IKEA Delivery Today

Had my kitchen delivered today. A kitchen in pieces. Most of the pieces.

The IKEA kitchen event was quite popular. They were out of a lot of things. Good thing I don't need things installed for months. I was expecting a stove, but I guess they were oversold. So I'm now expecting a gift card sent my way for $999 + GST. 

$2700 delivered and paid for (if paid for means on my IKEA credit card with payments deferred for a year). Another $2251 to be ordered when in. They better honour the Kitchen Event for the remainder.

As the process goes on, my living room has become a storage facility.

Before delivery:

Boxes as left by delivery:

Boxes after I moved them (Thank you Tetris for developing these skills):

They were in a rush. But paying $125 for delivery and still having to move boxes, not my idea of value for cash spent.  Nor what my lower back had in mind either. Ow.

Hmmmm, delivery is $119 + GST for a purchase over $3001. Since they didn't sent my stove, that puts it between $2001 and $3000. Shipping for that is $99 + GST. They owe me $21 more. So they owe me $1069.95. Odd that they don't charge delivery by weight, as their system tells you what the weight will be and the number of packages to be delivered when you set it up.

I was impressed that I got a call, though automated, to evaluate my delivery service. I was still checking if I received all the right packages. I couldn't find all the codes on the boxes the way they laid them out. Though the connection to a customer service rep for the delivery company that delivers for this IKEA was a just the opportunity to leave a voicemail in the end.

I'd better remember to follow up with this. Money owed back is good to have. 

Now for my fridge, and washer and dryer to be dropped off next week.

 

Garage Apartment Update...

So here we are, the end of March. I'm glad to say my insurance claim has finally been settled. Cheque received, most of line of credit paid down. To my joy, after emailing my adjuster a month or so ago, I received another cheque for my loss of rental income for the time that the insurance claim and tear out had taken. That headache is now done. 

I had my post retro evaluation a few weeks ago, so I had insulation replaced prior to Amerispec coming by. I just waiting on my report to be mailed so I can apply to CMHC for possibly $5000 back from my mortgage interest. That would be awesome. Not to mention, my rebates from the federal government and the city.

Progress has been made on the Garage Apartment front. After much needed guidance going awry, thanks to my Great Canadian contact, I was connected with Engelman Construction, who has been great to work with and who are working on my official plans to be submitted for permits. Thanks Dan and Alex.

As part of applying for permits, I had dropped off letters and basic plans to all my neighbours within 60m a week and a half ago, for their comments. Yesterday I returned to their mailboxes, hoping they had left comments on  my letter. Some there, some not. Knocked on doors. Some home, some not. Some changes to be made, minimal, but the top floor will need to be flipped i.e. a mirror image from what I have now.

We plan to apply for permits in a week. Then wait for 2 - 3 months for that process and then hopefully off to construction for another 3 months. 

Hopes were that the Cornerstones program would still have funds, but sadly they are out. Darn timing. However, it appears there may be a similar program come spring. I hope timing doesn't mess with that too.

In the meantime, I am so committed to this happening, I have purchased my IKEA kitchen, with my IKEA credit card during the kitchen event so I will not have to pay for a year. Cabinet colour changed to an off-white to keep the small space bright. Also new plans mean that this will be a mirror image of what is shown.

My kitchen (in needs to be assembled boxes) is being delivered on Tuesday. Delivered to my living room for the next 6 months. Including microwave with vent, range, sink and faucet. I will be ordering my countertops through my contractor once cabinets are in. Makes more sense that way. 

 

 

I have also ordered my apartment sized fridge (on sale for $799) and apartment sized washer and dryer, to be delivered in about two weeks, to hang out in my current kitchen for 6 months. 

I already have my bathroom cabinets and most fixtures already purchased, and they are waiting to meet their purpose.

I'm excited for the next 6 months and getting to choose the finishes for inside and outside. And finally being able to rent a space I am proud of and would want to live in myself.

Stay tuned. Much more to come....

Can't wait.

"In Search of Perfection"

In search of perfection.
Perfect for me.
Perfect together.
Respectful Debates.
Compromise.
Consideration.
Acceptance. 
Comfort.
Sustainability.
Easiness.
Joy.
Myth.
Myth?
Neuroses telling me so.
Telling me it doesn't feel right because I want too much.
Do I?
Telling me it's not possible.
Is it?
When will the words; 'you're sweet', 'you have a good heart', 'I like you', 'you're beautiful',
turn into; 'and I want to be with you', 
instead of; 'it's just not right'?
When will it be enough? And for who?
Optimism.
Optimism?
In search of perfection.
Perfect sets of flaws matching together.
Staying together.
Navigating the ups and downs of life.
A life lived.
A life shared.
In search of perfection.
A void 'I' cannot fill. 
The hope an 'us' can.
The wish that 'I' could.


