Still Waiting

We have heard nothing from our Insurance in regard to our renovation.  I texted the estimator of the renovation company Tuesday last week looking for an update.  He said he had turned in his estimate and was waiting on approval.  Yet nothing since then.  So we have gone about trying find flooring we like more than what we have found so far.  And we think we have found it.  Of course it is about twice the cost of the things we have looked at before.  We actually found two, they aren't much different in looks but the price is.  We may go with the more expensive, it just depends on what insurance is coming up with.  I am leaning more to the expensive one.  Thickness of the material and durability and some slight cosmetic things make it stand out to me.  If it is going to be here the rest of our lives I want it to last and look good as long as possible.  

We also still haven't found a dishwasher due to the fake shortage.  Most everything comes from China, so there is that issue our gov't. created we are dealing with.  But the one we have at the top of our list comes from Germany, you can't get any of those regardless of color.  American manufacturing is apparently dead.  I won't get into my thought on that, it gets me tight in the jaws/

Got a bunch of yard work done over the last few days, in between rain.  We have had a LOT of rain, of the tropical nature.  Things are soggy.

I am mindful today of those that have sacrificed their lives for our country, I always am, not just today.  I am deeply indebted.  I watched a few videos from Arlington National Cemetery.  Those really get me right in the feels.  And they should.  But along with those we are remembering today, we should take a moment for their families and loved ones, they continue to sacrifice.  

Happy Trails

Another Busy Start on a Monday

We got an early start Monday morning, I was up before 6 AM and 'K' was up about 40 minutes later.  'K' got a short walk in with Snickers.  He has been getting a bit stir crazy since we have had almost continuous rain over last few days.  Then when he does get outside for a few minutes he starts in barking his head off due to the fawns being dropped right by the fence.  In he comes then.  We headed over to a favorite Mexican Restaurant for breakfast.  Next was an attempt to hit the ATM, yet I was denied for that type transaction at that ATM.  No idea.  I don't use an ATM but one or two times a year so I may have well hit the wrong buttons.  I do well just to remember my PIN.  Next we headed over to pick up the Granddaughter for a few days.  Then a visit to the grocery store to have things to feed the Granddaughter.  

Last week we started looking at flooring to replace what was damaged.  We think we found what we like, but it's not a sold on choice.  We will continue to look.  There seem to be less options than the last time we looked, but we are looking for higher quality than what we have gotten for previous projects in the bedrooms.  This will be for our main rooms where we have more traffic so it needs to be more durable.  We will continue to look for something that we may like better than what we have looked at so far.  

We also started shopping for a new dishwasher in earnest on advice from the contractor.  Only one problem with that.  What 'K' wants is not available at this time...anywhere.  Shipping problems worldwide.  She wants a black unit to go with her stove, she hates the stainless look.  There isn't a black dishwasher available in any brand anywhere.  White is also very scarce.  They tell us black will be available July something...that keeps changing.  She is starting to settle for stainless now.  I told her let's wait and get what you want.  I don't mind waiting until July for a dishwasher and that she has to hand wash dishes a little longer.  She actually laughed and I didn't get hit.  There may be a solution though.  There are magnetic or adhesive panels that can be adhered to the front of the dishwasher that effectively covers up the color.  Some are just black panels, others are decorative.  She really liked some of the decorative ones.  So that is an option.  

It's been one full week since the estimator was here, no word yet.  The plumbers finally came Tuesday and replaced the dishwasher cutoff valve and new line.  They couldn't replace the PRV as it was raining very hard at the time.  I will reschedule that another time.  May use another plumber, these guys were expensive.  They also told me those valves last on average a year, they have seen them got out in 3 months.  I may just skip it altogether, spending 600$ on a recurring plumbing valve is not a good investment.  I do have an expansion chamber on my hot water heater so there's that protection.

