Drywall Day 1

Drywall work started Monday morning, five guys arrived about 9:00 and started carrying 33 sheets or drywall down the switch back stairs.  I got a call about 3:00, letting me know they were leaving for the day.  When I got home this was the shocking change I encountered:

Before Drywall

Last Thursday I had a third and final drywall estimate.  All three of the drywallers I had come in for estimates came recommended, and I suspect they each would have done a fine job, but I had to choose one.  The estimate prices came in at $2000, $1200, and $1500.  I eliminated the $2000 quote from consideration and debated the pros and cons of the remaining options.

$1200

Pros: Very eager to get the work, open schedule, least expensive

Cons: Didn't know the difference between horizontal and vertical, schedule was too open, wanted payment on delivery of supplies

$1500

Pros: "Pay me when I finish, " suggested I clean up the window frames before drywall was installed, very busy

Cons: More expensive

I ended up going with the $1500 option, I am assuming that they drwaller who has a busy schedule in this current housing market must be really good.

This is what things looked like on Sunday night (I love daylight savings time! it's still light outside in these photos).

 

So How's the TV?

It's good now, resting on my patio chair, but the delivery and setup didn't go as smooth as I expected.

I ordered the TV from Amazon and was looking forward to the delivery service which should have included setup.  Instead of spectacular delivery, I was alerted that the TV had arrived by the sound of it being pushed across the front porch.  The shipping company hired by amazon, Pilot, sent one person with a shipper that clearly stated "2 man delivery" and shoved the TV through the door rather than setting it up. The initial attempt at setup failed when we couldn't find one of the parts to attach the base.  The next day, after calling Amazon and having arrangements for a replacement to be sent, I found the missing piece while boxing the thing up to be sent back...

Last Tuesday

On our last Tuesday working together, my uncle hooked up the new circuits to the main panel.  I left work a bit early so we would have daylight to shut the main power outside the house off before going into the panel in my condo.

As far as I can tell everything looks good, but I'll have to wait until the drywall is done and the outlets and switches are hooked up before I can turn the new circuits on.

Sweating the Small Stuff

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday this week drywall estimates are being made so I've got to get everything in top shape, it's my last chance before it all gets covered up.

I put in a block so I'll have something to screw the heat register into

Looking up at the ceiling, I attached a metal plate with cords to the duct so I will still be able to close it off in the summer and not air-condition the basement.

On the walls I reinstalled all the plaster rings, this time ensuring that they are level

Seventeen Months

Big News!
I've lived without a TV for seventeen months, but I am not that virtuous, I watch plenty of TV on my computer.  This Friday, I will be TV free no longer, my new fiftyfive inch Samsung LCD is being delivered.

With M's help I initially had my mind set on a Panasonic Plasma, but after checking out the actual products at two Best Buy locations I decided to my eye the Samsung LCDs are better.  I ordered the TV from Amazon, I have heard good things about their TV delivery service, plus there is no tax.  Why the rush to buy the TV?  I couldn't come up with any better way to confirm that the HDMI cable is functioning before it gets drywalld in.

One Tuesday at a Time

Every Tuesday after work my uncle has been working on the electrical. Progress is usually slow because nothing is ever as easy as anticipated.  Last week we discovered that adding a third light to the existing three way light switches would require fishing a wire up through the wall to the top of the stairs - so this week I learned how to fish wires through walls (almost) without damaging the drywall. Like a everything it helps to have the right tool. At the end of the workday today we had all of the switches wired and lights that turn through an extension cord. 

The plan for next week is to get an early start to take advantage of the remaining daylight and turn the main power off so we can add the new circuits to the breaker box.