ROTFL!!! Lyno, thanks for the interest!! Have you seen my posts about tile nightmares? Just getting the stuff, actually.

Status report: The floor did get done. I even finally got the toekick/baseboard tiles.

The laundry room backsplash tiles need to be arranged and installed, but they're here, and the mortar bed is done. There was a hiccup because I was going to special order some light ones, but the salesman ordered a sample instead and that arrived after we were supposed to install. And the tiles were overall lighter than the samples of the non-custom, so I decided to just use those.

But, you see, I ordered all these other tiles for the counters and backsplash. They were supposed to be delivered on July 16th. But then they told me July 29th. So I went to my cousin's wedding, knowing that they wouldn't be here until August 10th. But when I picked up the toekick tiles, I made the guy check and they're not being shipped until after then. Or something. The tile setter is really ticked. I'm grateful not to be Traci-in-the-basement, but if I think too hard about it I want to cry.

So the tile setter is doing other jobs, and it's probably just as well, because the 5 day install on the cabinets has turned into three weeks, and then some. But they're lovely. And will yet be lovelier. Can't upload pictures from this computer or I'd show one. They're still working on the doors and moldings. And dithering about how to handle the dishwasher toekick.

Add to that, Modern Aire made the hood wrong. It's going to be another week and a half getting it fixed--if I'm lucky. This is after they totally messed up the first round. Good thing the tile has made such a nightmare out of the schedule. It was supposed to be installed in June!!

Oh, and the metal finishers had to drain a tank, so closed down for three weeks, so my pulls were delayed. They're supposed to be arriving soon.

Makes the fact that the boards for the table and BP counter came in darker than the sample and a different texture a mere bagatelle (looks fine--just not what I'd wanted).

Moral of the story: If you want artisan work, even if it's not more expensive in dollars, you'll pay in time.

I promise you, I will post when there's really something to see (I'll do a cabinet preview when I can get the big computer back online).

Good news? There's plenty. The hood is beautiful, and if they take care of it, it'll be fine when it's fixed. The delays have reduced my stress over getting the tile pattern done for the laundry--I overdid it going visiting and have been glad of rest. The cabinets are amazing!! And the cabinet maker and his foreman are perfectionists, even in getting the color right. And making the stripes line up :) I was worried that all these cabinets to the ceiling would make the room feel closed in, and they do loom a little, but other than in the butler's pantry, where it was a given, and better than the previous kitchen, it still feels open and airy. I was right to stop the oven cabinet at the top of the windows.

Oh, and the lighting is finally in, and it's beautiful!!!! The indirects have been wired up for the workers for awhile, and turning them on at night just made me want to cry, the color was so depressing and hurt my eyes. That's the naked fluorescents. There was some dispute between the electrical company and the maker of the sheaths which caused a delay there too. Now the sheaths are in, and turned the right way so they don't run orange (seams toward the housing) and the light is warm and sunshiny. You can see color differences now. And the recessed lights are in, and give lots of nice diffuse lights in the BP and corners. So much nice, pretty light!!! It's everything the lighting designer promised. Working with him was also a time sink, but so, so worth it!!

But to your particular questions, nothing to report. The tiles aren't here yet, the cooktops and hood are mere cutouts, and my GC was excited about the hinge recommendations for the dining room door, but there's some technical reason why they don't work, so we're still working on it. (I can do the fiber art solution, but a door would be better if it could be done...)

Thanks again for asking. I'll keep you posted...

JC

Oh--if a description would help, I have both cooktops under a 48" hood (spec'd before I decided for sure on the cooking units). The gas (Wolf 2 burner) is on the left and the Gagg 3 element induction is on the right, so the big induction element is in the center of the hood. I'm very pleased with my decision, especially because it gives me a shallow top drawer underneath, which the uberexpensive Gaggenau Vario units would have eaten. I'll let you know when the cooking starts, though I doubt my pictures will rival Caroline's storyboards.

Oh, I'm sooooooooo sorry there have been so many delays! And I feel bad that I asked. But it seems like it will all work out if you can muster oodles of patience. I hope you are getting some rest during this down time. It sounds like you have a great cabinet maker and the lighting designer did a great job. I think your moral to the story is right on. And having all that beautiful artisan work will be so worth it. Once the delayed items start coming in everything will probably come together quickly & smoothly.

