Friday, April 18, 2014

THE KITCHEN REPAIRS ARE HAPPENING

At 8am Thursday morning the plumber arrived to disconnect the old kitchen sink and then at 10am two cabinetmakers arrived, firstly to dismantle the old lower kitchen cupboards including the pantry cupboards and secondly to instal the new cupboards.  They worked right through to after 5pm before they were done and we were pleased they took all the old cupboards away and even vacuumed the floor before leaving.


The new cupboards are entirely different to the original and now I have the task of trying to decide where everything is to go.  I have 4 extra drawers and can also now use the corners of the cupboards which I couldn't before but have to practice opening those strange doors.


Where the pantry cupboard stood I now have 4 drawers below, room for the microwave on the extended bench and an open cupboard above which I am not really sure what to do with. It is quite high and not deep enough to take the rack I keep my dinner set in.  There are going have to be so many changes made.

You can see here where they had to cut away some of the vinyl 'cos the new cupboards are a few cms deeper than the original and this revealed the red and white tiles that were here when we moved in in 1974.  They were quite worn so were very quickly covered over.  They were well and truly glued to the floorboards so had to stay put.  Think perhaps a paler vinyl to go with the paler bench tops although we've always liked this one with the cork pattern.  Time for a change though.


It is wonderful to say goodbye to the original very dark brown benchtops.   They were the type that you could wipe down, turn around and in 5 minutes you'd find more 'bits' to wipe up.  After 30 years it will be so wonderful not to be plagued by those damned brown tops.


We now have white tiles all around instead of just under the window.  I didn't realise they were going to do that so perhaps would have asked for cream tiles but perhaps a contrast is good.  Before there were just white tiles on the window ledge and right under the window.  They probably thought I'd like the same colour and so be it.  You can see the spacers are still there and Reece (the boss) will be here next Thursday to remove them and do the grouting.  Until then we can't put too much stuff on the benchtop or we'll have to move it all again.  I really do love the new benchtops.

This morning a different plumber arrived at 8am to connect the new sink which took him simply ages as he had to make up a new connection.  He was a terrific young bloke and was so patient with what he had to do.  I felt for him as he had almost to be a contortionist to get in under the sink.  I said I was sorry the old taps had to go back (they weren't of course damaged in the flooding) and asked if he could replace them for me if I paid his firm.  He rang his boss and told him I had an email account so I spoke to the boss and he said to give my name and address and email address to his employee and he would send me an account via email and I can then pay for the taps by bank transfer.  Now, instead of a couple of old brown taps, we have two new shiny silver ones which are easier for my hands to manage....and this new strange type plug which I didn't push in hard enough and wondered why the water kept escaping.  Phil to the rescue and now it works fine but seems so much of it I wonder will it be easy to keep clean.  I am glad they have trusted me to send immediate payment for taps.


It looks a little bare without the bottom cafe curtain but I will wash the two lots of curtains and will wait till next week so Reece can do the grouting without curtains getting in the way.  My old sink had two sides to it while this new one has only one drainer which is also going to take getting used to.  I have no idea why they replaced it with this one but perhaps it is the modern trend.  I didn't argue as I just wanted to get the job over and done with.

I think the plain cupboards do fit in OK with the pine upper cupboards but we now have to get new knobs for the old cupboards to match the really nice new silver handles on the lower cupboards.  This photo doesn't snow the true colour of the new cupboards.  If you look at the first picture you will se they are a deep cream.  If you are wondering what the little red star is.....when one has grandies and you are presented with a sticker or two you have to show you love them by popping them somewhere so they can be seen.  : )   Perhaps its time they were removed now as I think that one has been there for a year or two.   We just got used to it being there.  It has a smiley face.


This has definitely become an ongoing saga (a little like EC's driveway but at least ours is mainly covered by insurance except for the $500 for the new sink and tiling and of course the taps).  I rang the people who had sent a chap out to check the damage to vinyl and hall carpet.   "Oh no" said the lady there "we only check to see if it is repairable or needs replacing.  You will have to ring the insurance company and speak to them about having a firm measure up for new vinyl".   Tried ringing GIO, joined a queue so tried again 2 hours later and got straight through thank goodness.  This 35¢ to call 1300 numbers really annoys.  It is for their convenience, not ours and yet it costs us nearly twice the cost of a normal call.  Anyway when I spoke to a very helpful lady in Newcastle (on the other side of this vast country of ours) she said our "Claims manager" would call us next week and arrange for someone to come out and measure up for us.  Hopefully all this will be over and done with by the end of April.  Sigh!  Easter and Anzac Day (25th April) are sort of getting in the way right now.

There is one problem I'd not even considered which is of some concern.  Because there is now a small panel between me the the sink I found when I washed the first couple of dishes this morning that having to lean over that wee bit further plays havoc with my back, and I mean it really hurts.   Phil looked at me knowing I was in pain and said that doing the dishes may be his job more than usual in future.  Still, I am a very good drier up so more adapting to be done perhaps.

The two of us are really quite worn out today and I even managed to sleep for 30 minutes this afternoon and it is most unusual for me to be able to sleep during the day.  Haven't slept too well past few nights either so have been getting up much earlier than usual.  Our little world has been turned upside down with more to come with the flooring to be done.  I can assure you that in future no tap will be left running when I leave the room.  I've learned that lesson only too well.

