When Things Don’t Go As Planned
August 20, 2008
The past few days have been an exercise in what could go wrong, will go wrong. And even those things that don’t go wrong will be fraught with obstacles so as to eat up most of your time. Make you rip the hair from your head. And cause you to drink straight out of the wine bottle. Okay, maybe I only fantasized about the last one because WHO KNOWS where the bottle opener is in this kitchenless house.
Let me detail the problems for you, so you can share some of my pain:
1) Cabinets on one wall did not fit in the space. How that could possibly have happened, I have no idea. In the end we were able to take one cabinet out of the run and have them fit. But I am not thrilled with the layout now. Not much I can really do about it though since I can not magically make my wall longer.
But this lead to another problem…
2) Sink cabinet is off centered to the window. Not completely off where someone might think it was done that way on purpose, no off just enough that it is obviously a mistake.
That lead to:
3) Moving the window over six inches.
Which meant:
4) The light outside the window that was centered in between the window and the backdoor had to be moved over.
And then:
5) The outside siding had to be redone.
And of course:
6) The interior wall had to be resheetrocked.
And also:
7) The light over the sink had to be moved and centered.
And the kicker to the entire thing:
8 ) When we went to put the sink into the cabinet, it was too big. Even though we ordered the cabinets and sink from the same place. We had to return it and scramble around for a new sink to fit the space. We found one that cost over twice as much as the original and as an added bonus was a royal pain in the butt to install.
Those were only the issues we faced on that one wall of the kitchen.
I took the photo above of my husband cutting out the new hole for the sink and he gave me “the look” right after. The look that says “take my photo again and I might strangle you with the camera strap.” I reminded him that one day we would look back on it and it would be funny.
That day isn’t today. I’ll let you know when it happens.
(cross posted at BlogHer)
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Oh man! I’ll quit whining about the tile job my dh is working on here at the house… ok, maybe I won’t. But your story is WAY worse!
Good luck & I hope it all is put together really soon!
August 20th, 2008 at 2:49 pmoh my goodness. In my geeky everything must be symetrical mind I would have had to move it all over too!!
August 20th, 2008 at 2:49 pmHoly crap, all that because of one cabinet? Not so sure when that will be funny, maybe in a few decades.
August 20th, 2008 at 3:48 pmI hate hate hate home improvements. Since we are not millionaires we do everything ourselves as well and nothing EVER goes as planned…there is always some eleventy billion dollar part we forgot, cut wrong or broke…ugh. I feel your frustration. Cant wait to see it all done though
I’ll keep my fingers crossed that everything will go better from here!!
August 20th, 2008 at 3:50 pmMy husband and I re-did our kitchen ourselves the year after we got married. It was a wonder the marriage survived the renovation! I got pregnant half way through, and to this day he still claims I abandoned the project as soon as I found out (and was thus the cause of further delays). Good luck!!
August 20th, 2008 at 5:10 pmThis is one of the reasons I try to avoid home improvements, I know that all too easily one thing will turn into two things, that turns into a dozen things. Sure the end result is amazing, but the steps to get there require medication, and maybe some swearing.
August 20th, 2008 at 5:30 pmSounds like my house - a seven year vacant “probate” fixer-upper that is everything original with painted over wallpaper and effed up electrical wiring and a few thousand roots in the main line.
What could make things better? A husband who is hell-bent on doing all the fixing-upping himself. Read: A lovely attic light (no such thing in real life, but we’ve got one… terrific view of the rafters and insulation!!), cabinets half re-stained, light cover switches still to be found, unpainted baseboard… Basically, PURE BLISS.
August 20th, 2008 at 6:39 pmI love Miles sitting so patiently (it looks, at least) watching his Dad work.
August 20th, 2008 at 7:08 pmWhat an amazing testament to your marriage, that you are still making eye contact with your husband through all of that. May home improvement zen somehow prevail (through several glasses of wine if need be).
August 20th, 2008 at 8:27 pmYou moved the window!! Seriously?
Why didn’t you just re-do the cabinet? And then the sink!!
Everything I have you seen you do has turned out fabulous, i’m sure that this one will too. But wow, moving a window — my contractor and I will giggle over that. (I know, it is only funny from a distance)
August 20th, 2008 at 8:39 pmWow, I’m so impressed that you moved everything to match!
We’ve done a lot of home improvements, and they always took about twice as long as expected (at least). After a while we just started doubling our estimates right from the start… and then things still always took longer.