Thank you for the description of the cooktops and the 48" hood. I hope you won't mind if I ask some more questions. If you do, just ignore me! LOL. How much space will you have between the gas and induction units? Are they in the same cabinet or seperate cabinets or did you cabinet maker do something custom? And, if it's handy, would you mind telling me the model number of your Gagg? I didn't see the 3 element version on their (US) website. I had been considering a 4 element induction, but most are 30" vs 24". I can't believe I'd ever need 6 burners total, I think 2 gas and 3 induction would be more than enough elements and I don't want to give up 6 more inches.

I really appreciate you assistance. You hang in there, you are going to have a fantastic kitchen, BP, and laundry!

Lynn

Lynn,

Thanks for the encouragement! You needn't be sorry about asking. It's nice to have an excuse to vent, actually. I'm just getting really tired of the no kitchen thing. It's a boost knowing that someone is specifically interested. :)

Ask as many questions as you want! How else will you find stuff out?

I just measured the space between the two units--the cutouts are 4 5/8" apart. Less between the trim lips, obviously. I had originally wanted less--I was hoping for 6" to the right but only got 4" (about 2" on the left). This was to make the space between the cooktops and sink wider than the DW, which is between. This way it doesn't look quite as off center, but this was the cabinetmaker's choice, and I trust their expertise. There does have to be enough room to support the units since they're not made to support each other the way some dominoes are.

It's one cabinet, and yes, the cabinetmaker did lots of somethings custom, as in the whole kitchen, but this was the least of it. The drawers are 48" wide--my choice--and have extra heavy bottoms and glides so they can be loaded up with pots. Underneath the units is open to the shallow drawer. It's only deep enough for lids and stirrers, but useful for all of that. I decided on some drawer depths that seemed useful to me, and was able to carry them around the whole perimeter, so this is what's left. There is an inner facing that covers the works, and the drawer front covers it.

I could have squeezed in the 30" Miele I was looking at but it would have been tight and taken some engineering. And it seemed like such a waste! Then Fori was talking about "cool" induction units to please her husband and the Gaggenau with the knob. So I looked up the manual for that to see how it worked. It is cool! But it's the same manual for the 36" and the 24", the 24" being just the right hand two thirds of the bigger unit. Lightbulb moment. I got a demo of the knob on a 36" and it's as cool as it sounds. So I did some research. The stores, distributors and Gaggenau USA couldn't help much, but I did learn that they can't sell the 24" here because it's not UL rated. UL costs money, and I guess the company doesn't think they'll sell enough of them to warrent the expense. I then found out that my insurance wouldn't care if I had a European unit, and the Gaggenau service center here said there wouldn't be a problem, except I'd need to create a conversion table if I wanted to use the timers since there's a difference in the number of cycles (I need Mindstorm here to explain that since I keep getting it wrong). End result, since the electricity doesn't cycle at the same frequency, the logic circuits that interpret it as time are confused. No biggie. I can make a chart :) So I tried Spain and France, where the good prices are, but they have proscribed delivery areas and wouldn't even return my e-mails. I can't cope in German, so didn't go close to the source. And I didn't want to bother acquaintances to take delivery and reship. My GC would have had his father do it, but they're not sold in his country. In England, they're only sold in kitchen design centers, not shops. So it costs more and there's no convenient order button. I e-mailed a lot of people on the Gaggenau vendor list, and one of the finishes salesmen I was working with even got his buddy to try, but I finally found someone who said he'd be willing to sell and ship the unit to me (I was doing these one at a time because I thought it would be rude to do several and they have to say never mind if I got more than one positive). My last ditch would have been to get my brother to buy one when he was in Norway, but he really didn't want to. So I was very grateful to the nice man who helped me. He even had an American bank account so I didn't have to deal with the exchange. When the unit arrived in London, he sent wiring instructions and sent the unit off by FedEx. FedEx takes care of the customes and sends a bill, with only $5 for processing. The box came thrashed, and there are a couple of little dings on the stainless frame, but it came overnight, and seems to be fine (keep your fingers crossed when it comes time to wire it in).

