March 9, 2013: Finishing, walls, painting, baths

The finishing work is probably the hardest.  Painting the inside revealed problems with the taping.  This sometimes required the tapers to return more than once to fix problems.  The worst areas were the 45 degree angles.  The next was the horizontal taping in the family room that was highlighted by the lights in the ceiling.  Ugh...

The guest bathroom shower is done. 

The entry hallway is painted.  The doors to the living room are painted and installed.  The floor is not yet had it's finishing.

The girls bathroom is nearly complete.  The vanity plumbing and doors, mirror and wall lights need to be installed.

The stairs are done.  The have cardboard taped down to protect them since the rest of the house is still being finished.

Another view of the finished stairs.

The master bath vanity is installed with its granite top.  Sinks and plumbing are next.

February 23, 2013: Starting the finishing

The kitchen tile installation has started.  This is the base of the island.

The laundry room is nearly completed.  The large cabinet on the left is for the laundry baskets.

The laundry room looking the other direction.  The built-in ironing board is shown.

The girls bathroom is very nearly complete.

Cali's room has her closet doors installed.

The girls tub/shower with the shower plumbing installed.

We're working on colors for the stair area.

Cali likes the grey walls with one dark blue accent wall.

Alex is going pink.

OK, the stair area colors were selected and the painters got busy.

The painters also got busy on the outside. 

It's going to be raining the next day.  So the painters had a large crew and got the house done, trim and all, in one day.  They rolled and sprayed.

Outside looks mostly done here.  The painters still need to finish the clean up.

Testing out different stains for the floors and stair railings.

The electrician and I both thought there was an electrical box below the switch.  We talked about it and thought that it was covered over.  Jose went looking for it.  Turns out there was nothing.  Bummer.

Finishing up on the outside painting.

The security lights on the south side of the house are installed.

Actually, all the outside lighting is installed.

The entryway lights are installed.  There is a hanging light behind the little window.

February 2, 2013: Floor installed, cabinets starting

Nearly all the hardwood is installed.  There is a bit where the family room meets the kitchen.  The girls tub walls and possibly the floors are installed.  Looks like it still needs grouting.  The front got the window sills installed, but not properly.  There are problems with the slope direction and other issues that will require replacement of the sills from two windows.  This is being done on Thursday.

Francisco and his crew installed the cabinet in the guest bathroom.

This is the laundry room.  The tiles have been installed but not grouted.  The cabinet hardware is being staged.

The girls tub.  Blue Pearl granite for the top and trim.  Porcelanosa Carrera Blanco for the walls and floor.

Another shot of the tub from the other direction.

The drain that was punctured by a screw has been repaired.

Working out the placement of the kitchen island.

Francisco installing the laundry room cabinetry.

January 30, 2013: Priming the stucco and stair nearly complete

The painters started priming the stucco today.  The weather is excellent.
The stair crew have completed their work.  The landings are to be done by the hardwood floor crew.  The wood is not stained yet.  We're thinking of staining the stairs a bit darker than the floors.

The painters are priming the stucco.  They either use just rollers or spray followed by backrolling.

A demonstration of the roller only technique.

The north side (driveway) priming is complete.

Inside, the stair work is complete.  Ready for the flooring crew.

Another picture of the stairs from the family room.

The girls bathroom is being tiled.  The tub surround has it's granite top installed.  The Porcelanosa Carrera Blanco is being installed on the walls.

Jason is doing the work.  Nice job!

Beth is checking out the stairs and fretting over what to do for lighting in the stairwell.  The skylight is proving the light in this picture.

January 26, 2013: Stair and floor progress

The stair crew and flooring crews have been working hard.  The wallboard is completed (I believe) and ready for priming.  We're finalizing the wall colors.  Since it's just paint it's not a critical as some other decisions.

The living room fireplace will have a granite hearth flush with the floor.  The floor crew framing it.

The stair crew have added the steps for the stairs.

Back to the living room.  This shows how the hardwood floor is installed.

This is the stack of hardwood flooring material for the house.

Another picture of the stair well progress from the laundry room side.

The window trim is completed.  Looks good.

This is a day or two later.  The flooring in the living room is installed.

The flooring in Cali's room is also done.

This is the progress on the stairs a few days later.  They are starting to construct the railing.

The floor in Alex's room is installed.

The late afternoon light was coming in through the glass block windows.  I thought it made a cool pattern on the wall.

The stairs from near the top.

The stairs from the top landing.