Day 7 - All Hail Hardwood Floors

The phone rang around 11 AM.  It was Mike and there was no "hello" when I answered, just "Jen". You know that tone, like when your parents are pissed, but worse because this is your contractor and holy shit, something is majorly wrong and it's going to cost you a weeks salary. But Mike's a little dry, so I didn't freak too much. I gave the standard cautious "yesss" and then I hear the sweetest words ever; "We officially have hardwood floors in the kitchen!" This was music to my ears; the best news I could have gotten.  Thank you, little house!!! Mwah!

This is an uptick in my budget, one less item to shop for, and everything I wanted to compliment my sink!

I'm not really sure who was more excited, Mike or myself (although I'm learning that Mike doesn't get excited. Or angry, or... anything). I am impressed by the condition and how good they look and also by the lack of glue that held down the felt or whatever was on the back of the 2nd layer of linoleum. He assures me that they will sand down with no issues and look really nice.  Yay me!

Mike also reminded me that I have to go pick out granite. Enough of this shopping! Granite, however, is a sticking point with me. I had it in my mind that I wanted quartz. Everything I read said "go quartz". It's not like I'm hard on a kitchen. I mean, I cook, but I know better than to put hot items on the counter top based on years having "not-quartz". But still. I had my heart set on a little combo of black based quartz with green flecks. With a back splash in muted green mini subway tile. Can you not picture it?! But the budget is the budget and even with the upswing of the hardwood floors over the tile floors, it still isn't feasible. Mainly because I want to spend that money elsewhere. I'm seriously going to learn how to stretch a dollar on this project. That's another goal!

Other than that...Day 7 was pretty damn good. I hope the hardwoods run into the laundry room. Fingers crossed!

Day 6 - It's BATHROOM DAY!

During my lunch "hour", I went up to the house in order to walk through the "drawing" of the bathroom upstairs with Mike. 

That's it...that's how we roll in the big O. This fine artist rendering is actually on the wall that separates the current "finished storage space" (per tax records), which will become my "dressing room/retreat" whenever I get to it. The bathroom goes in between the main area and that room, so you have to walk through the bathroom to get to your clothes.  BIG discussion point with Mike. He doesn't like it. I think it's perfect! 

The big X in the upper right hand corner will be my shower, the small x is the stack and chimney which will be boxed in.  The doors aren't exactly what I like, but I feel like it might give me better floor space for the bedroom itself because I lose about 3 feet on the far right for an access door for the plumbing (line that runs up the right side of drawing). I originally wanted them to be inline with each other, giving me some cross breeze, but I think this is a good call. The toilet is, well, you can see it. Based on current dimensions, the vanity could be up to 60 inches. I have to think about that. There will be tile floors, but due to the age of the home and my fear of ruining the ceiling downstairs, the shower will be a very nice curved alcove shower. Tile is too heavy, so nothing super fancy. I plan on having a gray vanity and light gray or cream tile floors and accented yellow walls. That's my plan, subject to change as always.

This meeting also determined the choice of insulation. Icynene will be blown in, which means that I won't lose a lot of head room (have to make space between the roof decking and the dry wall and I was prepared to lose up to 8 inches but now will only lose 3). I also requested a sky light in the bathroom. That's still open for discussion but I think it's a good add-on based on how dark the bathroom may be. Can you say "change order"?

We have progress, folks! More than I expected!

Day 5 - It's Like a First Date

Initially I felt bad for my contractor. A newbie to home renovations and a habitual smart ass and chronic potty mouth, I'm probably not the front runner for "Customer of the Year". So I tried to be cool, I really did. I think I only "squeed" out loud once.  But in my head, I was doing a happy dance. Possibly twerking. I'm not telling.

At any rate, our meeting was short and sweet. We took more measurements, he walked Ben around (hello Ben!) and went over the requirements for the rooms. We talked about the time line (I'm moving in by September 30th, come hell or high water) and I got my "homework". I keep hearing that it's the homeowner that usually holds things up. They don't pick out the finishes in time, or the items are back ordered. I have no intention whatsoever of being the roadblock on this journey!

We discussed my desire to have hardwoods in the kitchen, making the entire 1st floor cohesive with hardwoods throughout. I got the "good luck with that" look and was told to start picking out the kitchen items first. Including tile for the floor. Fine, FINE! Not what I want, but I can't be the quintessential princess all the time. Temper tantrums on the first day would be a bad look.

As we got to the attic (which is the biggest part of this project), Mike decided that he needed the plumber to help us finalize the layout of the master bathroom I'm adding. It's funny how differently people view this addition. Mike didn't want to have to walk through the bathroom to get to the "dressing room" and I wanted it separate, to give it some form. He thought a hallway would be better, I thought a hallway was a waste. But I knew generally what I wanted and we'll see what we come up with when it's finalized.

