Saturday, August 22, 2015

Days 35 thru 37 - Slow And Steady

For the most part, the progress has been slow and steady. If I didn't go and check out the site every day, I probably wouldn't notice the changes in the house. With the exception of the work I'm doing on the cabinets, the progress is almost unnoticeable. Almost.

The inspections on the mechanical and electrical are done and have passed. That's a major accomplishment. There are a few concerns I have (the electrical runs through where I thought I would have a couple of access doors) but for the most part, it looks pretty slick. The lights are all where they should be and there are outlets galore. That's due to the new building codes. The mechanical is the HVAC. 

Next is the plumbing inspection. My choice of hot water heater has resulted in a little delay. I'm having an electric exhaust fan thingy put in (on?) to extend the life of the tank itself. The only issue is that this old house has exactly ONE outlet in the basement, right by the electrical panel. There will be a little extra expense to run another outlet, but I don't think it'll be too bad. I've got an awesome electrician! 

The plumbing has been pretty extensive. The majority of the plumbing in the house has been redone. I'm up to code! Below are some pictures of the plumbing for the master bath. The impact of adding a second floor bathroom to a 93 year old home is complicated. I got lucky. I only had to lose a little closet space in the "office" and about 6 inches of ceiling height in the main floor bathroom. There's very little space between the attic floor and the ceiling of the house and I was willing to drop the ceiling in order to make the bathroom happen. The ceiling height will still be 9 feet, at least (I won't be able to reach it, which is all that matters). But these are the things that you don't think of when you start planning (apparently Mike did, because he was prepared). The end result was that I was limited to where I could put the bathroom in the attic. Ultimately, it gave me a huge dressing room on the other side of the bathroom, but I couldn't have placed it in any other location without compromising the rest of the house. And I wasn't willing to do that. It did, however, give me an exhaust fan. Very uncommon in a house this old! Bonus!

Here are pictures as promised:

Initially it looked so simple and small

And then it grew

And grew

And led to somewhere

This is my HUGE shower

Ceiling framing


Now that this is done, we can move forward to the Framing Inspection. As soon as that is done, the insulation will be put in and then the drywall goes up. That's followed by the installation of the cabinets and doors. And finally, the tile in the bathroom floor. Light fixtures are after the floor (lucky me, since I haven't picked them out!!)

It's going to start moving quickly after this. It's all about finishes. Then I remember that I need to pick out bedroom carpet (the rest of the house will remain hardwood). And paint. And trim. And paint for the trim. Do I paint the door? Do I stain it? So many decisions.

I also found time to go back to ProSource. I found the exact back splash tile I originally wanted. Walked in and there it was (this after all the angst of thinking I was going to have to come up with a new plan). I picked out the subway tile for the main bath (seriously, why are there so many choices for white subway tile?) and the grout. This is a huge weight off of my shoulders.

And the cabinets are finally all stripped and ready to be primed. I realize that it seems (to others) that I know what I'm doing with the cabinets, but... I really don't! I just hope this turns out OK. If not, that's alright as well. It's mine and it's my sweat equity. I'll own every bump and imperfection. 

Friday, August 21, 2015

Days 29 thru...(it feels like FOREVER)... Day 33

To be fair, I took 3 days off to go to a wedding in Minnesota. 3 days in which I didn't think about cabinets, or paint colors, or tile or even vanities. It was glorious...until the guilt kicked in.

I took 3 days away from finishing up those damn cabinets. What the hell was I thinking? But honestly, I was on the verge of burnout. So it was good to get away.

Basically nothing was accomplished on days 29 thru 31. No one, except me, works weekends on the house, therefore, it wasn't a big deal in the grand scheme of things. But when I got back into town, well... things escalated quickly.

Day 32 - Cabinets. Have I mentioned how much sweat equity I've put into these damn things? Yeah, well. I thought I could finish the striping on day 32, but no...it's like the cabinets want to keep me as their captive. They're holding on to the last vestiges of paint like they never want to let go. LET GO, I say! PLEASE. No luck on this day.

