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The Great Louisiana Flood of 2016

Went to the house yesterday to meet with a guy who might do our flooring. The wife and I had previously talked to him and he quoted us a price per square foot that was very reasonable, especially right now. He was supposed to meet with us earlier in the week to take a look at the house. But he got busy and had to reschedule to Saturday morning. The wife and I went to meet him yesterday and turns out that he was prepared to lay the floor right then and there! Not sure where the communication breakdown was, but it took us by surprise. We were completely unprepared to have floors installed at that time because the sheetrock crew had been working and the floors were still a mess. He was generous enough to let us know that he something else he could do and that he could return on Sunday morning. The wife and I went crazy cleaning the floors yesterday...and there was a lot to clean. But we handled it. So this morning we will be meeting with him again to let him in the house. With any luck we will have floors by the end of the day. It is a little earlier then expected because the walls still need sanded and textured, so there will be a bit of a mess. We bought several rolls of the brown contractor paper to put down to protect the floors. Things are not necessarily going in the order that we want, but I'm not complaining either. Walls and floors? My house is practically livable! Plus once the walls are done we can start painting if we want to.

In other news, the wife received a general quote on the counter tops. It's general because we can't get and exact quote until the cabinets are in, which they are not. We have our regular cabinets against the wall and then we have a small island/peninsula. We are putting a premium granite on the island and trying to decide if it is going to be a premium granite on the cabinets or if we should do something a little less expensive on them. This is going to sound silly but the difference between the premium and something else is less than $500.00. Normally I would be all like, "It's only a little more, let's get the better granite." But the problem is, when you do that for a whole house (and we have), those $200.00 here and $300.00 there start to add up. I am still inclined to to go with the premium just because I like the granite better. But really I am okay with the others too. This is going to be one of those things that wife will probably decide and while I have a say in the matter...I really don't. You guys know what I mean. Anyway...here is what we are putting on our island:

Black Forest Granite (Striations may be a little different but you get the idea)...
$Black Forest Granite.jpg

And these are what we are picking from for the rest of the kitchen. My Choice is the River White but if I have to pick one that isn't the premium I would pick the Bianco Romano:

River White...

$River White Granite.jpg

The others...Santa Cecelia Light...

$Santa Cecilia Light Granite.jpg

And finally the Bianco Romano...

$Bianco Romano Granite.jpg
 
Nice choices in granite - both the Romano and the Black Forest made my top 5 list, but I ended up going with a Volga blue because I thought the others were too busy.
Looks great, but because it's more uniform black it shows scratches more easily.

Anyway...go ahead with the one you like best. You'll have that granite for so long that dollar difference becomes cents per day.

Great and quick progress!
 

TexLaw

Fussy Evil Genius
Wow! Things really are moving right along, Don. Nice!

I don't know that you can go wrong with any of those granite choices (although I also would say that the Santa Cecelia is too busy for my tastes). Certainly choose what you like, as you're the one looking at it all the time.

May things continue to go well!
 
I'm so glad that everything is working out for you my friend. It's probably a night and day feeling of relief compared to what it must have been like that first moment you came back. God is good!
 
Sorry it's been a few days but things have been progressing at a rapid pace. The walls are hung, taped, mudded, sprayed , and textured. The flooring is in. The house is starting to look respectable. We are finalizing cabinet details this morning and doors and trim will be in next week. Cabinets in two weeks. Will be starting to paint this weekend most likely. Holy Crap! It's a good thing...just it is happening all of a sudden. The best part of it all is that the wife looked over the budget last night and it looks like we will be under it. I will take pics as soon as I can but I have to run out the door right now.
 
Sorry it's been a few days but things have been progressing at a rapid pace. The walls are hung, taped, mudded, sprayed , and textured. The flooring is in. The house is starting to look respectable. We are finalizing cabinet details this morning and doors and trim will be in next week. Cabinets in two weeks. Will be starting to paint this weekend most likely. Holy Crap! It's a good thing...just it is happening all of a sudden. The best part of it all is that the wife looked over the budget last night and it looks like we will be under it. I will take pics as soon as I can but I have to run out the door right now.

If you haven't finalized your counter top yet, look at this. http://www.mysterasurfaces.com/

My dad is a custom cabinet builder and I am in the middle of remodeling my kitchen right now. He uses this and other solid surface counter tops a lot. It is a bit cheaper than granite but looks just as good. Plus it's not porous like granite and easier to work with when building. I've already done my bathroom with it and absolutely love it.

$20160922_123044.jpg
 
If you haven't finalized your counter top yet, look at this. http://www.mysterasurfaces.com/

My dad is a custom cabinet builder and I am in the middle of remodeling my kitchen right now. He uses this and other solid surface counter tops a lot. It is a bit cheaper than granite but looks just as good. Plus it's not porous like granite and easier to work with when building. I've already done my bathroom with it and absolutely love it.

View attachment 690309

Thanks Shawn! But we have kind of finalized some things...which brings me to my current update.

