Emergency of the home variety- potential dangers to look out for?

[LordTriggs]

good to hear no asbestos!

Well... impromptu kitchen remodel time! I bet Kiwi loved seeing all that destruction, though I'm sure he would have preferred to assist with the demo. Just pray he doesn't pick up any tips from seeing the work done!

 

[Kiwibird]

Last night, after having our kitchen torn out and having to go out for dinner (something we almost never do) we weren't really thinking clearly regarding a temporary office setup for Kiwi. He was clearly unhappy with his patio cage in here but his regular cage is too large for the room, even temporarily. Didn't even consider his play tree! Brought that in this morning and he calmed down immediately. He spends a lot more time on that than he does his patio cage (he's also had the play tree for 7+ years) and given his little life been turned upside down by this event with no ability to explain 'why' in a way he understands, he probably does prefer the familiarity of his tree. Poor little guy though, he's been such a good boy about all of this and so accepting of being moved around, strangers making noise and destroying the house, scary noises etc....

 

[Kiwibird]

good to hear no asbestos!

Well... impromptu kitchen remodel time! I bet Kiwi loved seeing all that destruction, though I'm sure he would have preferred to assist with the demo. Just pray he doesn't pick up any tips from seeing the work done!

In a way, I can see the positives of having a new kitchen regarding resale value. We never planned major upgrade/projects in this place though because it's small and relatively recently updated.

I actually doubt the installation of the new floors, counter, cabinets, drywall etc... will be nearly as disruptive as the water damage repairs have been. But with how significant of a water issue we had, there is no way we could've done the remediation ourselves. This wasn't the little leak we initially thought it was. I'm glad we got a professional assessment before deciding it wasn't a big deal and we could DIY it. Still, NOT the way I would ever choose to 'remodel' my kitchen!

 

[Scott]

The universe gifted you by removing the threat of asbestos. Truly nasty stuff!

It's all downhill after the demo and cleanup! Good to know the granite is salvageable, if it can be reused!

 

[Kiwibird]

The universe gifted you by removing the threat of asbestos. Truly nasty stuff!

It's all downhill after the demo and cleanup! Good to know the granite is salvageable, if it can be reused!

I can't tell you how happy I am about the asbestos tests coming back negative. That would've just been one additional nightmare to add.

Unfortunately, I took a sample of the granite to Home Depot (where it came from) and while they do still stock the granite, they will not just replace the backsplash only. The counters may have been salvaged in vain if they cannot find matching granite elsewhere. HD also no longer stocks our cabinets at all- doors or bases. Cabinets are whatever. I'm sure we'll have no issues picking a new style, it's just a cabinet, so long as it doesn't have that tacky look to it, it'll be fine. but I am bummed about the granite. Maybe another company carries it, but it's kind of an unusual grey color so I'd be surprised if somewhere else did Oh well. Guess we'll really be getting effectively a brand new kitchen from top to bottom.

 

[Scott]

Might take a sample to a few independent granite supply houses, if available. If not, nothing really wrong with a new look unless financial constraints from the settlement cause you to end up with a less desirable or capable kitchen.

 

[LordTriggs]

yeah, water leaks are never as simple as you think they are! I myself had what I thought was a very minor leak when I moved to where I am now, turns out a coupling point for one of the pipes had eroded away and a pipe was barely holding on to the water tank and a light wind could have knocked it loose and flood the entire building! My brother too had what he thought was a minor leak, turns out the leak was so bad the structural integrity of his house is compromised and at risk of collapse!

Just a forewarning to anyone that if you suspect a leak of any sort just call a professional immediately, the cost for a good plumber is a lot cheaper than repairing the aftermath

 

[SailBoat]

Since granite is that nature made stuff, as they remove a large section in the surface mining, very minor to major changes occur. As time continues to pass into years, those changes become noticeable in variation in color and pattern. Although worth checking around, also be looking at other options, like glass tile (colors) or ceramic tiles in general or other options.