I will say that the four workmen who have been here the last couple of days are some of the nicest I've ever had to deal with.  They were all relatively youngish but knew their jobs so thoroughly.  Offers of tea or coffee were refused and we were told they had their lunch and were OK.  We just kept out of the way except when needed to answer a question or look at something in particular.

18 comments:

  1. Will be good when it is all finished that is for sure. I'm sure you will get used to it quite quickly. Looks good and I think cork looking vinyl would still go well with the lower cupboard colour. Ot you could try floor board looking vinyl, although that might be harder with it going into the hall as well xxxx

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    1. Thanks for popping in so quickly to check it out. I think it will look good too and possibly nicer than the old cupboards. Still not decided on vinyl pattern but will wait and see what is on offer. We are so tired that it will take a few days to even get around to finding places to put everything. xx

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  2. Hari OM
    Oh Mimsie, as I am still trying to organise my kitchen two months into the move, I completely understand... but I would almost kill for a corner cupboard like that one!!! Also the 'standard height' is about 4 inches too high for and always has been, hence as much as I adore cooking, it can be a pain (literally) as well. Still, despite the saga, I am thinking there are some silver linings in this for you and that 'right' will come!! YAM xx

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    1. We are both too exhausted to worry about what goes where so far. With the grouting not to be done till next Thursday there's no point in organising what is to go on the benches.
      Fortunately our weather has cooled down a tad which makes it easier to do what is necessary.
      I am sure (I think) we will get there eventually. xx

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  3. Wonderful.
    Like that light coming in from the kitchen window.

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    1. There will be a lacy cafe curtain there (when they are washed) but it is a very bright window even taking into account there is a bamboo blind outside it.

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  4. It is looking wonderful. And I hear you on the bench height/back issues - though mine is the opposite. I am a bit too tall for our benches, and using them for extended periods is painful.
    But your new kitchen is looking great - and corner cupboards are a boon.

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    1. Actually these benches are a little higher than the old ones which is good for me but I really hate the sink. There is nowhere to put anything once you pop the dish drainer on the one side. Had it not been so near Easter I would have sent it back but we had cleared everything out and I couldn't go through that again.
      The corner cupboards are good or will be when I organise just how to use them. Have managed to get all the saucepans and fry pans in one of them plus the salt pig so that worked OK. I seem now to have too much stuff to fit in the new cupboards but just can't face worrying about it right now.
      There is no rush and hopefully it will see more things being sent to the op shop so less to store away.
      I must admit though when I walk into the kitchen even with the spacers still in the tiles it looks lighter and brighter than ever before so what more can I ask for.

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  5. Love that shiny new sink and the new cupboard handles.

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    1. Yes the silver handles are good. Now to find some silvery knobs for the wall cupboards and it will be even better.

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  6. It's looking so fresh and modern Mimsie, you'll be sorted and organised before you know it, still it's been a big disruption, but now you can enjoy it. What really jumped from your page at me is: I REALLY understand what you mean about the sink and just that tiny bit of border making you lean over at that excruciating angle - Been there done that and completely empathise with you!! It's hard to believe that the old style sinks which bordered the very edge of the bench top were so ergonomically wonderful!

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    1. I did more dishes today and found it a little easier but wouldn't want to stand there for too long. What I dislike is the fact the sink only has one draining board and that is going to take a lot of getting used to. I don't like putting wet things on the benchtop. I have an Ikea tray which just may have to take the place of the drainer I lost.
      I prefer the old style sinks and have no idea why there has to be that piece between me and the sink. Is it to stop water on the floor perhaps? So weird.

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  7. I love new kitchens and tradesmen that clean and vacuumed before they left, amazing.
    Merle.........

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    1. They were very thorough and when I get used to everything I am sure I will enjoy our new kitchen.

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  8. That corner cabinet that is now accessible is exactly what I would like in my kitchen.
    Enjoy settling back in.

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    1. I've organised one of the corner cabinets and now need to think what to put in the other. It's good to have 8 instead of 4 drawers too, once I work out what will go in them. It was all so straightforward with my old kitchen so now lots of thinking to do. It will take a while but there's no rush as there's only the two of us here.

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  9. It's all looking good Mimsie, I'd get silver handles instead of knobs for the top cupboards, but that would mean drilling an extra hole a handles ned two screws, and you probably don't want to do that. But please leave the little star! It's so cheery! I have a corner cupboard like that one, except mine has a full length piano hinge connecting the two door sections. And I have a one sided sink, I'm used to it as I've had the same in three homes now, but I still don't like them. I stack all the dirty dishes on the bench side then transfer to the dish drainer on the drainer side as I wash them. Have you thought about a light coloured vinyl for the floor in a pattern and colour to match your new benchtops?
    The open cupboard above your microwave could be a good place to keep the microwave cookware, or your tea and coffee making things. Teapot etc.
    Once it is all finished it will just be a matter of getting used to it all, not so easy when you've had things the same for so many years, but a bit like the excitement of Christmas.

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  10. Plumbers do have to engage themselves in awkward positions to get at those hard to reach pipes, so this must have been nothing new to the second plumber. I'm glad that you are recovering nicely from the flooding, and that you are very satisfied with your new kitchen. And it's great that you're mostly covered through insurance, so you only have to pay up for a few things that were up for replacement. Good luck on the rest of the way!

    Levi Eslinger @ Capital Plumbing

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