Remodeling Diary - Sink and Faucet

You'd think a sink and faucet selection would be simple. We spent days reviewing options, looking at Home Depot, local designers, and internet stores. Decision points:

• How high can the faucet (on our island) rise above the counter?
• Do we want an integrated sprayer in the faucet?
• How many bowls for the sink?
• What kind of material for the sink?
• Curved or straight back on the sink?
• Bowls equal sized, one large one one small one, or inbetween?
• How deep should each bowl be?

Anyway, we started with a quote for $1000 for sink and faucet from our granite place, but wanted to move a little downscale from that. We decided to get two bowls, stainless steel, undermounted, with a slightly smaller right-sink for rinsing and such since Alica still loves to do dishes by hand, with a curved back on the main sink to make it sexy. The faucet just needed to match stylewise (no brass fixtures please), and ideally have a very low profile.

Franke RGX-160 and Delta Waterfall 474SS faucet fit the bill for $442 and $283, 50% less than local shops...

Remodeling Diary - Granite counters

We decided not to do granite up the walls, just the counters. That saved us about 22 sq. ft. of granite, or $1600. Once the kitchen trim was in place enough to know the exact dimensions of the granite needed, the guys came in and measured. Looks like 55 sq. ft. of granite now that the island is a little larger. And they'll cut the L from the range to the fridge as a square so they can make sure we don't have any seams anywhere - I love it!

Total cost: $72 * 55 = 3860 + 300 for cutouts for sink, faucets, range, etc. Total: $4160.

Warming the cockles (and feet) of everyone in my house

Insulation frustration - contacted ABS insulation to take care of my crawlspace insulation, got a crazy quote (from on-site visit and inspection of crawlspace, and detailed measurement of the sq. ft. involved) of $1177. It would cost me $900 just to buy the insulation at home depot, let alone the hangers, tax, transportation to my house, and incredible pain of installation.

Anyway, ABS delayed 3 times, or rather didn't show and I called them at noon and they promised the next day. Anyway, when they did show (3 miniature mexican guys - it was like clowns getting out of a car), they took one look at the crawlspace and claimed to need more lights... ok. 30 minutes later, I get a call saying they refused to do the work.

I called the next place on the list, Standard Insulation, and they quoted me on the phone, showed up a few days later, got the job done in 4 hours AND they did a new vapor barrier throughout. $1430. Still well worth it for me to live 5 years longer by not inhaling that crap.

Floors are at least 10 degrees warmer on a cold night, and the house stays 2-3 degrees warmer naturally all around. It'll pay for itself in a few years easily, plus the house seems quieter (the thud of people walking is lessened).

WORD!

5 Rules for Babies

1. Sleep whenever you can - they're up for diaper changes and feedings every 2-3 hours at first, and each time is a 30-60 minute adventure.
2. Buy a microwave sterilizer - you'll save enough in not buying extra bottles to pay for it, and the convenience is fantastic (2-3 minutes to sterile bottles/pacifiers/breast pump stuff). Yes, I have a fancy dishwasher that goes to 11 (or 160 degree washing), which also sterilizes, but that takes 1.5-2 hours and isn't too efficient for tiny loads. And I can't take it on trips...
3. Diapers and Wipes - get TONS of them. Take out a second mortgage - $100 per month per kid is easily spent here.
4. Mothers/Mothers-in-law can drive you nuts, but they are worth their weight in gold for cooking, cleaning, and baby care expertise.
5. People that bring meals ready to cook, with salads, fruits, etc., are angels. The contact with the outside world alone makes this great, even if you somehow have time/energy to cook real meals. Which you won't. Don't be afraid to ask people to do this stuff...