My Project

Jim is here and renovations have begun. We are just getting started, or should I say, rather, that he is just getting started. Jimmy is particular about things, kind of like the rest of my brothers. There is a way he wants things to be. He works at his own pace. On the other hand, Jim is doing all of the work, or at least all that he can, at no cost to me other than materials. It seems a good deal for me, especially since he has to drive down from Edmonton each week to do the work, a three hour drive on Tuesday and a return trip on Friday night or Saturday.

The first step is the tear down. We are considering a couple of different ideas for the final layout; all of them include the complete removal of the existing bathroom wall, enlarging the bathroom and adding a wheelchair sized door. All the potential layouts include increasing the size of my bedroom door. So the tear down will take place in the bathroom and hallway regardless. This is where he is starting.

Jessica, my friend and the architect doing the layout ideas, is coming by tonight for dinner. We are going to debate the various merits of the approaches. All approaches imply widening either the hallway or my bedroom door and that means modifying one of the load bearing beams in the ceiling. The structural engineer wants the ceiling opened up so he can see the beam that goes across the hallway. That particular beam bears the load of the upper floor; moving it might cause serious problems with the building's structural integrity. The initial assessment from the engineer suggests we can extend the main beam but he won't sign off until he actually sees it in place.

Between Jessica, the engineer, Jim and the other intended subtrades, I think I have a project. Maybe that is a good thing. After all, I am a Project Manager by profession. Perhaps it's time I put these skills to work for myself. The pay is terrible but the work is interesting. The only challenge I will have is not upsetting Jim. He, as with most others in my family, doesn't like to be "managed". So, as with all other human relationships, I will have to use a light management touch, simply directing the overall view and leaving the details to the various experts. Some things never change.