Day 33 - Tile shopping. Yes, my most favorite thing in the world. Shopping. Please insert sarcasm accordingly. I got the call from Austin saying that I had to finish up ordering the important pieces. What, exactly, are the important pieces? Well, the biggest item was the shower stall and trim. That was easy. I picked out a  36" X 77" shower surround mainly because it was ultimately less expensive. It's HUGE. And I do mean huge. Like, 2 people huge. Yay (single) me! Beyond that, I had only committed to the 60" vanity. Not a damn thing else. I've said it before, it's the homeowner that slows progress down, and I was doing exactly what I had set out NOT to do. I thought I better just go pick out the tile and be done with it. I went to ProSource, and while they have a nice selection, I couldn't find the backsplash tile that I wanted. The tile that I have my heart set on. The tile that I refuse to compromise on. I did, however, walk immediately up to the tile for the master bath floor that I knew I wanted but couldn't actually find. Had that picked out in 3 minutes (only decision was on the size of the tile; 6X24 or 12X24). I ended up walking out of there without an "alternate" choice for the backsplash. And I totally forgot the tile for the main floor bath. Which means another damn trip. I had a bit of a meltdown in the car on the way back to the house (just to check progress and lights out) and decided it would be a good night to probably take a little step back. In the meantime, here's the list of things I still have to order (and in some cases, pick out) and my thoughts.
  • Carpet - Master Bedroom - OMG, it's carpet. Someone make this decision for me.
  • Tile - Main Floor  Bathroom - white subway tile, grey grout - I forgot to order it!
  • Paint - Kitchen, Main floor bath, Master bath, bedroom - Eh...come ON. Why is this so HARD. Why can't the color fairy come to my house or whisper in my ear "pick this". I know my mom's a retired art teacher, but I can't match socks. This is STRESSFUL!!!
  • Plumbing fixtures - both bathrooms - obviously this is important. But the toilets I want don't fit my budget. The faucets I want are also expensive. OH, I have to pick out another damn shower trim set? Great. I'll pick this out when prices meet my princess requirements.
  • Ceiling Fan - Master bedroom - OMG, they gave me an easy one! I CAN DO THIS!!!
  • Ceiling light - Master bathroom - The differences between what I think I want, what I can afford and what is "in" right now are vast. HUGE differences. But I think I can manage this one.
  • Vanity lights - both bathrooms - Again. I think I can stay in budget. I will become "the little reno that could" and my new mantra will be "I think I can stay on budget, I think I can stay on budget". If you're a betting person, and you're reading this.. do NOT take this bet.
  • Bathroom window - main floor bath - I will admit that I punted on this one. I gave up. I told Mike to just make this decision. It really wasn't all that important to me as long as it didn't leak, didn't share my guests shower time with the neighbors and didn't ruin the look of the bathroom. I have faith that this was a good item to pass on.
  • Main floor bath vanity - I'm back to "it's too expensive, let's think about rehabbing what we have" which is really a pipe dream. I'm going to have to compromise on this one too (and by that, I mean compromise with myself. I can't always get what I want.)
Day 33 ended with the inspections for the electrical and the mechanical being ordered. I also, oddly enough, decided that I wanted a khaki paint in my den. Don't ask. I haven't actually looked at a paint sample yet.


Thursday, August 13, 2015

Days 25 - 28 Caution, Men at Work

As the days move along, things are starting to take shape in the attic addition. Especially the plumbing and electrical. I think pictures will do a better job of explaining than I can.  As all this was going on during the day, I've still been coming to the house every night, plugging away at my little projects. Cabinets are on hold until I can get a full day of work in. I can't finish much up in 2 or 3 hours. I'm already burning the candle at both ends. Which is my own damn fault.

So, without further ado... here are some changes from previous posts, in the attic (or affecting the attic).


A doorway appeared

I'm going to have a 60" Vanity 

To fit the plumbing upstairs, we will drop the ceiling 5" or so in the main floor bath. I'm short, it'll be OK
Looking up into the attic


The finished product as viewed from the main floor bath

Looks like more than 5" to me.

This freaks me out... holes in the floor leading to the shower

More plumbing stuff

Water lines for my excessively large vanity

Here will be the "stool" (I hate that term)

Um... plumbing


Lots of new wires in my box

Days 23 - 24 - Sometimes I Listen to People

I decided to change my tactic on these cabinets. For the most part, I think it was the right idea.

Instead of sanding, I decided to strip the cabinets. More mess, but at least the risk of lead paint induced brain damage (or whatever) is reduced. Plus, I wanted my friends to stop worrying! Thanks to those of you that kept telling me... chemicals would be better in this case. So it took me a day to really listen, but HEY! I listened.

