General Update

A whole bunch of things happening these days -- not many as dramatic as the rip out of the walls.  Although the removal of the ceiling in the great room was pretty excellent:

The ceiling in the Living room / Dining room is now gone all the way up to the roof boards.  Its in a pile there in Margot's play room on the floor (behind the yellow-topped ladder).  Note on that wall to the right of the doorway, there is a cut out hole.  That is the GC exploring to see if there are going to be any issues in installing one of the two support posts (there weren't).

Another shot of the ceiling -- in its current resting place on the floor.

Looking toward the Kitchen.  Most of the ceiling removed.

Similar view, but now with the massive support beam and supporting posts installed.  One beam is to the right of the doorway.  The massive beam is above the ladder.  The other support beam is behind the ladder.  The newly framed wall is temporary, to hold the beam while the supports were installed (i.e., so the house didn't fall down!).

Another shot of the massive new beam.

Some other stuff:

1.  The kitchen from IKEA (most of it) arrived:
 

When I picked this stuff out at IKEA, I asked "how big" thinking that I might want to put it in the back of my wife's small SUV to save some $$.  I was concered and scared that IKEA described its home delivery as starting at $69.  I wondered where that quote would finish when they tally'd up all of this.

IKEA said that they couldn't estimate size well until after everything was pulled and palleted because it was all flat packed (for later assembly).  But they did estimate it at about 995 kilos.  For the metrically challenged, that's almost exactly a ton.  So, literally, a "TON of IKEA cabinets."  Then, she asked for my zip code.  I told her 60022.  To which, she repsponded that I was in "Zone 1" and the shipping would be $69.  So, IKEA shipped and unloaded a ton of cabinets for less than 75 bucks!

As an aside, I asked what if I were a billionaire and bought the whole store -- the entirety of its contents -- would it still cost $69 to ship it to my house?  She said it would.

Well, beyond the kitchen, we got our LED-friendly recessed lighting delivered also:

And, one of the two Kraus sinks arrived for their eventual placement in the kitchen!

Finally, the electricians were at the house last week:

The old panel has been replaced with this snazzy new monster.  And, the old 100 AMP service has been upgraded to 200 AMPs!  As soon as they turn the power back on, we'll be able to plug a whole lot of stuff in all at the same time!!  Blow dryers, microwaves, attic fans, electric heaters, you name it!!

There won't me much happening visually for a while.  Electricians and plumbers mostly for the next couple of weeks.  I will, however, keep posted on the "before" photos and early photos of the lawn renovation.  More on this later.