First off…basements are spendy…and time consuming. Also?? Apparently we are one of the few that actually gets building permits. I really wish someone had told us this.
Sure, normally I’m a by-the-book-kinda-gal, but they actually expect you to wait around for them to look at stuff. AND they actually want things done by their rather strict building codes. If only they had actually inspected our house WHEN IT WAS BUILT. Yeah, that would have been great!
So…what has gone wrong you may ask?
#1…When the fireplace guys called in the inspector to look at the gas line he also looked at our as-yet-incomplete plumbing. It was not done correctly, so the floor needed to be busted open. Again. Of course, the part they used was referred to them by the guy in the Home Depot plumbing department. It was however ILLEGAL to use. Nice.
#2…When the fireplace guys got up on our chimney to put the big pipe down there to vent the gas fireplace, he discovered our decorative clay topper was cracked and the masonry was crumbling. Not-gonna-do-it. So, we had to get a mason out to repair it before they could finish the pipe. In talking to the mason, he thought I wanted it sealed and the topper taken off. Um…NO… #1 – there are two up there, so either fix it or take both off and #2 we are USING it which is why we are FIXING it. Sometimes you just wonder…are you SURE you do this for a living?? Anyways, that was another $450 we didn’t expect to spend.
#3…Egress window was supposed to be here on Monday. Anyone want to guess as to whether it was??
#4…We failed ALL OF OUR INSPECTIONS. ‘Nuff said with that one.
#5…This stuff is expensive. And I’m tired of looking at stuff I need to buy. I just want it DONE.
We finally decided on our bathroom tile, which will be a mixture of slate in the shower, and a really cool fake weathered bamboo floor ceramic tile. It is going to look dang cool when it’s done.
Now all we need to buy is a glass shower enclosure, trim, doors, underfloor, a whole bunch of mortor and grout, a cabinet for my craft room, some counters and a ton of paint. Yay!
Right now we are verging on the sheetrock phase of the basement. Of course, we actually need to pass our inspections first. After they sheetrock and texture spray it, then I can start painting, painting, painting. The painting is going to be done before floors and trim go up so it won’t take forever to cut around all that stuff. Also? Brian will be my unwilling assistant, since I just can’t do it all myself in time. I also have to paint the murphy bed and the cabinetry and shelves that will be going next to it. Fun stuff.
Eyes on the prize, right?? 🙂
Hang in there. We did the basement at our old house and ran into a bunch of road blocks. Since we did most of the work ourselves, when time and money allowed, our building permits expired and we had to pay a bunch of money to renew them, just in time to have the basement inspected for the occupancy permit. It was worth it though because when we listed the house, everything was done right and we didn’t have to worry. The final product will be so worth it! Can’t wait to see pictures.
Oh Lordie, girl!! Talk about something being drug on and on and on… and being a big pain in the pocketbook… gulp!
Praying that you can see that light at the end of the tunnel soon soon!
Hugs.. A
Welcome to the world of Bureaucracy…
I know that there was a reason for it but it seems as if the reasons have lost all their reason… (if you know what I mean) LOL
what was once set as a safe guard has turned into big brother watching out for and over you…
And the morons they hire???? (nuff said)
Hope it gets better for you, it will be worth it when it’s done…
Sorry just got done with a rant post about the government and it spilled over to here…
Happy painting… “just give Brian a big glass of wine, that should happy him up” LOL
Yikes! My parents have remodeled almost their entire house without a single building permit & my mom volunteers on their city council! Of course, they haven’t done anything major on the exterior yet & I’m sure they will have to apply for the permit then! Sorry you guys have had such a time – just dream about spending some awesome time in your basement!
Love the bath tile(s)!
Here’s tp hoping things get better, the tile is gorgeous! I’m sure it will all be lovely in the end and def worth it! 🙂
Ugh! sorry you’ve run into so many roadblocks, but it will all be SO worth it in the end!! That’s what you get for being a law-abiding, permit-applying citizen, huh?!
Man oh man. I love the tile that you have picked out. I know it is hard to imagine now, but it is going to be worth it in the end!!!
LOVE.
That slate/bamboo combo is sheer perfection. So in love with that.
Sending good permit thoughts your way!
OOOOOOH. LOVE renovations even if they cause a bit of stress en route. I can’t get over that fake bamboo ceramic! VERY cool!
Yep, I’d say you’d better be looking for everyone silver lining in the home repair cloud. 😉 We’re in the process of pricing out windows for the house and that’s painful enough to consider. I can’t imagine all the inspections onto of construction. Maybe that’s a perk living rural, even if we needed a permit the husband just sneaks in and does long before anyone remember something needed one much less needed an inspection. LOL