We bought our current home 2 1/2 year ago. It was a foreclosed home and required a ton of work. It took us 5 months to repair the 1 foot hole in the roof of the family room, rip out miles of stinky carpeting, hang drywall, mud the walls, prime the walls with three coats of primer and finally paint every wall and ceiling in the house. We also tore down the surround on the deck which prohibited the deck from ever drying out completely. We also had carpeting installed in all the bedrooms and the living room and family room. Last year we put up privacy fencing, built a storage shed and added raised garden beds. Lately, Mike has completed hanging wains-cotting in the stairway.
There are still some things that we would like to do on the house: install hardwood flooring in the kitchen and dining room, replace the upstairs vanity and flooring, hang new drywall in the upstairs hall and one bedroom, also the main floor rooms need to be repainted. We would also like to replace the siding on the exterior of the house.
Our original plan was to purchase the house with cash and completely refinish the interior and exterior of the house, then resell the house within five years. We're about 2/3 of the way through with the renovations and I'm happy with what we've completed. The remaining projects will either be hired out to professionals or are projects that I would enjoy doing.
Mike has suddenly began to look at new properties. We've driven by several homes. One in particular had a number of things that I would like our next home to have without a lot of remodeling left to complete. The problem is that I'm not ready to pack up our household of 9 people and move again. If we complete the remaining projects, we will be able to do quite well on resale.....even at the current home prices.
I also want to see the house project finished. So much of my day is spent doing tasks that are never done. All the cleaning, laundry, and even schooling are never finished. I want that feeling of accomplishment that comes with the completion of a huge project!
Another reason for my lack of enthusiasm is that my youngest girls are just beginning to feel like this house is home. They no longer ask if we can go see the old house or tell me how much more they liked their other bedroom.
We also have 1 college graduate, 1 college student, and a high school senior living with us currently. Our house needs will be changing soon as the oldest children move on to their own adult lives. In another 2-3 years, we may not need 5 bedrooms! We would like our next home to be a house that we stay in for a long time. Do we really want to heat unnecessary spare bedrooms?
Mike and I talked about moving sooner than our original plan over a dinner date last week. He was disappointed that I wasn't thrilled with the idea. I tried to explain my thoughts, but don't think he agreed with my concerns.
If he finds a great home that he wants to buy, I'll be supportive. I just hope he doesn't find one soon.
Showing posts with label home repair. Show all posts
Showing posts with label home repair. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Home Repair Update
Katie's graduation open house is next Sunday afternoon. We have rented a picnic pavilion at a nearby park to hold the event, but won't be surprised if some of our extended family decide to stop by the house to visit before or after the event. Mike and I have been using the open house as an incentive to complete some of the smaller projects that weren't competed last year during our major renovations.
We had a few problems with the toilet paper spindle. Someone was using the toilet paper holder as an arm rest. The holder was reinstalled twice in slightly different locations before the culprit stopped accidentally pulling it off the wall. We were left with some unsightly holes. A few months ago, the holes were filled in and the multiple layers of sealer dried and were sanded. Repainting the bathroom wasn't high on my priority list, so we had beige walls with white patches for several months. Last week, Mike found some paint that matched the downstairs bathroom. I spent Tuesday morning repainting the entire bathroom. It looks really nice. Beige isn't my favorite color, but it is lovely to have walls that are all one color again.
When Mike replaced all the dry wall in the family room, he never got around to putting the trim around the sliding glass doors or the windows. We had purchased, stained and varnished the wood, but it rested on the floor behind chairs and couches for the last year. While I was painting the bathroom, Mike installed the window trim. It looks beautiful! I love the finished look and the missing boards on the carpet.
If there is time, I'd like to get the stairway repainted. There is paneling on the walls and I put 3 coats of primer and paint on the paneling as far as I could reach. The top portion still needs to be finished. With my tremendous fear of heights, the remainder of the painting needs to be done by someone else. I won't be too upset if it isn't done before the party, but I'd really like it to be done by the end of June. Mike has some outside projects that he wants to complete, so the hall will probably wait a few months longer. Still, it's wonderful to see some of the smaller things get finished.
We had a few problems with the toilet paper spindle. Someone was using the toilet paper holder as an arm rest. The holder was reinstalled twice in slightly different locations before the culprit stopped accidentally pulling it off the wall. We were left with some unsightly holes. A few months ago, the holes were filled in and the multiple layers of sealer dried and were sanded. Repainting the bathroom wasn't high on my priority list, so we had beige walls with white patches for several months. Last week, Mike found some paint that matched the downstairs bathroom. I spent Tuesday morning repainting the entire bathroom. It looks really nice. Beige isn't my favorite color, but it is lovely to have walls that are all one color again.
When Mike replaced all the dry wall in the family room, he never got around to putting the trim around the sliding glass doors or the windows. We had purchased, stained and varnished the wood, but it rested on the floor behind chairs and couches for the last year. While I was painting the bathroom, Mike installed the window trim. It looks beautiful! I love the finished look and the missing boards on the carpet.
If there is time, I'd like to get the stairway repainted. There is paneling on the walls and I put 3 coats of primer and paint on the paneling as far as I could reach. The top portion still needs to be finished. With my tremendous fear of heights, the remainder of the painting needs to be done by someone else. I won't be too upset if it isn't done before the party, but I'd really like it to be done by the end of June. Mike has some outside projects that he wants to complete, so the hall will probably wait a few months longer. Still, it's wonderful to see some of the smaller things get finished.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Accomplishing Lots of Things
Mike and I have been busy getting home upkeep type projects completed. Sometimes, it seems that we never spend time together; we only see each other in passing. It feels good to get some of these projects completed. There is still a lot to do, but here's our current list of completed projects this month.
Garden marked off, framed, and filled with good soil.
Garden completely planted.
Major tree trimming finished
Kitchen completely washed and organized.
Repair on bathroom wall where toilet paper spindle was pulled from wall.
Toilet paper spindle replaced. :)
Deep cleaned Paige and Allie's bedroom.
Removed hot tub and hauled off to the dump.
There are still quite a few things that I'd like to get finished before Katie's open house, but I'm really happy with the things that we've already finished.
Garden marked off, framed, and filled with good soil.
Garden completely planted.
Major tree trimming finished
Kitchen completely washed and organized.
Repair on bathroom wall where toilet paper spindle was pulled from wall.
Toilet paper spindle replaced. :)
Deep cleaned Paige and Allie's bedroom.
Removed hot tub and hauled off to the dump.
There are still quite a few things that I'd like to get finished before Katie's open house, but I'm really happy with the things that we've already finished.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
House Update
Joe and Madelyn shoveling us out at the new house.
There's good news and bad news. Mike, Madelyn, Kaitlyn and his parents worked hard on the house last week. They installed all the dry wall in the family room, tore out all the sub-flooring in the family room, and hauled a lot of construction materials out on the deck for removal. Madelyn, Joe and I spent 3 days priming and painting. We completed Madelyn's bedroom, the upstairs bedroom (painted in the same green and white because I bought too much paint) and the stairway.
While installing the drywall, Mike discovered that the sliding glass doors were not level. We knew that the floor needed some leveling, but were surprised that the doors were not. After ripping out the sub-flooring, we discovered that the outside sill (I think this is the right term.) needs to be replaced to level the floor. Our deck is on the same wall, so Mike called our contractor. The deck needs to be removed to replace the sill. This is a problem. The deck is enclosed with a 6' privacy fence and holds the hot tub. This is going to be a huge project and I'm guessing pretty expensive. We're supposed to move in 3 weeks. I've been doing a lot of packing. The kids are either pumped about the move or crying themselves to sleep each night. I don't want to prolong their wait or agony.
The contractor stated that the floor wasn't going anywhere and we could delay the repair, but could not install the hardwood on the existing floor. So the floor is not going to be fixed know (probably this summer or next spring) and we're installing inexpensive carpeting for the short-term.
Life is never dull.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Painting, Painting, Painting
I drove to the other house yesterday to paint the living room. When we headed out in the morning, the sun was shining. About 20 minutes into our 1 hour journey, Mike called to tell me that we were heading into a snowstorm. There were multiple cars in ditches and one roll-over on I-94. It took us well over an hour to drive the remaining 30 minutes. Visibility was only 150' through much of the final leg of the trip. Madelyn wanted to choose the paint color, so we made a quick stop at Walmart. Along with the paint, I purchased soup, crackers, and water in case we were stranded at the new house.
The painting went well. Madelyn chose a spring green with a white ceiling. I love this room! It is so cheery and has a huge amount of light. While I was painting, Joe went outside a shoveled out a path to the car and down the sidewalks. Mike called me around 3:30 and said that the highways were in good condition and that I might want to head for home. The journey home was uneventful. I need to return to the house today to finish the living room and work on the upstairs bathroom and the stairway. Maybe, I'll finish the downstairs bathroom also.
The painting went well. Madelyn chose a spring green with a white ceiling. I love this room! It is so cheery and has a huge amount of light. While I was painting, Joe went outside a shoveled out a path to the car and down the sidewalks. Mike called me around 3:30 and said that the highways were in good condition and that I might want to head for home. The journey home was uneventful. I need to return to the house today to finish the living room and work on the upstairs bathroom and the stairway. Maybe, I'll finish the downstairs bathroom also.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
A New Look
The kids and I spent yesterday priming walls and ceilings at the new house. Because I'm the tallest, I did the majority of the ceilings. After completing our 3rd ceiling, I went to wash my hands and face. What a surprise when I saw my reflection! My contact lenses were speckled with white dots! While painting the ceiling, flecks of primer were landing in my eyes. I don't know if I should be glad that I was wearing contacts and didn't get the paint directly on my eyes or sorry that I was stuck with irritating lenses for the remainder of the day! Mike brought me a gift that evening, a pair of safety glasses.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Busy, Busy, Busy
We spent the weekend at the new house. Friday, I picked Amy up from college for the weekend. She tutors some homeschoolers in English and writing on Fridays. Her students are my good friend's older children. My friend invited the younger girls and myself to come visit during the tutoring session. Paige and Allie were thrilled to play with their friend Chloe and I enjoyed adult conversation.
Saturday, I took Amy, Katie, Joseph, and Madelyn to the new house. We pulled out the carpeting in the family room, bagged it, and loaded the yucky carpeting in the trunk. Not all the carpet bundles fit, so the remaining bags were left on the deck for pick-up another time.
Measurements were taken of the rooms and some of the windows. There are no window treatments in place. The lack of window coverings did not bother me, until I went to use the upstairs bathroom. The window is directly in front of the toilet, facing the street. We grabbed an old towel that I had thrown in the car for drying hands and used it as a temporary curtain. Dry hands are over-rated anyway.
I was finally able to see the basement. It is scary!!!!! Katie mentioned that if we attached shackles to the wall, they wouldn't look out of place. The basement will be used for storage. It's an old Michigan basement that has been broken up into small rooms.
We had to head back home fairly early because Katie was going to a homecoming dance with a nice young man from our church. She had a good time. She wore a teal dress with a black over-skirt and gold belt.
Sunday afternoon we headed back to the other house to continue our work. Steve, Joe, Madelyn and Kate removed the carpeting from the living room. The home had been owned by heavy smokers and the carpeting in the living room was old and smelly. They cut the carpeting into strips and bagged it up. I got the dining room windows, walls, and light fixtures washed. Joe washed the woodwork and door frames.
Some of the children worked on removing leaves from the enclosed deck and checking out the hot tub. We still don't know if the hot tub works, but the children have high hopes. Katie trimmed some of the bushes. Joe loves plants. He spent some time exploring all the various types of plants in the yard, noticing the berries on many of the shrubs. I spent a few minutes explaining to Paige and Allie that they were not to eat ANY berries until the plants are identified.
Amy washed the kitchen walls and windows. Katie washed the cupboards in the kitchen. I washed the laundry room walls. Stephen helped remove the wall paper in the little girls' bedroom and bagged up the trash.
Paige and Allie made friends with a family next door. The family has 13, 8, and 4 year old girls and a 4 year old boy. The mom and dad greeted us when we were working in the yard. There seem to be a number of families nearby with children in a variety of ages. Hopefully, my children will meet some kids before winter arrives.
We decided to break for lunch and eat the sandwiches that we had packed into a cooler, then discovered that the cooler was at the other house. Oops! Amy ran to Meijer and picked up lunch meat, bread, and chips. We ate a really late lunch.
Amy and I re-attached the door that the previous owner had removed from the laundry room and the door to the basement. My in-laws arrived a short time later for the grand tour and stayed to visit for a few hours. After they left, we packed up carpeting in the back of both cars (Mike had come down after getting out of work.)
Saturday, I took Amy, Katie, Joseph, and Madelyn to the new house. We pulled out the carpeting in the family room, bagged it, and loaded the yucky carpeting in the trunk. Not all the carpet bundles fit, so the remaining bags were left on the deck for pick-up another time.
Measurements were taken of the rooms and some of the windows. There are no window treatments in place. The lack of window coverings did not bother me, until I went to use the upstairs bathroom. The window is directly in front of the toilet, facing the street. We grabbed an old towel that I had thrown in the car for drying hands and used it as a temporary curtain. Dry hands are over-rated anyway.
I was finally able to see the basement. It is scary!!!!! Katie mentioned that if we attached shackles to the wall, they wouldn't look out of place. The basement will be used for storage. It's an old Michigan basement that has been broken up into small rooms.
We had to head back home fairly early because Katie was going to a homecoming dance with a nice young man from our church. She had a good time. She wore a teal dress with a black over-skirt and gold belt.
Sunday afternoon we headed back to the other house to continue our work. Steve, Joe, Madelyn and Kate removed the carpeting from the living room. The home had been owned by heavy smokers and the carpeting in the living room was old and smelly. They cut the carpeting into strips and bagged it up. I got the dining room windows, walls, and light fixtures washed. Joe washed the woodwork and door frames.
Some of the children worked on removing leaves from the enclosed deck and checking out the hot tub. We still don't know if the hot tub works, but the children have high hopes. Katie trimmed some of the bushes. Joe loves plants. He spent some time exploring all the various types of plants in the yard, noticing the berries on many of the shrubs. I spent a few minutes explaining to Paige and Allie that they were not to eat ANY berries until the plants are identified.
Amy washed the kitchen walls and windows. Katie washed the cupboards in the kitchen. I washed the laundry room walls. Stephen helped remove the wall paper in the little girls' bedroom and bagged up the trash.
Paige and Allie made friends with a family next door. The family has 13, 8, and 4 year old girls and a 4 year old boy. The mom and dad greeted us when we were working in the yard. There seem to be a number of families nearby with children in a variety of ages. Hopefully, my children will meet some kids before winter arrives.
We decided to break for lunch and eat the sandwiches that we had packed into a cooler, then discovered that the cooler was at the other house. Oops! Amy ran to Meijer and picked up lunch meat, bread, and chips. We ate a really late lunch.
Amy and I re-attached the door that the previous owner had removed from the laundry room and the door to the basement. My in-laws arrived a short time later for the grand tour and stayed to visit for a few hours. After they left, we packed up carpeting in the back of both cars (Mike had come down after getting out of work.)
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Thirty Days Left
Only 30 days, until the next school year begins. We have decided to stop searching for a new home, due to lack of time. We're going to fix up our current home and place it on the market in the next two years. I will be doing a lot of the work, but I enjoy diy projects and really need to do things that will help get me out of my funk. I haven't been able to shake my depression this summer and it seems to be getting worse. Michael even suggested that I go see "someone".
My oldest two students will be taking 2 classes each at the local junior college in the fall. Katie will probably attend full time for the second semester, while Steve will continue taking 2 classes. This will give me more time to teach the younger two girls to read and work on projects for the house.
Katie, Madelyn and Paige had a great time at camp. Katie and Paige tied for 3rd place in the canoe races. Madelyn won 1st place in the sand castle competition. Paige was disappointed that she only got 3rd in sand castle, but plans to "beat Madelyn next time." As you can see, sisterly love abounds around here. Madelyn also won 2nd place in the fishing competition. She's my only daughter that likes to bait hooks.
The boys returned for their camping trip, with friends from church, on Sunday also. This is the third time that the Molls have taken the boys camping in a camper. We tend to camp in tents, so this is a real treat. Camping has decreased a lot in our state this year. The Molls were the only people camping in the entire camp ground. This park is normally fully booked all summer and fall. Steve found a Timex Indigo watch in the bottom of the lake. Surprisingly, the watch was still working.
My list of projects to complete this summer continues to grow. Here are the projects still needing to be completed:
Wash the exterior of the house
Paint exterior of the house
Scrape and paint the exterior of the garage
Paint the youngest girls' bedroom
Tear out and replace the ugly tile dining room ceiling and replace with dry wall
Complete lesson plans for the upcoming school year
Paint the dining room
Touch up the paint in the family room
Sort out the school cupboards
Sew Christmas gifts
Sew birthday gifts for 6 of my children
Cut down a pine tree in the front yard and remove stump
Replace side door on the garage
Replace picture window in the living room
Obviously, I won't get them all done by September 3, but I'd like to make substantial headway.
My oldest two students will be taking 2 classes each at the local junior college in the fall. Katie will probably attend full time for the second semester, while Steve will continue taking 2 classes. This will give me more time to teach the younger two girls to read and work on projects for the house.
Katie, Madelyn and Paige had a great time at camp. Katie and Paige tied for 3rd place in the canoe races. Madelyn won 1st place in the sand castle competition. Paige was disappointed that she only got 3rd in sand castle, but plans to "beat Madelyn next time." As you can see, sisterly love abounds around here. Madelyn also won 2nd place in the fishing competition. She's my only daughter that likes to bait hooks.
The boys returned for their camping trip, with friends from church, on Sunday also. This is the third time that the Molls have taken the boys camping in a camper. We tend to camp in tents, so this is a real treat. Camping has decreased a lot in our state this year. The Molls were the only people camping in the entire camp ground. This park is normally fully booked all summer and fall. Steve found a Timex Indigo watch in the bottom of the lake. Surprisingly, the watch was still working.
My list of projects to complete this summer continues to grow. Here are the projects still needing to be completed:
Wash the exterior of the house
Paint exterior of the house
Scrape and paint the exterior of the garage
Paint the youngest girls' bedroom
Tear out and replace the ugly tile dining room ceiling and replace with dry wall
Complete lesson plans for the upcoming school year
Paint the dining room
Touch up the paint in the family room
Sort out the school cupboards
Sew Christmas gifts
Sew birthday gifts for 6 of my children
Cut down a pine tree in the front yard and remove stump
Replace side door on the garage
Replace picture window in the living room
Obviously, I won't get them all done by September 3, but I'd like to make substantial headway.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Spring weather and work
The warm weather arrives today! Our temperatures have been in the 30's and 40's for quite a while now, but today that begins to change. Balmy tempertures will be in the 70's and 80's for the next 4 days, then high 60's for the next week! My neglected children have been playing outside in shorts (I have to confess that the 4 year old keeps going barefoot) when it's only 45 degrees. When I force them to wear jackets and shoes, the proper clothing ends up under the trampoline or hanging on lawn furniture or lost in the sandbox. My children are as anxious for warm weather as I am.
After the paper routes get delivered, the children and I are going to remove all the kitchen doors and take them outside and sand them. Tomorrow is designated Paint the Kitchen Day, so the older kids will be keeping an eye on the younger children while I paint the cupboards. When I last painted the cupboards, I matched the paint with the ceiling paint in my family room, called toasted almond. In the family room, the color looks like a warm beige. The family room walls are a color called golden brown, but looks like pumpkin pie. The kitchen cupboards ended up being a peach, which I really didn't want, but didn't have the money to repaint. Now the paint is chipped and needs to be redone, so my conscience is clear. No wasteful painting for me!
The paint I purchased is called Prairie Brush and looks deep celery green. Hopefully, I will like the end results!
After the paper routes get delivered, the children and I are going to remove all the kitchen doors and take them outside and sand them. Tomorrow is designated Paint the Kitchen Day, so the older kids will be keeping an eye on the younger children while I paint the cupboards. When I last painted the cupboards, I matched the paint with the ceiling paint in my family room, called toasted almond. In the family room, the color looks like a warm beige. The family room walls are a color called golden brown, but looks like pumpkin pie. The kitchen cupboards ended up being a peach, which I really didn't want, but didn't have the money to repaint. Now the paint is chipped and needs to be redone, so my conscience is clear. No wasteful painting for me!
The paint I purchased is called Prairie Brush and looks deep celery green. Hopefully, I will like the end results!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)