Inching closer to our DE/BP (i.e., permit applications to the City)

So yesterday was officially our first "missed deadline"...ah well. It's not that big of a deal. We're getting closer and closer to our permit applications and are expecting to submit things next week. Apparently from what I can gather, the City is most interested in what the external "look" of the house is like, as well as whether it violates any zoning issues (setbacks from property lines - i.e., where your building is vs. where your property line is; height, floor space ratio - i.e., the area of your land vs. the amount of liveable building area, etc.). According to what I'm told, they're less concerned with the internal layout of the place which can still be altered some. So, we'll get them the external look and things they're looking for and go from there as we haven't finalized all of the internal details yet.

We've had some challenging times of late working with our architects which has been difficult for all of us. From the outset, the hope was to have a collaborative team-based approach where Kris and I, Brett, and Bruce and Ian all contributed ideas and design thoughts towards a collective vision. In the end, I think there have been some misunderstandings on the extent to which any given party would be involved in the design phase. I was keen to be more involved (we're the owners!), and I believe Bruce and Ian felt that design was really their space (they're the design professionals!). We're working through some of the communication challenges so that we can come to a common understanding, but unfortunately it's added some stress to all of our lives (theirs included). Funny how communication is always at the heart of a relationship. Hopefully we can sort it out soon and move along.

One thing I have realized in recent weeks however, is that the federal EcoEnergy program deadline is just not realistic, so I'm officially giving up on that timeline (March 31st). The hope had been to take advantage of the $5-10K available from the federal government (since we'll be doing most of those things anyhow). Sadly, it will be money that will be lost...crappy timing, but then, that's life for you sometimes. Conversely, the decision to let go of the timeline definitely lifts a weight from our shoulders and lets us slow down a bit. The decisions had been coming fast and furious and no doubt have been adding stress to what should be a fun process - not a negative one.

That brings us back to the space of decisions....so what's left to decide? Well a few things in terms of design/layout.

(1) The ceiling. We heard back from our structural engineer and there are a bunch of seismic and structural upgrades that are required. Accordingly, we're evaluating their implications on the design - in particular the ceiling height and look/feel of the downstairs. Basically we have the option of going as I noted in my earlier posting with the exposed joists/beams, or we can cover them up and have a slightly lower ceiling. It's a bit loft vs. traditional and so I'm wrestling with that one a bit. Thoughts anyone?

(2) The mechanical room. In a small place, the mechanical room potentially eats up valuable space. We're trying to optimize its location, but are struggling somewhat to do so. I think it's going to mean moving the bathroom a bit, but so be it...

(3) DIY vs. not. The DIY question is one that looms large. Increasingly I'm thinking that we need to save money by having me do more DIY components. While I won't touch things like electrical and plumbing, I think there are some things that I can probably have a crack at including some of the demolition (which allows me to reclaim more materials, and save on dumping fees), as well as some relatively simple things like installing laminate click-in-place flooring on the upper level. I think these sorts of things will likely force an extension of the timeline, BUT will also allow us to save probably about $20K in total which, at this point, is pretty critical for us. So far, the DIY pieces include: some demolition (some interior, some exterior + non-asbestos containing vermiculite removal), re-finishing the lead-painted cedar siding, landscaping, finishing the floors, and installing the floating laminate floor upstairs. I know this seems like a good idea now...we'll see later on when I haven't had sleep because of work and life...

(4) Kitchen counters. Struggling with this one a bit as well - splurge or not...options are basically butcher block (looks decent, affordable, but degrades in time), Eco (composite quartz like Silestone - looks great, expensive, but lasts - or possibly IceStone), or a bit of a hybrid where we use some quartz and some wood. Thoughts anyone?

(5) Windows - this one will merit its own entry unto itself. There's a dizzying array of choices....I'll walk you through the options soon.

So - there you have some musings on a Friday afternoon. I'll post next week with the submitted drawings to show you what the final layout looks like.