A little off track this week...

I am sure it seems like I am neglecting the little house- and maybe I am, a bit, but...
I have the house here that has been screaming for some attention! 


Skipping Christmas decorations seemed mean, so I decided to get that taken care of this week. I also have to manage getting this house ready to sell, at the same time as renovating the new little one.


One of our long drawn out projects here has been the basement kitchen. 
I moved to this house for the basement. We had one in our first house, and never got over the loss when we moved to the second house. I have had grand plans for this basement, since we moved in 6 years ago.


Over the last year we have slowly  been getting the work done. The whole project was set back a bit, when we arrived home this Summer to find a flood. Although we had never even used the new bathroom down there, a compression fitting had come loose on the toilet. Apparently it had sprayed for the entire week - because there was water everywhere. We had to rip out all of the wood floor, the trim and the lower portion of the walls - just to make sure it was completely dry. 
Insurance covered all of the damage - but, it was still a bit depressing to redo something brand new.




So - although we've done nothing but yard work at the little house this week, we were here finishing the basement kitchen. I'm happy with the way it turned out. The picture is not great - but, you'll get the idea.
Every little bit that I get done here will be one step closer to getting into the little house.

Still just gathering quotes - and leaves!

I wish that I had more to report. 

The process of gathering quotes and information is slow and tedious. I have met with another tree guy, and another HVAC company. At least the quotes that I got this week are much lower than the ones from last week. I was definitely discouraged after getting those first few numbers! 

It's frustrating to have no real activity yet. 

While I've been gathering all of this info - we've all been gathering leaves. Every chance we get we are over at the little house shoveling out the yard. Although it has a long way to go - I think the yard clean up has helped it to look a bit happier.

I also pulled out the plastic picket fence - which was a big improvement. The slope of the yard made the fence very crooked - which made the house look completely off kilter. I took a front yard & back yard shot - so you could see the improvement.

I know the house is  not beautiful yet - but, with each bit of effort we put in - I am more convinced of it's wonderful potential! 

Any "free" time that we have after work /life/the kids and the new house, is being spent purging. Even if we add on to the little house, we will have about a third of the space that we have now. So...we are working hard to get rid of 2/3rds of our "stuff"

There is something so liberating about sending an entire truckload to the Salvation Army. I'm glad that I like that feeling, because it is going to take many more truckloads to clear out this house!

Panic has started to set in.....

Breathe in - Breathe out - Breathe in - Breathe out.......


I am hoping that continual deep cleansing breaths can help calm some of my fears. I've started to lose sleep over this little house.


The HVAC quote came back @ $28k - which is three times the number I expected! Not a good start. I have a few people lined up to get additional quotes next week.
If these quotes don't get any better - I think we will have our decision made. The idea of adding on, and living in the little house will go out the window - if I can't get some of the basics taken care of for less.


Too bad - because I was really starting to grow attached to the place. The hours of raking & shoveling, day after day, don't sound endearing - I know. Yet , somehow I've really started to embrace, not only the little house, but the major lifestyle changes that it would require.


My children have also become more attached. It will not be fun to have to tell them that we can't live there. 
Well - at least the Blog title will make sense now!


I have had some wonderful feedback & comments posted on facebook and in emails. Thank you all for your input. The additional names & contacts that you sent are the same people that I have made appointments with for next week.
I really appreciate all of the help & advice. That has been the greatest benefit of posting all of this online. I've had very helpful suggestions - from the most out of the blue sources.
With a little guidance - and support, who knows - maybe I will be able to pull this off.


Whether it's to resell - or to live in  - I am going to have to host one hell of an open house party once it is done! 

The Back of the house. An addition would follow the top roof line - and come straight out the back an additional 20ft or so.

I'm suffering from Sticker Shock!

Today I met with a tree company and an HVAC company. 


Two at once was a bad idea. 


Although I do not have the HVAC quote back yet - I was definitely getting a big number vibe from the sales rep! 


The tree situation is just depressing - and it's not helping me to make a final decision. There are several trees that will have to go  if we are planning to expand this little house and live in it. Even if we do not plan to move there, there are some that need to be taken down. I expected tree removal to be a few pennies - but...this was a painful! The biggest portion of the quote was for root ball grinding & removal. 


Apparently the last homeowner lost several trees in Isabel - or sometime at least 5 years ago, so it seems likely that it was Isabel.  There are seven HUGE root balls still sitting in the back yard. Not only are they unsightly , but they will make it impossible to build if we don't get them out of there.  Even if we decide to sell - I don't think I could camouflage these bad boys - they are giant!


So... here we go with the "unforeseen" expenses that my dear husband kept cautioning me about.


I will, of course, get additional quotes - but, I will be surprised if they are not all about the same.
It's depressing to think that we will spend $8,000 - before we even touch the house!


When do we get to the fun part? 

The First Floor

I had some basic floor plans made - so I thought I'd share. These drawings are of the current  floor plan - not the renovated vision in my head! 
                                               

                                                                           

Front

This house was listed as a 5 bedroom, 3 full bath house. Three of those "bedrooms" are on the first floor.  I am considering making all three of the rooms on the left - and the full bath right in the middle- into a Master suite. This will include the bedroom, master bath, large (ish) closet, and a small sitting area.  This side also has a door to the outside side porch - that has the outdoor fireplace. So on those evenings  - when we get the settled off to bed - and we want to build a cozy fire....
Right! 
When we finally get through the day - and get the kids all in bed - we are so happy to finally sleep that making a fire would be the farthest thing from our minds! 
Oooh - maybe I should run a gas line out there!? - I know that kills some of the outdoor fire appeal - but, at least it would make it more likely that my husband and I would ever really enjoy it.
The kids love to make fires in our fire pit now, so I am sure they'd prefer it to remain wood burning, but...they don't seem to have anymore "free" time than we do anymore - so, the gas logs might be a good idea for all!

Time to start cleaning out the YUCK

Well - decision or not - it's time to start cleaning this little house up. My husband delivered a wheel barrow, a shovel and a rake to the house tonight. Think he's trying to tell me something? 
It's true - I need to start clearing out the yard. There are decades of leaves & pine tags piled everywhere. I need to research whether or not there is a public leaf collection day. I sure hope that there is! 

Today's picture is from the "back room" 
From the slope of the floor we have to assume that this used to be an outdoor porch. I am hoping to level the floor and make this either part of the kitchen, or a living room/den.
My friend Sarah suggested that we pull down the ceiling - and let the ceiling follow the slope of the roof. I love the idea , and think it will really open up this space.  
I wish all of the "rah - de - ators" (That's how I pronounced it my entire life - but apparently I was wrong) - were like these two. The rest of the house has baseboard radiators - which are not nearly as charming.  I'd be happy to keep the hot water heat, rather than switching to the heat pump, if I could have one of these in each room.
Any thoughts? Which do you think would appeal to buyers more?

Still searching for direction

The chaos of the holiday did not lead me to the answers I was hoping for. I was really looking for an epiphany - a clear decision- black & white, concrete, not a doubt left- kind of answer. 
Sadly - I have not come to any anything more than the blurry idea, that I had before I left.


I am just going to have to move forward - one step at a time. I hope that my goals will become more clear as the project unfolds.
I have to repair the rotten floor joist(s) anyway - so - I may as well just get started.


My level headed husband has asked me to wait on the sledge hammer. ( I am not sure why - there is no fun in waiting - but....I trust him completely, so - he's probably right)


I stopped in to the little house last night to retrieve the boy's backpacks. (We left them on our way out of town before Thanksgiving to save us some room in the car)
It was pretty creepy - walking in - in the dark. It smells so vacant. Luckily, I had my 14 year old, (who has recently become "man size"), with me. Had I been alone - I would not have gone in!


That's probably not a good sign


Here is the utility room. If I am going to live here, this could become the master bath. Charming - right?! If I am going to sell - I'll probably leave all of the utilities & laundry in this room  - but, obviously, it will need a major overhaul!

I'm starting to get attached!

I know that our plan now is to renovate & sell this little house, but...
I'm starting to get attached. I love renovating - but, I'm not sure if I am going to want to let go, once it is complete. How do you put so much time and thought into a project - and then just walk away? I am either going to have to disconnect from this house - and scale back my grand ideas, or...embrace it, and make this my new home. It will be much more gratifying to renovate this home for my family. The idea of adding all of the little details that would be just perfect for us - and only us- is so tempting. I think I am going to have to use this holiday weekend to really finalize my plans.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Doesn't this look like a cozy living room for a family Thanksgiving gathering? I know the floor is dropping 4" from all of the rotten floor joists- (Joist/Joists - not sure if that's one of those singular/plural words - like fish or deer)- We can fix that. I like this room - I think we could have happy family memories in this room. (If this had audio - you would have heard my sigh)
So much to consider. Please chime in - I'd love some input. Let me know if you can not post comments. I've had a lot of nice comments on Facebook - but, I'm wondering if that means people are having trouble posting directly to the blog. Let me know - Thanks!

I hope it's not something in the water!

Before the demolition begins - before the construction can even start - there's going to be maintenance.
Ugh - leaves!
After the rain we had this past week, my new little yard is carpeted with leaves. I guess I'm just going to have to start raking - because they are not going to disappear - although, I wish they would!


Today's picture is a wall shot from the back bedroom. (The same room as the charred door) 
I hope it's not something in the water. I don't want to start writing on walls!

Let the fun Begin!

Well - it may not sound like fun to you, but for us it was a treat! We went to hear Colin Powell speak tonight at the children's school. There were thousands of people there. The traffic started building two hours before the event. The school had accessed all of the possible parking lots around the area, and there were shuttle busses to help people get to the field house.
We had a primo parking spot! Right across from the school sits our new little house - with just enough parking for 2. My friend also joined us in this fun little luxury. So...we may not be able to live in the house - but, we can enjoy the parking while it's still ours!
Tonight's photo is from a door in the back bedroom. Not only is it decorated beautifully - it's also charred. I hate to get rid of nice solid wood doors - but, I don't think that paint is going to be enough to remedy all of the issues with this one!

It's official!

I've just returned from the closing. It's official - I own a 2nd home! Ugh! I have such mixed feelings. I am thrilled - but also nervous. Wish me luck!
Now I can really post some pictures - because now it's MY house.
I can't wait to get over there with a sledge hammer! Let the demolition begin!

Almost closing day...

Two days until we close. The termite inspection was finally done - although I have not yet seen it.  The underground oil tank should have been removed - but, I'll wait to see the receipts to be sure. Hopefully everything will be in order, and we will close on Thursday , as scheduled.
I've had a heck of a time getting insurance for this little house. Who knew that vacant house insurance was so expensive?! It makes sense - but, I had no idea how much more it would be! The only good thing is that it can be purchased in 3-6 month increments. Once someone moves into the house, it becomes much less expensive. Thanks to my friend Dave @ Auto(and home) Insurers of Virginia for securing such a reasonable policy for me. I had 4 quotes - and Dave's was, by far, the least expensive.
My utilities are lined up to be turned on by the 17th, and I've already talked to the city about getting a gas line run. Apparently the key to getting the line run for free is, 3 appliances (including the furnace).
So, when the sweet lady from the city utility office asked "wuz gonna be gaz?" (In a mumbled apathetic tone - that seeped unhappiness through the phone line) I listed everything I could think of....the furnace, the dryer, the stove, two gas fireplaces, a hot water heater, a gas grill and a whole house generator. I do not plan to have all of those things immediately - but, I may someday want all of that, so why not plan ahead. I was happy to find out that the first 100' would be free (with the commitment of the furnace + two other items ) -  and each additional foot will be $6. 
I was surprised to find out that the gas permit would take 30-45 days to be written. I guess we will stick to the oil heat for a little longer. Unfortunately the homeowners forgot to cancel their automatic oil delivery- so $400 additional oil was just delivered this week. I am hoping that the oil company will come out and pump out whatever is left in the tank. It is my understanding that they will credit me for any oil that is left.  




Today's picture is a shot from the kitchen.

Somebody liked to save bananna stickers!

The decision...

After much deliberation, we have finally concluded that renovating and adding on to this little house, to fit the needs of our large family, will not be a good idea.  So, from now on, the plan will be to reconfigure the space and renovate the home without adding any additional square footage. This may mean the loss of a formal dining room. What do you think? We don't use our formal dining room at all. I wonder how important it is to others. We will have a family eating area attached to the kitchen, and a bar area for more casual dining. 

I look forward to the closing this week. I am ready to park a dumpster in the front yard and start the demolition!


Today's sneak peek photo:
This is the outdoor fireplace that is attached to the house. It has never been used. It is a completely different color brick, so it appears to be an add on, but why? I am not sure .

The question marks???

The question marks???       