Today was also the day when the Stevens Center (men's homeless shelter) was picking up the items that were salvageable from the weekend clean out. I love that they pick up, on certain days, and can't thank Bob enough for handling this for me.

I'm finding that probably 30% of the windows in the house are either stained shut (the kitchen is the only painted room in the house) or in such disrepair that no one has opened them in years. Because there's no air conditioning right now, and it's humid as hell, I think that I will focus on this in the later weeks.

I'm also bothered by the smell in the damn basement. Yes, it's musty but...it's MORE than that. I scheduled the guy to quote a new hot water heater, and hopefully after the mold remediation is completed, all will be well. No one else smells it but me. And to me it's...oily smelling. Which could be the 2 old coal rooms. But we'll see.

I've been looking for someone to mow my lawn because I sold my mower when I left Indy. I actually flagged a guy down on the street today. Nice guy. Gave me a flyer. Probably thought I was a nut job. And some days, he's not far from wrong. But I figured if he's mowing in the neighborhood, he was a known entity and therefore a safer bet than...oh... Craigslist! Which I did end up using. I placed the ad for my Vintage Norge/Borg Warner Electric Stove and now I wait. I feel like I'm getting REALLY GOOD at waiting... NOT. Here's a picture of the stove if anyone knows anyone that may want it... please....it needs a good home!

Here's the only peek at my kitchen floors that we could manage with my pry bar. That's from the hallway, going into the kitchen. Isn't that lovely 1970's linoleum? And sub floor. And more linoleum. Fingers crossed.

So far, things are progressing as I pretty much thought.  We'll see what tomorrow brings.

Day 4 - I'm Ready...Where is Everyone!?

I know nothing eventful every happens on a Monday, but I had really high hopes for Day 4. I'm counting the days mainly for me, to see how long this project really takes. Plus, I have a little counting OCD thing. The more you know...

At any rate, Day 4 was the day of phone calls.  Here's how my day went:

1. Contractor - Surpised it happened (a week late) and we will meet on Day 5, by the sink.

2. Plumber - This guy gave me a quote back in March - message not returned. (Lesson learned, boys...I don't chase. Not you, not a man, not a bus. Maybe a meal. On to the next.)

3. Lawn care recommendation - (see number 2)

4. Mold Remediation - Will call me back later in the week.

Before I go too far, I feel the need to explain a few key points.

This isn't for everyone. I don't mean living through the renovation. I mean the "before". All the things I had to do from February thru July. Including the waiting (which was the worst). And not screaming in the face of every coworker and friend who asked me, "what's up with the house?!" People! It's kinda like my dating life...if something was going on, you'd know about it. I'm a damn open book!!

Because of the type of lending I chose, I had to have all my ducks in a row. This meant that all bids, quotes, paperwork, statements, balances and, if I had one, rights to my first born, had to be perfect. The bank that owned this short sale (US Bank) had requirements for lending; conventional, not HomeStyle Lending (which is Fanny Mae renovation lending) and closing within 60 days of final approval. Easy, right?

Herding fricking cats is easier.

To this point, I am thrilled with my lender, Wells Fargo, especially the team that worked with me. They have a product called "conventional renovation" lending which is similar to a regular mortgage PLUS a construction loan with the exception of a few things; the two loans aren't separate so I don't receive or manage the cash for the construction loan. Wells Fargo has a construction manager who inspects all work for any draw that is requested by the contractor and I never have to touch the money. The General Contractor has to be certified and then financially approved, the bid goes through rigorous reviews, is "sniff tested" for padding and I can't physically do any work that would be paid back through the loan. It wasn't easy, and I have to give a big shout out to Austin and Mike at Design Tech Construction. They complied with every request Wells Fargo sent them. Even when it seemed redundant and obtrusive. After all that, I KNEW without a doubt that I had chosen the right contractor and the right bank.

Let me also say that the housing market in my location was prime for me to buy a house like this. Short sales with a renovation loan aren't, in my opinion, worth it unless the house has a ton of hidden equity in it (seems like a no brainer, right? Au contraire). In addition to the above criteria, I had to make sure that the purchase price, plus the cost of the renovation, PLUS 10% that the bank adds on, didn't exceed the appraised value of the home, post renovations. Otherwise, the amount over the appraised value was coming out of my pocket. And I didn't and don't have that type of money. Without divulging, I can say that this house has the hidden equity and there is value, as the appraisal came in slightly above where I thought it would end up, meaning I could keep some of my cash. (Spoiler alert...that cash is gone!) I celebrated with a few beers that night, trust me!

