<p>I’ve analyzed the size of the kitchen and I think that this refrigerator has to be side by side. This is because the ‘walkway’ between the two countertop runs is not that wide. We can’t have a refrigerator with a single door because it will take up too much room to open it wide. I’m actually a little worried about a French door refrigerator because the bottom freezer drawer has to pull out and it might make it difficult to work in the space. Probably will not be comfortable to try to back up against opposite counter while trying to pull open the bottom freezer drawer.</p>
<p>So, I’m sticking to a side by side for this particular kitchen space</p>
<p>Well, scratch that excuse for a side by side. I have a French door refrigerator in my home and there is an island countertop with 45" clearance. It works fine, I haven’t had any problems pulling out the drawer and working in the space. I think we will have about 45" clearance between the cabinet runs (I say ‘I think’ because everything always looks good on paper and then something doesn’t fit right, drywall sticking too far out, etc.)</p>
<p>So much for over analyzing the situation!!! </p>
<p>Also, when one opens the freezer drawer, one usually steps to the side to reach something. You’re not necessarily standing directly behind it. (Or I guess I mean in front of it.)</p>
<p>If it works in your home, it will work in this house.</p>
<p>CB, we have a counter depth Fridgidaire, and I am not a fan of it. Had to be fixed 3 times, cooling is very uneven, space is not very well organized. One caveat - my fridge is 14 years old, so past performance is not predictive of future results. </p>
<p>To be realistic, CB needs to get a fridge that looks good, not one that lasts for 10 years. She needs the potential buyer to think that they can live with it for several years, not feel like they need to replace it with something good right away.</p>
<p>I still think a french door with ice and water through the door is the way to go, because a) I think french door fridges are more desirable now b) I know that people who don’t like side-by-sides REALLY don’t like them c) I think that those who don’t want ice and water through the door will live with it, while those who do want it will find it a big lack. Also, it could potentially look like cutting corners, which is a bad impression. I have the feeling that people who are going to want a house this cute and with this small a kitchen are going to be more interested in what is hip than in a real cook’s kitchen. As in, they want a gas range and a hood, even though their cooking may not be hard core.</p>
<p>Well, I posted my 2 cents because there were some concerns about brand and overall reliability of the one that she originally picked. For me, Fridgidaire is a brand non grata. :)</p>
<p>On Friday morning the neighbor across the street made it very clear to me that he knew we were doing work without a permit. He kept asking a lot of questions and was not nice about anything. I know that he is a draftsman for building plans and a small contractor. He was actually getting in his car with plans on his way to the City to pull a permit for a client. I knew exactly what was going to happen.</p>
<p>I have no choice right now except to stop work, draw plans, submit to City and cross my fingers. I cancelled the new roof. We are not going to take the chance of starting to roof the house and the City show up on Monday or Tuesday and I am in big trouble. I spent the whole afternoon cancelling everyone, the rental dump truck, the laborers, the roof material delivery, you name it.</p>
<p>We will continue with prepping the exterior for paint and working on the landscaping and anything else that is allowed without a permit.</p>
<p>At this point the biggest risk is the new Office and the laundry room connecting to the house. As I said earlier, the Utility Shed is located on the property line. I don’t think I am allowed to turn it into liveable space. I have a huge risk back there. I cannot pull permits for electrical, plumbing, gas lines and new windows without the inspector seeing what is going on back there. I may have sunk a lot of money into something that has to be torn out. They are never going to believe that there was a toilet, sink, shower, water heater and a lot of plumbing in that shed because the original 1936 permit is very vague. I did take pictures but I doubt if that is too convincing to them. </p>
<p>This is probably the worst thing that has ever happened to me, and I did it to myself. I have no one else to blame. There is just too much construction going on around here to avoid the inevitable. </p>
<p>P.S. Guess how this all came about!! Mr Slimy Listing Agent - I could just kill him. Several neighbors have shared with me that they are very upset with what happened. They tried to buy the house and the Listing Agent would not even return their calls. They all assumed that I was in on some scheme to ‘take the house away from Walter’. They assumed I was in business with the Agent or the Estate Administrator. I tried to make it very clear that I have no relationship with them, the Listing Agent was not returning my calls either, but that I was aggressive and had to force a written offer. They are very angry and one of them said they are considering taking action against the Listing Agent. But there are a lot of hard feelings against me.</p>
<p>Obviously, what refrigerator I’m going to buy has become the least of my worries right now!!! I’m more worried that hundreds of boxes of things are going to start arriving and I have no place to put them because we will never be ready. All of the windows have arrived (Lord help me if the City will not let me replace windows) The entire kitchen is showing up Oct 23 and appliances Oct 24 and bath vanities Oct 28. New doors showing up next week. This is going to be a mess.</p>
<p>Hmm, if the inspectors are getting involved anyway, maybe you can point out that illegal dirt dumping when they’re there and they can make the neighbors that did it clean it up. I don’t know much about building permits. It makes sense to need electrical and plumbing permits but permits to replace windows? I hope you end up with a reasonable inspector!</p>
<p>Yes, the whole retaining wall issue is now a Pandora’s Box. I am only allowed to build a 36" retaining wall without a permit. Since I truly need a 72" retaining wall, I now have to draw a plan that shows the footings and everything. As soon as some inspector comes out to look at that mess there’s going to be a lot of explaining to do and I’ll be told that I have to coordinate between a million different City agencies and a Stop Work order will be issued.</p>
<p>I hate that you have hit this speed bump, particularly since it goes back to the jerk listing agent. Hope it smooths itself out as best it can - fingers crossed here.</p>
<p>Sorry to hear about the speed bump. Definitely not what you needed. Only good news is that you figured out that you were going to get turned in before ripping roof off. Hopefully city will be rational…</p>
<p>Where I live, I have heard that the inspectors randomly drive around and if they see signs of construction, they check to see if there are permits. This happened to a neighbor of mine and she had to have her unpermitted new basement drywall ripped out so the inspector could look at electrical and plumbing. At a 2.5% property tax rate ($7500 on a $300,000 house), people here don’t want the city to know about remodeled kitchens/bathrooms or additional 1000 square feet of newly finished basement living space.</p>
<p>Man… Why didn’t the nasty neighbor report the pond digger? The answer is obvious: he did not want to start a neighborhood feud. Much easier to pick on an outsider who is going to be gone in a few weeks! Hope karma will bite the slimeball realtor hard! Hang in there, cb.</p>
<p>So sorry to hear this news. Can you talk to the neighbors and make sure they know you went out of your way to help the original owner, returned valued items, etc (or see if the Fiduciary will speak up on your behalf)? You really only need one or two chatty types to spread the word. And if the city is going to be involved, get the dirt cleared by the guy who dumped it.</p>
She needs the potential buyer to think that they can live with it for several years, not feel like they need to replace it with something good right away.</p>