Happy Trails

Been a Long Week

The plumbers, didn't make it out Monday.  Somehow we didn't get on the schedule and they had no record of my call.  They squeezed us in on Tuesday.  They arrived during a tropical downpour.  So the outside work installing a new PRV would have to be rescheduled.  They did replace the cutoff valve for the dishwasher along with a new supply line.  They got it done very quickly and fairly cheap.  I did not reschedule for the PRV.  A little research reveals those thing last about a year, 3 at the most, 3 months at the least.  I will shop around for a plumber that may do the work a little cheaper.  Just swapping it out was going to be $600.  I got it installed for $350 less than 5 years ago.  I'm mot inclined to spend that kind of money every few years when I haven't had and pressure issues in recent history (15 YRS or so).  I have an expansion chamber on the hot water heater so there's that protection.  I won't be in a hurry.

Still no news from the estimator on the work repairs/renovation to be done.  The insurance did pay the leak detectors finally.  So they won't be dunning me any more.

We are in shopping mode for a replacement dishwasher.  'K' has changed her mind on the color.  From black to white.  We have a black stove and a stainless fridge.  She made this change since we will have the cabinets painted white.  This after us spending time on restaining and polyurethaning theme last year.  White cabinets will solve the issue of floor coloring.  She doesn't seem bothered by 3 mismatch colored appliances.  No, I won't replace the others to match when they still work fine.  We are currently considering Bosch or LG dishwashers.  Reading reviews, they all have had some issues even with new ones.  Just the nature of the beast that something can go wrong with anything you buy regardless of the brand.  Oh, the estimator told us that they will most likely have to replace some of the cabinets due to water damage.  So they can add painting them to their list and not have to match out stain job, which they could never do lol.

After another fiasco shopping at Lowe's, I have sworn them off for good after the latest.  Even online shopping is a mess.  I did that to avoid the incompetent sales staff.  The bright spot was the delivery guy.  He wasn't surprised at the trouble I had.  He confirmed that the new way of business is to hire young no nothing kids and get rid of the old hands.  They have no one to take responsibility to verify online orders.  He was the only one that had a CDL so they kept him around, when they have gone to third party delivery.  I'll just bite the bullet on saving any money due to low price, it's mot worth the aggravation even after they refunded my delivery fee as an appeasement.

Happy Trails

Monday Agenda

Monday we will have the renovation contractor/estimator out.  He will determine what all needs to be restored/repaired and how much it will cost the insurance.  He will be here early.  I have concerns on how this will work and I want to be sure he sees the things I see.  The plumbers discovered a wall of the cabinets next to the leaky dishwasher is nearly totaled.  How will that work?  Do we have to wait on getting a new dishwasher so they can make those repairs?  There are a few other things.  The insurance adjuster said they try to match the existing flooring that wasn't removed and reinstall it with new.  No.  How can a 15 year old floor be matched with a new floor and look right?  He said usually if it is line of sight issue they would remove all the wood floor and install new.  OK, that's what we have but I want to know what the estimator will plan on.  Plus the ceramic tile that we covered with vinyl planks.  Will they just remove the planks or all the ceramic too?  We want it all removed and then replaced with the same flooring we would have reinstalled in the rest of the house.  We would pay any difference.  It goes on.  I'll stop here.

The plumber is coming back also Monday to make the repairs they found last week.  We also are taking delivery on a load of stepping stones we will use to block the dog from digging under the fence.  We have a mix of landscape timbers, cedar posts, rocks and pieces of firewood now and it looks bad and he gets through it sometimes.  The bricks will prevent this.  We got the idea from our next-door neighbor that had the same issue.  

Hopefully we can get this renovation moving once the estimate is done.  But I ma sure there is a lag time due to other projects.  This is a new company from the one that did the water mitigation.  I thought they would be the same company and the hand off would be somewhat seamless.  For some reason the original contractor was not on the insurance company list for the renovation, just mitigation.  They have used them before but the adjustor said they may be so busy they didn't want more work right now.  It seems a lot of folks are still dealing with the Snovid repairs from February plus the storms we had a couple weeks ago.  