That's the whole story. I don't have the model number, but you can see it by going to any of the European Gaggenau websites. Diva makes a 24" but it only has 9 power levels (no half steps) and no timers at all. There are lots of European models that are 24". I would have loved to try the zoneless DeDietrich, but was chicken. There's a Gaggenau service center here, and my ovens are also Gagg, so I felt more confident that I could get help if something went wrong.

Besides saving cabinet depth and six inches of counter space, this solution also saved a lot of money. I could have gotten the same elements in Gagg Vario units. And the wok unit is probably more powerful than the big element on the 24". I don't remember for sure. And it would have looked cool. But there was a 38% price increase for Gaggenau last year, and I spent less than half on these.

Your gas and induction set-up sounds awesome. I seriously considered that, but we don't have natural gas hook-up available (thus the reason for part of my user name "country") and I didn't want to deal with a propane tank outside and adding a gas line (somehow) over/around our arch cellar in our 200+ year old house. I can't wait to see your finished cooktop area. I'll probably look at it and wonder if I should have tackled the gas line.

I feel for you in your frustration. You were right when you said "you'll pay in time". Best wishes for a streak of GOOD luck.

plllog - Thank you so much for all the info. I'm glad to have given you an excuse to vent and I can see why you need to do so!

This info helps a great deal. You have given me much to consider! I just have to decide how determined I am to have both gas and induction, how much space I'm willing to give up to have both, etc. I may be bugging you again at some point in time with more questions!

I certainly hope that your luck changes for the better very soon. You are going to have such a spectacular kitchen!

Country smile - our build will be in the country on land where I grew up. We'll go ahead and have LP available not only for cooking but for part of our heat.

Wow, plllog, what a story! I sure do wish you blessings with this, that from this point on it's smoother!

All those issues, and you still have time to give helpful advice to me and others! Thanks for the ongoing advice, and good luck on everything getting finished!

Thanks, everyone, for the kind words and support! I really appreciate it!

So, here's the preview. All these were taken on different days at different times, so the colors don't look consistent, but it's lighting, not problems with the materials.

First some pictures of the cutouts for Lynn, then a pic that shows how pretty the lighting is over the island (so hard to photograph light!), and finally a few pictures of the cabinetry with some of the unfinished doors on.

In the first picture you can see the shallow drawer box and the apron in front of the cutouts (and the apron in front of the sink). In the second picture you can see where the hood goes and the top of the drawerfront that covers the apron.

This is just with the center round fixture on. The sheaths are on the fluorescents, giving them a sunshiny feel. There are double tubes on all sides of the square for indirect, some halogens in the corners, BP and in front of the pantries, with glass diffusers, and two cans over the clean-up sink. And there will also be U/C LED's after the tile is in.

These are the returns of the U of the perimeter cabinets. The first one, below, will have the ovens. The area under the window will be primarily baking. The window opens from both sides, and there will be a tiled counter outside. The next one shows where the Advantium and warming drawer will be, next to the fridge and freezer (the big cavity where the shelves are).

The main pantries. Finally, useful pantry storage!! You can see how pretty the plywood is on the interior, here and in the stemware uppers, below.

Here's the butler's pantry. On one side are the stemware cabinets (useful for all glasses, mugs, budvases, etc.). On the other are some drawers for odds and ends, horizontal and vertical tray storage, and upper cabinets. The "table" top is upside down on the counter. They're sunflower seed husk board, and much darker than the sample. Oh, well. I'm contrast girl, right? The backsplash here will be mirrored, and there will be U/C LED's.

So you see, with all my frustration, I'm not sad at all!!! This is going to be so wonderful!! What's a summer? Right? And (touch wood) I haven't gotten sick, other than a cold. So I'm not complaining. Venting, maybe, but not complaining. My GC, cabinetmaker and tile setters are all treasures, and if there's sometimes a testosterone storm, I just let them have it out amongst themselves. [VVVBG] :D

Ohhhh, that is going to be beautiful. You are such a gem for taking time to help me! You'd already given me great info; now with pictures you've gone completely over the top! Thank you so much. This will really help.

