I hosted before everything was done. You have most of your kitchen and a working bathroom. Everything else is negotiable. Now you have something to press the workers for and anything that isn't finished doesn't matter anyway. You can grill a turkey, folks can bring a dish -- it will be the company and the stories shared (yours and theirs) you will enjoy. That's why we get together -- to give thanks and share good food and good times.

My mom always said that if you're going to have a housewarming party, do it right after you move in because that way, you never have to apologize for the mess - it's expected. I think the same may apply here. Your family/guests will be thrilled to see the "almost done" house. That's the thing about Thanksgiving, it's the people that matter.

(Although, according to one of my children's middle school essays, Thanksgiving is about the various dearly loved extended family members political sniping!)

thanks - i'm actually not all that concerned about thanksgiving. I'm just losing it over all the delays, issues and mostly right now the new hardwood floors that look awful right now and have no poly! With workers coming and going I'm terrified they will get ruined. There is already one big gash and a bunch of scrapes and scratches.

Yes, I learned that that is the drawback of self-gcing. The trades will blow you off and you have zero recourse. They leave you half undone and they have no respect for your materials and things because they don't have to foot the bill to replace them like a GC would (theoretically - I've always had to foot the bill to replace all the stuff my GCs subs had damaged)

Deep breaths. I know it's so hard.

theoretically - I've always had to foot the bill to replace all the stuff my GCs subs had damaged

Yup.

I feel your pain phylhl. Our installer came to put the hardwood floors in the kitchen, hall and powder room yesterday. After he inspected the subfloor he felt we need to sand a number of spots before the floor is laid. That was a melting point for me. We just endured weeks of drywall sanding and dust and I thought it was behind us. So today, he is down there sanding while I hibernate in the bedroom. The worst part is I had already painted all of those areas and after the cabinets come next week, he has to sand the living and dining rooms before hardwood can go in there. And yes, they are newly painted too. The salesman never mentioned that this might be an issue.

I feel your pain. I have no advice except to suggest you might be able to grow rye or winter wheat. But I don't know your climate, or if it's too late to plant that too.

theoretically - I've always had to foot the bill to replace all the stuff my GCs subs had damaged

To paraphrase from Rudyard Kipling's Kim:
A GC is greatest blessing if of best sorts. Otherwise no earthly use.

Our kitchen GC was fine about fixing anything that was his or his subs mistake at no expense to us except for at the very very end we disagreed about whether installation was done correctly. We hired someone else to correct it since he didn't accept that it was a problem. It was a small expense in the total scope of the remodel and we were willing to just pay it, but when he learned we were bringing someone else, he fired us (cancelled our contract). The remaining small payment that would have been due him covered fixing the hood installation and a bit of paint touch up that was all that was left so that was fine with us.

The GC that did our family room and flooring was great - he had done a few small jobs for us before and we've always been happy with his subs. Only once have we had one of his subs cause damage: the guy pulling Cat 6 wiring broke through the drywall where the wall meets the ceiling in two spots on the other side of the wall from the outlet. Our GC was more upset at him then we were when we found it and had the sub send someone else out to fix it and check the installation.

I know what you are feeling right now. My renovation started fine, but now I am in limbo too. I am still waiting on the countertop 2 weeks after template and they are telling me the Nov 8th installation is going to be delayed again. Yesterday my electrician left many deep scratches on my new cabinet doors. Sigh...

Yes it's aggravating - all of it. We started the discussion/vote - who's our favorite worker/tradesperson that has contributed to this project? Fun discussion. We did not waste our time discussing the least favorites.

Today - painter made his way thru with a coat on lots of trim work and Kitchen guy hit all of the before backsplash punch list.

I'm heartbroken over my hardwood floors though - not only the expense to refinish but the scheduling and logistical nightmare! We will have to not once, but at least twice, clear out and not walk in that area for 24 hours plus. Old fridge is gone so can't re-establish makeshift kitchen in the living room.

Good progress on the master bath too - new granite is in, not as in love with the replacement slab as the original, but the tile guys are doing a good job and i'm not irritated about any cuts. I will be posting on the bath forum as I have some design decisions to make very quickly on the remaining tile layout.

thanks all.