Big Picture: Where are we?
Working on the deck and trying to get the steps finished
With some of the hardscape nearing completion, I’ve been focusing my attention on a number of other issues.
Corp Update
- I’ve been working quite a bit on the deck for the neighbor. Over the past week, I’ve completed the framing, including getting all 8 of the posts set. It feels like a lot of overkill, but it’s what the engineer specified, so it is what we had to build. I was aiming for an inspection last week, but the posts were a bit more than I could get done. The two gals who own the house have also come by to help. They’ve gotten first hand experience in the Simpson brackets and setting the giant 6×6 posts that will support the fence. (I set a couple of the posts on my own, but it’s a whole lot easier to do when someone is steadying it so that you don’t have to worry it will literally crash down on your head). We have an inspection set for Wednesday this week, then we will start putting down the deck surface and fencing around it. The weather is expected to be in the mid-90’s every day, but we should be able to at least get the deck surface down, with possibly only the fencing left for early next week.
- We also took some time last week to replace the roof on the back portion of the house. I’ll do a separate post on that, but I’m glad to finally have that resolved.
- Out front, we have not yet resolved the front steps and walkway. Recall that we’ve build a small retaining wall around the front yard, and poured a new sidewalk parallel to the street. However, there’s still the matter of the walkway up to the front door. During previous work, the excavator broke the bottom step leading up to the front door. We’ve agreed on a path forward to address that, and to get the remaining walkway set. However, it’s been crickets since then and I’m working hard to get the team back out here to actually finish the work. Sadly, this is not an uncommon issue with some subcontractors- work is started, pursued with vigor, but then loose ends remain to be tied up. I have held back a portion of the final payment for the main project, and haven’t made payment on the front retaining wall yet, so financially I’m protected- but I would really prefer not to have to solve the front walkway on my own.
- Macro level, the project is now in “wrapping up” phase. We didn’t hit my expectation (Walls were done by end of Feb, but we did not finish the rest by the end of March). There was a bit of scope creep (added the front yard work) but some was just conflicts with schedules, and some delay was due to the weather.
- My own (prior) estimates of the remaining work are as follows:
- Foundation prep: 2 days. (done)
- lay block: 5-7 days (done)
- Patio base prep: 2 days (this week)
- Patio stone setting: 3-5 days (start this week, finish next week)
- Re-install AC units (week of May 6)
- Weld up Corten steel planters (by May 30)
- Build neighbors’ deck (by May 30) (didn’t make this)
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