However, I really wish I had listened earlier. Seriously. Three layers of paint later, and I'm sure countless saved hours, I hit wood. But not "real" wood. It's a very light oak veneer. Which sadly is not in very good condition. It is, however, much easier to strip paint off of veneer. Who knew! It's a more solid base, I guess. I never once gouged the wood. By the last layer, it was coming off with ease.

I managed to get 1/2 the kitchen cabinets stripped and sanded. The interesting thing about my little house is the craftsmanship. Maybe it's not just my house, but the era. Even the base of these cabinets are lined with oak flooring/small planks. And the molding/trim around the upper windows and lower doors is lined with a red paint. I'm sure it was pretty back in the day. Although judging on the linoleum we took out, I'm not too sure.

One bad thing over the course of these two days....we had heavy rains. And apparently I'm going to have to move some more dirt, or eventually get some professional grading done. There was a little bit of water in the basement. I know it happens. I know I need gutter work. But it was so disheartening to see. Kinda like dollar signs flying outta my grasp. I took this on, I knew the risks, but that basement may be the death of my budget. If not my sanity.

Here's some pics of the cabinets. I'm really rather proud of myself!

2 of 8 after, plus a lower door

2 of 8 drawers before
Uppers after sanding

Uppers after


All but the baseboard is done


gooey mess

Upper doors after

The last half to go



Sunday, August 9, 2015

Day 22 - Paint Selection

I spent, literally, hours fielding texts and calls and visits to my desk from people who were concerned that I wasn't "using a mask" while sanding these cabinets. Seriously. 

I grew up with lead based paint. I'm FINE! I'm sure I chewed on more window ledges with lead based paint than your average kid. Mom still says I'm "special".

But honestly, yes, I was using a mask, I was washing my hands before eating/drinking. I may have had an open water bottle in the general area, but I think I put the cap back on. I was being careful.

The point is...Thank you to all my friends for your concern. I know I made sarcastic remarks about not wearing a mask, and how much harm could it do, especially after my "college years"... but you all made me realize that I have great friends.  Safety first!! I'm impressed.

But all this got me to thinking...maybe sanding wasn't the best, or most efficient, method. I'd take the night to think about it.

So, I picked out paint. READ: I MADE A DECISION!!

I needed a little break (and a chocolate shake, but I denied myself!) and spent, easily, 45 minutes staring at colors at Sherwin Williams. I also talked to a few people in the same position (it always looks so good on the chip) and commiserated with a few others (I hate this process, I can't match socks). I ended up with a 3 color combination that I hope will work. But knowing myself as I do...I will change this scheme right up until the last possible moment. This is how I roll.

Day 21 - DIY Kitchen Cabinets... Continued

Nothing will compliment "The Sink" more than clean, crisp cabinets and some good hardwood floors. Since we now know the floors will be original, I thought to myself... "self, why not refinish the cabinets?" Logical. Economical. Definitely something I could do on my own. This will keep the house close to in the period, since I really didn't have the budget to re-do the entire kitchen. Nor do I have any clue how to design a kitchen around the sink, right now. I'm just having the team renovate the counter top and floors.

The guys ripped out the old counter top (the same linoleum that was one the floor) the previous day. I figured this was my chance to get in there, before the counter top and back splash (ALSO the same damn linoleum) were installed and I had an open work space. Nothing to mess up, nothing to worry about. I borrowed some collapsible saw-horse like things, a small electric/orbital sander, bought some 80 grit sand paper and a mask and started to work. (on Day 20, I was using a block sander... smart, huh?)

I removed half the drawers and cabinets after I decided that sanding them in place wasn't going to work and mainly because the stupid "vintage" stove is still in the kitchen, wedged in front of the sink and beside the refrigerator. I'm calling some one to haul that POS away as soon as possible. At any rate, I removed all the hinges and handles, keeping them in a baggie for reuse or resale. I'm feeling on top of my game. I can do this! LET'S START SANDING! 

Epic. Failure.  Well, not really a failure, per se, but not exactly the outcome I was expecting. 

The first layer of paint, applied by the last owners, either peeled off like Elmer's glue (remember when you were a kid and you glued your palm and then peeled it off like a second layer of skin) or adhered like it was welded on. No in between. 

