds we have selected our finish and style. The price was 20% off and Cheryl gave us a pretty darn good deal. Then we remembered the Downstairs windows ........ They are this odd kind of plasterboard which is an absolute kicker to try and drill into. We showed Cheryl when she was visiting and she has noted they will be a little more difficult than normal.
Then Mr Fab reminded me ~ they would all have to be painted and primed and redone before we could install them ourselves .......

Ok all good now ~feeling much better and have made a note to self NOT to play around with Mr Google at 2am.

This week has been pretty interesting ~ time seems to have stood completely still or moving with the speed of molasses down a slight incline ..... However ~ there also seems to have been quite a goodly amount of work done!

We have stairs ~always a bonus in a two level house

 

 

Please excuse the pictures from Chris The Scottish Builder. He is still learning to send pics on his phone ~ bless him ~so I have to work with what I have.
He has also started the plaster boarding, fitted all the new doors and hardware, ordered the roof for the Man Deck, knocked out a few beams he thought ruined the look, removed and refitted a new front door and front panel , and almost finished the downstairs walls. Ryan The Plumber has found what he needs to do the Bathrooms and Andrew The Sparky has started doing all the downstairs lights which will be super insane hard as most of it is through very small spaces because of the brickwork.
We also ordered all the screens and new Security Doors from Absolute Security. Adam was super amazing and very helpful. I like it when they give you a gentle opinion based on years of experience. Makes the whole decision making process easy. As I have said before ~I am NOT  designer nor am I a stylist. I know what I like of course but I am also happy to listen to what others say. I am making a SUPREME effort not to second guess everything we choose to do in this Fabulous Renovation.

Till next time

Stay Fabulous

fs vintage
xx