October 7 - Contractor Walkthrough

We're officially switching gears from options to decisions.

Today, the owners and I walked through the house with the contractors (a contractor I've had the pleasure of working with, and his partner) for the first time. By the way, I've got to give the clients the credit - since they have been very decisive and focused, we have been able to keep the project on schedule, and I was able to give the contractors a sense of minimal scope and wishlist items right there and then on their first walkthrough.

We started out in the kitchen, describing both layout and types of appliances we have in mind. Right away, the contractors understood the quality of space we were going for - spacious, sunlit and airy. They responded with helpful suggestions especially on how to give the illusion of height: selectively demolishing and possibly raising the existing soffit that wraps around two walls, and removing the existing doorframe entirely so that the wall opening becomes open all the way from floor to ceiling. In terms of appliances, we agreed that GE Profile and Bosch were suitable lines for the kind of cooking the owners like to do. For hood, we talked about more powerful models (see previous post below) and analyzed the venting condition. For floor and backsplash tiles, I had just received some samples the day before and was able to show those to the contractors. In terms of customizing IKEA cabinets, we spent some time brainstorming on how to execute the intended curved back of the island. We also discussed the primary mechanical, electrical (esp. outlets at the island and recessed lighting throughout ceiling), plumbing items (esp. relocation of sink to stand alone island.) The consenus was that since the existing kitchen would be demolished and we could start from scratch, all of the items we walked through are feasible. The contractors also suggested looking into the insulation condition of the exterior wall and fixing it as necessary.

After we left the kitchen, we took a quick spin through the entire house to give the contractors a sense of how much area requires repainting and recarpeting (3rd floor and stairs up to 3rd floor). Then we ended back at the entry and living room to discuss design intent there. We examined the fireplace a bit, to see if the existing built-in seating can in fact be completely demolished since it may be partially stone. Other than that, the work required for the living room consists of some strategic paint job and simple floor refinishing and electrical work. At the entry, I explained to the contractors the design concept for the custom antique screen and they understood it right away as a key feature in the house and an opportunity to showcase their craftsmanship. The contractors also agreed that it was a good idea to replace the mirrored panels on the closet walls with wood panels to match. They also offered to do the same with the wall-mounted mirrors along the lenght of the entry.

And of course, at the end of our meeting, the owner and I invited the contractors to check out this blog to get a closer look into our progress so far!