Just out of curiosity, Duckie and I went to Savanna Kitchens last week to solicit a quote for our kitchen. We discussed our plans with Frank, the owner and expressed our desire to have a modern kitchen design. We knew beforehand that it was going to be a Pedini Kitchen because that's what Savanna Kitchens carries.
We finally got a quote back from them, after 1.5 weeks. $22K for the cabinets, including installation and GST. If we factored in whatever cost for the countertops (which we won't have much of, but wanted granite/stainless steel/marble), the whole thing is going to come out to $30K. It'll probably be well worth the money but that's money we can't afford to spend right now.
At least it's good to know what it could have cost.
Oh and BTW, it's 10 weeks for delivery from the day of order.
Monday, February 27, 2006
Moisture Damage?
Once the celing of the third floor foyer came down, Duckie noticed some signs of water damage in the celing. It looks like moisture may be penetrated the celing, leaving stains on the backer boards. We will have to take those down to see if the studs have been affected and make sure that there is no mould.
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Shed/Garage Options
Okay, so these things look sort of creepy... in a recluse/loner/unibomer sort of way:
Metroshed
Modern Shed
Pre-fab may be a very good option for replacing our crumbling garage that has fallen victim hungry rodents and nattural elements.
But I wonder if I shoudl spend the money on power tools and rough-cut lumber instead.
Metroshed
Modern Shed
Pre-fab may be a very good option for replacing our crumbling garage that has fallen victim hungry rodents and nattural elements.
But I wonder if I shoudl spend the money on power tools and rough-cut lumber instead.
Saturday, February 25, 2006
Taps, Tubs, Faucets, Bidets, Lavs, Sinks, Showers...
There are way too many kitchen and bath stores around the city. Each has a different selection of products and their alliances with the various manufacturers. Toilets come to far too many brands, designs, features, and details. Even the colour selection is dizzying, with four different shades of white. So far, we can only decide on a Toto Ultimate toilet in round shape (as opposed to the guy-preferred elongated bowl), in cotton white.
So far, we have visited the following:
Taps - Credited as the original home improvement store, before the invasion of Home Depot and the likes. Lots of people visiting, confused buyers, a busy staff, good selection of products but limited displays. Expect long waits if you don't have an appointment and plan on going on weekends. Parking is a pain as well.
Ginger's - Part of the ELTE family of home decoration stores. Guilty by association for high-end prices to go with their products. Good choice of finishing products, like hardware and accessories. Expect to spend plenty if you decide to take the plunge there. Snooty staff. Lots of gawkers on the weekends as well.
Tubs - Self-proclaimed "Ultimate Bath Store", with lots of selection. Large show room with lots of mock-ups. The design is not as high-end as Ginger's, or Taps. More of a warehouse feel to the store, including the Muzak playing in the background. The staff is very knowledgeable and very willing to help. Access to more products for order so definitely talk to the staff for help. Carries all the big names, like Toto, HansGrohe, Grohe, Kohler, etc.
Trendy Baths - A little unknown place in a Scarborough Chinese mall. Definitely not the place if you are looking for name brands. Carries products that are mostly manufactured in China. Lots of vessel sinks, tall faucets, steam enclosures, and shower systems. They will source Moen, Kohler, Toto, and Maax products if you ask. Quality is good on the Chinese products but check carefully for quality. Parking is a nightmare, be prepared to carry-out if you buy anything.
So far, we have visited the following:
Taps - Credited as the original home improvement store, before the invasion of Home Depot and the likes. Lots of people visiting, confused buyers, a busy staff, good selection of products but limited displays. Expect long waits if you don't have an appointment and plan on going on weekends. Parking is a pain as well.
Ginger's - Part of the ELTE family of home decoration stores. Guilty by association for high-end prices to go with their products. Good choice of finishing products, like hardware and accessories. Expect to spend plenty if you decide to take the plunge there. Snooty staff. Lots of gawkers on the weekends as well.
Tubs - Self-proclaimed "Ultimate Bath Store", with lots of selection. Large show room with lots of mock-ups. The design is not as high-end as Ginger's, or Taps. More of a warehouse feel to the store, including the Muzak playing in the background. The staff is very knowledgeable and very willing to help. Access to more products for order so definitely talk to the staff for help. Carries all the big names, like Toto, HansGrohe, Grohe, Kohler, etc.