After about 2 hours, I had managed to get through to the 3rd layer of paint in some spots. The second layer was a gray and the third a (nice) pale yellow. Both of which, I am sure, are lead based paint. Which, FYI, shreds the sand paper like toilet paper. I managed to get through the 2 uppers and 4 drawers when I had to call it a night. This will be my weekend project. Or several weekend projects, including painting. Which I haven't yet made my final decision on. But I was on my way to DIY Kitchen Cabinets. Woo hoo.


On a different topic, when I got to the house earlier, there was a note in my door. None of the neighbors have really been around, so I had no idea what this was about. It was from a guy who, many years ago, had been in an estate sale at the house. (This had to have been pre-2006, which makes me wonder how much awesome stuff was in that sale!) He remembered the built in desk and colonnade and had seen the dumpster and assumed someone was remodeling and "if I (sic) was getting rid of the built-ins" to please call him. Also, if I was going to tear out the Hydrangea Tree out front, would I please let him know first, as he'd like to try to replant it at his place. Needless to say, the answer to both questions was "no", but I called him back and thanked him for his note, but I was keeping both. If something changed, I will call him back, yada yada yada, but those built-in's aren't going anywhere (why would anyone rip those out?!?!). The tree, well...that's a decision for a later time.


Thursday, August 6, 2015

Day 20 - Behind Schedule

Today was the day it sort of hit me in the face...I was slightly behind schedule (me, not the contractors!) and potentially over budget.

Mind you, I was only over on quotes. So I hadn't actually SPENT any money yet. But still. I was bummed. My "caviar tastes on a beer budget" were catching up with me. Drat.

Today was also the day that I met with the electrician for the placement of the outlets and lights in the attic. You can tell a good electrician by the notations he makes on the boards. Weird hieroglyphic like things that only electricians know. So strange.

Anyhow, he liked my ideas for the placement of outlets/switches. And we agreed on most everything. He thought for sure I was a "can light" kinda girl (I am not) and was pleased when I gave the big negative on can lights. My rationale (which is probably outdated) is that they are hot. And it's an attic. I don't need a spot light on my bed. I need to be able to enjoy my space, and soft lighting through strategically placed lamps will suit my purpose. He did, however, give me a little bonus. He placed the switch for the outside light (motion light on the driveway) at the top of the stairs. That way, if I was concerned about anything outside, I could turn the light on while still upstairs. I thought that was pretty cool. So I like John. 

I'm going to have almost 10 foot ceilings at the tallest point, where the collar ties will be placed. So I'm putting in a ceiling fan. I still have to decide on my lights in the bathroom, although I'm pretty sure I've made that (overpriced) decision.

Feeling rather good about things, I should have known it would be short lived. The plumber was ready to rough in the shower, but...he was waiting on an inspection at another location. I thought I had gotten a reprieve from making decisions.  Nope, not so much. It appears that because I've been stalling on the vanity decision, I may have unwittingly delayed the bathroom installation. While that choice was still up in the air, the tile had to be picked out. I got the "get on it" talk. The only saving item was that the plumber was waiting to finish up the other location, but I could potentially be pushing back my own work. Bad homeowner. I'm back on the hunt from a vanity this weekend. Sigh...And floor tile.

I started the sanding of the kitchen cabinets. That's kinda fun and mindless. And tedious. I
"During"
 did impress myself by removing a few layers of paint, made easier by the fact that the previous owners did NOT prep the old surface at all. Only being able to work on these a few hours a night may not be enough to keep up the pace. So I'll probably change tactics this weekend, sand the lower cabinets so that IF the counter tops need to be placed, I'll have that at least sanded and primed. But again... I haven't
Obviously "the before"
even picked out a color. Well, I have, but I haven't made my final decision. It's on the "List".



One step forward, a couple to the side. Nothing backwards just yet. But at least it's just my fault. I can handle being angry with myself!

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Days 18 and 19 - Wood chips and Venting and Progress, oh my...

I thought I got a picture of the piles of wood chips, but apparently not. I love the smell of fresh cut wood! I must have gotten side tracked. Shocking.

