Crawling to the starting line

We moved out in mid September, expecting to begin demolition by the end of October. As it turns out that was a little optimistic, and early November is more realistic.

In order to get a demolition permit a few simple-sounding tasks need to be completed.

• Abatement work to take out any lead or asbestos. This was a matter of writing a fairly modest cheque and waiting a few short days. We are now lead and asbestos free and we've got the holes to prove it.

There used to be a lead pipe in that hole

• A fence needs to go up around the property. Another modest check and not a long wait. The fence is now up - along with a set of construction rules which makes it all seem thrillingly real and like it really might be a construction site - someday.

I literally clapped my hands with glee when I saw this fence 

• A neighbourhood meeting. In the UK this would be a nerve wracking opportunity for nimbies and nostalgia lovers to trash your plans. But here no-one can actually block the project, since we're building to code and according to the zoning rules. Apparently pre-covid these meetings were sparsely attended but these days a lot of lookie-loos show up. It's really just about answering questions.  Still, it must be done and done it was but apparently we didn't give enough notice so now we're doing it again. 
• The gas line needs to be abandoned, and physically cut off. This was a tragicomedy in three acts involving a trip to a sketchy Walmart payment center, a tense denouement during which I spent literally 3 hours on hold to SoCal Gas, and a tidy resolution involving me Fedexing a cheque and an angry letter to SoCal Gas, all against a Greek chorus of passive aggressive emails between me, Ash, the builders, and the Field Engineer. Finally the hole was dug, the Field Engineer got his authorization to cut the line and the line was duly cut.

There used to be a gas line in there

• The electricity also needs to be cut off. I requested this from SoCal Edison a few days ago and it's been radio silence since, but Ash excitedly reported a sighting of a SoCal Edison guy looking ruminative outside our house yesterday, so we have our fingers crossed that means things are moving.

None of this stuff is insurmountably difficult. But it's bureaucratic, and tedious, and finicky. Once we're through it - in another week or so - we'll tear down the house. The demolition will take a day or two. That is to say, about 1/30th of the length of time it took to get permission to tear it down.