Welcome to Chez Cliff!

"This Bordeaux is amazing!"  I pulled the wine glass from my nose, aromatics still with me.

The RealEstate Agent hosted a fund raiser for a political candidate at his super nice house.  Curiosity drove me to the house for I had never attended a function like this.  This particular candidate was running for elections at the state level and she would cover my district.  In attendance was a "who’s who" of landlords, each working with the RealEstate Agent.

Food and wine was served.  I almost passed on the wine until the Bordeaux caught my eye.  Nearly a month had passed since wine had accompanied my dinner.  This was a nice break.

During the candidates speech, she articulated with clarity and intelligence all the issues she was addressing.  Then she asked for questions, which she got.  Environment and health care.

During her speech, my thoughts were elsewhere. "I need another glass.  This Bordeaux is wonderful!"

After she had drawn to a close, the candidate surprised me by sitting at the table where I was.  She chatted with two ladies who were sitting beside me.  They were discussing governments jobs which they both had.

"This Bordeaux is delicious!"

Finally, the candidate looked at me.  Through my wine filled eyes, I heard from her "I would like to know what issues are important to you."

"Me?"

"Yes."

"Do you really want to know?"

"Yes I want to hear what your issues are."

"I’ll tell you what my issue is:  I can’t drink California red wines.  For some reason, they give me a monster head-ache the next day.  French red wines are no problem but those from California kill me.  If you could figure that one out, I would follow you all the way to the White House."

OK, so not one of my brightest moments.

But oooooooooo that Bordeaux was amazing.

If there is one aspect of housing renovation to be changed, it’s unlocking doors for the people working for you.

I’m a nervous person by habit whereas I lock doors behind me.  Too many slasher movies have demonstrated to me that Jason or Freddie are lurking behind the bushes just waiting for an unlocked door.

Every time my cell rings with "Cliff, I’m at the house." I have to stop whatever I’m doing in order to drive there and let them in.  When working a 9 to 5, this can become a royal pain in the butt.  Quickly.  For me, it’s 30 minutes to the house and 30 minutes back.  Each drive is easily 1 hour.

When shopping for deadbolts, I considered getting a numbered keypad.  Letting the contractors have the number and when they were done, change the access code.  But those are nearly twice as much as the deadbolt.  But having driven to the house multiple times in the same day I wonder if the extra money would have been worth my sanity.

SFX:  Cell Phone Rings
Clifford:  Oh you’re there?  OK.  The code to get in is 5476.  Then turn the knob.  OK, good luck!

Yeah, the Star Trek option sounds much better.

The alternative is to hire either Jeeves or Alfred to let them in.  But I’m on a budget.  Unless they are willing to work for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches

The day the cabinets were ordered, the command decision was made not to have Lowes install them.  For the installers to get involved would have added a week to the project which could not be afforded.

When the cabinets arrived, I went to Lowes to inquire about installation.  Since it is after the fact, there seemed to be a lot of drama involved.  The installers would have to spend a day, carefully inspecting each cabinet.  Afterwards, they would measure and remeasure and verify everything I had done.  If everything was perfect then they would install.

ugh

So when the RealEstate Agent said to me "Cliff, you can calculate the delta V required to put the Space Shuttle into a circular orbit yet you can’t hang a cabinet?"

I felt pretty dumb.  I are smart.

I asked Lord Google if he knew how to install cabinets.  He showed me this.  The first thought through my head: it can’t be this easy.

Yet it is.

A friend stopped by to help me get started.  Following the steps one at a time, we measured and measured and measured again.  We put the chalk-line on the walls.  Once the chalk-lines were on the walls, we measured up to find the starting point for the upper cabinets.

To be honest, the hardest part was finding the studs.  The stud finder went off every three inches which I know is not right.  Fortunately some of the dry-wall screws were just barely visible underneath the paint.  That served as my guide.

Starting from the corner cabinets, those get installed first.  Then every cabinet lines up next to them.  My only complaint: one corner cabinet was delayed and will arrive in the next few days.  So the kitchen couldn’t be finished.

But it was started.

My numbers show doing the installation myself will save approximately $1100.  That money is needed elsewhere.

Here is the baseline, along with the beginning installation.  Always start with the corner cabinets first.  Here, you can see the cheater board installed along the wall.
Here is the base of the cabinets, along with the travertine.  The kick plate, which runs along the bottom, has not yet been installed.
The upper cabinet installation has been started.  You can see the cheater board installed, helping to support the upper cabinet and align the rest of the cabinets.

Before I end this post today, I have to announce the unfortunate departure of Mikki from this project.

"My budget is $3400," I announced to the Lowes Kitchen Appliance Guy.  It was actually a few dollars more but I give the sales guy something lower to shoot for and maybe I’ll come in on budget.

Last time I went shopping for appliances, it was for the basic four kitchen items: refrigerator, stove, microwave, dishwasher.  My budget was $3000 at that time.  And I came in pretty close.  For stainless steel, that wasn’t too shabby.

This time, I don’t have a spot for an installed microwave.  However a stackable washer and dryer is required.  The stackable is about 3 times as much as a microwave. 

As with usual sales techniques, we had to get his manager involved (consult higher authority) and there were some special codes entered into the computer.

"Clifford the closest we can get you is $3600.  That includes tax.  We’re not charging for delivery.  And we got you a rebate."

"Are you absolutely sure?" I asked.  "That’s the best you can do?"

"Yes."

To the cashiers I went.  As is the practice, the cashier took my last name and phone number.  She found my order.  "That will be $3600."

"Oops!  What’s this?  A Lowe’s coupon?"

"With the coupon, it will be $3450."

Strolling out the door with 10 feet of receipt paper in my hands, detailing warranties and rebate information, a little voice inside my head was telling me to shop around next time.  I’m unsure if I truly got the best deal.

No project will ever be completed if deadlines are not set and maintained.

My attempts at maintaining a deadline have been weak at best.  A few weeks back I was told September 1 would be missed.

A breach of September 1 is unacceptable.

This has become my mantra.

My role has become extremely active.  The work has been broken down, re-assigned.  No longer will projects be worked in series but rather in parallel; all the way to completion.  New targets have been set and mentally I have tuned my brain to ensure these activities get done.

For the kitchen I am now personally responsible for getting that complete.  Others are being pulled in, work is being farmed out, deliveries being made.  We don’t stop.

Mikki has been tasked to completely 100% finish the electrical throughout the entire house.  Every switch installed, every socket in place, all lights working. 

The plumbing cannot be finished until two other items are completed.  The installation of the granite and therefore the kitchen sink.  At that point, the kitchen plumbing can be connected and the kitchen will be functional. 

The other action is the balance of the travertine to be installed in the main bathroom.  Along the wall and in the shower/bathtub area.

Looking over people’s schedules and seeing who is doing what, where and when – my confidence for September 1st completion is high.