Days 18 and 19 brought vents upstairs. Exciting stuff, right? They run from the basement, through a closet in the room that will be my "office". And honestly, it took up a lot less space in the closet then I thought it would. I'm still skeptical that this will work. I am convinced that my A/C unit is too small, and have had discussions with several people that agree. So I'm in a wait and see mode. I can deal with some lost closet space if, down the road, I upgrade to mini-splits. I wanted to go that route in the first place as I thought it was a better option. But it was cost prohibitive. I'll put it on my list of things to do in 10 years, maybe!

So the vents lead upstairs, of course. And here's where you can really see something taking shape...there are 4 vents. 2 in the main bedroom, one in the bathroom and one in the closet/dressing room.

The ceiling height is pretty much determine by where the (insert word I can't remember) is on the eve. So I'm going to have good height.  The area I worry about, though, is at the top of the stairs, where it turns to the right, because we have to bring the joists down to provide enough room for the insulation and electrical, etc. I lose about 5 inches of height. Not a big deal in the center part of the room or even against the wall. However, at the knee wall when you first enter the attic... It may be an issue to get furniture up the stairs. I have to talk to Mike.



I can see a door coming to fruition on the right! The bathroom is a lot bigger than I had pictured in my mind. I'm a bit spatially challenged.

In addition to framing, I dropped the tile sample off. We'll see what Mike thinks tomorrow about my "green" selection of glass subway tile for the kitchen backsplash. I'm going to wait to share that picture until it's actually up in the kitchen. For now, I'm on to thinking about how the cabinets need to be painted. I toyed with stripping the lower cabinets, but I have no idea what kind of wood I would be dealing with on these original cabinets. And they are original. I scrapped the paint off the windows of the uppers, for about 2 hours. The previous owners didn't believe in taping things off! But at least they only painted the kitchen.

The plan going forward is to focus on cabinets for the next day or so and then return to the windows. The best laid plans...

Sunday, August 2, 2015

Day 17 - A Little Down Time

At some point, I realized that I might just have to do laundry, pay my bills and do my dishes, instead of being at the house all the time. But it's hard. Between working long hours at my regular job, and running up to the house every evening, or at lunch or when I have scheduled meetings with Mike, I've really started to run myself a little ragged. Even my day of shopping the previous weekend took it's toll.

So today I laid low, paid my bills, did my dishes and caught up on the blog. I also, however, manage to pick out tile for the kitchen backsplash!

That's right. I made a decision! This is a green glass subway tile that I think goes really well with the period of the house. Along with the color scheme that seems to be coming forth. It plays off the granite that I chose reasonably well, and isn't too expensive for the area I need. I bought one, and I'm hoping to show Mike on Wednesday, at our weekly meeting. I have an idea for the wall color and the cabinets are going to be an "old white". It's starting to come together, slowly but surely. Progress!!

At this point, I have 8 weeks until I need to move in. 8 WEEKS PEOPLE! I'll be pulling my hair out (which reminds me, I need a cut/color) as the time grows shorter. I am starting to get more apprehensive, but still excited. 

Funny story...while I was looking for this tile, I decided I better look for the tile floor in the master bathroom in the attic reno. The salesman, a really nice guy, said that I should bring something in, a cabinet panel, a paint sample. I said to him that I would, but it's an addition, not an existing renovation. To which he said with a smile on his face, "Well, for as long as you walked around the store, you should have a good idea of our stock". I took pictures. It better help!

Day 16 - Dirt and a Blue Mud Dauber

The final piece of the mold remediation was to fill in a hole that the previous owners has left, from either removing a bush or tree or something.  This hole was right against the foundation on the west side of the house, leaving a great entry point for water. I would say it was a good 2 feet down, in a low spot to boot.

I don't have a truck. I don't even have a car that would be useful in hauling anything. Although the seats do go down, making my trunk large enough to carry a shovel and a dolly. Even my bicycle, back in the day when I had time to ride. So I had to borrow a truck.  And dirt. And a hand tamp.

This whole endeavor had "girl power" written all over it. And borrowing a truck from a friend who also just happened to have a huge pile of dirt AND a front loader thingy screamed divine providence to my checkbook! I picked up the truck 20 minutes outside of town and headed to the house. I haven't driven a truck in over 10 years and here I am, driving a Dodge Ram 2500 extended cab diesel, with these mirrors that stick out at least 2 feet. And it's LOUD. And I'm giggling!

