Day 9! Wow, what a day! We had some rain early on in the day – ideal weather for ripping windows out of houses, right? – which luckily rolled through speedily enough to usher in an absolutely beautiful day (perfect for window work). The guys came in (nail) guns blazing today, and managed to remove and replace FOUR windows in one day! The change to the feeling of the space is unbelievable. The rooms are starting to look like rooms, and feel like rooms. I can’t quite explain it. The volumes of space are starting to become defined, both by the lighting placement, and now by the windows, and the personalities of the spaces are starting to emerge. Views to the outdoors have been framed in lovely, chunky classic details with Marvin windows that were a worthy splurge.

We’ve arrived at the place in the building process where the specialized tasks of the subcontractors are starting to overlap, and clear, constant communication between the groups is becoming vital to the success of the project. The framing affects the electrical placement, the electrical placement can’t get in the way of the plumbing, the plumbing will alter the framing… it’s a cycle, and if you aren’t paying attention to the starts and stops, you could be doing your work twice. And by you, I mean they. It’s a tangled web of information, and the best way to stay on top of it all is to have clear communication (in writing: pictures, floor plans, elevations, contracts) at the ready for reference or confirmation of facts. It’s gonna start getting mighty tricky from here on in as the subs come in quicker, and the jobs start happening simultaneously. And I must say, I’m completely fascinated.

I’m learning that the best way to prepare for this kind of process is to prepare. You can’t really make decisions at this stage, so much as choose solutions to problems. The decision making part of the game is over and done with, and if you think you can still significantly change the finishes, layout, or any major plans, you really can’t. Well, I guess you could, but then you wouldn’t have a budget or a deadline to work within. And I don’t know those people. Do I? No matter what, we’re in it for the long haul, committed to the vision we all agreed upon, and that makes things easier.

There are a ton of pictures today, to make up for the lack of any from yesterday’s post. Please forgive any redundancies – I just wanted to include as many dramatic and exciting moments as possible! Enjoy!