Wednesday, September 18, 2013
We've Got Magic to Do
(View from the backyard after burning some of the demo materials)
As I previously stated, Nick and I purchased our first home just over a year ago. We had been toying around with the idea, but had decided that we should wait to save up for a more significant down payment. However, we then found this house. Nick pretty much wanted the property for its garage. Being that he owns 3 (now 4!) cars himself, it was suitable for him to have a fairly new, 4 car garage that is pretty much the same square footage as the home. Seems reasonable right? Sure, why not. Anyways, the exterior of the home was in pretty good shape. New siding, new roof, etc. etc. Then you walk inside the house and this is where the fun begins! We were immediately welcomed by the sweet aroma of stale cigarette smoke. Then, behold a house that has not been updated since the 1970's. I'm sure you can picture it...shag carpet, wood paneling, styrofoam beams painted to look like wood...it was a beaut! But, Nick just wanted that garage! So we accepted the challenge. We figured we could update the interior with our skills (or lack there of) and make this house our home.
Demolition began almost immediately. We could not wait to tear up the carpets, the flooring...the walls. We demoed the entire kitchen and bathroom straight down to the studs. Low and behold, the wiring had also not been updated, probably since the house was built. Plumbing needed updating. Cha Ching! Cha Ching! Cha Ching! I felt like I was on the show on HGTV Love It or List It. Every single time they work with a family, Hilary always seems to come across some disaster that would take away from the families original budget. Anyways, this did not get our spirits down. Luckily, between Nick's technical skills and the help of family and friends we were able to get things done.
Everything went smoothly until that dark day in October. The day the building inspector from our town showed up at the house stating that we did not acquire the appropriate permits for the work we were completing. Unbeknownst to us, we needed three separate permits (electrical, plumbing, AND building). We were also made aware of the unknown fact that a licensed electrician and plumber would have to complete all of the work being done in the house (even if you were changing a light fixture). And of course we were charged with fines for not having the permits to begin with. Being naive does not get you off the hook. Trust me, we tried! This event proved to be a major set back in our project. If you are not already aware of this, skilled laborers are not really on a timely schedule. They complete jobs on their own schedule, at their own pace. October quickly turned into April before we were seeing any real results. I'm sure you can imagine our frustrations.
Finally, the interior jobs had been completed. The plumbing was updated, the electrical work was save and secure. Time to continue on with insulation and dry way. Oh wait...what's that? You need an inspection for insulation too? But of course you do! Boom, another set back. At this point we getting tired of waiting. Since we both have full time jobs (Nick's consisting of lots of overtime), we did not have the time nor energy to get things moving. This is when we decided to hire a contractor to come in and complete the dry wall, painting, and flooring. We figured we would get this moving along. Done by the end of May he said! That's right, you guessed it. He did not complete his sub par work until the end of June. A few more inspections, some more painting, and three rooms of carpet later we were finally able to move! Exactly one year and five days after our closing date.
So, after my long and detailed story, what have we learned today my friends? First and foremost, NEVER expect your projects to go as planned. Always take into account surprises and hiccups to show their ugly faces all along the way. Secondly, when completing any home renovation, even if it seems to be a minute detail, be sure to check your local building code. You do not want to run into our situation where you are not only set back on time but a lot more money. Lastly, have patience. There were many times I wanted to scream, throw something, I even cried at work. Do not let it get the best of you. Keep your eyes on the light at the end of the tunnel. It will be worth the wait to see the results of your very own hard work.
I'll be sure to post more detailed entries focusing on each room and how we turned this 1970's smoker paradise into our home.
Monday, October 7, 2013
The Fundamental Things Apply
When we decided to start the renovations on the house, the bathroom was pushed to the back burner. We figured we would wait to save money at the present moment and complete it at a later date. However, as we started getting into the demolition we quickly realized it was something that had to be done now otherwise we would be living in a war zone. Boy am I glad we did. The bathroom is one of the fundamental rooms in the home. Being without it for any period of time would have proven to be very difficult and stressful.
The original bathroom, which claimed to be updated, was a lovely shade of nicotine yellow. It held a very large jacuzzi tub leaving very little space to move around, let alone use the facilities. Just as we did in the kitchen, we stripped the walls completely to the studs. We tore out all of the furnishings and decided to start from scratch.
To start, we rebuilt the outer wall and moved the door frame into the middle of the wall. Doing so allowed us to move the location of the vanity. We also figured it would be best to eliminate a tub all together. Instead we installed a stand up corner shower. This opened up the room substantially. In order to keep plumbing to a minimum, we were able to keep the toilet in its original position.