I also borrowed the hand tamp after a coworker saw my "plea" on Facebook. That was a bonus as well.

And finally, to round out the girl power, I have Sue, my trusty farm girl turned suburbanite Mom who is LOVING my little house. She helped me to clean it out the first day I had it. And I couldn't be happier to have her along for the journey. Plus, she had no problems getting up in the back of the truck and throwing dirt like a pro! Her gift cards are just getting bigger and bigger.

We also had a visitor...a blue mud dauber. I Googled it today. This, wasp or hornet, was our constant companion as we laid the dirt out and tamped it down. I think we imported it from out in the country.

Here's our accomplishment!






Day 15 - RIP Mold, Hello A/C

This is one of the milestone days I've been waiting for since the day I signed the paperwork on my sink. 

I hefted 2 couches and a big ass TV out of the moldy basement (with help!) just so this day could happen.

And finally, I am mold free and can turn on the A/C. If I knew, with any amount of certainty, that the A/C worked. 

Embarrassing factoid #1. I was never able to have the A/C inspected in May when all the inspections took place because it was 55 degrees or colder for a WHOLE WEEK.  IN MAY! So I went into this with my fingers crossed that the unit still worked. It's only 10 years old. The furnace worked. What could possibly be wrong...

I had every finger and every toe crossed.

Thanks to Jenn and Mario for saving me copious amounts of money. Mario arrived with tools and a hose, and promptly went to full "I AM MAN" mode, cleaning out the ex-changer. And saying things like "I'm not getting the heat exchange ratio I want" and other stuff that totally made NO SENSE to me. But he turned it on, it was quiet and it dropped 5 degrees in the house within 20 minutes. I was ecstatic!

I also bought a dehumidifier for the basement. I know the A/C is on, but I thought this was a better option than relying solely upon A/C for airflow. I bought it, carried it in (after the guy who put it in my car asked if my husband would be able to lift it for me...um...NO!) and set it up, complete with a garden hose from the garage. I'm pretty bad ass when I want to be!

Also, miraculously, the shop vac started working again. I gave Mario credit for that as well. He looked at it and it magically decided to fix itself. That's just money saved, right there!

Days 11 thru 14 - Little To Show, but Good News!

Days 11 thru 14 didn't really provide much photographic evidence that anything was truly accomplished. Some framing was taking place in the attic and the Mold Remediation Team started on Day 13.

Previously, I had reached out to the Restoration Exchange of Omaha to see if they had a list of contacts for refurbishing the sash windows. They're a great group of volunteers that are dedicated to motivating the community to preserve and restore older properties in the community. I thought it was a great place to start, since my Sink is probably 93 years old! If you're in Omaha, and you're interested in local architecture, I strongly suggest you check out their website.

So here's my good news!

On Day 12, I was asked by the Restoration Exchange to be a part of their 2016 walking tour schedule. I was blown away. I mean, my little house, which sat empty and forgotten for well over a year, would be open to curious and supportive members of my new community! At first, I thought it was October of 2015 and was about to say NO! But then was told that my area, Aksarben, was slated for 2016. I promptly said yes, giving myself a good year to procrastinate. I can't tell you how excited and honored I am to have been asked.

With the mold remediation in full swing (no pictures allowed as it was a contained area), a little framing was done in the attic... until the power had to be shut off to clean around the electrical outlets, etc. Unforeseen work stoppage at it's finest. But here's a few pictures of the attic.
Before


After


Work in progress looking towards the future boudoir

Where the wall will be

Day 10 - Dreaming of the Day the Windows Open

It's time to get down to "projects".  This is the ever growing list of things that I am going to be doing on my own. No contractor help, unless it's really REALLY beyond my abilities. I also have a list that I know will require help and are items not included in my Renovation loan. I am eager to start the little things I know I can do. And hope like hell they don't turn into big things that I have to hire out.

It's still unbearably hot in the house. Even though it's a good 10 degrees cooler than it is outside, it's miserable. I'm pretty sure the neighbors think my fashion sense revolves around my colorful dew rags. It's a thing...

