Patch Blog: The Home-Improvement Chronicles--Odds & Ends

Before we get to the thrilling after photos (and they are pretty thrilling), let's review a few odds and ends that didn't seem to make it into the narrative of the earlier posts.

These center mostly on the inconveniences that come with a remodel of this size, from dog blunders to a yard full of trash to the unhappy surprises. There are a few bright sides as well in the form of photos of my awesome contractor and new front door.

But as Operation: Home Remodel enters its fourth month, the inconveniences have been piling up. The biggest issue is the length, which has added to the expense and seemingly endless delays. And now that rainy days have arrived in Los Angeles, right in time for Phase 2's building of the deck, I'll be happy if we finish by the end of the year.

I know I shouldn't complain as I'll have a nice house at the end of all of this, and that fact alone is what keeps me going when construction dust burrows into my pores and gives me a rash, and the crew wakes me up far too early on a Saturday morning.

Check out the photo gallery for the odds, ends and captions that explain it all.

In case you missed earlier pictures of the remodel, these posts can help catch you up: