Grrr...

I stopped by the house today on the way to Lumber Liquidators to pick up underlayment for the laminate flooring.  The same basic product that Lowes and Home Depot was $9 a roll cheaper at Lumber Liquidators.  When your buying 14 rolls, that's a savings of almost $130.

Jack was progressing nicely on the house.  The air conditioner had been set and wired.  The circuit breaker box had 5 or 6 extra circuits which meant I didn't have to lose two existing circuits... plus, the electrician install a GFCI circuit outside next to the AC.  A nice little bonus.

All of the ductwork for the registers downstairs has been installed and Jack has started on the ductwork for the upstairs.  In older houses, this can be a bit of a challenge.  We sacrificed a built-in pantry in the kitchen for the main branch of the second floor distribution system.  Interestingly, you could see where a stove was piped into the chimney there.  Jack also pointed out a gas line running through the floor joists.  Built in 1902, this house pre-dates electricity and the lines were for gas lighting.

About the only frustration I have in with the replacement gas water heater.  I can't get the property off the City of St. Paul's vacant property list until it has a working heating system and a hot water heater (my grandparents did without one for 60 years).  Because it is on the vacant property list, I can't pull the permit to install it myself.  So basically what would have been a $400, 30 minute project is now going to cost me $900 to have it done by a licensed plumber.

Know where that $130 I saved on the underlayment is going????

Grrrr..