Today I've decided to tackle windows. Not cleaning them. Actually getting them open. As I've mentioned, there's only 2 windows in the whole house that are painted (the kitchen windows) and they are open. I'm pretty sure I have 21 windows on the main floor. Sometimes I have 20, sometimes I have 22...it's really kinda fun being me! At any rate, so far, I can only open 7 windows. That's like 30%. Some days I'm luckier than others and I find a few that have decided to come lose. But then I can't get them closed because the weights are bound up, or the rope is kinked, or something. The struggle is real, folks. I have one window that I can open, but the aluminum clad storms that someone put on (I'd like to beat that someone) don't open. Those damn things get HOT in direct sun light too, by the way. 

I remember, as a kid, working with my dad to re-glaze windows in our house (Built in 1937, I think). I don't remember how old I was, but I was clearly old enough to remember that it was regular, important maintenance. I called my dad to get a better understanding of how to get the sash windows out in order to scrap and putty and paint. I had friends send me YouTube links on how to get sash windows out. I read articles on sash window renovations. Ask me how many sash windows I got out...


ZERO. Not a single one.

I washed and scrapped the paint out of the window sills on the 7 that I could get open. I have a bit more to do before I can begin to repaint. And taking the windows OUT would be a much better way of doing this. But it is one project I could do on my own. Until I killed my ShopVac. I think it just got overheated, like me. So I called it a day. There are no pictures of this little venture because, honestly, I don't feel like I accomplished much.

Day 9 - Retail Therapy - Fixtures, Lighting and more...

If you know me, you know I hate to shop. Unfortunately for me, renovation and shopping go hand in hand. If I had the money, I would have hired a designer/decorator and THEY could do the shopping and make the choices. But I do not, so...I will suffer.

My mom, however, keeps saying how "fun" and "exciting" this process should be for me. I keep pointing out that she could have stayed an extra week or three and finished this task for me. Then she reminds me that I "like weird shit" and our tastes are too different. Except when it comes to Wainscot. We both like that. And square toilets. Weird.

I needed a break from the oppressive heat in the house (I can't turn the air conditioning on until the mold remediation is complete. Which can't come soon enough!) and again, I had read that most renovations are held up by the homeowner not being prepared, or the materials on back order, or something that would, ultimately, be my fault. I wish this to be a blame free reno. So shopping it will be...

Have you ever heard of a woman procrastinating about SHOPPING?!?!

I took the morning to get rid of the old stacked washer/dryer and a few file cabinets and the old hot water heater. And then I tackled the front porch.

Here's a before and after of said porch. It definitely doesn't look an abandoned house any more!




Just enough effort to work up a good sweat and call it a day before noon. I'm looking forward to sitting out here, enjoying my coffee some morning very soon.


And then, because it had to be done. I broke out my list and went shopping. 

I started with granite, mainly because I new where that showroom was located! I went to Mr. Granite and found my choice relatively quickly. I really wanted quartz, but I found a granite in a similar shade/pattern. It's called Black Palmares. I have no idea what that means. Here's the sample: 


It's amazing how many different styles of granite exist. While I didn't find this in the showroom, they have a remnants warehouse/parking lot right around the corner. With the help of Eddie, I found a remnant that would A) fit in my kitchen and B) not break the bank. In fact, I think it'll help the bank. It's black with green and tan/gold-ish flecks. It should be great with "old white" cabinets and dark hardwood floors and my beloved sink.  Or, it'll look like shit, but I'll be able to say that I picked it out all by myself! That's mature, right?!

Next unplanned stop... Ferguson's Bath, Kitchen and Lighting. Talk about being completely overwhelmed. This showroom is spectacular! And huge. I recommend (as does the receptionist as you walk in the door) having an appointment with a sales person if you are ready to purchase/make selections. I got lucky. Originally I just wanted to walk around, browse, take pictures, and write things down, at my own pace.

That actually would have been a really bad idea for someone like me who doesn't have a fricking clue! Luckily, as I was standing there, someone cancelled their appointment and I was paired with Stephanie. She was awesome. Kid you not. We started with my main floor bathroom. Since I knew what I wanted for toilets in the house, that was easy. Then came the sink/vanity. I've chosen a console style pretty close to what would have been original in the house in 1922. Then I had to pick out the faucets, and the shower fixtures and lighting. I had that deer in the headlights look.Poor Stephanie. And trust me, Pinterest does NOT help like I thought it would. Except on the lighting. So here are the winners for the main floor bath vanity and faucets:

