Day 131 - We Have A Wall

Progress:
Today when we went out to see the house we were very pleased to find that we now have a wall.  By the end of the day I wouldn't be surprised if they finish at least one more wall.

We brought them coffee and timbits and we really do have a fantastic crew for our framers.  Bob The Builder is actually a retired (although must be young retired or he's aged very well) airforce guy.  So far we would recommend this crew to anyone.

Day 130 (Over 4 months) - 114 Days of waiting

Progress:
So since the last time I updated the blog it was Oct 21, 2011 so it's safe to say FINALLY!!!  Last post was done after a month of waiting and after over 4 months of waiting for Jayman MasterBUILT to get framers it's also safe to say it's about time, it shouldn't have taken this long, and we are rightfully frustrated.

After a long time of Jayman telling us "Oh it will be next week" "It will be in the next couple weeks" to "We can't find framers" we finally have them.  Supposedly everyone was having troubles finding framers from them all going to Slave Lake (because of the fires) to there not being many.  From the outcome of everything it just seems to me (yes, there is a shortage of framers) that Jayman MasterBUILT is very very cheap.  It took them 3 months to start THINKING about paying the framers more and offering a more competitive wage.  They said they would be raising the prices of what they pay the framers and in the end they'd "have" to raise the prices of the houses because of it.   In the end though they did not give the framers competitive wages per sq/ft and are paying less.  They are paying $6 per sq/ft while the competition is paying $7-8 for the same thing.  To be honest I don't know why the framers that they do have now are working for less.

I sent them an email on Christmas Eve regarding since this was a very unrealistic waiting time without anything being done to the house if there were to be any consideration in regards to the framing as well as inquiring about the survey they've been telling me about for the past 4 months that I have not received (at this time depending on the questions they ask they might not get the best answers).  Either way those parts of the email were ignored in their reply back about the framing. 

We talked to the framing crew today and they seem exceptionally nice.  At first when we were talking to them they didn't know we were the people whose house they were building (very personable).  They joke about how they call themselves the ABC Crew as their names are: Amanda, Bob (yes, we have our own personal Bob The Builder), and Cameron.  They were also very open to answering all our questions about what they were doing and how they do stuff and what they plan to do next.  On the bright side they did mention that the people that poured the frame did it very well and that they wouldn't have to alter any of the framing because everything was already perfectly straight.  I think tomorrow we will bring them coffee and doughnuts (keep them warm and energized).

I am very thankful that we have a very relaxed landlord where we are as it would make this wait a bit more difficult nor are we having the hassle of selling a house.  I can't imagine if this was happening and we had to line up a house or move because of a lease ending.

I'm also excited to say that I have officially stood on the main floor of the house for the first time!  It will be where the back door is.  Hopefully the good weather keeps up so we can get the outside of the house finished fast.  It's been such a good winter for building houses (not for White Christmas' though).

Day 61 - More Stuff

Progress:
There looks like there is a potential for them to start today but that could just be me being optimistic.  There is more supplies though, granted I don't really know what they are but I take it as a good sign.

 

I would be nice if the framing pops up like a daisy and is done by the end of next week.  That is a extremely high hope.

Day 60 (Month 2) - Stairs?

Progress:
I don't know if they constructed them on the site or if they just had them delivered but either way we now have stairs.

 It looks like all of the stairs they will need for our house are now on the property.

So close to framing yet no action yet.  Being very excited make the wait seem oh so much longer.  The impatience (and excitement) now is from both of us and not just me.

Day 58 - To Frame Or Not To Frame...We Have The Supplies!

Progress:
We have wood...for the framing of course!  The people at Jayman said that the framing will start early this week and I went at lunch.  Even if they didn't do anymore than this for framing I am a happy camper because it logically means it will be starting soon.  I guess now we can start to worry again for rain (now snow too) not to fall!

The Atco people came by on October 3rd to see if our lot met the standards for being able to start the natural gas hook ups and such.  It looks to have failed the first time (I might be reading it wrong) and then from what I saw it looks like the came by a second time and it was approved.

I will be going there tomorrow after work and hopefully more will have been done.  It looks like there could be rain on the 27th and a chance or snow or rain on the 29th of this month.  I will be keeping my fingers crossed that the framing just pops up like a tulip does in the spring time!!

A hint of the house

Day 52 - News of Framing

Progress:

So the news we received today is that our framing will be starting early next week.  It makes me very happy that they emailed me to tell me that as I know they don't have to and that they knew I was getting a bit antsy waiting for the framing to start.  We should be rescheduling the meeting with the head guy (Mike) soon as well.

Day 47 - Phone Call

Progress:
So there hasn't been any progress at the house but I did phone Jayman to get the status of everything and a few clarifications.

When the head guy (Mike) didn't show up apparently that was the week he left.  Back story is that when he started to work with Jayman it was the first company that offered him a job and he took it.  The last head guy (Blake) left him such a mess to deal with and the fact that he is having difficulty finding good tradespeople (everyone is) that another company offered him a job and he took it.  I said that isn't it a little bit unprofessional to just leave and not tie any loose ends up like meetings?  Eddie's guess (Sales Associate at Jayman Innovations) was that Jayman locked him out of the computers as they have confidential information on there (granted I don't think that should be a problem as they should have gotten him to sign a non-disclosure agreement with him regarding that information).  I asked why they would want someone like that back and he said that someone very high up has seen his work and knows he's really good so they decided that they couldn't let him go and I don't know paid him more or something to stay.  Either way he's back and i'm not sure how I feel about that.  The only sort of contact i've had is for the no show meeting which has still left a bad taste in my mouth (metaphorically of course).

The second thing that I asked about was the framing of our house.  I asked if it would be another couple weeks or if he knows.  Eddie didn't know but tried to explain the framer shortage.  Apparently some years there are many and some years they're lean but this year they're hard to come by.  Supposedly a combination of Slave Lake (it had brutal fires this year that destroyed a lot of the town) and other places paying higher as well as when contracts end they'll sometime go to the oil rigs and make a lot of money there.  It still feels like an excuse to me but i'm going to choose to buy it otherwise i'll be paranoid about the building of my house.  I'm sure after this framing fiasco everything will run a lot smoother.  Eddie said that a loose guess is that it will be about 5 more months till the house is ready so that will be February and that a good head guy can make up a month of delays by making sure all the future contractors (painters, cabinet maker people, flooring, etc) are all lined up perfectly without a week in between.  I'm hoping on that scenario.  There won't be a better estimate to when the house will be done until they are in the drywall period of the house.  The head guy hopes to have all the houses that have started building around when we did done before the snow hits...but the way Edmonton is going that could be tomorrow for all we know.  I'm hoping it's a late winter this year as we had snow all the way until June this year which is appalling.  Portland would be nice :)