My DH and I have been going over window sizes for the house and discussing the kitchen all day. I don't think with a new build, and never having done this before, that I'd have the fortitude to pursue the 3 element Gagg like you did. I'm thinking if I go with a 30" induction and a 12" w gas 2-burner and need 4-6" inbetween, I can possibly sneak by with a 48" hood, but I haven't decided on models yet, so I'm not sure. I'm going to check out hood liners to see what widths are available for a custom hood or maybe check Modernaire. I just don't really want to go wider than 48" for the hood, but I might need to.

I don't blame you for being frustrated; I would be, too. You can vent all you want!! But soon it will all come together and it is going to be so beautiful! I'm so glad for you that your GC, cabinetmaker, and tilesetter are all treasures, just think how bad it would be if they were like some contractors we've read about her at GW. You have had quite a summer, but just like fall harvests, you'll soon enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Thank you so much for your help!

Loving it, loving it. The corner drawers are cool, as is that central light fixture. I am excited to see it come along for you...and am looking forward to finished pictures and a close up of the sunflower seed husk board. The color looks wonderful, even if not as expected.

Oh Plllog, that looks AMAZING!

Just got back from out-of-town, but had to get a quick forum fix before I go watch a movie w/DH--so glad I popped in! plllog--it looks terrific so far! Can't wait to see it all finished!

Plllog, it looks fantastic! I really love your cabintry. And quite the story on your Gagg - it will make every meal you cook on it that much more fun.

Can't wait to see more!

Eliz

Thanks, everyone!

Rhome, I tried to take a picture but the computer ate it. I think I figured out the color issue doing it, though. I'm thinking the husks may be smaller than in the sample. That's what one gets for using natural materials. ;)

Okay, turns out the computer just ate the index, not the actual picture. Here's a detail of the BP counter, taken under halogen light and flash. It's Seeta Natural sunflower seed husk board (the husks being the fibrous material that hold the seeds in the shells, not the shells themselves (someone asked)).

That is very interesting. What holds the natural material together? What is your source of this material? I did a quick internet search for it but I didn't find it. Your kitchen is going to be sooooo interesting!

Awww this is going to be so nice!

That is such a cool and interesting texture.

I'm pretty sure it's held together by resin, but I was told it isn't good for wet areas. That is, table yes, sink counter no. I found it at epOxyGreen in Venice. They specialize in sustainable finishes. Like all of this stuff, it's not cheap :) But my cabinetmake didn't have a problem working with it.

I was looking for a lightweight board for the table top rather than using the bamboo or plywood. Having introduced it to the kitchen, I decided it would be better in the BP than the tile because the counter is enclosed on all sides. And it seemed to call for something smooth. Also, I didn't want a "feature" in the BP. Just something that would look nice if someone glances over.

plllog, you helped me with some of my Modernaire decisions. Can you go into more detail about the Modernaire issue (Add to that, Modern Aire made the hood wrong. It's going to be another week and a half getting it fixed--if I'm lucky. This is after they totally messed up the first round. Good thing the tile has made such a nightmare out of the schedule. It was supposed to be installed in June!!)?

That's my nightmare right now. I worked with Luxury Products, and I swear, they cannot get a single thing right. He finally got the CAD drawing right, but then I had to work with my appliance dealer to manually adjust the items on the quote because he kept messing up measurements despite many very specific emails from me.

If I'm spending that much for the hood and waiting that long for it, I want it to turn out right! I'm assuming it's ok for me to call Modernaire and talk to someone directly to confirm my order?

So sorry to hear about all the difficulties, but it's looking good! I'll keep my fingers crossed that the rest of your project runs smoothly. You deserve it!

Thanks, Inlauren!

I've been venting here, since the OP question was how it was going, but I really have very little to complain about. Nothing dire. (Touch wood.) Just the unavoidable hiccups. It looks like I won't be doing my holiday baking in the new kitchen, but it turns out my mother has the right pans, so I'll do it there. And I might even be able to entertain for Sukkot in October. Not sure if I'll get everything put away by then, though. :)

Skoo, My previous hood--the only thing I put in the old kitchen, as the house came ventless--was from Modern Aire and it was splendid, came out just right, etc. I was thrilled with it, and them. When I first joined GW hardly anyone here had even heard of them. They're local to me.

