Of Moose and Men: A Week of Non-remodeling

Day 1 of plan was a cinch

This post was supposed to be the wrap up to the kitchen remodel tale. (To see the first segment click here.) Well, it’s not only late, it’s not a wrap up, either. Normally, my laziness would explain the delay of the post. Not this time, however, as I have a legitimate excuse – or several to be more accurate.

You know how when there is a plan of action that has steps that require the completion of other steps before the plan can continue? And how sometimes the completion of those required steps is just elusive? And then when things finally do get squared away and the required steps get done and all looks to be fine and dandy, there’s this blizzard? Welcome to my world.

Before the kitchen remodel started our contractor sent us his estimate on how things were to proceed. His estimated time frame, give or take a couple, was eight days. (After that, digital measurements would be needed for the new countertops, which would take two to three weeks for cutting and installation.) It was a great plan.

Notice lack of cabinets on left side

Day 1: Remove existing cabinets, appliances and countertops.

Day 2: Frame 3-foot high, 6-foot long wall from corner to past oven. Electrician and plumber will run electrical and gas lines to new oven location.

Day 3: Subcontractor will install ducting in floor for downdraft oven vent. Sheetrock, mud and tape wall when subcontractor is finished.

Days 4 through 6: Install new cabinets per new kitchen layout.

Day 7: Assemble kitchen island.

Day 8: Install knobs and pulls. Install trim and kickboards.

Day 1 was February 25^th, and the contractor adhered tightly to his schedule for two full days. After that, things went south.

On Day 2, the new appliances were to be delivered – a new refrigerator, dishwasher and range. Of the three, the range was critical. Because no vent had originally been built into the kitchen, we chose is a downdraft style of range. The vent ducting must match up to the underside of the range. Hence, no range meant no ducting work. No ducting work meant no installation of the floor cabinets on the west side of the kitchen.

The appliance store where we ordered the range assured us it would be delivered on March 5^th, so the subcontractor was rescheduled for March 6^th. In the interim, all the upper cabinets and some of the lower cabinets could be hung. All was right in the world, until the appliance store called on the 4th to state the range would not be delivered on the 5^th of March. In fact, at this point the store was suddenly unsure when the range might show up.

*Sigh* There is no "try" only DO!

William Congreve coined the phrase, “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.” I’m sure he had no idea what a dual fuel, downdraft range could possibly be, or even the concept of a kitchen remodel, when he penned those words in 1697. However, I can state with a good deal of certainty had he seen Mrs. Poynor on March 4^th, 2019, the phrase would have come out a little different.

I don’t believe I have ever seen my wife so enraged. While she was engaged on the phone with the store manager, I gathered up all the sharp objects and double checked the gun safe to make sure it was locked. She was never rude or profane, just extremely determined to extract a promise of delivery and a firm date. She firmly rebuffed all attempts at mollification. There would be no nebulous promises. There would only be results. Although she never quoted him, Yoda would have been proud of her insistence. In the end, her unyielding approach worked. The store agreed to obtain the range at another store in Nebraska and deliver it first thing on the 8^th. The venting subcontractor was rescheduled for the afternoon of the 8^th.

Just when things started going smoothly...

Things were finally going our way. Thanks to my wonderful wife, we were back on track. What a wonderful feeling, albeit short lived. The subcontractor canceled on the morning of the 8^th, rescheduling for the 12^th. After less than three hours on the 12^th, the venting was in and the contractor could proceed to Day 3 of the grand plan.

Sixteen days after the initial start of the remodel, the contractor completed what should have been the third day. That was also the day the blizzard hit. Two days of wind and snow. The contractor dug out and finished setting all the cabinets on March 15^th.

And here we sit, twenty-two days after the start of the remodel. The counter measurements have been made, and now we wait two or three weeks to be finished completely. In the meantime, we have the finest plywood counters available.