Morningside Renovation

Our Journey Through The Renovation Process Of Our Future "Forever Home" In Morningside (Atlanta,GA)

Tag Archives: Home improvement


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My Focus Needs to be Elsewhere

As we head down to Florida there are numerous questions rolling through our heads. Aside from the LAST stunt our GC pulled, the big question is what do we do?  Sell it or keep it?

He’s already taken a significant portion of our allotted construction funds and has also basically put us in quite a predicament due to the alterations and modifications that will need to be made because of his numerous mistakes and omissions.  At this time I’m not really sure how we can overcome this position if we decide to continue forward?

If we sell it, the “improvements” he’s made will have little value and will very possibly detract from the value of our house.  Plus, we still have the cost of cleaning up the mess that he’s left behind as well as repairing the existing house due to some of the damage (direct & indirect) that his crews have caused.

I’m just not sure of any answers, it’s a lose lose situation either way.  The thing is, we aren’t one of those couples that bit off more than they could afford.  We work hard, save money, budget and watch our expenses.  We’ve been looking for several years and finally found our potential dream and POOF!!!  Not only does it feel as if it’s gone but it possibly will also cost us even more money with either route we choose.

So here we are; heading down to Florida with some pretty massive thoughts going through our minds.  And I’m resentful, very resentful!!! Not only will all of this take away some of our focus on the boys but the true purpose behind going to Florida isn’t so much for the beach or a vacation but more so to be closer to Julie’s dad.  I won’t go into too much detail but after his accident, a year ago tomorrow, the beach is now a place where Julie feels the closest to him.  Outside of this “renovation” catastrophe it’s been a hard year for all of us and especially Julie.  Douglas, Julie’s dad, was such a big part of our lives and their father/daughter relationship was one beyond anything that I have ever seen.  If one day I can achieve even half of that relationship with my boys then I will feel as if I have been successful as a father and dad.  There have been so many times throughout this project where I have wanted to call him for advice on what to do, how do we handle something, what do you recommend, etc…which at times has only made the reality and pain seem close to unbearable.

Tomorrow will be about Douglas, Douglas and Julie. 

We Miss You and Love You Douglas!!!

 


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This Isn’t Me

After trying to reach our contractor since last Thursday to find out when framing would begin, we finally received an email from him yesterday (Wednesday) stating that on the previous day Julie and I had refused the framing package at the house. 1) Why would we do that? We’ve been begging for him to begin reframing before I can remember. 2) We don’t even live at the house, plus we both work all day – how would we have refused an order?  This really doesn’t make sense and to add to it, we’ve been trying to reach him ever since receiving that email and he has yet to respond to voice mails or emails.  Seriously, is this really the way to conduct business?  What is he trying to pull?

Tip:  Make sure that you hire a GC that will return your calls as well as emails

To top it off, I received a huge bill today from the Structural Engineer.  She’s doing a fantastic job, no complaints on that, however this extra, unanticipated expense is killing me because the vast majority of her expense (98%+) is due to her fixing the screwups and incompetencies of our GC and somewhat the architect’s. 

I’m not sure that I can continue with this project.  I’ve never quit anything, I don’t quit.  An obstacle that’s too high or too tough to climb? I take it one step at a time, little bits while focusing on the end goal.  However I just don’t know how much more of this I can take and that crushes me that I would ever consider quitting.  This was going to be Julie’s forever house and before all of the screwups it was a place where she could actually find some happiness over the last year (see About page). I just don’t know, it’s wearing me out emotionally, mentally and has been a huge financial stress. I’m hopeful that things will turn around but it seems as if it is only getting worse.  I don’t know, I just don’t like what I’m feeling – the excitement is gone.  Maybe that’s the answer, maybe we give up and quit fighting our GC about his “work” and just be done with it?  I don’t know?


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Mad, Resentful, Angry, Guilty

As I sit here tonight typing out my thoughts I’m basically pissed and feeling very dejected.  This house/project/our future home feels as if it has basically been taken from us.  I do feel robbed, not saying 100% of this lies with the GC, however a vast majority of it does and I feel as if he has basically ruined what could have and should have been our home. Whether through his inaccurate estimate/budget, lack of knowledge and expertise, pure incompetence, lack of supervision and oversight, costly mistakes, etc…at this point it really doesn’t matter.  I feel as if we’re at a point where we need to decide if it even makes sense to continue trying to move forward.  Just the thought of abandoning our dream kills me,  but I almost see no alternative.  I just wonder which would be worse; the frustrations and disappointments that now seem to be created almost daily or throwing it away and just giving up?   

Nothing further to add, maybe this site will end up becoming my pseudo therapist.


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Snakebit

The rest of the basement slab was poured however for whatever reason our GC decided not to pour the carport slab.  Almost funny that even the guys laying the concrete, laborers, were telling us that it wasn’t smart not pouring it all at one time and that it was going to cost us more money.  Maybe they should manage the financials for our GC.  Speaking of, he still won’t return calls or email from us or our Structural Engineer.  It would be great if he was a little more responsive but this has always been the case.

It rained a fair amount this week and we have discovered that the ceiling is collapsing in the kitchen and the ceiling and floor in one of our boy’s bedroom has been damaged beyond repair due to him continuing not to properly install a tarp even though we have told him about this issue numerous times.  GC still hasn’t been in our house, ridiculous. 

