Project Update: The Oak Brook Project
Well, it’s happened. Fall is here and Winter is coming (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rs4XR4fbY8U). It always happens so fast. One day I’m hating having to wear jeans when it’s 90 degrees outside and the next I’m sporting my trusted Integro coat. It’s nice to have pockets though.
Between the weather changing, City inspections, plumbing fixture selections, rough installations, and a trip to Cape Cod - we’ve been busy. Our clients are ready to move in and we are cruising towards the finish line in a sports car.
The floors are varnished, the cabinets are installed, the can lights are turned on, and the smart home system is watching us.
All we have left is countertops, backsplash, accessories, door handles, random punchlist...and a 5,000 square foot concrete driveway.
Okay, this is not a paid advertisement, I must take this moment to express how awesome the Village of Oak Brook is to work with on projects. They are helpful, knowledgeable, organized, and have an abundance of resources to get things done. This has been such a rewarding project to work on and one of the many reasons for this is the Village. They are there to set us up for success and it is much appreciated.
Here’s an example, I go to the Village to tell them I’m about pour this driveway and they respond to me with a detailed drawing from 1983 (when the house was built) to show me EXACTLY where their pipes and easements are located. Now, if you are ever considering replacing your driveway, it’s important that you know that your municipality most likely owns a portion of your driveway and you need to meet their requirements. This is why I was at the Village in the first place. During our conversation, it felt like they drove by the house everyday and knew my project as well as I did - it was so impressive. Then, they offered to send people out if we could not determine the source of the flooding in the yard. I felt like flinching from the pleasantries like an abused puppy.
I digress.
So, we have 5,000 square feet of concrete to pour 6” deep. No biggie, right? Far from it. Let’s not forget that Phase II is the landscaping in the Spring! Do we want bobcats and trucks driving into the back yard to remove landscaping and hardscaping in the backyard over our brand new (warrantied) driveway? NO WE DON’T.
….so, we need landscapers to clear the yard first. Y’know, just a few guys to do some stuff:
Oh, also, we should remember that we want to move the mailbox when we do the landscaping in the Spring so the snow plows stop hitting it during the winters. Not a big deal...wellllll, except that this mailbox needs a light on it. Soooooo, we should probably get some electrical piping from the house under our new driveway and to the new mailbox location so we have somewhere to run our wires without tearing up our new driveway, right?
….and perhaps this mailbox light should connect with our smart home system? Mhmm...that’s another pipe. Do we know if we want a new sprinkler system? Hmm...maybe we should also bury some water piping under the driveway too…
Okay, so a 5,000 square foot driveway plus 350 linear feet of piping! We got this.
Thanksgiving here we come!
Maybe we should also think about installing the front door:
Want to see more projects? Check us out at Integro Rehab!