Week 2 of Construction Complete
Two full weeks of construction are now under our belt, which included the removal of whatever was left to be removed without the walls caving in, and planning for the new sewer, gas and water lines. The underground for the plumbing has been installed, and the red steel has been ordered for the major structural support that we’re adding. Honestly, it’s amazing that these houses are still standing with the way they built homes back in the 70’s.
Our contractor has also started framing out the windows and doors, which really starts bringing light to the project.
Our engineer has completed the site plans for San Diego Gas and Electric (so we can get gas connected to the homes) and our architect just finished completing his GIANT package that’s required for our next step… Del Mar Design Review Board (DRB). I’ve had no less than 10 meetings over our submission – it’s a very time consuming process! We expect it’s going to take 3-4 months to get through DRB, which to be honest, at that time, we won’t be far away from completing construction.
I’ve officially finished the cabinet design, layouts and bid process. I’m now in round three for the selection process of the granite slab and stone materials for the 2 kitchens and 8 bathrooms. This part of the Extreme Remodel takes me lots of time, and I typically make several changes. I’ve decided to stick mostly with the Carrera Marble family, mixed in with metals.
I just got the updated window order, so also on my plate is to verify the windows are the correct spec and opening in the right direction. The only way I can be sure that I get this right is to physically walk through the project and visually verify that the order is perfect. Windows are one of the biggest budget items when you’re Extreme Remodeling, which is why you’ve got to get your order right the first time – there’s no do-overs. To give you an idea, for this project, it’s over $100,000.
And then there’s the timeline for windows. Be careful here, because windows can easily delay a project for weeks, which costs more money. We’re using Fleetwood, a really nice custom window, which puts our timeline is 8-10 weeks once the manufacture receives our order. Signing off on our order is my number one priority.
Which brings me to fireplaces. You wouldn’t believe how long it takes to pick out the right fireplace for a space. And my architect is going to kill me because he needs the spec for the DRB submission, happening Monday. He’s been looking, I’ve been looking – it’s driving us both crazy!
I’ve spent weeks online looking through specs, which is the wrong way to do it. Today, we finally bit the bullet and went into a showroom and was able to select the right one. Finally!!! The thing is – they are all a bit different. Gas or wood, direct vent or chimney, the logs, the glass, rocks, amount of viewable fire area and glass, the surround, the amount of heat (BTU’s), the dimensions, the controls and installation requirements. I’m recessing a TV above the fireplace, which made the task extra difficult.
I ended up selected the 42” Echelon Direct Vent Gas Fireplace by Majestic, with a Stainless Steel surround and high tech controls. Tomorrow we’ll lay them out in the units to make sure that the scale is just right. I’m going to order an extra bag of glass in the “diamond” glass to mix with the bronze glass that I selected. The wood logs in this fireplace are beautiful – very beachy. Absolutely perfect for a beach house.
