This week we have focused our energy on a few different things…
1. Finishing the bathroom art project (we’re getting there!)
2. Making progress on the porch (the ceiling is finally finished!)
3. Creating a master budget spreadsheet for the 2010 project. We have used spreadsheets in the past to help determine quantities of materials and compare prices among different suppliers, but this is going to be the mother of all spreadsheets. That’s right…a comprehensive list of materials and supplies organized by CSI division (Construction Specifications Institute – the same format we use as architects). Given our big plans but very limited budget, it’s important to get a good grasp on all the associated costs so we know how to prioritize. We’re also hoping that some thorough pre-planning will help reduce frequent trips to the home improvement stores and save some valuable weekend hours! Kyle has already spent several hours researching materials, determining needed quantities of things like drywall, lumber, flooring, etc. and assigning a price per unit for everything we’ll need. It’s great to see all the info in one place and helps us identify the high cost areas. Once we start construction, the spreadsheet will serve as a shopping list of sorts. In short, we think the spreadsheet is our new best friend.