Like last time, I bought through a store. One that's very near them, in fact. I had a very hard time getting them to quote a price during the first round. I wanted powder coat custom matched to my tile with brass banding. I still think that would have been prettiest. I was told 6-8 weeks for a custom match and thought I'd ordered the hood. Instead, they sent my tile to some powder coat houses and after 5 weeks or more sent it back to me with a metal sample that was beige. A greeny beige, but nothing like the fresh green of the tile. There was a lot of arguing about this, and they said it would take a couple of months for really truly custom color (mixed to purpose--what I thought I'd been getting) and the price went up again.

At the time, before all these tile delays, there was a schedule. I didn't believe that they'd get the color right. So after considering a bunch of options, since the kitchen had been designed to these specs, I chose the same hood in brushed brass with polished bands. It was supposed to take five weeks to make. It was more like two months.

But, then, because of the delays, it sat here unopened while I kept telling my GC, "I want to see my hood. I want to see my hood!" But it took a couple of guys to lift it out of the protective packaging. So when they were finally installing the cabinets after the floor delay, they took it out. And the duct was coming out of the top, not the back.

So then the saleswoman at the store was on to them, faxing back to them their drawings, etc., to prove that it was their mistake. This took a few weeks. They still wouldn't send their truck, so the store is picking it up tomorrow to transfer back to them. And they're going to take it apart and fix it. And I'm not going to accept it until I've done a very careful inspection to make sure that nothing has been damaged or scratched or otherwise wrecked in the process.

I'm VERY unhappy with them.

OTOH, this is not the usual experience. I didn't post a big thing about it because I know it's not the usual thing. It might have been better if I'd dealt directly, but the store does an awful lot of business with them. I think it's just one of those things. Something has to go wrong, right?

One thing that could help getting it right is if you write a letter in your own words saying exactly what you want. I know that my rep was saying it correctly, but I don't know if she was picking up where they weren't getting the point, or what. So communication is the key.

Mind you, the hood is gorgeous. It may not be what I'd originally designed, but developing a chemical formula for the exact color is a big deal, and I might have sunk a lot of money into the matching and then still gone with the brass if I wasn't happy with the result. And the hood is gorgeous. They really do do premium work. And the mechanism is the best--if the collar can actually be hooked up to the vent! :)

plllog, thanks for sharing your experience. I'm definitely going to call Modernaire directly to make sure they have my exact specifications! Why did you go for a duct in the back rather than the top? I didn't even think about that. Mine goes all the way to the ceiling, and then I assumed it would be a top duct since it will then make a 90 degree turn, go along the ceiling, and then straight out the wall to the exterior.

Easy answer to that one. :) Up is the (built-in) guest bed. Out is outside. I found an odd grille in the wall under the window where the old cooktop was. It was in the bougainvillea. I'm guessing it was supposed to be for a downdraft. Either they had something expensive and replaced it with the underpowered crap stove that came with the house (it was very clean!), or the builder/owner got the final inspection without it and never bothered to put in the vent. He's a foreigner. If he'd been from around here he would have designed ductwork for the vent hood and had it go up. No such luck. No room between the joists either. So out the wall we go.

If you look at the pictures, you'll see the pencil marks which show where the a/c hose is. It ran right through where the vent hole needed to be, so the GC had his guys sister the framing to make the opening bigger, and my HVAC guy came and gently bent the hose.

BTW, without those kind of issues, the old hood was installed by my electrician, including the hole. It's an easy install.

plllog, do my eyes tell me right and your cooktop is right next to your DW, which is right next to the sink? I had thought about doing this in my kitchen but tossed it out thinking it'd be too crowded or a faux pas or something along that line. Then I see your kitchen and I think maybe I shouldn't have been too hasty.

How did you arrive at this configuration?

TIA!

Ah, Lisa, if only the threads didn't drop off you could have read the whole evolution. Even though it's a good sized space, there are constraints in my kitchen. The cooktop was originally under the patio window. HORRIBLE. I tried a lot of versions of design. I tried putting the whole kitchen where the laundry/BP are. I tried the cooktop between the window and patio door going for more of the look of unfitted. It had to go on an outside wall, or near one, in order to vent, as noted above. I tried everything. The wall where it is was the best.

