We are home owners!! We have been home owners for almost three weeks now, and the chaos of moving/renovating has no sign of slacking off any time soon. I will never be bored again, I swear. some days, I think to myself "who did we think we were, how did we think we could renovate a full house?" and then other days I think "I own trees and grass and walls and windows, yay!"
We have made lots of progress since the big move, hence the lack of blog posts. Once I stopped for a while it was hard to get the courage to start again... but here I am. The busy summer season with work is finished (even though piano lessons and substituting starts now, on top of my already full time job) and I seem to have cleared a spot big enough on the couch to sit and type.
Before you get to see the progress: here are the befores. I'll save the basement for another day... but here is what we are working with right now (complete with to do lists for each room)
Exterior. We will have this completely renovated within the next four months.
To do:
-New shingles
-New soffit and facia
-New windows
-New doors
-Garage door installed (no we are not keeping the bright green wooden door
-Front step installed
-New patio and step on side
-New walk way
-crushed stone for the drive
-pruning and mowing
-New vinyl siding
Kitchen... I don't love much about this right now, but I will, sometime down the road.
To do:
-replace flooring
-new stainless steel appliances
-new counter top
-refinish cabinets (dark espresso or white? It's a toss up)
-remove awkward porch wall
-remove window apron
-new paint colour
-new cabinet hardware
-new backsplash
Hallway, which is not near this narrow or long in real life.
To do:
-replace flooring
-clean brick
-paint closet door
-new paint colour
-new room doors
-replace light fixture
The living room, with a real working wood fireplace. We have already had our first fire and I automatically knew my hours of labor invested in this house are so worth it.
To do:
-new fireplace mantle/tile/screen
-replace wood bookshelf on brick with something less awkward (floating shelves?)
-paint closet door
-new light fixtures
-clean brick
-new windows/trim
-replace flooring
-remove wall paper
Dining room
To do:
-Install built-in window bench/shelves around end window
-remove wall to the kitchen and install ceiling beam
-new flooring
-new windows/trim
-chandelier over table
-replace baseboards
Room one: future home office/craft room
To do:
-New paint colour
-paint closet door
-new closet door hardware
-new window/trim
-refinish floor
-replace plug-in/light box and plates
-new light fixture
-remove wall paper border (not shown)
Room two: future guest room
To do:
-remove blue shelf
-remove wallpaper border
-prime and paint ugly dark walls
-build shelves/organizer in the closet for Jonny's clothes
-new window/trim
-refinish floor
-new baseboard
Room three: future master bedroom
To do:
-remove wall paper
-pull up carpet immediately
-paint walls
-paint closet door
-new window/trim
-new baseboard
-replace toilet and vanity in ensuite
-new closet organizer
-new light fixtures
Main bath. This is going to be our focus after the exterior work/flooring is done
To do:
-remove wallpaper
-new paint
-Knock out the totally ridiculous bathtub closet (not pictured)
-new sink and vanity
-new soaker tub (and maybe separate stand up shower
-build a closet (a real one)
-new flooring
-new window/trim
-install fan
-install plug-ins (right now there is not ONE in the bathroom)
-new light fixtures
Side yard/shed/fire pit
To do:
-shingle, repair and put wooden clap-board on shed (looove clap-board)
-install vegetable gardens behind shed
-remove the rose bush forest
-snip, mow and seed yard
-fix up fire pit
-build benches for fire pit
Backyard
To do:
-use a brush saw as much as we can
London
To do:
-No repairs needed (except maybe the odd adjustment to her new home)
So, there you have it. The basement holds the garage, laundry room, rec-room, pantry, furnace room and an extra bedroom... but for right now my to do list is long enough.
I'll be back really soon for some progress reports.
Tara