Trendy Baths - A little unknown place in a Scarborough Chinese mall. Definitely not the place if you are looking for name brands. Carries products that are mostly manufactured in China. Lots of vessel sinks, tall faucets, steam enclosures, and shower systems. They will source Moen, Kohler, Toto, and Maax products if you ask. Quality is good on the Chinese products but check carefully for quality. Parking is a nightmare, be prepared to carry-out if you buy anything.
Progress Report - Week Three & Four
Things have been happening at a fast and furious pace at the house. We have been working hard to stay ahead of the contactor, meeting with the various suppliers and getting quotes. Visiting more kitchen cabinet builders/importers, flooring suppliers, and plumbing fixture stores. Progress at the house has been particular astonishing. The rough framing of the extension has been completed and we now have a very good idea of the size of the new area.
WEEK THREE
- Waterproofing and protection for foundation completed
- Ground level floor joists in extension installed
- Subfloor for extension laid
- Exterior walls for extension build
- Roof framing for extension completed
- Old radiators removed/relocated for wall construction/floor installation
- Laminanted wood beam installed to support second floor foyer celing, removed old supporting post
- Framing for new main floor hall closet, storage closet and powder room completed
- Basement rec room demolished, framing for storage rooms constructed
- Inspection of foundation completed and passed
WEEK FOUR
- Backfill of excavation
- Flat roof for extension completed
- Rubber membrane for extension roof installed
- Final wall of old cold room removed by hand
- Top layer of gravel for basement laid
- Dining room window partially removed (still have storm window intact)
- Third floor stairwell celing removed
- Drains for new kitcehn and powder room installed and tied in
- Electrican commenced replacement of all electrical wiring
A couple of problems have sprouted out. The biggest one being our first encounter with the building inspector. It seems that we have been assigned a relatively stringent inspector who demands to see every piece of detail being done "by the book". While It's not really a gripe, I would now anticipate delays due to the numerous inspections that will have to be scheduled. For now, he has held up our backfill for a week, until we provided a engineering report (at our cost) for the underpinning of a non-structral wall.
After removing the wall paneling in the basement rec room, we found mould on the old wood strapping. The problem is probably caused by moisture coming in from the exterior wall and settling on the bottom plate which unfortunately was not properly protected from moisture. We will have to remove all the old wood, install new plastic sheathing for protection, insultate but leave an air space, and create a continuous vapour barrier. We will use pressure-treated lumber to prevent future damage from moisture.
The electrician has commenced work to replace all of the wiring in the house. I was disappointed to find that even the wiring that was supposed to have been replaced by the previous renovation is not complete nor legal. As there was no grounding, and new copper wiring was simply tied back to old knob-and-tube wiring. Numerous segments had connections from old wiring to new, back to old and to new again. For some parts, power was tapped from an outlet in a different floor or whereever convenient. He exclaimed that he had no confidence in any of the old work passing inspection and will have to rewire everything (which is what we demanded anyway).
When I visited the house on Tuesday night, I found a stream of running water in the laundry room. After a panic attack, I investigated and found that the (fresh) water was coming from behind a wall next to our washer and dryer. The water supply was shut off and investigations planned. It was found that a water supply line was not properly capped, which I believe it's due to removal of the dishwasher, combined with the cold weather.
WEEK THREE
- Waterproofing and protection for foundation completed
- Ground level floor joists in extension installed
- Subfloor for extension laid
- Exterior walls for extension build
- Roof framing for extension completed
- Old radiators removed/relocated for wall construction/floor installation
- Laminanted wood beam installed to support second floor foyer celing, removed old supporting post
- Framing for new main floor hall closet, storage closet and powder room completed
- Basement rec room demolished, framing for storage rooms constructed
- Inspection of foundation completed and passed
WEEK FOUR
- Backfill of excavation
- Flat roof for extension completed
- Rubber membrane for extension roof installed
- Final wall of old cold room removed by hand
- Top layer of gravel for basement laid
- Dining room window partially removed (still have storm window intact)
- Third floor stairwell celing removed
- Drains for new kitcehn and powder room installed and tied in
- Electrican commenced replacement of all electrical wiring
A couple of problems have sprouted out. The biggest one being our first encounter with the building inspector. It seems that we have been assigned a relatively stringent inspector who demands to see every piece of detail being done "by the book". While It's not really a gripe, I would now anticipate delays due to the numerous inspections that will have to be scheduled. For now, he has held up our backfill for a week, until we provided a engineering report (at our cost) for the underpinning of a non-structral wall.
