House Progress 2

Exterior: I don't have a good before picture of the front left planter, but here's what I've got:

Front left planter was full of sandy dirt, weeds, beer bottle caps, cigarette butts, rocks, and all sorts of debris. I cleared it out, added potting soil, added basil and pansy seeds, and a weeping cherub to guard the house. Invaders better not blink!

After: I just got the first tiny sprouts!

Kitchen: Before - oh, avocado green 1971, I shan't miss you at all.

Demo in progress:

Dining Room: Removing the cabinets, changing the window-wall to a real wall. Found out that there wasn't a window, but a sliding glass door there. Reframed the wall, removing the door.

House Progress 1

Tin cap, step 1

Roof: The roof is done! Final inspection was today and it passed. We converted the flat part of the back roof to pitched so it won't have future problems from pooling water, an investment into the life of the roof.

Status: done!

Shingle in Progress, step 2

Finished

Bathroom: I've ordered all the supplies and hired a contractor to do the work. We're going to completely tear everything out and start fresh, even the floor. There is wood flooring in now, but it was put in after the toilet and vanity, so it also has to go. We're converting the tub to a shower (we have only used our bathtub 3 times in 7 years) and putting in a water-saving toilet with dual-flush (small or large jobs). I have ordered: the toilet, shower heads, lighting, vanity, sink, faucet, all the accessories (soap holder, TP holder, towel ring, towel hooks) and some of the accent tile for inside the shower enclosure as well as the tile for the shower floor. This Saturday, we're going to pick up the tile for the floor and the walls of the shower enclosure. The window is going to be replaced with hurricane-impact glass first.

Status: should start next week or the week after. Also needs paint and baseboards/base tile.

Water Heater: We have a contractor starting tomorrow to remove the water heater and replace it with a tankless system. We're also converting from gas to electric. The contractor is also going to look at the valve for the washer as it seems to have deteriorated and wouldn't shut off if we unhooked the old washer.

Status: should be done next week.

Hello, hunky inspector.

Kitchen: I've gotten 3 estimates on cabinets and am going for another one today. I have the demo starting next week to raise the soffit in the kitchen to allow for taller cabinets, and make the room feel larger as it's tiny. Also, they're going to add an outlet for the microwave over the range. I picked up the lighting. We took the big appliances out with bulk trash last week.

Status: still need: dishwasher, microwave, cabinets, back splash tile, paint.

Master Bedroom: The ceiling is going to be replaced from where the rotted roof ruined it with wetness and made level as it's crooked. That should be done next week. I bought the ceiling fan for in there. Dave was oddly specific as to how he wanted the light fixtures to look, but I was able to find something to suit us both. He doesn't like when the globe-light has a spot in the middle, as if for the pull chain, or decoration, but a clean surface.

Status: needs paint and baseboards.

Living Room: Am probably going to put off the aesthetics of how I want the room for now due to the budget. A shame, but there's only so much money and there are so many projects. I got a ceiling fan and a new ottoman.

Status: primarily on hold. Will paint. Needs divider removed, ceiling redone, bead board removed at 2 places, faux wall treatment drywalled over.

Pretty El.

Dining room: The way it is currently wired is wrong and likely unsafe. That will be fixed in the next 2 weeks and the ceiling fan installed that I bought. It is SO interesting, but I had to special order it so it won't be here for another 2 weeks.

Status: on hold until the fan arrives.

Office: This room really only needs paint and baseboards.

Status: nothing to do yet.

Large planter is to the right of the door.

Exterior: I bought a mailbox and paint for the front door. I need the mailbox installed before I can remove the one that's on the door, but I'm not at all handy. My skills with a hammer are laughable. I bought some little things to spruce up one of the front planters and will likely do that today or tomorrow. The awful awnings will be down by next week. Oh, and the front step will be redone in a couple of weeks.

Status: almost everything exterior is going to wait. I have grand plans to turn the large front planter into a water feature with a small fountain and some fish; ultra-modern. Replacing the windows is going to wait until we have a bit more money, also. Another to-do that must wait is the AC replacement.

House Project - Before Pictures

Before pictures of the new house, for interested parties.

Entryway. Odd wooden divider to be removed. Desk and trash to be removed at bulk pick up time.

Odd "barn wall" to be removed. Area to far right, with bead board, to be my reading nook, eventually. Used to be their dining area.

Living room with large windows. All windows to be modernized with impact-resistant (hurricane windows) in the next year. Hardwood floors throughout.

Front door, from reading nook. Wall near door is painted with an interesting yellow wall treatment. Previous owner was a painter by trade, so he did that. It looks nice, but won't match the new paint, so it's going.

Kitchen from reading nook. Original 1971 cabinets, tiny galley kitchen.Horrible green tile, everything you can see to be removed/replaced. 

Another view of kitchen. Door at left goes to 1-car garage.

Another view of kitchen.

Enclosed patio/Florida room to be our dining room. Wall at right where picture is, is actually a window from previous exterior wall. Window to be walled in for smooth wall, as appropriate for interior of house. All windows to be hurricane proof impact-glass in a year. Cabinets shown at lower right to be demolished and replaced with wardrobes serving as pantry and small-appliance storage (crockpot and such).

  Future reading nook, directly across from kitchen.

More views of future dining room, current Florida room / enclosed patio. We're going to have to replace all the blinds.

Another view of that window and lower cabinets.

From living room, hallway. Bathroom straight ahead at open door.

 At hallway, right. Closet for AC. Future office / front bedroom.

From hallway, office. Dave wants to extend the window lower so it can be viewed while seated at the desk.

 

Office closet.

Office

Hallway from office side. Master bedroom /back bedroom ahead, living room left, bathroom right.

Bathroom. Everything you see will be gone. Bathtub to be removed and changed to shower. Toilet to be replaced with dual-flush efficient model. Sink and vanity to be replaced. Tile to be replaced. Floor to be removed (wood) and tile put down instead.

Master bedroom / back bedroom. There is a hole in the ceiling from water damage from the flat roof. Roof to be replaced and flat roof will no longer be flat. Also, ceiling to be repaired, of course.

Master bedroom, comes with those cool organizers. Hole in ceiling from water damage to be repaired.

Master bedroom wall is painted wallpaper. Yep, really. This was an exterior wall, which is now the other side of the future pantry, so there is a window along this wall that is wallpapered over. Issue to be corrected and wall to be finished, smoothed, painted.

Master bedroom.

Hall closet, next to bathroom. Door currently has a hole cut in with a sign reading "Cat Toilet" which will be replaced with a solid door.

Front door. Mailbox to be replaced. Isn't it strange? Bushes to be removed. We're talking about lining the box planter that runs the length of the front of the house and putting a few fish and lighted fountains in, making it ultra-modern. All horrible 1970s awnings to be removed everywhere around the house. 

Front step needs tile replaced with something that is both sturdy and not slippery. Am looking for a custom welcome mat that says "Hello, Sweetie."

  This is the long planter. Wouldn't 2 fountains in there and a bunch of fish be awesome?

Back patio. Futon as well as their table and chairs and grill need to go out at bulk pick up time. Patio is made of pavers, but it wasn't installed appropriately so the edges slope. This project will likely get done in a year or more. This is the dining room / Florida room behind it. There is a door to the right that was not properly installed. A column is going to be added so the impact windows can be properly installed later, and the door may have to be smaller than standard size. As it is, it is not secure and could be simply kicked in. The house is vacant, of course, while work happens, but that's scary.

There's much to do. Much much much, but we got a great deal and we knew most of it going in. The sticker shock is still something I'm dealing with, but I have faith that it'll be awesome and personalized once we're done, though it may be a work in progress for the first 1-2 years.

If you'd like to see my project board, it has paint swatches, fixtures and appliances, some things for my wishlist, and you can get an idea of how my modern contemporary taste will transform this plain ranch style house into something farther from ordinary. Now for that magic genie to pay for it all...