what a month.
after a wildly successful trip last month, i've been very active in research and selection of electrical fixtures, lighting, low voltage systems, tile, stone, appliances, wood flooring and various palette combinations for interior and exterior.
lighting has been the most complicated. all recessed and most fixtures will be LED type bulbs that are a cooler light tone, emit no heat, and are a low wattage draw so they are very energy-efficient. the downside is initial capital outlay is higher than standard halogen or fluorescent bulbs (of which there are a few in laundry, garage and closets). overall, i'm happy with the lighting configuration even though it has gone over budget by about 25%.
low voltage systems include home theater, home network and security system. i hired a local firm to do all rough-in and installation of the gear, network plates, and all terminations. 5 speakers in living room and two on lanai. each bedroom will get an ethernet and CATV port, the office gets a few more. the local firm will also install a equipment cabinet behind the TV wall to rack the equipment for easy access, re-wire, etc.
tile has been an anxiety-driven exercise, in design and cost. tile pricing from the bonding company came in higher than i would get walking in off the street for the same tile at more than one shop. so, i've been collecting likely sample tiles and getting contractor pricing. what's fortunate is the material allowance from the contract for tile is pretty high and it will be tough for me to surpass this budget. selecting tile dominos into having to consider an overall palette per room and whole house interior. the weight of these decisions begins the "finish" line set of exercises that are aesthetic-driven and frighteningly permanent.
kitchen and bathroom cabinets were selected months ago, but appliances needed to be selected in order to get the exact cabinet dimensions ordered. LG refrigerator and GE spacesaver microwave will be built-in to the cabinets, so their selection in advance is required to get exact dimensions. interestingly, all dishwashers are the same size, so no advance selection necessary. cooktop and oven to be Thermador built-in.
the wood flooring has been ordered and will be on site in a few weeks. the wood needs to acclimate to the humid environment, so it will sit in the garage or other covered area for several months. if not completely adjusted to the climate, cupping and splitting can occur. the species is Cumaru, aka brazilian teak. 3/4" solid, 4" wide, no bevel, various lengths. wood flooring is in all rooms except bathrooms and front entry. the overall material and install cost came in a lot less than the original bid, so there will be $ leftover to offset other items which go over budget.
besides small issues that arise day-to-day, most communications i'm getting from my "team" are positive, with little-to-no show stoppers. it's a pleasure and a curse to be so far away from the action. i'm looking forward to my next trip three weeks from today.
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