I’m sick of my house looking and feeling like a construction zone. I am sick of mopping construction dust every single day. I am sick of navigating my way around boxes and piles and tools, every single day. I am sick of having someone in the house every single effing day. I’m sick of having to drive 15-min away to shower every single day or not getting to shower at all. I am sick of having the ONLY toilet in the house being as far away from my bedroom as it can get and still be in the house. I am especially sick of this at night.
I am SICK & TIRED of this project. It has officially gone on – WAY TOO LONG.
And it’s never going to end.
Here is my advice for the week, get an estimate for how long your project will take IN WRITING but temper this with the understanding that sometimes things take a little longer. It should not take three times as long …but…
When we signed on with this contractor, he said it would take two to three weeks. That’s easy enough to deal with It has been 5 weeks now and we’re 2 days into the 6th week. Unfortunately, C.T. arrives late in the morning, leaves early in the afternoon. This doesn’t leave much time for getting anything finished. Usually something is started or some small thing gets done and there is plenty of chatting and planning and often some shopping thrown in there too. But as for any significant amount of work, well – that doesn’t happen. It’s small things done in fits and starts and that is exactly why we’re into week *&@$-ing six of this project!
And it’s never going to end.
The counter people come tomorrow to template the cabinet tops for the counter tops. But the cabinets are not yet installed because the tile under the cabinets is not yet sealed because C.T. would like to do a second round of grout which he can’t do until he finishes painting the wall which can’t be done until he sands then primes the spackle spots. (Just for the record, he hasn’t touched the grout, sealer, sand paper or paint today. He’s tiling the bathtub surround which has nothing to do with getting the cabinets installed. Nothing at all.) Is this starting to sound like the House that Jack Built? It is, except it’s the bathroom that C.T. built; is still building.
And it’s never going to end.
And here’s why: C.T. is ONE man doing this job ALONE. So when he needs to run out to the hardware store – the job stops progressing. When he gets sick or has an appointment or needs a couple days off – the job stops. Or when he is laying tile, the walls don’t get painted, the closet doesn’t get built, the door doesn’t get taken off the hinges to be stripped and painted, the fixtures don’t get mounted, the toilet doesn’t get installed. And I spend yet another day schlepping my stinky self 15-minutes away just to have a shower. I have to FULLY wake up in the middle of the night to maneuver down the stairs, through the dark living room, dining room, and kitchen to the little powder room and then back again to my bedroom where I lie awake wondering and worrying about the bathroom.
And it feels like it’s never going to end.
Renovate Me! 
Not sure what to say, Kristin, other than you sure will be glad when this project is finished! I take it for granted that you will reconsider using Tom for your kitchen remodel?
Yes but mostly because I believe a job as large and involved as our kitchen will require a team, not one man. I think Tom can handle smaller jobs with no problem,
small handy man type things that are straight forward, easy. I think a total bathroom renovation is a little much. I have to say that I AM satisfied overall once the small issues have been dealt with, but that the issues occur in the first place is a bit of a disappointment. However, Tom HAS heard my concerns and have addressed them all and in a very timely manner too – and the corrections have been top rate. I will keep him on for small, handy man things around the house but no, I won’t use him for the kitchen remodel/renovation.