Everything takes twice as long and costs twice as much

This photo of the swing bridge over the river was taken around 1910.  Like the wagoner crossing via the ford I usually have to take the long way around.

Okay, so the heading might be a slight exaggeration, but it seems that way at times.  Take my purchase of the church.  I paid nearly 35% more for it in August than when I tried to buy it in May.

The kitchen cabinets are costing me 33% more because I need to get the more expensive oak cabinets sanded and spray-painted.  The spray-painting is costing me 50% more than estimated as the spray-painter has to do a special clean of his equipment before and after he uses the paint products I’ve specified.  The cabinets are imported and despite ordering them in September I won’t get them until late January.

The roof window in the kitchenette is going to cost me more because the company I wanted to use no longer makes them, and I now may need to get it fabricated to order.  The french doors will also be a special order so that they fit the width of the existing window.  I will need to order both of them soon so that I can get them fabricated in the new year, but I need to wait for building consent approval before I can do that.

Installing insulation will be more expensive as I have to remove the floorboards to install it underneath.  At least that will make it easier for the plumber to install the plumbing to the kitchenette!  It will be more expensive to install insulation in the walls as I will need to pump it in for most areas.  I need to add new rafters to create enough depth in the roof cavity to install insulation.  And so it goes on.

I got a great piece of advice when I started out contracting and consulting – “work out how long you think it ought to take, then double it”.  That’s proven to be the case for the design and drawings, and I’m following that mantra for the consent and building phases.

Let the fun begin!

Next time:  December disappears into a haze of waiting