Kitchens and Bathrooms tend to trend so quickly that what is in style at the moment will be yesterdays dated attempt tomorrow.

 

[Kiwibird]

Ugggghhhhh..... nature decided to give us a heat wave. Currently, it is 108 (yes, 108 degrees) in our bedroom and even hotter in the living room (thermostat is inside the drying tent so can't get a exact reading downstairs). Even our CARPET is noticeably warm to the touch. The equipment they're running puts off an insane amount of heat, which aids in the drying process. We have instead been holed up in the office with a pissed off parrot and our poor little newt all weekend because it's a little cooler in there. It's in the mid-90's in there (because the window has been open all night), which while no one is dead yet, it's is highly miserable. Can't wait for this stupid tent to be gone so we can use our AC again.

On the kitchen front, we did look at some various styles over the weekend online. Came up with some ideas. We'll have to see what insurance plans to payout, what we will need a contractor to install/repair (and how much the labor will be) and what we can install/repair ourselves. If the granite has to go, we may get cheaper counters and install the flooring ourselves. Butcher block counters are less costly than granite but still unique and durable and not laminate so we might look into that option instead. I bet if we budget carefully, we may be able to squeeze it enough to redo the entire downstairs floor (except the bathroom and office) without being more than a few hundred bucks out of pocket. I think my husband didn't get why I find carpet so nasty, as we don't wear shoes indoors, I vacuum often, use a carpet rake and am diligent with spot cleaning (plus we don't eat anywhere but the dining room, to minimize spills) so our carpet looks pretty good for being old. When they pulled that carpet back to dry under it and he saw all the stains on the back (that weren't ours) and the nasty hair and dust trapped underneath, he suddenly became a whole lot more interested in hard flooring LOL. We are going to go ahead on our own dime (as I doubt insurance will want to pay for one when ours is undamaged) and get an upgraded faucet and possibly sink too. We're also looking at new appliances, but that would likely be something we'd upgrade after we recuperated from this as all our appliances currently function, aren't like 1980s outdated old and appliances aren't a big deal to swap out whenever, so no particularly pressing need to upgrade/replace them right now.

Also, maybe I'm the only person out there crazy enough to feel this way, but I really do NOT like eating out so much. Insurance is paying for our extra spending as the kitchen is non functional but I *hate* feeling out of control of the ingredients in and preparation of my food and it just doesn't make me feel good eating it. Every once in a while it's fun to go out and eat junk food, but not for the majority of meals. Plus, most of the portions they give are like 2 or even 3 meals for me, so I don't know how much over my baseline food budget I'll actually go but I do know I'm definitely NOT getting the same kinds of food/nutritious foods I typically eat. Really struggling with this aspect of this whole ordeal. Once the heat tent is gone, I'll be buying fresh produce again and at least making smoothies. I'd almost rather fast on smoothies until the kitchen is repaired than continue eating every meal out. Dense, chemical laden foods in this heat with this much extra frustration are just not working for me.

 

[Kiwibird]

Since granite is that nature made stuff, as they remove a large section in the surface mining, very minor to major changes occur. As time continues to pass into years, those changes become noticeable in variation in color and pattern. Although worth checking around, also be looking at other options, like glass tile (colors) or ceramic tiles in general or other options.

Kitchens and Bathrooms tend to trend so quickly that what is in style at the moment will be yesterdays dated attempt tomorrow.

I've noticed trends changing super fast too! We're probably just going to stick with neutral colors and simple design so while it will probably not look super on-trend today it will also not look super outdated in 5 years either.

 

[Scott]

Your earlier post validates precisely why I loathe carpeting. Literally a forest to hide filth and nasty surprises underneath. When I bought my current home, it was largely carpeted with some areas of laminate. When the carpet was replaced, I was blown away by the dark patches on the reverse side and the padding.... well the padding was horrendous. My suspicion is the carpet was replaced prior to the sale, but placed over original padding.