Patience

Happy Trails

Dodged a Bullet

Today was the day the plumbers came out to do leak detection for all the damage we incurred due to water.  I told them we suspected it was the dishwasher and all the reasons we thought that.  After they explained what they would do they got to work.  They were pressure testing the lines inside the house and from the house to the meter.  Their reading indicated a slow leak somewhere in our lines.  They would have to determine where that was by tearing into the walls etc. and then they would reroute any lines needed.  It was only on the cold side they were getting these readings.  

As they were getting all their equipment ready to go they hooked up their pressure meter again and could not detect any leak.  They tested several more times and then tested from the house to the meter.  Everything looked good as far as any potential slab leak.  They then checked the dishwasher and bingo.  So we avoided a major issue of relocating water lines to our attic.  They have seen this happen before with air in the lines.  Their work also revealed a couple other problems.  My pressure relief valve (PRV) is faulty, I am getting 90 lbs.  It starts out at 72 lbs and creeps up to 90.  Also the water cutoff line to the dishwasher isn't up to code so that will have to be replaced before the new dishwasher can be installed.  I have them scheduled to come out for that work next Monday.

Monday will also see the Restoration company the insurance is having prepare an estimate to repair/replace all the damaged flooring, walls and portions of our cabinets.  Even though insurance is picking up the tab for everything outside my deductible, it is still going to cost me some serious cash.  New Dishwasher and installation along with the plumbing I mentioned above we are going to shell out a chunk.  Plumbers are not cheap and have you seen the price of dishwashers?  

At least not having to reroute water lines eased my chest pains lol.

Colonoscopy went well.  Waiting on a lab report for one polyp.

Happy Trails

Busy Monday

The water mitigation guys finally came back to the house and removed all their fans.  It is finally quiet around here.  It was really hard to live with the noise of 18 fans and two giant dehumidifiers.  Now we await the leak detections plumbers to determine where the water came from or at least tell us it wasn't our pipes and was our dishwasher as I suspect and the water mitigation guys did too.  

We will most likely use the same company to reconstruct everything unless the insurance wants us to use someone else.  But they are also a flooring and construction company along with being in the mitigation end of it.  It's gonna be a big job and we will add a few things that need to be addressed since we have them here.

Today I had to take our SUV to the dealer for some warranty work.  Then 'K' and I went to have breakfast.  Tacos of course.  'K' likes the chiliquiles.  It was great and it put us in a great mood.  While we were out we made a quick run to Home Depot to get some more boxes to pack stuff in that will need to be moved prior to all the construction.  These are mostly things 'K' doesn't want them touching, nick nacks, collectibles and glass ware she has everywhere.  I have hinted at maybe getting rid of some of it while we have it down.  We'll see.  We also hit the car wash and the oil change place for her car.  We had a lot done there as it had been awhile.  All preventive maintenance.

So now we wait.  Once the plumbers get done, I assume we have to get a new dishwasher and we have already started shopping.  There are problems with availability due to the chinaflu and shipping issues.  It was explained this is affecting everyone.  'K' is also shopping for flooring.  UGH.  This is gonna take a while it seems.  The construction company is 3 weeks out on getting anyone scheduled.  Apparently there is a lot of water damage issues all around here due to our snow storm back in February.

Patience is the word.  

Happy Trails

I Had No Idea

I mentioned in my last post about our flooring situation.  Evidently we have water leaking under the flooring and appears to have been doing so for a while.  That explains the uneven spots we noticed.  We ran some errands Monday and when we came home 'K' noticed a spot of water on the floor.  Nothing big, maybe a melted ice cube size.  She thought that maybe Snickers marked (he never has) or I gave him an ice cube and he didn't finish it.  She wiped up.  And then wiped it up 2 more times.  Water was seeping through the seems of the wood floor in one spot.  We got to looking closer and found we could make it squeeze through the vinyl tile planks in the kitchen.  About that time I am freaking out.  Of course I am thinking broken water line in the slab.  Then 'K' remembered she ran the dishwasher while we out.  

