It's Official, Construction has Begun!
Yes, we’ve officially started construction on April 13th, the day after we received ADR approval and permits from the City of Del Mar.
During all of the countless sleepless nights, here’s what I’ve been working on while we’ve been waiting for city approval:
Window Changes – Because we made so many concessions (over the last several weeks) regarding the size and type of windows, we’ve had to make many changes to our plans with the architect and then our window supplier. I’m still waiting for an updated bid, but here’s the problem. The windows and the folding doors that we’re using from Fleetwood take 8-9 weeks for delivery, once the order is received by the manufacturer. This delay will hold up our frame inspection, adding 2-3 additional weeks to our schedule.
Kitchen Cabinet Design – I finalized the kitchen cabinet design and kitchen layout. I was able to make a few improvements, adding more storage, which I’m really excited about.
Stone Selections Finalized – I finished all of my selections for the 4 bathrooms and the kitchen (x2). I’ve decided to use different granite and marble designs for each unit in some of the key areas, adding a touch of uniqueness to each.
Interior Doors and Hardware – I’m working through these now. I’m using White Bronze for the interior hardware which is pricey but worth the cost because they’re beautiful. I’m waiting for samples from the two main manufacturers that specialize in white bronze – Ashley Norton and Emtek. I’m also working on the door heights and style options. We always use solid core doors, and I’ll be using a black factory stained, for a clean and solid look.
Hardscape – We’ve had several meetings about the hardscape, which includes the site walls, gates, patios, etc. My goal is to maximize the outdoor living space my maximizing the size of the patios – hugely important when you’re in a beach community, especially in California.
Exterior Finishes – I’m making final design decisions around the stucco, wood and metal trim, and which goes where. I’m doing this by reviewing color renderings with the materials in different locations so that I’ve got a good visual of what the materials will look like once they’re installed. These are the most difficult decisions to make – because they can make or break a project. Plus my architect and I don’t agree on these points, which makes it even more difficult to make the final decision.
Fireplaces – I need to make a decision on the fireplace size and style, plus send the spec to our project manager and our architect, so they can be integrated into the plans and the frame construction. I’m waiting for specs and pricing from a few contractors.
Our engineer has also submitted the package to the City of Del Mar to Condo-ize the project. We're going from a duplex to 2 condominiums. We hope to have this approval completed within the next 2 months.
That’s it for this week. Stay tuned for next week’s updates.
