Delays that are part of the plan

We are now about five weeks behind the tentative plan for the renovation of the kitchen and 3/4 bath. Some of that delay is just normal, some is because of the original bad measurements, and some of it is for various reasons we don’t know about specifically, such as competing projects and vacations. The tile expert came by today to begin tiling the bathroom—which was originally planned for two weeks ago—but the floor wasn’t prepped and there were other issues so he left soon after he came. His time off likely means the bathroom tiling will start about five weeks after the original draft plan. The kitchen tile can’t start until the counters and cabinets are installed. In other words, the kitchen and bathroom are a long way off.

An important note is that the contract specified that our kitchen and bath remodel would take 5-6 months and we are still within that timeframe so even if items have slipped, that was expected in the overall plan. That means that according to the contract, the kitchen and 3/4 bath would be expected to be done in early September or October. We also had changes—including installing a new floor—that wasn’t in the plan and would certainly have thrown off the plans.

Yet it’s still a bummer. We can see that they are making amazing progress, but it’s so far from showing that we can’t share photos with you because it’s a worksite complete with tools and detritus. And at nearly three months in—about the halfway point according to the contract—the difficulties of life are wearing on the humans and canine.

This is also the time when planning for classes in the fall semester begins in earnest. As I try to amend my syllabi and brainstorm ways to get undergraduate students to come to class (dance?), I’m now wondering if I will have a shower available. (Likely yes, but I’m going to worry as the worrier I am. Yes, yes, you CAN walk in a big-ass robe from the new shower to the bedroom.)

The bedroom reminds me that we have to plan for abandoning our bedroom at least for a time because the initial demolition will include removing a linen closet right outside our bedroom door, removing another closet in the bedroom, enclosing that wall into the new bathroom, and installing a new closet door in the bedroom. Those changes mean our bedroom will be unusable for at least a month—maybe more. It’s fortunate that we can move to our guest bedroom, but we will have to pack that up to do so. It’s hard to know when to do that—a significant amount of work—when we have no real idea when that demo will start.

All of this disarray, lack of detailed information, confusion, and distress is normal in a major renovation. Our contractors are doing their best, I am certain.

We are tired. BUT WE ARE FOCUSED ON THE THRILL. (At least I’m telling myself that now. Remind me later!)