Making progress

I met with another electrician today, and boy is it confusing. Every one give us very different information, even on simple things like what is required for code. I've added a third priority to my criteria (the first two are trustworthiness and locally based). The third one is communication. Some of the people I've talked to are really good, clear communicators and some are really bad at either listening or giving information. Today's guy kept telling me again and again that he couldn't install conduits in the walls for our future use (our idea is to have a vertical conduit in each room that runs up to the attic so anthing can be easily attached). The other contractors all said this would be done. After 10 minute of asking questions, he finally said it could be done but he would have to rip out the plaster in a section of wall. Ugh! I told him multiple times that we know significant holes will be made for electrical and plumbing and we don't mind.

I got a taste of typical remodeling drama this morning as well. One electrician was supposed to call between 7:30 and 8:00 am and let me know what time he would be there, which was sometime before noon. At 8:30 I called him, and got "Oh yeah, I was just looking at my schedule and thinking I should call you. One of our trucks broke down yesterday and we're running behind schedule. We won't be able to make it today, can we reschedule." Of course I understand that vehicles break down, but how about a call? I did reschedule him though, and he said I'd get a good price. We'll see, I'm still interviewing.

I also took samples today from the exterior stucco, the interior plaster and the attic insulation. These will be tested for asbestos. One of the electricians said it was common for interior plaster to have asbestos in it for houses built when ours was (1952). I found a testing company that will take mailed-in samples. I decided to do all three in one shot, just to be sure. I hope to be doing a lot of the demolition myself, but not if there's asbestos! I'm concerned about this - it could add another huge job to the remodel that it unanticipated and would be huge on the critical path. We may need to rip out all the asbestos-containing material and redo it. I should have the results on Tuesday.

I also set up an interview with a general contractor. C feels like the project is moving too slow and is so complicated that we are bound to miss something and have a delay later. I agree with him that it is very complicated, so we are going to interview a few general contractors and see what is covered and what the cost is. Even though we have to pay the GC, it may save us money in time delays, mistakes and materials. I'll be a little disappointed if we have to hire one though. I've always wanted to do this and am really enjoying it. I love showing up in my work clothes and donning work gloves. I love everything I'm learning. I don't just want to be the woman of the house who shows up at the end to pick out tiles. But, I have to be realistic.

Tomorrow is trash day, so I made a point of filling all my trash cans with the prior owner's left behind junk. I want to make sure I at least do that every week. I also swept the sidewalk and the part of the driveway that doesn't have junk on it. It's been so long since they've been cleaned that it took an hour to do a small area. It helped a little.