© J. Foulston

"He Can't"

He reaches out to me in his writing,

But he can't with his arms.

He reaches out to me in promises,

But he can't with his truths.

He reaches out to me in hope,

But he can't when the darkness is there.

He can't.

So, I can't anymore.


© J. Foulston

"Stitches"

A Broken Heart,

       Shattered years ago.

Slowly piecing itself together.

       Mistakes made. Lessons Learned.

       I Hope.

Beginning to Trust and Love again.

The stitches there,

       Became easy to tear.

Trusted. Loved.

       Lost.

His Heart mirroring mine.

       He needs Himself for Him right now.

I need Him for Me right now.

       Healing takes its various forms.

His healing breaks me.

A Broken Heart once more.

Slowly piecing itself together.

       Please no more mistakes to be made.

Am I doing the right thing?

Am I ready to move forward?

Can I?

       Every move in that direction,

       Coupled with a tear in my eye,

And a swelling in my heart.

The stitches there,

       On the way to repair?

© J. Foulston

"Do It Yourself"

So I did a little calculating. Got out my Real Property Report, took to google to find a square footage calculator, plugged in the numbers and figured out what 12 % of that is to know exactly how big my garage (accessory building) can be. 

Twelve percent is 480 sq ft. A 20' x 24' space is exactly 480 sq ft. So if I didn't need exterior walls, we'd be in business.

I took to google once again to try to figure out the average thickness of an exterior wall, they can be anywhere from 6 - 9 inches. This meant I'd have to lose a total of 3 ft from my current 20' x 24' plan. Given the layout and the already tight squeeze, I managed to make it a 18' x 24' interior space, and hope I can get away with 7" exterior walls, making the square footage 482 sq ft. I hope the Development Planner isn't too picky. I could lose a foot on width if I downsized a couple of my cabinets. I really don't want to do this.

So overall, I have to shrink the depth of my storage closet in the middle by a foot, use a smaller door to the bedroom to bump my storage closet out as much as possible, at least 9". I have to shrink the depth of my bedroom by 2 ft, and the depth of my living room by a foot and bring my cabinets in the kitchen closer to the stove cabinet side by a foot. I can shrink the width of my bathroom by a foot, so I can get an extra foot of width in the bedroom closet. 4 ft is really not enough to move with clothes hanging in there.

I hope the space feels liveable. I hope the living area and kitchen have enough of an open concept to make the now 9.8' x 10.8' living area non-clostrophobic. The bedroom will now be 8.5' x 10.7'. The bathroom to be 6' x 6'.

Okay Home Depot here I come. Their job; make my official plans. Then all the fun of the applying for permits and getting my neighbour's within 60 m to okay my project with proof of their signatures. And submitting info about my neighbour's homes, and heights, and Argh!, all before I can submit my application. Damn Discretionary Uses.

One day, hopefully this year, it will be complete...

In the mean time, as in now, I need to make sure I address all the left over energy efficiency things I can. I need to add some insulation and vapour barrier back in the basement, so I can get my post energy evaluation done, more money back and hopefully save some CMHC mortgage interest too. I better confirm my booking for my post evaluation. March is sure coming fast!

"Garage Apartment Continued..."

I had fiddled with the upper cabinets in the kitchen, and had to shrink my bathroom a bit to accommodate the extra 7 inches I needed to steal. This meant I had to adjust the layout a bit too, which meant shrinking the bedroom a bit as well to allow decent traffic flow.

So, I took to the Ikea Kitchen Planner once more, so I'd have a better idea overall with the inclusion of some actual walls and scale beyond my own sketches.

This is where it ended up...

Next step is to go to Home Depot to have my plans made into real plans. Then apply for permits. Then hopefully construction will begin in the spring. 

I still need to make sure that a 20' x 24' internal living space measurement is okay in regards to the regulations for the total size of my accessory building being max 12% of my lot size and meet the side setback regulations. My contractor has been extremely busy, though I must say it is frustrating asking the same question multiple times, not getting an answer because every foot counts in a less than 500 sq ft space.

On the bright side, I already have a new low flush toilet, sink, bathroom cabinets for my bathroom, and green glass mosaic accent tile in my garage, as they were originally intended for my basement bathroom reno that went astray with the entire basement being basically ripped out, the secondary tile I had wanted for my bathroom not coming in and may not come in. 

So, yay to money already spent, meaning yay to less money being spent now.

And with kitchens and bathrooms being the most expensive, half down ain't bad. 

Also, I can fit a 39" x 33" shower that's compact, but none of that neo-angle junk in there, with lots of storage, thanks to Ikea's 15" depth Lillangen cabinets.

The adventure continues...