Lessons Learned

My Subcontractor - My Friend?? 

Okay, so you hire a "friend" as a subcontractor, didn't bother to check his references...what could go wrong?

Oh my.
This totally happened to us.

Lessons learned: 

• Just because your kids go to school together and you live in the same town, doesn't make you friends. Got it, "acquaintance". 

• Just because your acquaintance runs a business, doesn't mean they run a good business. Got it, should have checked references. 

Advice: 

• Always check references before you hire someone, always. Big job, little job, shouldn't matter. You want it done right, correct? You want a company that stands behind its work, in case of a problem, correct?

Cubbies for Twin Zone

MUCH more is needed to organize this room, but this a great start... 

Twin Zone Cubbies / Part 1

Girls are ready....Buddy? You have the cubbies?

Yes, and this is what he needed to make them.

• 3/4" birch plywood for the top, bottom, sides and partitions
• 1/4" ply for the back
• solid wood nosing
• satin poly
• paint to match the wall

Got it.

Top and bottom with blind dado for partitions.

Rabbet on partitions.

I say "Do you really need to do all that?  Buddy says...yes :)

3 coats of poly?  Really?  Buddy says YES!

Okay, okay, let's put this thing together.

We needed (yes, I did help)!

• Wood Glue
• Staples
• Pin Gun & Pins
• Biscuits
• Compressor
• Clamps....why do we need clamps?
• Patience

1/4" back fits nicely into the groove...well nicely until the top goes on :)  but we got through it. CLAMPS, that's why we needed the clamps!

Girls, it's time to put ducks in a row...

Nicely done.

More cubbies to come...stay tuned.

Flooring Weekend / Install DIY

Sample looks good....okay, let's do it!

Ordered from Monadnock Flooring in Keene, NH mid-December.

It begins 5:50 am Saturday morning 1/7/12.

Rosin paper goes down first.

1st row must be STRAIGHT...

Of course!

1st row IN 8:21am, that took a while...

Time to rock and roll.

9:40 5 rows in...break time, then we have to starting moving stuff around again.

So far so good, where is the next piece?

Got it...here you go.

This is going to be a long weekend :)

6:40pm Saturday night, 26 1/2 rows....we are done for the night, see you tomorrow.

Hello Sunday 1/8/12 and hello new floor :) 

We begin 9:10 am and we are about 1/2 done, but today will go slower, cutting around floor outlets and the hearth...we'll see!

The joints are all over the place, too many small pieces. Lots of character though, which we like.

4:45 we made it to the front of the hearth! At this point, we also resolve that we are going to get this DONE, so I can return the floornailer tomorrow on my way to work :)

We did it!
Goodnight :)

Blue Stone

Buddy...the mason.  Who knew?

Cement board goes down first.

Mischief...in the way :)

1st piece, let's go.

Hardwood flooring is next. Country grade red birch, we think.