Also, our Structural Engineer informed us that as a result of the new foundation slab having to be cut to dig and pour footers (since the grade beams which were on the plans weren’t properly installed) she noticed that the slab is actually 2 1/2″ – 3 1/2″ thick in places instead of 4″ as the plans required.  She also discovered that the guys pouring the concrete didn’t lift the wire mesh resulting in it being on the bottom of the slab. Thankfully she insisted on the footings to carry the weight of the structure or we would have one hell of a mess in a few years since basically the main floor would collapse into the basement area. 

Last she also noticed that another grade beam, which was noted on the plans, was also not poured.  This means another area will need to be sawn out, excavated and poured properly.  I guess we won’t be able to go with a finished concrete floor since our slab is going to look like a checker board – a look we were leaning towards.

Good news is that our GC said that the framing material will be arriving on Monday and framing will begin on Tuesday. Yes!!!  Let’s go forward  – finally!!!

My constant question to myself – should we keep it or not?  This is driving Julie and I crazy and we’re questioning what we could have done differently. We thought we did our due diligence on the GC but he has continued to not only drop the ball but create further issues.  A lot is his lack of supervision and I believe knowledge of general construction along with not wanting to properly right a wrong, but I guess the question we keep asking is “are we just snakebit”? We’re going to talk to a few experts to see if we’re able to financially afford to keep going and honestly if it makes sense – I’m already scared about their answer.  Julie’s “forever home” has turned into a nightmare and I just don’t know if now we’ll ever be able to make it right as well as remove the tarnish.I feel crushed and basically beaten down.


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Why Oh Why am I Not Surprised? Seriously Though?

Well, they drilled the foundation slab today to check for grade beams and guess what?  Yep, no grade beams!!  It mustn’t matter that they were in the construction plans and highly important, they just didn’t pour them.  Okay, now we’re getting past serious, he’s basically building a structure that could put my family and/or our friends in danger.  Forget for a moment the fact that 5-10 years down the road we would have all sorts of issues with a foundation that’s crumbling and walls collapsing, this mistake could seriously put my family at risk of injury or worse.  These were designed to support the family room above the kids play room, family room with a FIREPLACE.  Apologies for ranting but how do you miss these?  And you want more?  He wants to charge us for it – said that for him to change anything it would be considered a “change order“.  All of this is because he wouldn’t remove his original mistake. QUESTION, is there a word for someone who is beyond incompetent?

It only gets worse, the carport foundation (supposed to be retaining) wall which has already been poured twice isn’t deep enough, meaning that we will need to adjust the slab in the carport as well as the framing plan for the deck and outdoor room.  We asked the GC if he would remove it and pour a new one at the correct depth and as a retaining wall and of course he said no. 

And, we also found out on our own today that we will need a new water-line as well as sewer line due to roots. 

Our Structural Engineer is still trying to reach our GC to discuss the framing options but once again he said that he would have time to meet with her and every time she brings it up when they’re meeting about other items he always says that he has to go.  She’s basically doing this by herself, I guess he meant it the other day when responding to one of his subs he said ” I don’t know, she’s the one in charge”, referring to our Structural Engineer. 

And of course our GC and architect didn’t respond to my email asking for them to work with our Structural Engineer to design a framing plan to utilize all of the mis-ordered lumber that is sitting on our property  and basically going to waste.  I would just hate for all of this to be taken to a landfill.  As for our architect, I was a huge fan but that is starting to fade, I’m not sure what’s going on but from what I’ve been gathering there is absolutely no coordination or communication between him and our GC. 

Absolute last statement, it has always bugged me why our GC would work 2-3 days on our project and then move to another.  After talking with a few people in the industry it was their opinion that he is basically banking one job on another.  Working on a job and collecting a check once a certain phase is completed and then using that money to pay for the next job – similar to kiting a check.  Not sure if this is the case but it sure would make sense.

Enough for today, I’m done, worn out mentally and emotionally.


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Let’s put our Heads Together

Since our GC didn’t dig the basement deep enough we have had to go with an alternative for our joist system/floor system to get us closer to the originally planned ceiling height throughout the basement.  Being such there is a lot of nice joist material sitting on our property which we’ve been told will be trashed.  I hate that, seems like such a waste.  So, I asked our GC, Architect and Structural Engineer to see if they can find a way to utilize that material somewhere.  I’m hoping that they’ll find a way to use them, seems as if it would be a win – win for everyone.  We’ll see.


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There He Is

He responds, our GC let us know that the footings will be poured on Monday, foundation walls on Tuesday, plumber will be there on Wednesday and the slab will be poured on Thursday. He has no idea on when they will drill to make sure that they poured the necessary grade beams.  Isn’t this pretty close to the same schedule as last week?  I just looked, it is – seriously?  What kind of Mickey Mouse crap is this?  Aaauugh, I hate this feeling of being trapped and under the mercy of someone who we feel doesn’t even care, but we basically have no choice as he has our money and he’s told us that he doesn’t have the money to refund the difference.  Also, I’m really getting a very strong feeling that our GC and his concrete sub are doing everything they can to delay drilling for the grade beams, maybe they know that they didn’t include them when they poured the slab.


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Let’s Keep It Going

Our Structural Engineer has been trying to reach our GC for 5 days to find out when they will pour the remainder of the form walls, core the drainage holes, drill (check) the slab for grade beams – still hasn’t been done, and pour the remainder of the slab.  A simple returned call, email or text would be appreciated.

(I did receive my Realtime Landscaping Plus 2012 software today and can’t wait to install it!!  Ok, a little premature in the process but I’m looking forward to trying to design the play area in the back for the boys as well as exploring the possibilities for the front yard.)