Hull House Project Update: slow going progress

Pre floors and lighting

Floors almost finished!  Lighting in.
The floors with the afternoon sun really
changed the feel of the house.

There have been a few unforeseen things that have come up in this house project - as always in construction things come up that you didn't expect.  This project is no exception.  Back in June I thought I would be moving in this week, instead of moving I will be bike racing this weekend.  Which is not a bad alternative.

A few things that came up that were unexpected; 

stop #2 on I-84 for load
adjustments

• Working with Pacific Power to get power to the house from the pole that is located on the west side of the lot.  Pacific Power is on their own schedule, as far as I can tell they don't really care about being fast.  Most of the house was built with power from an extension cord from my existing house.  Not really a big deal, but it did slow down the electrician on final installation of lights, outlets and fans.
• The floors - this was a saga that just got worse with every decision that I made.  It started with not being able to find something I wanted and having limited time to spend on this decision.  In hind sight I ended up making the wrong choice.  After getting frustrated with the local store choices and service, I ended up working with a company in Portland, but they were really from Atlanta with a warehouse in Oakland CA.  On a quick visit on a work break to the warehouse I selected a light color laminate floor and not the one that I liked better because of price.  Over the weekend I changed my mind and then things rapidly fell apart; restocking fees, delayed shipment........ Finally the floors arrived and I arranged for a truck and trailer to pick them up in Portland.  While unloading the floors in Hood River we discovered that they were the wrong floors - so it was back to Portland with friends visiting from CA.  Picked up the right floors - warehouse employees didn't even apologize or take ownership over their mistake.  After all that I am not that keen on the floors, but I will live with it.  What I should have done was just continued to work with the local vendors even when they can be difficult to give them your business.
• Bathroom tile - apparently there are lots of people putting tile in their houses this August in Hood River.  It is hard to find someone to do a really basic tile job.

The move in to the house will be postponed a few weeks - not a big deal.  The floors are being installed today, the lights are in, cabinets installed, counter tops laid, the ladder to the loft is being built, appliances ordered, sidewalk and driveway should be poured next week.  After the floors are installed the trim work can be finished, doors installed.  The only delay now is the tile work in the bathroom.

Hull House Project Update; simple is not easy!

Progress on the Hull house is being made really fast!  Everyday when I get home from work I do a walk through to see what has been completed.  Everyday the results are dramatic; siding on, roofing material up, electrical done, insulation in, drywall up, painting done.  There are lots of decisions still to be made; lighting fixtures, flooring material, counter tops.  


My mantra or guiding principal for decision making in this project is to keep it simple, nothing fancy or overly decorative, to try and make decisions that will not be trendy and dated in a few years.  That is easy to say and not so easy to actually do. Simple is not easy!  


House colors - I went with Benjamin Moore Gargoyle for the exterior and winds breath for the trim.  This decision came after looking at many different houses in Portland, Hood River and Seattle.  I was actually looking for a warm brown, but that is a hard color to find and match.  When it came down to the wire and I had to have the decision made so the paint could be mixed, I took a sample paint book that the paint store loaned me to a house in Hood River and matching the color (I was hoping they would be home and I could just ask them, but no).  The interior paint choice was easy, I had already decided on white.  I know, I know, that is boring I even went with decorator's white even more boring than bright white or white dove which is the most popular white color.  The interior is small and I thought the white would make it bright in the winter and also make it feel more spacious.  Apparently the painters thought it was a pretty boring job, but easy.  The finished result achieved the goal, the space feels lofty, bright and open.  Once the flooring, kitchen and lights are in the house will not feel so spartan.

exterior siding and roofing material on

paint color samples - I used the bottom color

finished result for exterior color

interior framing almost done

electrical done, insulation in

drywall done - starting to get a
sense of the feel of the finished space.

interior paint finished - decorator's white
feels light and expansive!