We’re renters now because I just couldn’t take any more of that crazy life.
August 20th, 2008 at 9:44 pmSince I know someone who works in an expensive kitchen design place and she’s not the best with math…I’m not surprised that your sink didn’t fit. I don’t think I’d ever find that whole thing funny, but I can’t wait to see your kitchen completed since I’m sure it will be stunningly beautiful.
August 20th, 2008 at 10:25 pmIt’s going to be awhile before all that becomes funny.
But it is the absolute truth that in remodeling one thing leads to another, something has to be redone, problem, problem, etc. Sigh.
August 20th, 2008 at 10:48 pmOh dear God! I’m sending you best wishes and hopes that a pizza delivery guy is nearby and stopping by the liquor store en route.
August 21st, 2008 at 1:54 amTake solace in the saying ‘ things can only get BETTER’
After all surely they can’t get any worse???
We too do all our own renovating and remodifications, so completely understand you frustrations. I also take pics of everything we do so we can look back and see how things were.
Hope everything improves for you and that you get to enjoy your new kitchen.
We’ve only talked about what could be done in the kitchen, I’m secretly hoping that is as far as it gets, I too old for this “mess everywhere” thing now.
Take Care
August 21st, 2008 at 3:23 amLove to you all Carolynn xxx
Hang in there…. you will love it when it’s done.
August 21st, 2008 at 7:18 amIsn’t working on the house just so much fun. Mostly with a bunch of kids there too!
August 21st, 2008 at 8:06 amOh yes, one of those “if you give a mouse a cookie” remodeling projects–BTDT!!! And that look you described–I’ve seen that way too many times.
I’m sure it will look beautiful when you’re done, and you’ll love the new kitchen. And sure, yeah, you’ll laugh about it. Someday.
August 21st, 2008 at 8:55 amPoor thing! I HAVE seen someone open a bottle of wine by putting a big ol’ screw in the cork, then very firmly grasp that screw with pliers and wiggle wiggle wiggle it out. A few bits of cork might fall in the wine, but I figure you must be desperate at this point.
August 21st, 2008 at 9:46 amAnd to top it all off.. your little ones requested the book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.. as a bedtime story! heheh
August 21st, 2008 at 10:30 amOh dear. We have all had those days.. perhaps not quite as involved.. but we have! And later we laugh.. much much later…
Hmmm…maybe you should tell your husband that we all think he looks really hott in that picture. You know, being all manly, and all. I think that would *totally* help.
At least until it’s time for the next wall.
August 21st, 2008 at 10:39 amThe bit where you lost me was when the off-centre sink transitioned to your moving the window.
In my world, windows are not movable items. Clearly, you DIY types inhabit a different world. 
Chris says: Hahaha. The really sad part that I forgot to mention is that we put the window in that location so that it would be centered. And then the cabinet measurements were off and we had to move the window AGAIN.
August 21st, 2008 at 11:06 amShuddering with the memory of home renovations. I’m never owning a house again. Ever.
Chris says: Me either.
August 21st, 2008 at 11:12 amI’m so behind because I thought you were done with the kitchen. Didn’t you have a photo a while back where 2 refrigerators were peeking, but you explained that one was actually a freezer? And what about the table we always see? The one with food on it, or a birthday cake? No? Doesn’t mean the kitchen is done? Weird.
Chris says: The table and fridges of which you speak are in a different part of the kitchen. A part that we added on. It is confusing in the photos. Even people who have been to my house and seen it in person are confused. I’ll have to get a more panoramic photo.
August 21st, 2008 at 11:54 amOh my!
August 21st, 2008 at 11:55 amThere’s a fundamental different between people who do a job right (you) and, well me. I would NEVER thing, “Just move the window a few inches.” Never.
August 21st, 2008 at 12:00 pmI’m delurking to say that I cringed when I read about all the extra work your husband did because the cabinetry didn’t work out. Kitchen installs are one of the toughest do-it-yourself projects out there. My husband is a contractor and an expert in kitchen installations and has over the years worked with kitchen “designers” — I use the term loosely. What they design on paper looks good … on paper … but is rarely done correctly because the designer has no construction knowledge. Minute measurements are SO important as well as undertanding how to compensate for walls that are not plumb and surfaces that are not level, etc., so that the final kitchen looks perfect. Too bad we’re not neighbors. My husband is the quintessential “nice guy” and probably would have come over and helped your husband with the entire job! Nah, that wouldn’t work. My husband is a looker like yours — if you posted pictures of two *hot* tool-belt toting men on your site it would probably shut down from the amount of hits you’d get!!