I was very lucky to find a very nice vanity at Home Depot on Black Friday at an amazing price. It was so good, I actually bought two with plans to put the other one in the upstairs half bath. Unfortunately, this vanity was too large to fit in the half bath. Instead I gave it to our friend who was also renovating. The stand up shower and new toilet were purchased at Grossman's, a local home improvement wholesaler. Finding these deals allowed us to keep costs low for this particular room renovation.
In terms of color and decor, this all fell into place. My good friend Tara is an interior designer. She put together some color swatches for me and I was able to design the house off of her samples. I chose a light grey-blue paint for walls. This was going to work well with the dark vanity and shelving I purchased. Last piece of the puzzle was flooring. We decided that we would put the same flooring in the bathroom right into the entry way and kitchen. I knew I wanted a dark floor, especially with the furry beast walking in and out of the house. We settled on a dark grey tile which helped tie the whole room together.
I added a few small touches to spruce up the room. Being that the space is small, storage is limited. By displaying the folded crisp white towels, I was able to do double duty of storage and decor. I added in two baskets to hold various items in as well. I also printed one of Nick's photograph's of a favorite childhood vacation spot and framed it over the toilet. Lastly, I chose to use brushed nickel finishes to go with the vanity. I am very pleased with how the bathroom turned out. It is very spacious and soothing. The colors and open storage give it a spa-like feel that I have grown to love.
My recommendations for a bathroom renovation are as follows. First and foremost, try to complete it sooner rather than later if possible. You also want to be sure that once you start your project be sure that you have time to complete. You do not want to be living in the house with one bathroom that is completely torn apart. Secondly, go with your gut. I did not really go into the room with a plan. I knew I wanted a lighter wall color to open up the space more. After finding the vanity at Home Depot for such a good price, everything else pretty much fell into place. Lastly, have fun with it. You are indeed renovating your own bathroom. Do not be afraid to try new colors or designs. You can always repaint!
The original bathroom, which claimed to be updated, was a lovely shade of nicotine yellow. It held a very large jacuzzi tub leaving very little space to move around, let alone use the facilities. Just as we did in the kitchen, we stripped the walls completely to the studs. We tore out all of the furnishings and decided to start from scratch.
To start, we rebuilt the outer wall and moved the door frame into the middle of the wall. Doing so allowed us to move the location of the vanity. We also figured it would be best to eliminate a tub all together. Instead we installed a stand up corner shower. This opened up the room substantially. In order to keep plumbing to a minimum, we were able to keep the toilet in its original position.
I was very lucky to find a very nice vanity at Home Depot on Black Friday at an amazing price. It was so good, I actually bought two with plans to put the other one in the upstairs half bath. Unfortunately, this vanity was too large to fit in the half bath. Instead I gave it to our friend who was also renovating. The stand up shower and new toilet were purchased at Grossman's, a local home improvement wholesaler. Finding these deals allowed us to keep costs low for this particular room renovation.
In terms of color and decor, this all fell into place. My good friend Tara is an interior designer. She put together some color swatches for me and I was able to design the house off of her samples. I chose a light grey-blue paint for walls. This was going to work well with the dark vanity and shelving I purchased. Last piece of the puzzle was flooring. We decided that we would put the same flooring in the bathroom right into the entry way and kitchen. I knew I wanted a dark floor, especially with the furry beast walking in and out of the house. We settled on a dark grey tile which helped tie the whole room together.
I added a few small touches to spruce up the room. Being that the space is small, storage is limited. By displaying the folded crisp white towels, I was able to do double duty of storage and decor. I added in two baskets to hold various items in as well. I also printed one of Nick's photograph's of a favorite childhood vacation spot and framed it over the toilet. Lastly, I chose to use brushed nickel finishes to go with the vanity. I am very pleased with how the bathroom turned out. It is very spacious and soothing. The colors and open storage give it a spa-like feel that I have grown to love.
My recommendations for a bathroom renovation are as follows. First and foremost, try to complete it sooner rather than later if possible. You also want to be sure that once you start your project be sure that you have time to complete. You do not want to be living in the house with one bathroom that is completely torn apart. Secondly, go with your gut. I did not really go into the room with a plan. I knew I wanted a lighter wall color to open up the space more. After finding the vanity at Home Depot for such a good price, everything else pretty much fell into place. Lastly, have fun with it. You are indeed renovating your own bathroom. Do not be afraid to try new colors or designs. You can always repaint!
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