IKEA Craziness - I used to Love Her, But I had to . . .

Oh, IKEA.  I remember when I loved you so, so, so much. I blogged of my love here expressing my great pleasuring in having a (literal) ton of cabinetry delivered for $69.  Oh, how so much has changed.

This was my Saturday night:

I'm not blaming IKEA for this. We tweaked some stuff in our setup so even when they messed up some of our order, I was having to go back there anyway.  In any case, this wasn't even the bad part.  "Magda" helped me out with what we needed. I waited about 20 minutes for the order to be processed and picked up two carts worth.

After navigating past several random people, who I refer to as "human cholesterol" (people who linger in aisles and walkways blocking the passage of others), I made my way outside. Not many other folks around, so I snapped the above photo.

For good measure, I took this one too:

So, there's the back of the car, loaded up with some extra cabinet parts, some new ones, etc.  That load includes two 24" x 39" wall cabinets that we needed for a new configuration (shown as marked).  So, here starts the problem.  We needed, and ordered, three.

This guy:

as we found out on Sunday morning with my GC, who was continuing with installation, was missing.

So, back to IKEA . . . on a Sunday night.  Thankfully, IKEA is open until 8pm on Sunday night, so I could walk the dog and start dinner for Laura and Margot and then head out.  Sunday night at IKEA wouldn't be that bad, right?

Wrong.

IKEA was packed!  On top of that, the mechanism for getting a missing part of an order was NOT straightforward.

First, I went right back to where I picked up the order, figuring it was my best bet.  Jacqueline informed me of two scenarios: (1) if inventory was off, they would pick up the item and give it to me; or (2) if inventory was "correct," then they would do what is called a "customer accommodation."  Inventory was "correct," so the easy scenario wasn't happening.

Jacqueline gave me this:

After getting this, I was instructed to get in the "returns" line, which seemed funny to me as I wasn't "returning" anything but needed the omitted cabinet frame.  I didn't protest.

I picked a number to wait in line -- "B03" -- and looked up at the light to who who they were "now serving."  Much to my chagrin, it read "72." About 25 minute later (nearly an entire episode of some DIY show playing on the ceiling-mounted TV monitors), they called Oh-Three and I popped up to the counter to explain my situation:

IKEA Dude:  Do you have the XXXX credit card?
Me:  Yeah.

[Long pause while he types things into the computer.]

IKEA Dude:  [handing me the receipt below] So, $34.88 will go back on your card.

[He ends the sentence as though our transaction is finished.]

[I pause.]

Me:  Yeah.  OK. Where do I pick up my cabinet?

[He pauses.]

IKEA Dude:  Oh.  I thought you were just returning it.

Me:  No.  I need that cabinet.  It was missing from the order.  That's why I'm here.  Jacqueline told me that I needed to come here.

IKEA Dude.  Oh.   OK.  We'll get that for you.  I'll also have to charge you again for it.

[Credited back and now re-charged.  Didn't seem to make much sense, but oh well.]

Me:  Should I go over there [gesturing over towards where merchandise pick up is]?

IKEA Dude.  No.  Just sit down over there and we'll call you when its ready.

I'm skeptical, but I sit down.  I immediately text my wife about the exchange and inform her that it will be another 15 minutes before I can leave.

After nearly another full episode of another home improvement show, I look at my phone to check the time of my last text -- 25 minutes ago.  No one has "called me" with my cabinet.

I return to the "merchandise pick up" to tell another person what the story is.  She checks with IKEA Dude and comes back.  She then looks back at a herd of IKEA carts and finds mine (which seems like its been there for more than a few minutes).

I thank her and ask whether this is how its "supposed" to happen when they forget to give you an item.  She says it is.

My brain, (as the kids today might say "literally") explodes.

Thus concludes Chapter I of the IKEA craziness.  Chapter II below.

So, I'm making my way out of IKEA with my 24" wall cabinet in tow and en route to my car, a lady shouts behind me:

"You hit my car.   I've called the police.  They are on the way."

Now, this caught me somewhat by surprise.  The only cars out in the lot, now that IKEA has closed, are mine and this lady's (apparently).  I say "somewhat" because this lady backed her small SUV into the space on a pretty severe angle so that her front tires here on the line between spaces.  I snuck my small SUV directly between the lines in the adjacent space, front first.

I recall the relationship because people who park like she does is a pet peeve of mine. And, I distinctly recall being very careful to open my door so as not to hit her car.  Also, I was particularly proud of myself for not parking closer to the line to "teach her a lesson."  Both driver doors were accessible.

Turning back around to face her, I said:  "Lady, I guarantee you that I did not hit your car."  Looking up at the entrance to IKEA, however, I saw the police car entering and I then added "but since I've already been waiting here for 90 minutes in IKEA, I can wait a few more."

I won't bore you with the inane conversation that this lady had with the Arlington Heights cop but suffice it to say that she was insane and he was sane.  After explaining to her that it was pretty much physically impossible for me to have "scratched" her car where it was supposedly scratched, he said I was "free to go."

Its not my last trip to IKEA -- several of the cabinets have to be returned since we just bought replacements for now without returning the originals.  I don't look forward to that. But I certainly won't be returning on a Sunday night.  Maybe Sunday afternoon in the middle of a bears game.

