Carpet and the missing countertop

Somehow, some way, through the wind and sleet and snow, the ironmen of BH Interiors climbed our impassable driveway three days in a row, just to lay our carpet. We’ve been so impressed with that company since we started working with them. Customer service is NOT dead!

…until you wander over to the countertop shop that shall not be named. There, the owner is maybe on drugs some of the time. He takes your order with a glazed smile, along with half of your money and then magically disappears for 3 months. He only reappears when he wants the other half of your money one month before you close on your house. At which point he says he will not do any work on your counters until he is paid in full. After you negotiate this with your bank (who would prefer to see work being completed when they hand out money) he tells you he’ll have your counters complete by the end of the month “easy.” Then he’ll call your builders and schedule time to not show up two days in a row. Then a rainbow of excuses flows quite readily from his mouth. Uh oh, here comes the home show that has only been on his calendar for the last year, here comes a winter storm that prevents him from making it to our house, can’t find any helpers to carry it, better disappear again. No contact, no progress, no closing on the house.

It’s a small town sir.

But we have carpet! And the Nest is on the wall (energy nerd)! And the cabinets are done! And so is our chimey! Its not so bad.

Neat Nests and P-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-poker faces

Everybody is wrapping up their piece of the rough in. It’s actually pretty amazing how much stuff they can fit between the floor joists – water lines, drains, gas lines, electrical wires, sprinkler systems, lights, speakers, ductwork, wood – amazing. No wonder people can’t insulate between the upstairs and downstairs.

The siding is coming along really nicely. The color of our house changes from gray to green to taupe to greige to graupe depending on where you’re standing. Which is cool because we like all those colors. Hopefully our house will blend in with its surroundings a little better when the siding is done. It looks a little too castle-on-the-hill-y up there right now.

Sounds like insulation might start next week followed by drywall. It’s going to be pretty great seeing the walls closed up. We’re crossing our fingers for an early closing date, but Scott and Mark have some pretty impressive poker faces.

Working for an energy company, I’ve become an insufferable energy nerd. Thankfully, Mrs. Carlsberg has accepted this about me and actually bought me a Nest programable thermostat for Christmas. I could barely contain my joy at the thought of energy efficient heating and cooling. If you’ve never heard of the Nest look into it. It was designed by a former Apple designer which is pretty obvious when you…anyway – it’s neat.