Totally understand your issue with food. I like to eat out on occasion, but try to choose carefully in hopes of minimizing noxious intake. Generally eat very healthy at home, so it is overall a compromise. But in your ordeal there is no choice, just a matter of time!

 

[Kiwibird]

It has been a busy week. We lucked out in that the contractor insurance sent to do a repair estimate for them, his wife apparently has (had?) a CAG, so he gets how sensitive birds are to some construction materials and hopefully with that being the case, we can get Kiwi through this process unscathed. So far, our insurance has been easy to work with too. They approved the contractors repair estimates across the board and said they'll approve extra costs if the cabinet doors can't be matched or something else is found. Hopefully we'll sit down with the contractors project manager next week and start getting the ball rolling on repairs. I was pleased that the contractor thought the carpet was unsalvageable and insurance apparently agreed. The Servpro guy said they'd probably just put in new padding and tape it back together so I was envisioning having to use my 'firm voice' with the insurance people. I was so worried they were going to deem it salvageable after not only having moisture under it but also being cut into 2 pieces in order to be rolled back for drying and so many repair guys stomping on it with shoes on, tracking dust and grime from the kitchen all over it. Thankfully though, it will not only be replaced but it was apparently a high quality name brand carpet so we got more for it than regular carpet (they actually cut off a piece and did a forensic analysis on it to determine the brand/price lol).

On the subject of flooring, the contractor said we'll have about $3/sq ft pre-installation for flooring. In that price range, we're pretty certain we'll be going with a decent wood look vinyl throughout the entire area- entryway, living room, dining room and kitchen. I'm pretty sure it's the only durable, water resistant flooring that will fit in our budget and still look decent. The contractor says they use a low odor, safe for pets and babies type glue for vinyl flooring. Anyone aware of what that might be and if it's safe for Kiwi provided we give it a few days to air out?

Speaking of the devil, he's been such a brave and overall good boy throughout this process. While he was scared crapless of the drying tent, he has otherwise been unphased by the upset to his routine, all that demolition and all the people coming and going. Such a good bird. Mostly just very curious as to what these strangers are all doing tearing up his favorite room in the whole house as an amazon- the kitchen

 

[Scott]

Glad to see you are finding cooperation from all parties, Kiwi included! While this ordeal was certainly not expected nor welcome, you'll have the opportunity to give your home a subtle make-over, one that will hopefully improve livability and ultimately resale when desired.

 

[SailBoat]

Take a look at your local big box store, since most contractors use them as their source of choice. Ask, what are the contractors using.

 

[Kiwibird]

So this nightmare drags on....

It'll be 2 weeks more before we even meet the project manager. The insurance lady got on their case about it thankfully because I wasn't making very much progress myself with them. We signed a contract over 2 weeks ago and hadn't even gotten a call or email from the project manager. Still haven't heard from him, but heard from someone else yesterday from the company. I get that they're busy, but I too used to work in an industry where customers jobs could take time to create or complete repairs and I always kept in touch with updated timelines or if it had just been a couple weeks without touching base, which is probably why it irks me so much that they haven't. I get the project manager guy may not have time to come over and look yet but a call or email to update on when they think they might have time or just to introduce themselves just doesn't seem like it would be that hard.

I did finally reach my limit of fed up with this eating out business. It has ben upsetting my stomach and my fingers have swollen up like little sausages from all the salt and I can't even fit my wedding rings on. Our biggest issue with making some meals at home was dishes. I went to Home Depot yesterday, bought some lumber and built a frame to hold our old sink. I'll be investigating how to properly hook up the plumbing today. I tried last night after dinner, but I did something wrong and it leaked (just a very small amount as it was a controlled test) so I shut the water back off and I'll be re-attempting today. The good news is, close to $300 will be taken off our deductible because I built it myself. The biggest reason we went with the insurance recommended company is that whatever you do yourself, they credit it off your deductible. By building this sink, ripping out the rest of the carpet, moving our own furniture out of the disaster area and re-hooking up our own stove/fridge when the time comes (fridge doesn't have a water line and stove is electric), we'll pretty much not end up having to pay anything on a deductible and still be able to leave the big/difficult parts to the pros.