I also tried all kinds of ways to keep my old 48" gigantor sink, or even fit a 60" Clarion. No way to get everything else I needed. The other big problem I had was the hike from the stove to the fridge, so moving them closer together was necessary.

There was more room between the stove and sink when I started taking to cabinetmakers and GC's. Everyone who saw my kitchen said the windows looked like a mistake and needed changing. The GC I hired said he could move the windows a little and change the sizes a little without it costing me what a new window in a new place would. When so many people tell you things like you should change the windows you take note. So I posted here and everyone, and noteably Buehl, agreed. I didn't want to move the sink window over because it used to shine into the area that's now the BP. But the cabinetmaker argued for the return on the corner.

It's the second of the smaller pictures, where the corner shelves are on top. You can just see the edge of the sink in the bottom left corner. I fought myself to be right on this one. I mocked up where the cabinetry would be, and tried out the areas. One of the things I'd been keeping in mind was what Rhome had said about that corner, which is that it would be a dark cave. One of the compromises I made was to keep that area where the MW cabinet/fridge/freezer take up most of that wall. I tried so many other designs that didn't work. In the end, I decided that the cabinetmaker was right, and also that he was right to put a trash pullout there even though I don't want to put the garbage in it (it's fine for recycling).

So then I ended up with the cooktop a DW away from the sink. This is a big reason why I decided that the 46"-48" of the Varios, which I'd originally decided on were just too big. And too expensive, but definitely too big. That's why I sent to Europe for those extra inches. The 30" Miele plus Wolf wouldn't have cost much more, but would also have taken the full 48". So 30" between sink and stove seems fine. 24" is just not enough.

I should mention (as I did in many of those old threads) that I grew up with almost no counterspace, so I tend to work small. The old kitchen had scads of counterspace which I rarely used. I'm not 100% thrilled that all the counters are cut up, but realistically, they're all big enough to be useful, and give four different work stations, not including the cooking and sink areas.

One thing I tried really hard to do was not have an island. There had been a peninsula. I got rid of that to have the extra oven bank between the door and window. For awhile I was happy with a similar layout, but a central table instead. What that didn't give me was a big sink, the fridge drawers that were my big dream kitchen item, to have them right in the prep area, and still had the stove too far from the fridge.

Putting in the island gave me my second sink bowl, and the fridge drawers. I can put opened wine, butter, sauces, etc., in the drawers and have them right by the stove instead of hiking when I need something quick.

Oh! I should also mention that I love galleys. I did some layouts with a galley and an eating area and the GW wisdom was that I was crazy. Likely so. One of the things the size of the kitchen has going for it is scope. Long sight lines. All my rooms are oversized, and a galley would also not have been true to the house.

So instead, I have a lot of big, powerful appliances stuck into about half the kitchen space, with a lot of open floor space in front of the slider, and a lot of storage in the multiplicatous pantries (another old topic...).

And that's a very long recap of a much much much much longer process showing how I got my cooktop so close to my sinks.

If you want to see the layout you can check my construction notes.

Thanks, plllog. I think I do remember your previous posts on this topic but I'm glad you did a summary. However, it's a moot point for me now. I mentioned this idea to hubby and he said "I hate it." I asked why and he had no concrete reason other than that he hates it. He has been so good about everything else, going along on my wild remodeling ride without a complaint, that I'm going to give him this one.

Hey, if the man hates it!!

Something I didn't remember to say when I was running down the whole design process is that I plan to have the kitchen dishes in that corner to the right of the sink, and I'd hate to have the DW right there. Some people love it. I don't have the DW open during prep and cooking, but when I'm emptying I want it to be open and out of the way, both.

