Still going well.....

Today was another good day. I went to city hall to inquire about permits. I had about two hours to spend there, and I brought a book with me in case of a long wait. Well, after I spoke to a very professional and helpful man at the reception desk, he told me where to sit and the planner came right over. I had an immediate comprehensive one-on-one consultation with him where he answered all my questions. It was really great! I was very impressed. I was pleased to find out all the work I need can go on one permit. It seems like a fairly straightforward process - I just need prepare a list of everything I am doing. It can be in layman's terms such as "Bring all electrical up to code and install a new panel. May include additional outlets and circuits." I was in and out of the building in 20 minutes!

Next, I met a really great plumber. He was very knowledgable and seemed to genuinely care about me and the job. He was also willing to help me with the planning and management of the various jobs. He also knows a general contractor he has worked with for years on many jobs, and this GC does framing, tiling, cabinetry, drywall, etc. This is really good because I am very concerned about managing my critical path and the fewer people I have to coordinate the better. The plumber said he had no problem coordinating the details with the GC. It was a good meeting. Later that evening, the plumber called me back to say he had already spoken to the GC and that the GC was expecting my call. That's good customer service!

The hauler completely finished the backyard this morning. It is like night and day. The backyard looks so much bigger and better. It is our first real progress. I also expect to have the entire house dejunked by Friday, so our first remodeling task is almost done!

Here is a before shot from the end of the backyard looking toward the house:



Here's the after shot: