Based on our house, I think the estimate is reasonable. Our house is significantly smaller than yours-- 2400 sq. ft. and the plumbing began before the roof was on. Our plumber started June 28th, and now the plumbing rough-in (including HVAC ductwork) is about done. The plumbing needed to be done before the electrician got started (I assume this is because it's easier for wires to work around pipes & ducts than the other way around). The electrical rough-in should be done this week. They still need to pour concrete for the basement and garage floors and put in insulation before they can sheetrock (and obviously we need a floor in the basement before they can bring in the furnace & water heater). If they are sheet-rocking 6 weeks after the plumber started, I will be thrilled. FWIW, we have been told we can probably move-in 60-70 days after the sheet rock is complete. Originally we also hoped to move in in August, but now we're looking at October. Hopefully before snow flies.

There's not much you can do, that's the nature of that particular hide. Typically the more 'finished' the leather is, the more it can make those movement squeaking noises. The very first recliner I bought (my 1987 Hancock and Moore) is like that and it still does it today, 21 years later (yes, it can be irritating). I learned the hard way as well. Its not going to break-in or go away, sorry. You can try a little leather conditioner on the friction points, which is where the seat cushion contacts the inner arm. I've experimented with this and it does help some, but of course you have to remember to re-apply periodically. I now buy finer hides for my own personal use on motion furniture and with less topcoating they stay quiet and supple. In all the years I've been selling leather, I find two axioms on customer purchasers to be fairly constant. 1) Most people are very apprehensive to buy the finer 'unprotected' hides for fear they will soil and stain excessively (my experience with them in my own home with my own kids shows that to be not as much an issue as most people think it is). 2) The vast majority of customer (probably 90%) buy on price, and stay in the less expensive leathers which are finished / stiffer / squeakier. -Duane Collie

Power mechanisms have pros and cons to them on recliners. hey have the added cost of the motor, and the added cost of repair down the road as well. Perhaps the one thing many of my customers fail to realize, is that to get out of the unit, you have to find the switch and depress it, and its MUCH slower to come back to the upright position than a manual recliner. In my opinion, a well-balanced manual mechanism is a better bet and will be less expensive as well. I sell power mechanisms in my motion furniture primarily to older or frail people. -Duane

Motion furniture mechanisms will fail at some point. The better quality mechanisms use a higher grade steel, hardened riveted pins and are better engineered. Their motors much better built and this goes without saying: Built in the USA. Actually a power mechanism will outlast a mechanical mechanism because the power actually reduces the stress applied on the joints and supporting structure, compared to someone using brute force or leverage to open/close the mechanism. The problem lies if your purchasing lesser expensive power mechanisms made in China, as these are cheaply built motors and mechanisms, so your better off not getting the power units as it is "just one more thing to break".