Change of Plan$

Yesterday was spent at the Acorn. Currently we are tackling paint – an easy, but tedious project. Because we’re not professional painters we tape or remove all hardware and that takes time. There’s no excuse for a shoddy paint job with today’s tapes and tools. And for the first time in 30 years we’re giving a paint sprayer another go. Our paint sprayer from the late 1980s was a disaster, but sprayers have come a long way. We purchased a modestly priced Wagner for which Keith is mastering quite fabulously.

Originally we had planned to paint the open rafters in the new part of the Acorn, but as Keith began to paint the very poorly trimmed out ceiling we both knew we would never be satisfied. The make-do trim work coupled with the initial quote we received from our HVAC contractor is driving our decision to sheetrock the ceiling and properly insulate which will look more finished and allow for a less expensive heating/cooling source than the $7k Mitsubishi units from the initial quote. Finishing and insulating wasn’t in our initial scope, but it should have been. And while we had originally only budgeted $2k for small fixes around the Acorn, we’re now pushing a $7k agenda. Ouch! And while we were scheduled to be done with painting this evening (and would have been), we’re now facing some extra framing, sheetrock paneling and mudding – and loads more cleanup from the finish work.

Other news: Our son is currently living at the property and in charge of demolition of all interior walls of the Oak. He’s making great progress. We’re already on our 3rd dumpster and Keith predicts we’ll need at least 3 more before completion. Keith and our son are on schedule to have the Oak gutted by Monday. I’m to have finalized drawings of the new construction by Monday as well, at which time our contractor will inspect our handiwork, the new construction plans, and start pulling permits for it all. I’m using a free, simple, online floor planner. There are many free versions – the one I am using is HERE. I can draw to scale and send my drawing files to Staples to be plotted very inexpensively. Note – once upon a time, many moves and careers ago, I drafted via the very early stages of CAD (Computer Aided Design) for a large architectural firm. I’m really rusty but I’m not a complete novice to the discipline.

The trick with presenting finalized plans is not perfectly executed architectural drawings but including ever stinkin’ little detail imaginable so that details don’t have to be changed or added or left to the contractor’s imagination. I’m bound to miss things, but I will do my best. I’m sure the sit-down with our contractor will help to define many things.

Back at the ranch (our current home). The septic plans have been finalized and we’re ready to hire that work out. We’re also getting quotes for a radon mitigation system, AND our water heater all of a sudden decided to “tank”.  That’s life, right?

My sister took this picture Saturday. We bought fish food for the pond. This is the working crew – Keith, our son, our granddaughter, and me.