Derailment

So there has been a slight derailment in our plans.  When we purchased the home we jump started our activities in renovating the home.  We also sled down the slippery slope of home remodeling.  We started pulling at old wires and entombed pipes that led nowhere.  It quickly became a gut rehab.  That said, when it came time to apply for a permit we were denied.  We got caught with our hands in the cookie jar of home remodeling gluttony!  We were doing too much on our own (electrical, plumbing, hvac) without the guidance of a set of professional architect drawn plans.  We had certified/licensed professionals lined up to do the work (ie an electrician, a plumber and a HVAC guy) but the plans that we submitted weren’t drafted by an architect and we weren’t working with a contractor.  We halted and started our search for an architect. 

Finding an architect that understood our situation was not an easy task.  Many architects we talked to didn’t seem to understand that we only needed a set of professional plans from them and not their artistic opinions.  We were lucky enough to find a good architect who was sympathetic to our situation and was patient enough to put up with my family!  (Imagine: five people all trying to talk at once, throwing out random questions, speaking in broken English mixing in with Italian)

As of today, we have the set of plans submitted to the Village.  Since we had already submitted the application, this submission is considered a revision.  We are awaiting word from the Village on the approval (or not!) of our permit application.