Where have we been…

The last month and a half has been filled with a bit of waiting and frustration. Our financing arrangement included an eleventh hour, unexpected, and un-predicted “re-grouping” on the part of the bank that cost us about one month. I guess that we should be happy that our financial institutions are subjecting the housing market to an increased level of scrutiny. All the necessary details are in place and we now await final approval from the City of Minnetonka…

And that's where we are now…waiting again…

The plans were delivered to the city a little more than three weeks ago. We expected approval in 14 days but the Natural Resources folks (who are in charge of the grading, erosion, and silt fencing plan) asked us to “tweak” our plans considerably before allowing the permit to advance to the zoning and plan checking phase. We changed the back yard grading significantly to accommodate the reduced impact that the city desires. The most obvious change has a set of stairs ascending up from the basement walkout into the backyard. This will allow us to move far less dirt as we re-grade the backyard as the project nears completion. This and other changes to the dirt plan will allow us to leave almost all of the “woods” behind the house un-touched. The silt fence will now encompass a much smaller area out back. Along the East side of the property our neighbors have agreed to allow the fence to be placed on their property vastly reducing the amount of vegetation (Trees and bushes) that will be removed (Thanks Steinhausers!).

All things considered the waiting…while frustrating…will probably ensure a sound footing and a better plan.

Do you Recycle?

The question…Are you going to recycle any of the building materials?…comes up over and over.

The answer is YES!  The Materials that are being recycled to see new life elsewhere:

•     Garden shed relocated to adjoining neighbor's property
•     All the interior doors and frames have been salvaged by neighbors
•     The Overhead door and door opener salvaged for re-use
•     All the appliances have been given to people who had an immediate need for them
•     Triple track porch storms taken for re-use
•     3 storm doors salvaged
•     Divided light French door and storm at porch salvaged for use
•     Kitchen sink and faucet taken for re-use
•     Pedestal sink and faucet salvaged for re-use
•     400-450 sq ft hardwood flooring removed and de-nailed for re-use
•     10-12 vinyl insert replacement windows salvaged for re-use
•     fireplace mantle, surround and glass door set taken for re-use
•     Nearly new water heater taken to replace a recently failed unit
•     The boiler was sold to salvage dealer for resale
•     All the radiators sold to salvage dealer for resale
•     All the copper and steel pipe sold to scrap dealer for recycling of metals
•     All manner of plantings…Hastas, Day Lilies, Flowers, Ferns, etc…have found new homes all around the neighborhood and across town.
•     Most important Jim Danielson’s beloved blackberry bushes will live on…Mark Danielson (Jim’s son), Amy and Frank (neighbors), my sister, and others have carefully replanted bushes in their own gardens. We moved a few of them to a spot just beyond the silt fence in an effort to preserve some on the lot in his honor.

The garden shed…

Heating radiators and baseboard…all of them

Doors…all of the interior doors

Windows…almost all of them

Water heater, furnace, well, piping…everything

All of the electrical wiring and boxes…

Most of the hardwood flooring on the first floor…

The fireplace mantle…

Built-in cabinetry…

And yes…Even the kitchen sink!

Trees to be used as firewood…