The wife and I were told by our cabinet/counter top people to go to one of three wholesalers in granite to pick out a slab of granite. Silly me...I thought you just tell them what type and they install...that is not the case. I quickly found out that while each type of granite has similar properties, each slab can be very different. We went to one place that had a huge inventory, but really ticked me off. Several of the people there were very condescending and just down right rude. One guy came out and just said, "you can't have that one." In those exact words. While I get that particular slab may have been placed on hold for someone else, use a little tact dude. We were displeased so much we told our cabinet people that under no circumstances will we purchase granite from that particular wholesaler.

Off to the next place. They were the exact opposite. Very down to earth, to the point, and customer friendly. They showed us a around and suggested a few slabs. Let us look a some that "we couldn't have." And when we found a slab (through pictures in another warehouse in New Orleans), the lady immediately took it out of inventory until it arrives at that particular location so we can look at it. Guess which wholesaler we are going with? The were a couple more dollars a square foot...but at this point and time it's really about the principle.

Next on the list, some furniture. There is some furniture that we are going to bargain shop for and some things we want to spend a little money on. In the past the sofas that the wife and I have purchased have been a disappointment at the least. We always have the good intention of spending a little extra to get a good quality sofa. But what happens is that we find a sofa that fits our style and is $100 to $150 less than another "better" sofa. We will end up buying that one and a year to two years later the fabric starts to pill, the frame starts to creek, or something breaks on it. Well, not this time. We don't have the money right now to buy a Bassett, Pottery Barn, or Restoration Hardware, but we can spend just a little bit more. The in-laws had a La-Z-Boy sofa and recliner set that was over 30 years old. The recliner need to be recovered at one point in time but according to the Mom-In-Law that was covered under warranty. But other than that, not a single problem. Seriously, even before they had to toss it (they were affected by the flood also) it was one of the most comfortable sofas to sit/lay on. And other than the styling of the sofa...it looked in better shape than most one to two year old sofas I see today. Now I understand that La-Z-Boy isn't exactly the same today as it was then, they still produce quality furniture that won't set us pack the price of a used car.

We had a great experience at La-Z-Boy. The associate that helped us wasn't pushy like many people are in the retail world. She let us look around and then came back to us when we looked like we had questions. We ended up buying a traditional style sofa that has their deepest seating (this is necessary to be comfortable during Sunday naps when I am "watching" golf on TV). More importantly, we bought a recliner. Not just any recliner, but one that is so comfortable. Now I am not exactly a small guy. Currently my fighting weight is 320 pounds and I am 6'3". Therefore you see that furniture that is suitable for mere mortals is not suitable for the like of me :001_smile. This recliner is 45 inches wide and the kick stool can extend a couple inches further if I so desire. No cup holders...sorry guys...that's just not how I roll. I was going to settle for a chair that was less expensive, by a few hundred dollars (according to floor models), but by the time we decided on fabric and some other options the difference in chairs was only $100. Well then, that's a no brainer. We went with the one that I wanted. Therefore, in six to eight weeks, the wife and I will have a sofa and recliner. I really can't wait. Long post today guys, sorry, I was in a writing mood this morning.

To update a couple of things. Kitchen cabinets are being built and install is scheduled for 9/28/2016. Counter tops will go in about two weeks later. The termite guy missed his appointment again the other day, so we are back on the schedule (ugh!). Floors are installed. Kitchen appliances are on order and will be delivered around the 20th of October. Our walls are done we just need to paint them. Guess what i am doing today.

While there is nothing more than I would like to do but sit back and watch college football today...I have to at least get the house started with being primed. So today will be a very busy day! Thanks you all for listening!
 
I was really dreading this weekend. I have been dreading it because of five little letters...P...A...I...N...T!!! Yup, it was time to paint. In the past I have associated painting with the first four letters of the word...PAIN. Not really, but to me, painting is like getting my teeth pulled. But there was no way I was going to pay our contractor $7k to paint the house. I mean, seven thousand dollars for a house that is 1400 square feet...no freaking way. Even the estimator for the contractor said he wouldn't have paid that either. Well, I had about four other people help the wife and I we knocked out putting the primer on the walls on Saturday. Yesterday...Sunday...we painted the entire house (walls only...trim and doors haven't been installed yet). I really thought It would take us the entire weekend and that I would be working a couple hours after work each day this week to finish up. I am truly amazed that with help the painting was done as quick as it was. With all that being said...I HAVE A PAINTED HOUSE!

$Paint 1.jpg$Paint 2.jpg
 
Thanks guys! I know it has only been a month and a half since the wife and I (and the four legged children) fled the flood, but it feels like it has been a year. I am very pleased with the work finished so far (though I think some of my friends' painting skills could use some improvement...a lot of runs i am going to have to go back and sand...still very appreciative of their help though), and I am thankful that our timeline keeps moving up all the time.

I just want to take the time right now and thank each and every one of you for keeping my family in your thoughts and prayers and for all the encouraging words you have given me in this thread, PM, or by email. You will never realize how much it means to me. Thank you so much!

Next thing on the list...cabinets go in tomorrow!
 
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