Fans, etc.

We've got the ceiling fans in the car ready to take to the house to install. I think I have all the utilities set and the trades scheduled for the post-closing cabinet installs and garage floor coating. We've got deliveries set for some new furniture, and the move our our heavy items scheduled. The nursery has some plants that were shipped FedEx late today for delivery on Wednesday.

I've not scheduled the Property Appraiser, but I think they'll find a way to show up.

I'll report progress / glitches next week, as we'll be very busy for the next few days.

Mail Box Keys, Irrigation System Appointment

Today I took my "closing letter" from Pringle and went to the Post Office in Mount Dora to get our mailbox keys.

I asked to schedule the initial "start up" adjustment of the sprinkler system and was surprised to find that the earliest appointment date I could get was two and a half weeks out. I guess I should have scheduled this as soon as I knew the closing date. However, the ValleyCrest irrigation technician said he could meet with me tomorrow for a quick check for any major problems. I just want to be sure that the plants and lawn are getting irrigation, as I see several homes with brown lawns and dieing shrubs / trees that appear to need irrigation. These are almost universally either homes not yet closed, or unoccupied homes.

I took my hose and watered the new sod section that was installed yesterday. I also got a second quote for lawn / shrub fertilization and pest control. I've got one more to get and then will decide. However, I really don't think I want to go with the first company, who told me they didn't like Zoysia Grass lawns. I think he was setting up for failure.

Scheduling

I've now got several trades scheduled in to work the afternoon of our closing.

- the electric, water, and gas companies will read meters and change accounts from Pringle to our name

- Florida Cable will hook up cable and internet from the street pedestal to the house

- Home Team Pest Defense will do the initial bug treatment inside and outside the house and will charge the Pest Defense System tubes

- M&J Blinds will install the window and door blinds / shades

- Artisticrete will start the garage floor epoxy treatment process

- our post-closing cabinets are scheduled to be delivered

- the cabinet installer will start installation.

I have added wiring shelving for Judi's Studio Closet and a garage wall purchased and ready to install. Before the closing, I will get and cut some added pegboard for the long garage wall. We really hope to unpack and put things where they belong immediately, rather than having boxes and piles of items to be moved around in the house.

We close on a Tuesday. Thursday is Thanksgiving Day. I've got one furniture delivery scheduled for Saturday and another one tentatively scheduled for Friday.

We're planning on moving the light stuff ourselves, along with help from some of our friends. The moving truck for the heavy items is scheduled for the Thursday after Thanksgiving. The last ten days of the month will be very busy.

Moving Plans

I booked the local moving company for a definite date in November, about a week after our scheduled closing. They will move the heavy items and we will do the lighter in our cars.

We close on a Tuesday morning. I've scheduled the window blind company to do their installation that afternoon. The treatment of the garage floor will also start the afternoon of closing, so there is plenty of time for the epoxy to cure before moving day.

The "post close" cabinet install is scheduled to start the day after closing.

Tomorrow I'll schedule the alarm system install.

Relocation Company

I made the tentative arrangements with a local moving company today. For a local move, I was quoted $80 daily charge for the van, plus $100 / hour for a three man crew. It will be roughly $1000 for a days work. Since the medical cost for me ruining my back trying to lift heavy items myself is likely much more than $1000, we'll hire it done.

Garage / Driveway / Patio Coating

We met with the company that provides decorative driveway and lanai / patio coating for Pringle. We want to have the garage floor treated with an epoxy coating before we move anything in to the garage.

We got prices and lead times. We'll likely do the garage immediately after move in, but may not spend the money for the driveway, walk, or porch/lanai.

Blinds Ordered

We met with a fourth blind company today, M&J Verticals from Leesburg. They were highly recommended by several customers, including our friends who used them this year for their new home in Legacy of Leesburg.

It was a good meeting with lots of information. The information provided, description of what they would do, and pricing were the best of all the companies, so we made the commitment and paid the deposit to have the blinds ordered. They should be available for installation by 11/06, which should be good timing for us.