Chapter 30 – Bath, Electrical, and real wood floors. (Day 92)

Lately Sakamoto-san and us have been exchanging emails almost daily on all sorts of details. Exterior colors, AC piping, etc. When we signed the building contract we had a general idea on colors and the estimate was based on the grade or quality of the materials. This allowed us to start construction without having to wait and decide every fine point. This is a major money saver considering how much one spends on rent in Tokyo. I’ve heard couples taking 1 year to plan everything, but we can’t afford to wait that long and so far it’s working out.

Below is one of the sketches which Sakamoto-san suggested in terms of color coordination and which we agreed with.

Below was the other option which we passed on. Unless you are an artist or are great at visualizing materials and color coordination then I would make sure your architect is willing to sketch out their ideas and suggestions. It’s really helps to make a decision quickly. HUGE TIME SAVER!

On terms of building progress, the bathroom is being installed this week. A last minute add-on was the Jacuzzi function. One of those things little touches…:)

The exterior of the house has been wrapped in felt and wire. This is the preparation for the stucco siding.

Our second floor patio has been water sealed using a fiberglass compound. This crucial or else our bedroom just below will have water leaking through. This is really the under deck as it will get covered with a wood deck. There are 2 main drainage area and 3 extra overflow holes just in case for those sudden heavy down pours.

Most of the electrical wiring has been run throughout the house along with Gigabit Network wiring. It will all terminate in the Utility Room and there will be a special shelf for all the networking equipment.

And finally REAL WOOD floors, not plywood with something pasted on top of it. This is real oak. Price wise it’s a little more expensive but mainly because you have to add coats of paint and/or varnish. The kids can’t wait to be able to roam around a little. We’ve been asked to keep them away from site visits until the big power saws are taken away. A very sensible recommendation by our builders.