I also want to caveat my decision to buy THE SINK by saying...I watch too much HGTV (mainly the Property Brothers, because...HOT TWINS!). I mean, my contractor is a good looking guy, and I've plotted my own projects in the house by channeling my inner Nicole Curtis, but I'm pretty sure I'm no Bob Vila. I'm going to tackle my own projects, as you will see. I own tools and painting supplies (although I got rid of my yard items 3 years ago). But every day brings new stresses and shit I never even thought about. And we haven't even opened up walls yet, folks. The planning is likely to kill me. Along with the little things (plumbing) that pop up. And the SHOPPING. I didn't sign up for shopping. But I signed up to make the sink shine, so I'll finish it. It's the journey that counts, right?

Day 3 - The "Before" Pictures

Day 3 was spent on the phone, scheduling meetings with the contractor, calling the mold remediation guys, finding someone to mow the lawn, hiring a plumber for the work not included in the renovation budget (hot water heater), writing down more items on my ever growing list of "things" I want and trying to figure out how I'm going to work 50 hours a week and manage this project. I'm very lucky to have a flexible job and friends who will help where they can. But even I don't know what I need all the time, so that's a challenge as well. 

Mom always said I never took the straightest path to get where I was going.I guess this won't be any different!

I took the opportunity to take all the "before" pictures. This should give you an idea why A) people drove past this little gem of a house and never "saw" it and B) why I fell in love with the sink (and maybe the house too...)

This house is currently 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom with a formal living room, dining room, sun room (den) and a finished storage space in the attic. Born in 1922, I'm trying to research the family that built this house. I have the original blue prints and some pictures (which I'll share when I remember to bring them home). I just REALLY feel that this house needs to shine. The neighbor behind me told me that 4 houses were built around the same time and mine "was the most expensive". I'm telling you... this house is SOLID. It has really good bones.

When I'm done, it will be a 3 bedroom, 2 bath house. The main floor bath and the kitchen will be updated (the kitchen less so in order to keep it within the Craftsman period). A master bedroom and master suite, with a walk in dressing room, will be added in the attic space adding approximately 480 square feet. I have no immediate plans for the basement, although it has a lot of potential as well. All the hardwood floors will be refinished. The bushes will be cut down, the garage will (eventually) have electric and a garage door opener (eventually being before the snow flies).

So without further ado, here's the home that houses "the sink".

There's a really cool porch behind there! The house is north facing.

The side yard (east), basically the view from the street.

The west side of the house, the driveway wraps around 

My little, manual, garage

Side yard looking north

Back of the house, with too many doors

The galley kitchen (uppers are glass front)

Bedroom #1, probably my office

The bathroom

Bedroom #2, the guest room

Formal living room with cedar lined built in window seat

French doors leading into dining room

Dining Room (they left the table)

Den/sunroom

Built in's in the den (looking into the dining room)

The steps to the attic

Where all the magic will happen (in the future)

Finished storage room/ future dressing room/walk in closet

Looking back into the attic space

Day 2 - The Fun Never Stops

After an exhausting day 1 (I was asleep by 9 PM), day 2 started out slightly cooler. I hate to sweat, but it's clearly something at which I excel.

Day 2 brought the muscles of Cody (and myself) to haul up 2 couches (neither of them sleepers, thankfully,but there's one of those on the main floor) and a old style 50 inch TV (I believe it was the tube kind) that "worked" but needed some part (according to Anthony). So it went to the curb with a "FREE" sign and was gone by the end of the day. I also counted this as my "workout of the day". After all, Cody is my personal trainer! I took pleasure in the fact that he was sweating too! I don't think he thought it was funny when I kept saying, "can't you call some strong guy friends?" We got it done. I only complained a little (a lot).

Heidi came along to help clean out the closets (coats, more gallons of paint, a ton of coat hangers and more "stuff"). Bob brought donuts and diet Pepsi, light bulbs and rags, buckets and plastic ties. And then he went to town on the garage. Here's the difference between Bob and I...I was thrilled that we had actually gotten the gross crap out of the garage and the "keep" stuff out of the basement and into the garage, in some semblance of order. Bob, however, attacked the garage like a man on a mission, sweeping, organizing, sorting and making it look so much better. Thereby reducing the risk of critters (there was bird seed all over the place.) Plus, you have to love a man who knows how to use a broom. Too bad he's married....

Heidi also acted as my main tour guide when visitors showed up, as I swept and scrapped the basement floor. I have to have mold remediation done, so I didn't want papers and pieces of balloon animals (wtf) going down my drain. I'm sure my visitors understood.

And finally, it was noon. I was so done for the day. Plus... I had committed to going to River Riot.  I'm not the smartest tool in the box some days. But I figured I needed a break. Thanks to Melissa for putting up with my tired ass as we met and watched some really good bands! In the heat. Oh well, it's summer. I have to suck it up.

Here's some pictures of our accomplishments. It also gives you a peek at the house "before" renovations. The sink is next on my list...and a big list it is!

The bathroom, divested of the previous owners toothbrushes (for real). The tub, floor and medicine cabinet are staying. The pink tags you see around the house are from when they winterized the house (and the antifreeze in the toilet). As much as I like purple, that rug is GONE!

A clean basement!

All the OLD screen windows were stacked up here

Old coal storage room (complete with coal chute) 

Old coal storage room #2

This is the creepy root cellar (we refer to it as the "puts the lotion on the skin" room)

The former home of 2 couches and a TV.

Day 1 - The Clean Out Part 1

Two "not so good" things happened on my first day as an official homeowner. One, my folks left to go back home. The short sale closing had been postponed a week, they had scheduled the trip thinking I would have the house, but it just didn't happen.  Short sales suck. So while I had plenty of time to spend with them, the second "not so good" thing happened...

A heat wave.

Heat indexes of over 105 degrees.  I don't like to sweat, with certain exceptions. And my little house had no air conditioning. It was also full of STUFF. I was dreading it, but I was on a timeline. The contractors were coming on Monday or Tuesday. I had to suck it up and risk my manicure. I donned a sweat band, a tank top, tennis shoes and stopped at Dunkin Donuts. I couldn't start without coffee!

A big shout out goes to my friend Sue for working like a madwoman (and getting to the house before me) to help me clean out the attic full of paint and chemicals, the basement full of screens and storm windows and icky stuff in the old coal rooms. Plus the garage full of STUFF. I don't think I can ever repay her and she'll never really know what this meant to me! She saved my ass, big time.

My house was full of weird shit. And I do mean shit. Steak knives in strange places. Magic trick books. Balloon animal kits/tools (we think). Books on how to be an entrepreneur (I can only imagine), VCR tapes, clothes, bathroom items just left and...milar balloons. Not to mention the too numerous to count shelving units (which I will clean and keep). Seriously weird stuff to just LEAVE. OH and cookbooks of every genre imaginable. But Sue came to my rescue and worked non-stop for over 3 hours. In the heat. With me bitching about sweating. Because that's what I do.

Melissa brought me a (round) box fan, which made a huge difference. Thanks for my house warming gift!

She was followed by Bob and Anthony, who also helped move stuff around, bought me an air filter for the furnace (just to turn on the fan) and made me leave around 2:30 when the heat and humidity got unbearable. For them I am forever grateful.  I have wonderful friends.

Various people came to see the house in its "pre-renovation" state, which I highly encouraged. I'm pretty sure I didn't tell anyone that there was no A/C... Sorry!!

Thanks to Bridget, Cody and the kids for my blue bird of happiness, which makes my little home happy. And Monica for the coasters, which I will use! 

I'm sure I'm forgetting something or someone. It was sooooo damn hot that day!

The fruits of our labors on the first day included a small dent in the construction dumpster, a clean attic, a somewhat reorganized garage and several added items to my list of things to do/buy. 

The day the sink became mine!

I know, rationally, that no one should buy a house because of a sink. Yet, I did.

In October of 2014, I saw a listing for a house I immediately wanted.  And I mean, immediately! I called the listing agent as I drove past the house and was told the house was in pending status. I was so sad. For months I watched this house sit; the grass growing taller, the bushes surrounding the house growing larger. I stalked it on Zillow. And yet, no one moved in. No activity was seen. Until December 31st when a new realtor sign showed up on the lawn.

I didn't make it 2 blocks down the road and I was calling my realtor.  And by January 2nd, I was in that house, looking at that sink and trying to decide what to do. And by January 18th, I had made my offer hoping that I was doing right by this little house.  And by me.

I was making a commitment to Omaha and a commitment to this house. It was a huge decision.

Did I mention it was a short sale? I'm not very good at being patient. 

But on July 17th, almost 6 months to the day, I bought my sink. And a house that really deserves to shine. This could be a very humbling experience.

My goal here, while channeling my inner Nicole Curtis, is to share my renovation and my daily activity, to capture every piece of this experience. My accomplishments (and potential failures), the activity of my construction crew and the input from my friends and coworkers will all be part of the fun, the challenge of making a home and writing a blog. Because I have to make this fun, or I may lose my mind.  The only saving grace is that I'm not living in the house while I try to revive it. That would be insane.