building for our future

The wait continues for the township to issue our building permit so the work can begin. We gave them everything they wanted, despite the likely $10,000 increase in our costs. We gave it to them on a timely basis. And then our application went back to the pile...on the bottom, it seems.

I have decided that I’m going to have the contractor replace the siding on the shop building gable ends, too, so that that building doesn’t seem out of place...as long as the cost isn’t too high. I will deal with the paint work on that building to conserve costs, but I am not up for installing the James Hardie cement siding myself, nor the sofit and gutter work.

I last posted in mid-May regarding the unexpected sprinkler requirements for our addition as well as the need to add all kind of minutia to the plans to meet the requests of our township. Outside of the obvious financial impact to our project, the continued delays have been excruciating...and not just for the homeowners. Our general contractor was ready to get started on this job some time ago and being the good businessman he is, he likes to keep his folks working. They are really good at what they do and keeping them happy is important. But we have a plan for them in that we can get started on the siding and roofing work on the existing structure at any time they need to get moving. No permit is required for that kind of work.

But what I’m most disappointed with at this point in time is the glacial response from the folks that needed to update our plans. Time is of the essence and while I know there was a personal injury affecting work schedules (that I only found out about third hand...), the majority of the necessary work might have been performed by someone other than the principle. I guess what it comes down to lack of communication. I really do expect to be kept in the loop about where things are, especially when they relate to meeting the needs of the township in order to get our permit issued. I know that Michael, our GC is equally frustrated with this, too.

Now, to be a little fair, the majority of this “scut work” is tediously copying the cut-sheets for all the windows physically onto the plans. I find this to be over the top and am disappointed that the township is asking for all this extra work to be added to the plans when the same end-result could be had by attaching the published cut sheets from the manufacturer as an addendum/appendix, especially when the former is costing $150 an hour. I don’t feel that my tax dollars are being respected. Protect me from poor building practices...yes. Raise my cost with things that are ultimately meaningless...no.

At any rate, hopefully, we will get things moving soon. The resubmission of all required materials was accomplished this morning. Finally.
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On a brighter note, we have tentatively settled on colors for our pre-finished James Hardie siding and at least the asphalt portion of our roofing. Surprisingly, we’re going darker with an earth tone called “Timber Bark ” and it contrasts nicely with the Pella “Putty” color on our existing “new” windows. We will need a third accent color at some point and we will start working through that once we have our larger samples for a color board. I believe that the end result is a structure that will blend into the property beautifully.