Almost There...

I can't believe we are seven days into 2008! Happy New Year to all of you who are following our project! It has been almost two weeks since my last post, and much has transpired during the interim. Although I do have some new photos, I think this will be largely a narrative post...mainly because we have learned a number of new lessons. The title of this post reflects a huge transmigration of sorts, since we have (for all intents and purposes) been able to vacate our RV and move over to the house! This was accomplished none too soon, because "cabin fever" had settled in and threatened to undo all that had been done. On Christmas Eve Day, we packed up our toothbrushes and headed for Kona-side with hopes of outrunning the rain and even finding some sunshine. We spent Christmas Eve at the Sheraton Keahou watching old movies comforted to know that the whole world was not under water! We celebrated Christmas Day basking on the beach.

Since then Katie and I have been painting madly...I think we have brushed and rollered about fifteen gallons so far...primer, walls, ceilings, etc. The results have been stunning...it actually looks and feels like a real home. Due to budget constraints, we had decided some time ago to build some "temporary" countertops and shelves until we could afford the real thing. This was to be plywood carpentry...I bought some 3/4-inch interior plywood at Home Depot...but as you will see in the photos, even plywood is affected by the humidity, so I had some major warping to deal with. Nonetheless, we have achieved functional utlility, and with some nice Douglas fir trim, it won't look too bad.

We called our plumber (who you will notice has NOT been named) and told him we wanted the water supply system hooked up since we had all the components plus 10,000 gallons of water in storage. We desperately wanted hot water, a washing machine and dryer, a shower, and oh yes...a real toilet! Since he was also doing the propane, it meant we could connect the new stove, as well.

OK...time for one of those lessons. Almost everything that comes to Hawaii is shipped by container and can be subjected to destructive forces beyond your wildest imagination. In the past week, we have had to return a half-dozen items that appeared undamaged but upon opening/starting were useless. These included a $300 dehumidifier, a $500 water pump, a $600 UV water sterilizer, and a $50 toilet tank. Suffice it to say that you are well-advised to inspect your purchases carefully noting that even an undamaged box can hide all sorts of wrack-and-ruin within! Thankfully, most retailers will admit this fact and will replace items with few questions asked... A case in point was the water pump which looked like it had been dropped from about thirty feet, despite an intact box. The supplier was sympathetic, but who could know who caused the damage or when it occurred? They agreed to give us a new pump "at cost." When the new pump was brought in, I insisted on inspecting it. By God's grace, it too was smashed...and we got a another new pump...this time, free of charge.

Lesson number two: beware of buying something from one business and having it installed by another. This creates a no-accountability situation with you in the middle and owing both...the plumber blamed the supplier, and the supplier blamed the plumber! Of course, this is sometimes unavoidable like when you buy a light fixture from Sears and have the electrician install it. But you would be wise to open the box, inspect it for broken parts, and let the electrician know that you have found it in good condition, so if something doesn't work, you can at least argue with some degree of certainty about who broke it.

Lesson numero tres. When the drywallers had finished, we were faced with extremely humid conditions, cool temperatures, and interminable drying times. I had some experience with dehumidifiers and had found them very effective in damp basements. Few people here talked about them despite the well-known issues around mold and mildew. We bought the the biggest unit Sears sells (70 pints/day), and in two days, the place felt completely different. Since then, we only run it to keep the humidity at about 65%. Of course, the thing uses electricity, but we feel the benefits are worth the costs.

Ultimately, we got the water supply system working, and it is great. The Bosch instantaneous water heater supplies all the hot water we need, and all the appliances remind us that maybe the "good old days" weren't all that good. Lesson 4...propane is the way to go in Hawaii with electricity costing about fifty cents per kilowatt-hour, but propane appliances require a lot more set-up than electric ones. Most have to be "converted" from natural gas to propane, and that should be done by a technician. Problem is most retailers (like Sears or Home Depot) don't do it...and don't tell you it may cost you an additional $100-$150 per appliance. We found someone on-line that did both our dryer and range for $100...but beware of the hidden cost of propane. Buying quality used might be a good idea, but it still requires a plumber just to tie into the gas line.

A couple of days ago, the weather changed, and we have enjoyed three gorgeous days in the high 70's and negligible rain. And as an "old-timer" here said, "It's like childbirth...when the sun comes out, you will quickly forget the rain" and she was right. Everything looks better, the plants have perked up, the birds are singing, the RV has dried out...even the coffee tastes better! The photos tell all.

I've never seen 3/4-inch plywood do this before.

Examples of rough countertops and shelves...I'll add some Douglas fir trim and more shelves, and it will look "cabin-style"...all the rage, you know?

Here's Katie trying out her kitchen and new cast-iron sink at breakfast...note the sunshine through the window.

Desk and computer area to be completed...

Living room...yes, that's a television!


Same from a different angle...

The electrician should be here tomorrow to install all the upstairs lights, outlets, and fixtures. After that, we will be pretty much on our own....finally!