Called my oldest Son as he is an insurance adjuster.  He got me calmed down a bit.  Called the insurance company.  Set up for and Adjuster to contact me.  He contacted me 2 days later with more questions.  Everything is covered, whether dishwasher leaked or a line break in the slab, or from recent storms or the Snowvid in February.

I asked a lot of questions.  The answers made me feel a lot better.  The Adjuster contacted a plumbing company they use for leak detection and another for water mitigation.  The water mitigation came out that day, yesterday.  This is the result:

You can see the water on the underlay in the first photo

Kitchen-no cooking here

I had no idea they would do all this on the first visit.  They removed and hauled off ever half the flooring.  Pulled all the wood under the cabinets out so the fans could blow under.  We have 18 fans and 2 huge dehumidifiers running 24 hours for 3 days.  All the furniture is shoved to one side.  No they didn't put it back due to the fans.  And the kitchen is useless for all practical purposes.  It's loud.  We huddled down in my office and her craft room with the doors closed until bed time.  

All this and I am prepping for a colonoscopy Friday morning.  It's going to be a mess for a while, but we get all new floors and we will have some other things done while they have it messed up.  Trying to look at the positive side.  We may actually survive.

Happy Trails

Twitter's Goofiness

I got an email a few days ago regarding my Twitter account.  I thought it might me a scam at first.  I get scam emails all the time regarding my paypal and amazon accounts.  So I went to my Twitter and sure enough I verified the email.  I was locked out of my account due t one of my tweets, which I rarely do.  They said I violated their rules of promoting suicide and self harm.  Here is a screen shot of the email I got along that includes the tweet.  

I was amazed and found it asinine to say the least.  The Tweet I commented on was regarding cindy mccain chastising the the Republicans for the audit of votes for the Nov. Presidential election in Arizona.  Now tell me, how is my comment in anyway related to suicide?  Self Harm?  Well maybe, but that is a real stretch for a facetious comment.  I appealed, it was denied so I had to delete the post to get back into my account.  I did that only because I did not remember what I had commented on.  I had to scroll through all of Bo Snerdley's tweets to find the one I thought was it.  

So thinking about this, I remember how upset all the lefties got about Pres. Trumps comment about drinking bleach to kill the corona virus.  I'm sure the censors determined I attacked one of those they agree with and common sense and free speech were ignored.  

I will have an update soon regarding our floor situation.  Ugh.

Happy Trails

Humidity and Snickers

It is very sultry today.  Full sunshine and high temps is affecting the ground where all the recent rains have hit.  I got the walk with the dog in earlier than usual trying to avoid the high humidity.  It's supposed to rain tomorrow again.  I am holding off on the weed eating.

Snickers, our dog has gotten out a couple times recently.  He has taken to digging under the fence.  We had placed landscape timbers and rocks and firewood to prevent it.  It has worked pretty well but looks crappy.  He has been very intent on the area behind us as deer hang out there and yesterday a terrapin by the fence was driving him nuts.  Now the fawns are dropping and one was up against the fence.  

WE have been searching half heartedly for a solution to his digging under the fence.  I had a fence charger that was pretty much a failure with Buster.  So that was out.  Our neighbors had a similar issue and we will use their solution.  Concrete brick stepping stones.  They are 16"x8"x2".  WE will lay them around the perimeter just under the fence mesh.  This will keep him from digging and he can't move them like he does with some of the rocks.  I will need about 160 of them and they will have to be delivered.  They were cheaper than Home Depot but they had none at the local stores and couldn't give me a delivery date.  I will wait a few days and if they don't give me a date I will go with HD, even though it will cost me about 90$ more.  I have never been a fan of Lowe's.  But I want to save a few $$.

Out to see Mom today.  Gotta go.

Happy Trails