BTW, I didn't mean that you should remember. Just that it all happened here on GW! :D

Plllog - your comment about being grateful not to be "Traci-in-the-basement" cracked me up!! And I definitely need laughs lately :) Not sure how I happened to even notice that in the post since I was just skimming and looking at your photos. Your kitchen looks GREAT by the way!! I actually hadn't seen any photos before (I somehow seem to miss everything and the the post drops off - I can barely keep up with the few messages I post!). Anyway, I can't wait to see the finished product - and you will surely beat me to posting a finished kitchen! :)

Would you believe that we are STILL living in the basement??!! I swear we are moving out of it this weekend though. I don't care what happens between now and then or what's done or not done - we WILL be out of the basement! The latest is that the electrician was finally back last weekend to finish up some things and hang a bunch of lights. Well, wouldn't you know the pendants above the island can't be turned on and off because somehow, according to him, a wire has been cut. Of course we think he just screwed up, since WHO would have cut it?? Anyway, his "solution" was cutting half the NEW coffered ceiling out to fix it. We told him in no uncertain terms that he would NOT be cutting into the ceiling (involving a huge mess and more dust just as we're beginning to use the kitchen). And that he had better do some thinking, along with our useless contractor, and come up with another "solution." GRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!! Kat (lesmis) said that I should have my own HGTV show called "I killed my contractor and I'm proud of it." It's very tempting...

Good luck with the rest of your kitchen - I hope the process goes smoothly from here on out!

Well, it looks like it's going to be at least three more weeks to get the tiles that were going to be delivered in mid-July.

Sigh.

Traci, Glad to provide a laugh. And even more glad to hear that you're going to be seeing daylight soon.

They're still working on the doors and moldings, so this time isn't wasted, but I am SO tired of waiting for tiles. At least you have a usable kitchen!! Because of the new delay I've been told we can schedule installation of the coolers and ovens, and they're supposed to be templating the island today. But I'm not so sure that you're not going to beat me...

The electrician is absurd. A wire can get cut, perhaps by a nail or a rodent, but this is new wiring isn't it? And if it's new, isn't there conduit? Did they use Romex??? If there's conduit he should be able to pull a new wire through. Um...did he check the breaker? Did he check that the switch was actually wired to the wires? (Sometimes they temp in the switches to get the placement and forget to go back and attach them!)

Good luck to you too! You deserve some!

plllog, I am so sorry to hear about another delay. What IS the deal? It's tile??!?! Wait...it's coming from Italy, isn't it?

Traci, I was just thinking I hope she is out of the basement! LOL. I hope it gets better for you (and fast!).

LOL!! Rubyfig, it's just coming from Washington to SoCal, but it's all handmade custom and lots of ones and twos. The order was something like 16 pages long. I don't know what else is going on, but I waited to order until I got the design right and they were sure of certain measurements because I kept being reassured it would only take a month. I shouldn't have listened to that because I knew how complex it was going to be. But then they've missed the three dates given since the complete order was in. I don't know if there have been issues with the artist, if the glazes weren't coming out right or what, or if she's just really bad at estimating. But including the shipping time and the time for the store to check the order when it comes in....delay. Sigh. I better love it when it's done--that's all I have to say about it!!!!!

They're installing the top molding (too simple to call "crown") now, and it's gorgeous. It bugs the heck out of my GC that the ceiling isn't level, but it's okay by me. I don't expect perfection (and these guys are so good I don't have to nitpick either!). So I'm pretty happy. Ticked about the delays, but happy enough.

Your kitchen is very exciting! Your story, sorry about all that! But, I appreciate you sharing and putting all the time you spent looking for such green materials and ideas. It is inspirational. That counter top is gorgeous. I kept scrolling through in amazement. Can't wait to see the final show! Sounds like your cooking area is going to be fun. Keep the pics coming.

LOL plllog, I am rooting for you on the tile. I don't blame you one bit for being ticked. Can't wait to see it all wheb it does finally arrive. :)

Plllog - hope the tile arrives soon so we can see it :)

As far as a "usable" kitchen, you'd find it quite comical to see what we consider "usable" :) We have most everything still packed up, other than odds and ends such as spices, a few pots, pans, dishes, etc in various cabinets or drawers. When we're trying to actually prepare food, we run around like chickens with our heads cut off trying to find what we need and make do with one kitchen implement (a spatula) for all food prep - haha!

