PLumbing Supplies and more supplies....

I spent about $600.00 on plumbing supplies for the house this morning and had to make one trip to Home depot for 4 little copper fittings at lunch. All the Phillips guys tell me not to get all the plumbing fixtures for the house before I need them, but I want to see if my way is indeed a more efficient way.

So, this is one of my many purchases - Look at my pretty NEW tub!!!!!! I know this seems silly to most people, but I helped put it in. And what you all need to know is that in a bathroom that is 5'x 7', it is really REALLY hard for a 65 year old man and a women to put a 5' x 2 1/2" tub.

Next you will notice a new hole in the wall in the kitchen. I guess you have to demo even more to plumb. It was about 27 degrees this morning and with no electricity, plumbing is a very cold, dirty job.

My Father-In-Law ROCKS

I asked Don to come over and look at the house today - He is going to do the plumbing for me!!!! I am so excited to have him do that for me since I know nothing about plumbing. (Yes dad, I am related to you and know nothing about it - I love you anyway) LOL

Things are going so well over there. It might not be going as fast as I would have liked, but I am not spending very much money and that is the key to making the money. I will have so much experience after this one project,I can help all ya'all with your kitchen remodels!! (Yes, Lisa that means you)

No pictures today, if someone could have taken a video of me trying to back Johns truck and trailer out of our driveway, you all would be laughing so hard. I tried for about 30 minutes before I called John and started balling. I ended up taking the trailer off the truck and dragging it out of the way(full of trash) No point in wasting the rest of the dumpster when I have about 9,000,000 trash bags of leaves. Yes I said leaves. I have 22 trees that shed their leaves in November and December.

Day 2 - Part 2

Okay, so today, John said I could take the dayoff, but I was so pumped to get the demo done and prove that I could do THIS! Well, I was out and about by 8:00a.m. and John needed me to take care of some things for him(ugh) so I started trying to get those day labor guys about 9:00. THe craziest thing happened - not a Mexican to be found anywhere. I have no idea where they all are, but I can usually find some really hard working guys at a plethera of gas stations.

I guess everyone thinks today is a REAL holiday. All our guys took the day off and even Home Depot didnt open until 9:00am. What is the world coming to. So I go to the house just me and the boys again and start working on the base boards and demo and paint of all kinds(I have to put oil-based primer on all the walls because that is the only primer that will seal smells and smoke)

I went across the street to borrow some water and the guy that lives there, Marlin, decided to do the demo for me!! Hallelujah! They had all the gross demo done in less that 2 hours. And he wanted all the metal and appliances (He even got the tub out) I truly am so very thankful. Well, by the time John got to the house at the end of the day (to put the back door in) All the demo was done. He is so proud of us!!!!!

Now I have to put together my budget, I spent about $600.00 in two days. I hope to show you the bathroom getting put back together tomorrow! John's dad said he would do the plumbing for me.

DAY 2

So I did not write last night so you all do not know how much the boys and I got done. I talked to the appropriate people from my list and then went to the house with gloves, hats, bags and a really big dumpster!

The boys worked so hard. I couldnt have asked for better helpers. They moved furniture and trash as well as looking at anything they might want to take home. I did not want anything else to come home - especially all the things that Matthew found. Crazy dolphin things and knick knacks of all kinds.

Well, by the end of the day, the house was empty except the kitchen. I am not touching that kitchen. I was going to get some day labor in the morning to do the demo. Well things didnt work that way.....

First Things, First

Okay, I have to have builders risk insurance on the house, have to have the electricity turned on, order a dumpster and I have to start getting my permit to do the work on the house.

Yesterday we went to Costco and I purchased all the lights for the house for about $80.00. If you can purchase things in bulk and at your own pace, then the deals are endless! The problem comes when you NEED the item right away, so you end up going to Home Depot 12 times a day. THis probably adds 10% - 25% to your materials budget.

You all have to understand something that I figured out a long time ago. John changes his mind about every other hour!!!! What that has to do with this is very simple. We have gone from me doing the entire project with hired help, to John doing it with his guys, to just John in his spare time and back again. UGH!! I HATE CHANGE!!! Well, I go with it and we always figure it out.

Everyone Has An Opinion!!! Some I Should Listen To...

As I said, Everyone has an opinion on how I should change the floorplan of the house, what materials I should use, the schedule in which I should do it. I listened today!!!!! The next door neighbors of the house came over to meet us and they asked if they could take the appliances for scrap metal. I had no problem with that! Less work for me and the guys to do. I started towards the refridgerator and John and Shane stopped me at the same time and siad I wouldnt do that if I were you!

Not understanding why, I started asking questions - Lets just say maggots and roaches were included in the answers they gave me. Nothing more needed to be said. So, when they guy came back to me and said he was going to pass on the fridge, I asked why? I actually didnt want to hear anything after the words "live roaches". Beign totally grossed out, I said I completely understood and it must be really, REALLY bad for this guy not to want to touch it. ICK!!!!!!!!

I am not going to grace you with pictures, so please think of the worst nightmare of bugs and thats what is in my fridge. We are going to start cleaning the property and demo this week. I will start taking pictures again at that time.

Christmas Week

Well, I remember that this week is suppose to be relaxing and full of SLEEP! What happened? I realize that when you have kids and work that its not the same anymore but come on, Oh well, we remembered our Lord and spent time with our family - so thats all that matters really.

We are set to close on the Manning house on Friday at 11:00. Amazing how you can close on a house with a cash payment so much faster and with so little hassle.

I have to see about setting up electricity( which might be a problem due to the fire ) but hopefully I can at least set up temperary service and start work on the house on January 2, 2008!!!!!! What a great way to start the new year.