After removing the wall paneling in the basement rec room, we found mould on the old wood strapping. The problem is probably caused by moisture coming in from the exterior wall and settling on the bottom plate which unfortunately was not properly protected from moisture. We will have to remove all the old wood, install new plastic sheathing for protection, insultate but leave an air space, and create a continuous vapour barrier. We will use pressure-treated lumber to prevent future damage from moisture.
The electrician has commenced work to replace all of the wiring in the house. I was disappointed to find that even the wiring that was supposed to have been replaced by the previous renovation is not complete nor legal. As there was no grounding, and new copper wiring was simply tied back to old knob-and-tube wiring. Numerous segments had connections from old wiring to new, back to old and to new again. For some parts, power was tapped from an outlet in a different floor or whereever convenient. He exclaimed that he had no confidence in any of the old work passing inspection and will have to rewire everything (which is what we demanded anyway).
When I visited the house on Tuesday night, I found a stream of running water in the laundry room. After a panic attack, I investigated and found that the (fresh) water was coming from behind a wall next to our washer and dryer. The water supply was shut off and investigations planned. It was found that a water supply line was not properly capped, which I believe it's due to removal of the dishwasher, combined with the cold weather.
Monday, February 13, 2006
Progree Report - Week Two
Now that the General Contractor is back, the project is starting to heat up quickly. We have been busy making decisions on windows and mechanicals as they have the most impact to the project. The next up are kitchen cabinets and flooring. Here's what's been done so far:
- Excavation started and completed. Unfortunately a part of the fence and the neighbour's brand new interlocking path has fallen victim and will have to be repaired.
- Cold cellar (which was actually under our dinette) mostly demolished with the exception of the wall supporting the jack which in turn supports the second floor.
- Gravel for basement in new addition laid.
- New opening from the basement to the future Rec Room has been cut and blocks removed.
- Concerte block walls for new addition basement built.
- Framing done in the North wall of the Master Bedroom and closets, ready for insulation.
- Celing in Second Floor hall removed, found that the center part of the celing is bowed down about 2" relative to the edges.
- Wall panels and celing tiles demolished in existing Basement Recreation Room.
I was told that one of the corners of the block wall had to be strengthened because it was going to support a steel post above for the second floor. I knew that the post had to be there but no idea what the reenforcement entailed, which is actually just to fill in the holes in the concerte blocks. I enquired if a pier had to be built and the contractor said that this was all that's necessary.
A hole was found in the roof valley above the Master Bedroom. The only way to see it is during the day when the daylight comes through. It does not seem to be causing any leakages but definitely needs to be addressed.
On the Second Floor Hall, once the lathe and plaster came down, it was revealed that numerous attempts were made to stregthen the celing and address the sagging. It seems that there are two attempts at nailing additional pieces of wood to the original joists (but some of it was just strapping, which obviously did not have the strength). There was also two layers of celing with steel mesh in between to mask the problem.
The problem seems to be that the spans are too long for the 2x6 used, especially considering that there is actually a loft above it as well. There is a wooden post in the middle of the room but it is only supporting three of the joists at best. We plan to add two laminated wood joints perpendicular to the original joists to support the celing. This also transfers the support to the side walls which in turn is supported by a wall below on one side and a double joist on another. An added benefit is that we can get rid of the post in the middle of the area. However, we will have a 6" drop in the middle of the room due to the new joist.
- Excavation started and completed. Unfortunately a part of the fence and the neighbour's brand new interlocking path has fallen victim and will have to be repaired.
- Cold cellar (which was actually under our dinette) mostly demolished with the exception of the wall supporting the jack which in turn supports the second floor.
- Gravel for basement in new addition laid.
- New opening from the basement to the future Rec Room has been cut and blocks removed.
- Concerte block walls for new addition basement built.
- Framing done in the North wall of the Master Bedroom and closets, ready for insulation.
- Celing in Second Floor hall removed, found that the center part of the celing is bowed down about 2" relative to the edges.
- Wall panels and celing tiles demolished in existing Basement Recreation Room.
I was told that one of the corners of the block wall had to be strengthened because it was going to support a steel post above for the second floor. I knew that the post had to be there but no idea what the reenforcement entailed, which is actually just to fill in the holes in the concerte blocks. I enquired if a pier had to be built and the contractor said that this was all that's necessary.
A hole was found in the roof valley above the Master Bedroom. The only way to see it is during the day when the daylight comes through. It does not seem to be causing any leakages but definitely needs to be addressed.