Well, the electrician is a total idiot (as basically all the subs our wonderful (haha) GC has used during this never-ending process. Both electrician and plumber (two REALLY important areas with a large remodel) have been horrible and the only thing they do really well is gripe and moan about how much longer everything takes them than they estimated with their bids! We basically told them that they can gripe all they want but the job needs to be done and they should make a note to adjust their bids accordingly in the future! I'm honestly not sure what was going on with the wiring for the pendant lights, other than the fact that they do come on, but cannot be turned off, leading him to make the comment that a wire must have been cut. Somehow there's power to the lights, but it isn't getting to the switch which doesn't make sense to me. I honestly don't understand any of it and only expect him and the GC to come up with a solution that DOES NOT involve cutting into the kitchen ceiling. Under no uncertain terms is he going to do that. Oh, no, conduit wasn't used because it isn't required here, but he did use Romex. My husband said that worst case scenario we'll use a wireless switch - at least he thinks that can be done. I hate to think what else the electrician has screwed up though! Of course, the GC and electrician were both supposed to be here today, but shock, shock, neither showed up or called. Totally typical.

Rubyfig - thanks for thinking about me :) I feel a bit better after simply making the decision that we are moving out of the basement this weekend regardless of what is or isn't going on. I'm determined that I'm going to semi get my life back, even if things are still far from finished!

Oy!! Traci, I'm really tired of non-cooking. When I started this I was sure I could last a couple of months on what is available fresh around here, but now that it's almost four months I'm just constantly grateful I haven't been shut in a basement or trying to manage a family in this mess. Appliances (ovens and coolers) are confirmed for installation next week (and they're supposed to be bringing back the hood, fixed, too), so perhaps I could in theory use the kitchen after then, but then the tile might arrive and I'd have to clear out again. Not sure when the sinks are getting hooked up, but the stone fabricator got stuck on another job yesterday so won't be coming until next week (GC's decision--meantime the finisher is to be working on the cabinet trim and not to be disturbed).

I just wish I could bottle a little essence of my GC and all his subs and pass it around for my friends to sprinkle on their schnooks. They're competent, quiet, pleasant, and my contractor greets me with a hug and a kiss on the cheek, not a plateful of problems and excuses.

Traci, vent any time!! It will get finished. It will be made to work, and you will have a nice place to live without people digging into your ceilings.

BTW, even with Romex, I've been told there are ways to follow the wires. And the stereo guys years ago put the speakers in my kitchen ceiling where there were no previous wires to follow or anything, and didn't make any holes besides the ones the speakers went in. Surely, even if they have to remove the junction box, a good electrician could do a wallfish and fix it! I'm not saying you have a good electrician, but one could...

Plllog - yes PLEASE bottle up your GC and send him to me - haha! :) He sounds wonderful. Even though it's still very irritating to have issues such as the tile taking forever, I'm sure it's a huge help to have a contractor who is on top of things! Ours is basically ignoring us at this point, doesn't answer the phone or emails, and shows up when he wants - usually about twice a week (if we're lucky) and does some piddly thing for about 2-3 hours and leaves. Not sure how much of the story you've read in my posts, and I won't even go into it, but basically he has the attitude that he is now doing us a FAVOR to show up and even partially complete ANYTHING. As if we haven't paid him for the work. Wouldn't you think that once he realized months ago that he had squandered the last payment we gave him and had very little to show for it that he would want to just get the rest done as quickly as possible and be done with it??? But no, he'd rather continue putting in a few hours here and there and not accomplishing anything. For example, last week his PRIMARY accomplishment was putting PART of the window trim up on 3 windows - THAT WAS IT!!!! We've honestly had it with him, but as a matter of principle now, we're not telling him he's off the hook. We're going to bug the crap out of him EVERY week until this entire thing is done. Whether that's a few more months, or God forbid, a few more years, so be it. I think his feeling is that if he piddles around long enough we'll finally get fed up enough to just say "get lost, we never want to see you again" but he's wrong! :)

So...that's my vent for the day (or week, or month - haha). Thanks for listening - I'm trying to believe that this will be worth it some day in the future, but right now my advice for anyone considering a major remodel would be RUN!!! And QUICKLY!! Ha ha!