Get the lead out...

And I am not talking about speeding up the building process. *sigh* Public Health left a message on the phone...our water test had high levels of lead. I have to call them tomorrow and find out what to do about that. Just one more hoop to jump through.....

As per usual our butts are being pulled out of the fire by interim financing arranged by Helen, the Credit Union goddess, as well as a loan from my Dad. Between the two of them we have enough money to see this project through to completion. *whew* Good thing we have people who love us! :)

CMHC Math

Building inspection passed....of course. Charlie is FANTASTIC! :)

CMHC is a pain. They have a set percentage of the total cost of the house they release as certain things are done, and it is very restrictive. For example, they allow 5% of the total cost for the heating system--which was $13000 less than our heating system actually cost. 1% for the "Front and Back Step"...well in our case it is a wrap around porch--which actually cost over $6000 for materials plus several weeks of labour!! So we are not getting money as quickly as we would like and have had to arrange "interim financing". They really need a better system that looks at the estimates for an individual home, rather than the cookie cutter approach. Especially as more and more people are moving to environmentally friendly products (like our geo-thermal heat pump) which cost more than the percentages they allow.

This week they are dumping the gravel for the driveway--which gets the same amount from CMHC as our wraparound porch I might add! Insulation is ordered. Garage doors are ordered. Cupboards are ordered..... :)

CMHC inspection done today. Building inspection tomorrow. :) The water was flowing today, and we got water for the water test, which has to be done before the last 20% of funds will be released by the bank. It looks nice and clear...hopefully all the little things we can't see are good organisms and not bad ones. Bernie was there filling in the trench...Gary will be so sad to see it gone (haha)...and will finish that tomorrow.

Two drywall scenarios at the moment: I have a call in to City Drywall in Moncton for an estimate and to find out whether they are available...but they haven't been very quick about getting back to me. He said he would get back to me today, and when I called he is not even in until Wednesay---does not bode well. We also have someone who could help Charlie install the drywall and may just go that route...more reliable, and might as well keep the work local...if we can get someone to crackfill...

And finally, just a shout out about our electrician, Stephen Dunfield,(Energetic Electric). Highly recommend him...this guy is pleasant, helpful, efficient, is there when you need him, answers all my stupid questions...great to deal with!

Moving on in....

No, not us. Construction. The outside is done....

And is Gary ever glad the plumbing is done so we can fill in the trench for the well (you can see him here shovelling sand into the trench). Every time it rained in the last eight weeks it filled in and he had to dig it out again...accompanied, I am sure, by a few choice words and phrases.

I took a few pics of the outside now that it is done. They were taken at night, but turned out pretty well. My mom's cousin lives at the end of our road. I ran into her the other day, and she admitted that when she first saw the house she thought it was so odd looking and ugly. Then we put the verandah on, and she fell in love...said it is just like the Walton's. I love it...we just won't have that many kids....lol

The plumbing is just about done...they wanted to test it today but the generator had a different hook-up than the wiring for the submersible pump...so tomorrow! :) A few more things to hook up--like the hot water tank and the heat pump, and we're good to go. Finally. :)

So, next week will be CMHC and Building Inspections and then on to insulation and drywall. We are rethinking our drywall plan for a few reasons--time and labour mostly--and are checking to see if we can get someone to install and crackfill. I am waiting to hear back from a couple of companies. If that doesn't work we'll just go back to plan A, which was do it ourselves, well, mostly Charlie with help.

We also have the kitchen designed and ready to order...white-washed birch cabinets...and a nice big island. :)

YAHOO!

The plumber finally arrived today, after eight weeks...eight looonnggg weeks. I am so happy. :) I told Charlie maybe we should chain this guy to the house. I'm scared if he leaves he won't come back....

Ben has finished all the "out" plumbing to the septic and up through the roof. He is going to come next week and put the pump in the well and hook up the hot water heater. But he really doesn't have the time or the back to do the "in" hot and cold water...which was supposed to be done by the non-appearing plumber. He is as frustrated as we are with no-show...who again told both us and Ben he would be there at 3 on Thursday and never showed up. Anyway, if we can either find someone to work with and/or help Ben to do the PEX, we might get out of this never-ending plumber drama....that and hook up the heat pump....*sigh*

I figured everyone would be sick of my whining about plumbers by now (no, he still has not shown up) so I decided to add some new pics with the porch roof shingled and all the siding done, except for along the porch. Every day we can see more and more of the river...the views from upstairs are expecially beautiful...although these ones are from the porch, and they're pretty nice too....

And.....

...no....

I called him again. Told him I was going to have to lay off my carpenter and that I was NOT doing that, so we needed the plumbing done NOW. He says he ran into a bunch of problems at this other job that he should have had done a month ago. He is hoping to finish it today. He has all our stuff in the truck and once he is done he and his workers will be up and should be able to do ours quickly. I'll give him to Wednesday and then if he is not there will start calling him...a lot...he will either have to come do it or change his cell number....