...pick two the industry has taught us....
Yet as two architects, specialized in high end residential renovations and additions, with over 30 years of experience and over 450 built projects, we believe we are in control! And, like our clients we are determined to beat the odds and have it all!
We are living in our house while they do the work, and our trusted and experienced Contractor --will not give us a schedule other than "don't worry I will go fast," he tells us. While we would never recommend this approach to our clients, and scoff at the idea of no schedule. Our ten years history of working together, we know he is very fast as well as a man of his word.
In an effort to keep our lives as normal as possible, the contractor has not had us pack up the kitchen yet. We offered to do a partial clearing of the back area right away as there was a way to put up a temporary partition giving him more room to work and still leaving us with a usable kitchen. He insisted it was not necessary and he would let us know when.
This contractor moves fast. His experience based on our collegial working relationship and our attentiveness to our clients needs is that we are responsive and that we move fast too.
Tuesday morning the contractor flagged us down as we were leaving for work in the morning. The day ahead was scheduled full of meetings and commitments. When I heard the words tomorrow...it needs to be emptied out by tomorrow.
Now slightly overwhelmed with a task we had not scheduled for that day, we told each other it would be fine. I offered to skip a Board meeting but Marvin reminded me a commitment is a commitment and we would divide and conquer ---a bottle of wine and the task before us beginning when I returned after 10 pm from the Board meeting.
| Total boxes fill that night including Utility closet in Powder room...21 |
The memories from 20 years of living in our first house have been sweet. Sharing wine, memories and laughter as we patted each other on the back for what we have built together and what we are building now we paused... and joked.... and reminded each other that our life has never been...
on our schedule,
our budget
or completely by our design!
And we reflected on how it's all worked out beautifully.