I had some ideas for the lighting. But when you see things in real life, they look different. The biggest thing I'm dealing with in this bathroom is the square accents on the vanity/console. In my mind if that is square, it sets the tone for the rest of the items to be square as well. And chrome. I like Chrome. So that's what I'm going with downstairs. As I said, the toilets are both the same, and you can see it here, at this link: A Pretty Toilet

At this point, I'm feeling pretty sure of myself and am ready to move on to the master bathroom. Same toilet, different style vanity, brushed nickel (no chrome) and a walk in shower. Those are my requirements. Easy, right? Again, why do I fool myself?! Here's what I picked for a vanity, faucets and lighting. All of which are subject to change. Repeatedly. I'm crazy in love with this vanity and porcelain sink combo. In my minds eye, the bathroom will be gray and yellow, with a gray floor of some sort. I was thinking the faux woodgrain look. But when I saw it up close, I wasn't in love with it like I thought I would be. I am in love with the Edison Lights. I would turn the fixtures so that the lights were up and down. And have 2 of them. The downside of this is that they only take 40 watt bulbs. So lighting has become a concern for me. These were my initial selections, and I felt reasonably good about my choices. Even though I knew that my tastes were running a little, ahem, higher than my potential budget. We'll see how this works out.


At this point, I'm thinking I'm making incredible headway and I resolutely continue onward. My new quest; a suitable kitchen back splash. All the tiles stores had closed by this point so I decided to head to Home Depot. Where I promptly struck out. I will give major props to the saleslady in that area. Darlene, you were awesome. I hope Home Depot knows they have an awesome employee in Darlene. No kidding. Awesome.

My shopping done, I was officially exhausted and completely over the day.

Day 8 - Just a "Little" Bump in the Road

At this point I'm beginning to realize that all the planning in the world is never enough when faced with the possibilities of an old home.

Take the removal of a hot water heater. Easy, right?

Not so much. 

After getting quotes, and looking at hot water heater options, I finally settled on a 40 gallon, 12 year gas model from Rheem. I originally thought about going "on-demand" but realized that for resale, that may not be the best approach. For one person, it's fine, but for more than one person, it may not work out as well. It would be nice to be green and conserve resources, but I will settle for a high quality, efficient solution.

At any rate, in the process of removing the old tank, it had to be drained. No big deal... until the floor drain doesn't work. I got a call from Dex, the handyman extraordinaire, saying, "I think you need to come over here". So I did, to see a mini 40 gallon pond in my basement. My "huh, yep, we have a problem" was greeted by laughter from Dex. Apparently most reactions are a lot more vocal with some blame thrown in. But hell. The house is 93 years old! I have learned, by this time, that the previous owners didn't believe in maintenance. I couldn't blame Dex, and I was rather glad to have found this before the mold remediation started (oh.. yeah, I may not have mentioned that lovely item).

I called my contractor who told me to call Aksarben Sewer and Drain. Not having been through this, I figured they could fit me in the next day. Nope. At noon, I was meeting them at the house, prepared to resolve the issue.

I'm happy with the outcome. And very pleased with their customer service/response time. Vince took the time to explain everything he was doing during the process. I like that and it says a lot about the company. Sadly, it wasn't just a clogged drain, but the trap had actually collapsed. They tried several different ways to bypass the trap, and they found one, thereby resolving the water drainage issue and my timing issue with the mold remediation team. I will eventually have to get the trap issue fixed, but in my research I've found that a lot of these old homes had the cast iron traps with a float/ball made of cast iron as well. They tend to rust shut. It's possible that, with a lot of work and patience, I can get that ball free, but for now, I'll use the bypass. It's a good amount of money to replace the trap, and it's definitely not in the budget.

Aksarben Sewer and Drain - Great guys!


I also picked out a door for the upstairs bathroom. Originally I just told Mike, "pick out a door, a door is a door." And then he explained to me the intricacies of decorating and decor. All the doors in the house are original and solid wood. I'll never get the exact same thing without breaking the bank. Therefore, I selected a 3 panel. mission style door. Then I had to choose whether it was raised or not raised (not raised). All these choices make my head spin, to be honest. But here's what it sort of looks like:






We're still in the framing stage in the attic. I'm starting to see the vision!! Those pics are soon to come. But it's reality, it's happening and I STILL have shopping to do.