August 21st, 2008 at 12:14 pmI love the pic of Miles watching his dad from a safe distance = )
What ever happened to the park debate, which side are you on? Just curious.
My husband just starting tearing apart our basement bathroom yesterday… all because the faucet leaked & he didn’t want to just replace the faucet. He actually has wanted to remodel it since we moved in 8 1/2 yrs ago & I have stalled this long… involves removing part of a wall (which is actually part of a closet in the “guest” bedroom. Our 12 yr old daughter wants to move into the guest bedroom, but maybe after the closet gets smaller she won’t want to move in there. This could be a positive since it involves, more redecorating if she does (& didn’t we just redecorate her room upstairs??)). Having been married 16 years & lived in 2 houses, this remodeling post sounds all too familiar. The problem for me is that I am a perfectionist & my hubby (who does the actual work) is not a perfectionist. So the things like your outside light not being centered would probably just stay that way… until I threaten divorce. Oh the joys of remodeling!
August 21st, 2008 at 12:15 pmWow! And I think I’m having a hard DIY time when I can’t get one of my projects off the ground. I’ve been following your blog for years, Chris, “watching” your family grow and seeing your house improve and have been wanting to say this for a long time: You are a great mom, wife (your husband is a lucky man!) and general contractor.
August 21st, 2008 at 12:35 pmYes, one day you WILL look back at your house and say, “wow, we actually finished”!
As an interior designer, your story makes me break out in hives. LOL
I love all your pictures. You guys are doing such a great job- it looks beautiful.
August 21st, 2008 at 1:03 pmYikes! It’s like the “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” version of home improvement!
August 21st, 2008 at 1:29 pmYikes! It’s like the “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie…” version of home improvement.
August 21st, 2008 at 1:31 pmi don’t blame you. the window would have driven me crazy too. not that i don’t live in a completely ASYMMETRICAL house anyway.
i have heard that some people have even died from mild discomfort.
August 21st, 2008 at 4:28 pmOh, dear. I feel your pain! You’ll love it all the more when its done…right? won’t you, really?
My mantra lately has been “done is better than perfect”, only because I just don’t think I could wait another 8 years for completion (I’m talking about my house!).
August 21st, 2008 at 9:08 pmFirst, THANK YOU!!! While reading this post I threw up in my mouth at the horror of a kitchen remodel. My house was built in 1917 and I have considered improvements to my kitchen (I have replaced the counter and sink, I think the cabinets are from a 1970 remodel?). Reading this post helped banish dreams of a quick update. No thank you, I am not strong enough!
2nd: I agree Miles (?) could not be cuter sitting at the edge of the remodel zone.
3rd: I’ve said a prayer for you.
Know that by sharing this horror story you have prevented another!
August 22nd, 2008 at 12:07 amWhat is so bad about the sink not being centered with the window? If it were me, I would aim for finished as quick as possible, instead of perfect. But then again, we have been renovating our house now for about ten years, and still are missing bits and pieces here and there (such as tresholds, plastering and curtains in several rooms…)
August 22nd, 2008 at 8:14 amI am staring in rapt fascination at the sink-hole Rob is cutting, and I just have to ask– are you getting an apron sink? I dream of one day owning a home with a kitchen (that suits my taste but which somebody already correctly installed before I got there) with an apron sink. There is something so period and yet timeless about them, and I pine for one.
(also, many sympathies. So very many. I actually do understand about moving the window. I mean, if this is The House, as in The One Where You Live Forever After, then you might as well do everything right. Right?)
August 23rd, 2008 at 3:49 amI love the son watching on.
My grandparents love to tell the story of how my Grandpa went to patch a little hole in the drywall in the bathroom one day and one thing led to another until they had redone the whole hallway and adjacent bedroom.
August 23rd, 2008 at 10:47 pmFortunately/unfortunately I come form the ah well, it will have to do camp
I would have just left the window and lived with the sink going where it needed to.
August 24th, 2008 at 8:58 amFrom your other improvemtns though I know this latest (last?) will look fantastic.
After all your hard work, will you be staying in this house forever, or moving on to another project?