Kiwi remains shoved in a corner, but he has been going out almost every day in the car so I don't think the experience has been as negative as it could have been had this happened in winter when he couldn't come out and was just trapped in a dark, dreary corner Plus, he can now climb on the couch whenever he so pleases and 'sneak up' on us to nibble the backs of our heads

 

[LordTriggs]

sounds like Kiwi may be preferring this new set-up!

hopefully once the work actually starts it shouldn't take too long

 

[Scott]

Seems you've made the best decision by trimming personal cost with some creative DIY. Hopefully when you're project is fully addressed by the contractor they will see it to completion with minimal distraction. Some will start several rebuilds and shuffle personnel to maximize their efficiency.

 

[Kiwibird]

Been a while since I updated on this.

Absolutely 0 repairs have been made thus far, unless you count me going to the hardware store and building a 2x4 frame to hold the old sink (and hooking the plumbing back up) so we could do dishes again not in our tiny bathroom sink (also, we get whatever they were going to charge knocked off our deductible). We actually have volunteered to take on several small tasks (building the temporary sink, moving our own furniture, painting baseboards, final cleaning etc...) which will knock enough off the total repair bill we'll end up with a credit and no deductible anymore, so we're applying the credit (plus out of pocket money) to upgrade flooring. Our homeowners insurance was just covering the very sizable deductible for the HOAs master insurance policy, which we hoped wouldn't have to get involved. The homeowners insurance capped out though, so now we're onto working with the HOA/their insurer. Naturally, despite us already signing over thousands of dollars to the contractor, until the rest is secured from the HOAs insurer, we're just stuck in limbo. Fortunately, the HOA we're in is not one of the nightmare ones and has always been responsive and not overly difficult to work with, so I foresee no issues securing the money. It's just a matter of how much longer they'll take to look everything over and how much longer that will make this drag on...

Kiwi has been such a trooper through this mess. I know he doesn't like being shoved in the corner but he's just dealing with it and being such a good bird. I think while he may not know when things will go back to normal (not that we have any better clue than the bird at this point) he understands we aren't punishing him and he didn't do something to be moved and have all his fun bird area be taken away. He has taken to "sneaking" up on you (well, "sneaking" as best a large neon green bird that grunts and squeaks as he moves can) when your on the couch and nibbling whatever exposed body part he can find (toes, fingers, face). He's so cute. He likes sitting behind my head while I'm reading and just puff up/be happy. I am a bit concerned though with the timeline being pushed back. It'll take 4-6 weeks minimum for just the cabinets to be ready and another 2 weeks (according to the contractor) to get all the right people in to do the repairs/installation of everything after the cabinets are ready. And that's from the day the contractor orders everything, so assuming that will likely occur some time next week, we'd be nearing Thanksgiving before this is done. I'm concerned because vinyl will be put down in the kitchen must be glued down. They claim the fumes are not strong with whatever glue they use and that it takes only a few hours with whatever machines they use to clear the odor and the kitchen floor is such a small area, but we won't be able to open the windows all day when it's that cold out so I'm not sure how long would be wise to confine Kiwi to the office away from the fumes? To my understanding, nothing else being used should putt off any odor. I have requested and had approved a "low voc" paint specifically be used, the laminate flooring should not smell at all according to the flooring guy and I can't imagine counters, cabinets or drywall producing and odor (?).

 

[Scott]

Sorry to see this drag on, with estimated completion by Thanksgiving!

I suppose having two insurance companies in the mix is sub-optimal, but not your fault. Glad to see Kiwi managing as best as possible! He is such a good bird!!

 

[Laurasea]

Oh my!!!!! So long ugh.....now I laugh at myself took almost a year to get my new roof after a hurricane.....so I get it, but not fun, and the stress is hard!