On the Second Floor Hall, once the lathe and plaster came down, it was revealed that numerous attempts were made to stregthen the celing and address the sagging. It seems that there are two attempts at nailing additional pieces of wood to the original joists (but some of it was just strapping, which obviously did not have the strength). There was also two layers of celing with steel mesh in between to mask the problem.
The problem seems to be that the spans are too long for the 2x6 used, especially considering that there is actually a loft above it as well. There is a wooden post in the middle of the room but it is only supporting three of the joists at best. We plan to add two laminated wood joints perpendicular to the original joists to support the celing. This also transfers the support to the side walls which in turn is supported by a wall below on one side and a double joist on another. An added benefit is that we can get rid of the post in the middle of the area. However, we will have a 6" drop in the middle of the room due to the new joist.
Saturday, February 04, 2006
Progress Report - Week One
Our General Contractor had a sudden death in his family and had to leave the country for a week. Luckily his three sons stepped in to take on the project. The second week of renovation work has been completed and significant progress on the project:
- Plywood laid on driveway
- Tree in backyard cut down
- Angle iron installed and supporting Second Floor Rear Bedroom
- Jacks and supporting posts installed at NW corner of dinette
- West and North walls of dinette removed
- Dinette flooring, subfloor and joists removed
- Crawlspace underneath Dinette cleared
- Rear patio demolished
- Kitchen demolished
- Dinette and Kitchen celing removed
- Front Hall Closet demoished
- Front Hall dividing wall removed
- Second Floor Guest Bathroom demolished
- Master Bedroom North and East wall cleared of lathe, plaster, and strapping
- Old hardwood flooring removed from Dining Room Living Room, Master Bedroom, and Second Floor Hallway.
- Excavation for addition started
We are in the process of picking window vendors and kitchen cabinet makers. Been running around the city meeting with vendors and providing project information. We've been insisting on speaking to at least three vendors for each item to be sure that we have options and the best pricing. So far, it has translated to a lot more legwork but showing positive signs of saving us money on the project.
In talking to the window vendors, we have an idea to make the backyard opening an interrupted 11' span. That means a creative solution on the doors. So far, we have gotten some interesting suggestions and it should turn out to be a great living space.
- Plywood laid on driveway
- Tree in backyard cut down
- Angle iron installed and supporting Second Floor Rear Bedroom
- Jacks and supporting posts installed at NW corner of dinette
- West and North walls of dinette removed
- Dinette flooring, subfloor and joists removed
- Crawlspace underneath Dinette cleared
- Rear patio demolished
- Kitchen demolished
- Dinette and Kitchen celing removed
- Front Hall Closet demoished
- Front Hall dividing wall removed
- Second Floor Guest Bathroom demolished
- Master Bedroom North and East wall cleared of lathe, plaster, and strapping
- Old hardwood flooring removed from Dining Room Living Room, Master Bedroom, and Second Floor Hallway.
- Excavation for addition started
We are in the process of picking window vendors and kitchen cabinet makers. Been running around the city meeting with vendors and providing project information. We've been insisting on speaking to at least three vendors for each item to be sure that we have options and the best pricing. So far, it has translated to a lot more legwork but showing positive signs of saving us money on the project.
In talking to the window vendors, we have an idea to make the backyard opening an interrupted 11' span. That means a creative solution on the doors. So far, we have gotten some interesting suggestions and it should turn out to be a great living space.
Surprise - Second Floor Bathroom
One unexpected surprise was that the contractor completely gutted our second floor bathroom because it proved to be simplier than just removing the tub. The problem was that a previous contractor installed tiles over existing ones which caused problems during the removal. The tiles were apparently chipping away because there wasn't enough adhesion. It's supposed to be a bonus for us as we will now have another completely new bathroom (in addition to the Master Ensuite we refinished last year and the Powder Room we are building on the main floor).
I guess we can now install waterproof wallboards in the bathroom and limit the tiling to the tub surround and the floors. We originally had tiles throughout the bathroom (except the celing) which was quite oppressing. At the same time, we can also go to a more neutral tile colour (rather than the black that we had). Luckily, the vanity and toilet were salvaged and can be reused (as they are only a year old). We can also now install electrical radiant floor heating in the room, which will be very nice.
I guess we can now install waterproof wallboards in the bathroom and limit the tiling to the tub surround and the floors. We originally had tiles throughout the bathroom (except the celing) which was quite oppressing. At the same time, we can also go to a more neutral tile colour (rather than the black that we had). Luckily, the vanity and toilet were salvaged and can be reused (as they are only a year old). We can also now install electrical radiant floor heating in the room, which will be very nice.
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