Just testing. More to come

So you will recall that we purchased this home “as is.” There were a lot of things we knew we’d have to redo, update or replace. But one thing that was done was that the electric service had been upgraded from the overhead lines to underground. However, we knew we would need a new panel because there were a bunch of little boxes all over the house. We has several electricians come look (several never heard from again) who told us we only had a 100 amp service. For a house this size with 3 electric kitchens we thought they were crazy. Finally we had an OPPD consultant come out to look at it and he confirmed!! He didn’t think it was a fire hazard (how could it not be??), but he did say the wires were likely glowing. So we had to have a whole new underground service ran– unexpected cost. We then had to add new panels.

The plumbing was another cost we knew we’d have to bear. All plumbing lines had to be updated to copper and old iron main lines had to be switched to PVC. With the updated bath and main floor laundry– lots of new lines. 

While we were at it, Todd installed a new tankless water heater! I love these things! The initial cost is more than a traditional water heater but they are way more efficient and you will never run out of hot water!!

The basement in this house is huge and a wee bit scary. More on that later but our nephew lived with us over the summer so we were inspired to work on the basement! The basement got cleaned and organized but we really needed a proper bathroom. There were two toilet rooms in the basement… one with a shower… neither with a sink!! How can u have a toilet and no sink?? Yuck!!  Now there is a sink in the basement kitchen but still… here are some befores and afters. Unfortunately I can’t seem to add photos in the appropriate order, so let me tell you about it. The flimsy wood paneling came down  (to be repurposed elsewhere). The whole thing had to be reframed and drywalled. Nephew Trevor was here to help and he loved saying “fire in the hole” when they were using the nailer into the concrete! It was like a shotgun blast! We used an electric sander to get all the old paint off the shower walls. That was a major dust bomb! We purchased a special water resistant paint and repainted the whole thing. We put in a new light and vent. The shower floor was so uneven and slanted that tile wouldn’t work. In the shower we used teak tiles (found online). On the bathroom floor we used a rubber type industrial flooring. It’s cool but glued down and the boys had a little trouble with air bubbles. For small basement space it is fine. Plumber was here running new copper lines so he put in necessary water line for the sink! Now you can actually wash your hands!! We tried to reuse the former door, but it wouldn’t work , so a new door also had to be installed — cut down to fit and stained. New toilet, new vanity, new mirror and fixture and it came together! We are pleased with the outcome and Trevor was thrilled to have his own bathroom!!

Work continues inside but had a major improvement outside! Exterior paint has made a huge difference! I think the contrast really makes the stone stand out! We’ve gone from creamy/yellow with blue trim and white garage doors to a monochromatic gray. After looking at a lot of grays we settled on Attitude Gray which seems fitting! We also painted the planter the same color which is much better than the red brick and hopefully people will understand this is our driveway and not a roundabout! We need new storm doors. However, can only find them in taupe or white. Does anyone have any suggestions??

Here is the inspiration for my master bath.  The flooring may be hard to see but it is a gray and white porcelain  mosaic in 1×1 squares. You would think that would be easy to find. It’s not. Marble was my second choice, but after quite a lot of research, I decided marble floors did not offer the long term durability I was looking for. The one porcelain mosaic we found was mostly grey and we wanted more white. We were able to work with Daltile and came up with our own mix.  So the great news is that the special order was not that expensive. The bad news is that other than a computer rendering we don’t really know what it will look like and it will take 8-10 weeks to get here. Timeframe is not a big issue since there is so much other work to be done.  I’m also very excited about the vanity. After looking everywhere, we decided it would have to be custom made. So we met with a friend who does custom cabinetry and he feels confident he can build this!

Demo on the bathroom is about complete!  This was the bathroom/laundry area in the mother-in-law suite. So this will be our master bath now. Literally down to studs. Everything had to go in this room.  We gained a little extra square  footage by demo-ing the closet in the adjoining bedroom. That bedroom will become the walk-in-closet. We still need to get rid of a little drywall in order to reframe and re drywall the space. Hope to hear from the plumber to get going on some of that work as well. So yes, there is progress, but it is slow. Stay tuned!

As the gale force winds rattle my windows that need to be replaced (add that to list of reno work), I look out of those frosty panes and try to remember the warm days poolside. I also remember another project I tackled over the summer. We have accumulated a mishmash of wrought iron outdoor furniture of varying shades of ugly. I decided to paint them and was pleasantly surprised by the outcome. I have memories as a child of my mom repainting the set on our back patio.  I recall horrible smelling stuff and old toothbrushes. That was not my plan. So thanks to Google and YouTube I determined my course would be much simpler. FYI Martha Stewart basically said hire some guys — not kidding! Anyway I didn’t take that route either. I used a wire brush and removed any loose paint and debris. Then tried to wait for a day when the wind wasn’t blowing (we have about 5 of those). I picked out a retro matte Aqua  color of Krylon spray paint from Wal-mart . For the record I generally never shop at Walmart, but they were the only local retailer for this product and color. It was a slow process since I was taking the furniture from black or dark green to Aqua, but worth the effort! I’m not sure how many cans I went through, but cheaper than new furniture and we got that retro vibe. We  stored the furniture inside over the winter so hope touch ups will be minimal.

So I’ve been out of the blogging loop for a while. Was working toward a new career path this summer which didn’t ultimately work out but life is good!! And I made a deal with Todd that if the pool was open from Memorial Day to Labor Day that I would not hassle him about the rest of the issues in the house. So we fully enjoyed the pool this summer with family and friends! It took minimal amount of work to get it going. And  we took care of the chemicals ourselves. It wasn’t too daunting and I really don’t mind it. Guess that is my old lifeguard experience! One thing thatbwasvhelpful is that we occasionally brought a water sample to a local pool shop. They provide free water analysis — I’m sure to upswell products. But it was a nice resource to verify all was well! Anyway– thanks to everyone who shared in the fun in the sun!!  Oh and we did purchase a new pool cover. It is much better looking and safer! Ordered on line and Todd and I installed in 1/2 a day.

This  week was filled with trying to finish up a few projects. Finally finished the closets in the guest room which we are currently using as a master. Lots of storage but all needed about 3 coats of paint and the 16 drawers were extremely tedious which I guess is why they took so long (probably 2 months). Not sure what will be done will the doors which are and unattractive plywood. That discussion is of course for another day.

Another seemingly easy project in that room took longer than anticipated (story of this house).  Old fan was not same size as new one.  So spackle, sanding,  repainting… 1/2 hour project took about 3 days.

We are moving along inside but thought I would share some of the rare days of sunshine we’ve had. The roof is FINALLY done. Luckily we were not paying by the hour! Now we have ventured into the realm of pool ownership. I know there are pool haters out there but I am a swimmer and general sun worshipper(no sermons, please. I know the risks of cancer and trust me the damage has been done) . So here is what I lovingly call the cess pool.  We bought the house as is in December so no telling what lies beneath. We purchased a small pump on eBay and that little thing worked like a champ. The water-soaked leaves were heavy and gross but it took about 3 hours and the cover was dry! We looked underneath and the water looks clear and smells like chlorine , so I think we are getting close! The mismatched lawn furniture needs some love.  I am thinking  of spray painting all the wrought iron stuff an aqua blue. Any thoughts or comments on that process?