Cedar Ceilings Are Going In - UPDATE

UPDATE:  [Much more progress tonight -- scroll to the bottom for an updated photo]

Things went slow over the weekend and last week. We've pushed back our move-in date again (now the Wednesday before Thanksgiving).  Seemed like we had some momentum but then things stagnated.  Turns out that our GC was spending a lot of time doing math -- calculating then angles required for the ceiling joints.  And, it turned out that one plane of the ceiling / roof line was convex and the meeting plane was concave.  So, lots of "background" work before any drama.

The ceiling is starting to go in. They are mostly done with the "hard part" and will move the flat part very soon, which should go fairly quickly:

Progress as of last night -- the "hard part" remaining is along the window'd wall to the right.  At least in that area, there are no more light holes that they need to cut.

 There is the "math puzzle" -- two planes meeting and no right angles. Double angle cuts on both adjoining pieces.  And, as its a focal point for the eye when you enter the room, the joint needs to be perfect.

The ceiling along the roof slope in the end of the room near the powder room.

Closer view of the same area.

Its about 75 percent done now.  Should be finished installing (then clear coating) tommorow afternoon.

Pink Bathroom Getting a Larger Makeover Than Planned

So, "phase 1" was not going to include the contractor doing anything with the bathrooms (other than the "powder room").  I was going to take down the wallpaper and repaint it and give it a little makeover.

In taking down the wallpaper, we discovered a decent amount of water damage to the wall behind the toilet.

My GC pulled away more of the original wall and plaster -- to see if there was a plumbing problem (thankfully, there wasn't).

A majority of the wall came out from the bottom of the toilet bowl to the floor, from the bath to the corner.

Thankfully, this problem cropped up while the drywall guys were still working, so they slapped a piece of gypsum board in that place and plastered it up!

Moving the toilet away -- and also having the bathroom become the storage area for all closet doors from our bedroom and Margot's bedroom, though, made it impossible for me to get any work done on finishing wallpaper removal, sanding the walls, and priming and painting it.

Progress but Not Much Drama

Things don't look a lot different, but there's been progress.  Hardwood floors are now everywhere.  They've been sanded down (Monday).  Yesterday, they were finished twice.  Now, they are resting.

No photos yesterday (busy at work).

Here are floors everywhere:

Bedroom floored!

Bedroom and hallway.

Lunch break for floor guy.  Not much English speaking -- but a lot of floor laying.

Floors were halfway through the kitchen on Saturday -- painter is assessing the work.  We got just passed the black paper underlayment on Saturday, then ran out of wood!!!!!  Whoops.  Thankfully, an unordered part of our order remained at Las Hardwoods for us to purchase and pick up.  Job completed Monday a.m.

Sanding Margot's room on Saturday.

Living room completed.

Margot's room sanded.

Sanding the Master Bedroom.

My dad (sorry for cutting off your head, pops), assessing the work on Saturday.  He give it the "thumbs up."

Hardwood in the Bedroom.

Very excited about the floors finally going into the bedroom.  We look, however, to be about another week behind schedule. We are looking to push move in from November 13 to November 18th.  Getting antsy.

Below are photos of wood in the bedroom (very exciting) and painting starting in the living / dining room.  Our bedroom is already painted as it retained its original plaster walls.

Master closets have been floored.

Looking from the southwest corner of the master to the closets and hall closets.

Looking  at where the bed will be (notice the his and hers light switches for reading spots).

Patching the front hall closets before priming.

The painters got a fire going in the newly configured fireplace with scrap wood from construction.  That along with the furnace in the "on" position -- as the thermostat is not hooked up yet, it is "on" for most of while work is going on.  Even without a ceiling in the great room (losing heat to the attic) the house is roasting!

More photos to come.  Margot's bedroom should be floored today, adding to a long streak of before during and after photos.  Floors should be finished early next week everywhere.  Ceiling will also go in next week, along with the kitchen.

Fingers crossed for a serviceable home/kitchen by Thanksgiving!!

Its Getting Muddy

The pace is likely to be a bit frenetic these next 10 days when we are due to move in . . . .

The walls are being mudded up today through Wednesday.  Might see some primer go on later this week.  We are itching to move!!!

North end of the LR/DR and doorway to the powder room (right).

Same from different angle.

Various parts of the "play room."

An Update that (Probably) Only An Owner Could Love

Not a lot of new drama, just inching towards completion.

The white oak hardwood floor vents have arrived from Las Hardwoods.  Its a little thing that is quite exciting to us.  To anyone else?  Meh.

The guest bedroom is almost done.  Flooring is all in.  It'll get its baseboards soon and the final coat of paint.

Hardwood is creeping around the hallway corner and into the master bedroom!

Underlayment paper is also making its way around the corner . . ..

. . .  and into the master bedroom.  Fingers crossed that this is finished tonight!  I don't want to look at a half-floored master bedroom all weekend.

 Paint is starting in various places.  Several rooms are mudded and primed.  And this Benjamin Moore (some fancy shade of white) has re-done many of the closet doors, as seen below:

Before it gets its own flooring, Margot's room is a staging room for painting the closet doors.