There are so many questions associated with this project. I've been thinking about it way too much - and losing too much sleep. The biggest question is...is this a project, or is this going to be my/our home? The project idea seems much more appealing - simply because there are fewer risks.  The location of this little messy house would be ideal for me - and for my family. Closer to all schools and workplaces than we are now.  Very pedestrian friendly (which I have been craving since we moved to suburbia!) - with a town within less than a half mile.
When I originally found it - I intended to move us there, but the worry has been creeping in. 
How will we fit? Where will we put all of our stuff? (Not the excess stuff - I am ready to pitch 99% of that - but, the bicycles, lawn mower, shop vac, power tools - the things that we are going to need to maintain this new house. Where will they go?) Will we include a garage in the plan? If we add on the space that we think we "need" - and then add on a garage, would we be investing too much? 
The area can support the addition. Many houses nearby have been added on to , and all seem to have retained their value. 
A couple of things have swayed me toward the project plan. A friend - who is smart, and I trust has the ability to see the potential in anything- walked through with me.  She did seem excited about the opportunities - but definitely was pushing me toward the project option.
Then, yesterday, I asked an architect to meet us and discuss the potential expansion plans. Although he had many great ideas about what we could, and should, do - he clearly stated that he thought the more practical plan would be to make this house a project. Seeing my discouraged face after his comments - he then quickly added.... "This house could still be the project that helps get your family where you want to be. Ultimately, it could lead you to your new home. "
By that he meant - if I could renovate this house well, and end up with some profit at the end of the day, that money be applied to another home nearby.  It's a good point. 


So, although I said that I was not going to add additional photos now - I've changed my mind.  
There are a few very interesting and quirky things about this house. Unfortunately - most will be demolished to accomplish the renovation. So it is important to document them now - before we begin. Here is one of my favorites - and this one rates very high on the quirky meter. 

The dual access bathroom...
This room, which is smaller than my closet (literally), is considered one of 5 bedrooms. In this very small "bedroom" which might fit a crib, but could never fit a twin bed, there are two doors that appear to be closets.  But no! To my surprise, upon opening them, I found a bathroom.  I have never seen a bathroom like this - and I've been in many old quirky houses. One door opens to the sink - with the toilet to the right. The other door opens to the middle of the bathtub - which is running vertically, in line with the sink and toilet. 
I've seen tiny bathrooms before - and I usually really like them (tucked under a staircase or off of a small landing on the way to the basement) - but, this one seems a bit crazy - even for me!

The Before photos...

I love Before and After shots. Whether it's a tooth whitening advertisement, a weight loss makeover, or a home improvement - does not matter. I just love to see the progress.
I hesitate to post too many photos - as we have a few days yet before the actual closing, but...maybe just one to give you an idea of the mountain I have before me.
There are a few things that I already know - through my own observation and additional information gathered by professional home inspectors.
This house has had virtually no maintenance done since it was built in 1950.
There are signs of termite damage - the extent of the damage is still unknown. I expect the report within the next couple of days.
There are signs of squirrels in the attic.
Approximately 12 floor joists have completely rotted and have fallen to the ground. All will need to be replaced.
Although dry now, there are clear signs of water damage under the home.
All of the pipes under the house show signs of corrosion and leaking.

Sounds like fun right! I am trying to stay optimistic. I know that if I am careful and really take the time & care to restore this place completely - it will be a beautiful home.

The Beginning...

I've just turned forty. This may seem insignificant, and maybe it is, but for me it seems to be at the heart of this new journey. Many people seek out change and excitement during this "middle" part of their lives. I guess I am doing the same thing - just not in the form of a flashy red car, an extramarital affair or extreme plastic surgery.
None of those appeal to me at all. I am a happily married, I adore my children and I really enjoy my career in Real Estate - so there really is no reason to have an all out "Mid life crisis"
There is no crisis. I was just looking for a new project - to spice things up. To add a bit of chaos & excitement to my already chaotic life.
So...
I bought a house.
I have decided to write about this process for several reasons  - but first and foremost this Blog is being created to document the process. There are many peaks and valleys during a major renovation project. My hope is that by keeping track of the slow and steady progress, I will keep myself motivated. Renovation can be very taxing on a family - so maybe, just maybe, I can type my inevitable frustrations out, and avoid making my husband & my children miserable! I'll try anyway.