Finally, final inspection today.

15 years ago

As a lot of you know, we started off two years ago to simply paint the house. The painters found a failed important corner post. To replace the post and satisfy building codes, we needed to destroy and reconstruct the front porch including its foundation - its under the main roof of the house. A decision we made to have a contractor blow in insulation wrecked the exterior kitchen walls and a good portion of the cabinets due to mold. Because of other bad construction techniques and we ended up reframing about 30 feet of the exterior - partly in the kitchen. From the insulation, we had significant plaster damage in the entire house. Life happens when you least expect it - this mess started about three months after my father died.

As I look in my book-o-permits, we have had about 20 different permits for the original project, the kitchen expansion, mechanicals, changes and addons. One sub died, one quit, one committed suicide, two we "fired". We learned many new skills and did things we never contemplated - my favorite was renting a demolition hammer on Christmas eve (because we got an extra day for free) to remove a tile floor in the kitchen.

We thought we were spending $3k to paint, then $12k for the porch, then $15k for the porch and insulation, then more each issue or disaster but its been a total of nearly 50k for the porch, the kitchen, and repairing and repainting the rest of the house. There are other costs too - one broken foot, one dislocated hand, an infinite number of strained backs, a couple of lost clients and the resulting loss of income.

Today, hopefully, we will pass occupancy for the whole shebang and it will be over.

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Comments (32)

breezygirl
15 years ago
Wow! Good luck with the inspection. I bet I'll hear the big sigh of relief all the way across the country to my coast. :)

I've done the "rental on an odd item too over a holiday because you get an extra day for free" also. Working over a holiday sucks.
oldhouse1
15 years ago
Wow, after all that I hope all goes well today and you can begin to enjoy your home again. Fingers crossed!
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beaglesdoitbetter1
15 years ago
Talk about project scope creep :)

At least there's light at the end of the tunnel now! Here's hoping you pass and can get into the house and start enjoying all the fruits of your labor.
User
15 years ago
Fingers crossed here. I don't know how you have maintained your sanity through this. It is just one day at a time and knowing that you will get through this.

May you have many hours of calm and joy associated with this remodel. c
enduring
15 years ago
Good luck to you all. It is hard to believe that so much happened during your initial innocent idea of "lets Paint". You must be ready for this stage of your life to be over.
Mercymygft
15 years ago
Oh my... hope everything goes well with the inspection!
wizardnm
15 years ago
holding my breath....
function_first
15 years ago
Ugh, two years. So sorry you had to endure that. Here's wishing you two years of sheer joy as you cavort in your new space to make up for the past two years -- starting today!
rhome410
15 years ago
YAY....20 permits, yikes. We're waiting on one and it's such a pain.

Inspection anticipation isn't fun either, but hoping and praying it breezes right through.

Pictures, pictures? :-)
blfenton
15 years ago
Good Luck with final inspection. After all you've been through I hope it's an easy walk through.
plllog
15 years ago
Phew! The day has arrived. Hope all goes well.

At least you got a fantastic kitchen out of it. :)
lisa_a
15 years ago
OMG, bmore, I had no idea about the hassles you have gone through. This is a well-deserved closure to a long, headache-filled ordeal. You deserve kudos for making it through and coming out the other side with a lovely kitchen.

And what rhome wrote, "Pictures, pictures? :-)"
bmorepanic
Original Author
15 years ago
PASSED!

Dude came, took a long time, wrote on forms forever. I was getting mentally ready for a list of what we did wrong, then we got the sticker instead!!!!

Pictures await the return of a straying relative - mine never turn out right.
wizardnm
15 years ago
Great news!!!!!!!!!!
gsciencechick
15 years ago
Yay!!
lisa_a
15 years ago
Doing my happy dance for you, bmore!!!
lascatx
15 years ago
So glad to hear it.

Since you seem to be an accomplished miracle worker now, would you send some rain to Texas? ;-)
eandhl
15 years ago
Finally time to enjoy! I am very happy for you.
zeebee
15 years ago
Congrats! We had a similar saga with our home reno (estimated 6 months by architect - after numerous problems, firings, we closed the last permit 22 months after we started). I know well that feeling of relief.

Enjoy!
remodelfla
15 years ago
Whoppeeeeeee bmore! Big reason to celebrate!
breezygirl
15 years ago
Congratulations!!!!!! What on earth will you do with your free time now?
User
15 years ago
YES !!! So glad for you . You certainly deserve it after all you have been through. PIctures awaited with great excitement. c
yellowdog2
15 years ago
Congratulations and best wishes for all good things!
rhome410
15 years ago
Hugs and joining Lisa in that happy dance! SUCH a relief to pass inspections...Especially a final. And didn't we naively think we were done with the tension of 'finals' years ago when we graduated?

We don't care if the pics are good, just plentiful. :-D
Daicey
15 years ago
Congrats! Can't wait to see it!!
jmcgowan
15 years ago
That is terrific news!! So happy for you. Enjoy your new space.
blfenton
15 years ago
WOW. ((( ))). :-)
dianalo
15 years ago
Fabulous! I bet your house came out better than most because all of your blood, sweat and tears that went into it. You have the added satisfaction of having risen to the challenge!

You give me hope ;)
flwrs_n_co
15 years ago
Congratulations! It's time to either party or relax--your choice. Can't wait to see the pics! Wishing you many years of happiness in your "new" home. :)
bmorepanic
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks, everyone. It is a big relief. For a large part of the time, the front door looked like this...

What will I do with my free time? Few hundred bulbs in and some #$%#@$ bamboo out. Move a baby deodar cedar. Shoot more squirrels with my power ranger squirt gun. Finish the decorating. Only 12 more window panels to sew!

Party -or- Relax? Which one has more margaritas?

If I could make it rain in Texas, I surely would. It hurts my heart to think of y'all plus your neighboring states, plus georgia and the drought. I will wish for you a nice, mild, slow moving, tropical storm.

And best wishes to all those who have suffered the loss of family or their home. You are stronger than you know.
Buehl
15 years ago
Congratulations! It must be a great relief knowing it's almost all behind you. Time for enjoying what all the stress and strain and work have resulted in - a new kitchen to have fun in!
rhome410
15 years ago
Partying indicates you have to invite people, which sounds like work and like you'll have to share... So I'd say relaxing could mean more margaritas for you!!

Now that we've seen the 'before'.... Nag, nag, nag.