We are out of budget money and awaiting more funds. Additionally, there is a mold issue that must be resolved and we are exhausted from doing most of the work on this property. We are taking our Christmas break and showing the property to interested parties and workers/contractors for the owner to have more repairs done.
We will return to work on the property once the mold issue is cleared up. Additionally, I have not been with cold and need time to heal. Ray believes the "mold" in the dining room could be what is making me feel so sick; my cold, congestion, and allergies have lasted nearly a month!
Ray showed the house to an interested couple; we have yet to hear back from them, but they said that they love the house. Perhaps after Christmas we will hear from them and many other buyers.
More later....
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Monday, December 11, 2006
12/10/2006 MOLD in the Dining Room.. and lots of it!!
Today we worked for over eight hours on the house; peeling wallpaper and even painting over some of the remnant wallpaper. The paint job has been really draining of our time and energy because of the exorbitant amount of wallpaper on the walls!
We painted 90% of the living room and I painted one wall in the
bedroom that is attached to the bathroom. I plan to leave the three other walls with the current wallpaper in that room. Then, in the "office" bedroom, I am eiher painting one wall of finding a window cover to cover the small area around the french doors that is lacking wallpaper, as I am guessing that is how it was handeled before.
With these changes; preserving wallpaper in all three bedrooms, it is cutting down on time and costs of paint. Now for wallpaper peeling, we just have the kitchen and dining room to complete and then paint.
I started painting some of the dining room, just to see how it will look (and also to complete some of the painting needed).
We painted 90% of the living room and I painted one wall in the
bedroom that is attached to the bathroom. I plan to leave the three other walls with the current wallpaper in that room. Then, in the "office" bedroom, I am eiher painting one wall of finding a window cover to cover the small area around the french doors that is lacking wallpaper, as I am guessing that is how it was handeled before.With these changes; preserving wallpaper in all three bedrooms, it is cutting down on time and costs of paint. Now for wallpaper peeling, we just have the kitchen and dining room to complete and then paint.
I started painting some of the dining room, just to see how it will look (and also to complete some of the painting needed).MOLD In the Dining Room??
We ran into some trouble in the dining room that we will need the owners to make decisions about before proceeding. It looks as if we have a LARGE amount of something that largely identifies with mold in the dining room; all over one wall and I cannot yet tell how much on the wall that has french doors. As we peel the wallpaper, more appears.
We ran into some trouble in the dining room that we will need the owners to make decisions about before proceeding. It looks as if we have a LARGE amount of something that largely identifies with mold in the dining room; all over one wall and I cannot yet tell how much on the wall that has french doors. As we peel the wallpaper, more appears.
The house is really starting to look good. There is a nice flow with the paint job that directs the eye to the nicer features of the house, instead of from wall-to-wall. The colors that we chose are very soft and suttle; it sets the mood and gives this house a more softened look.
NEEDS: A Household Mold test and (likely) mold remediation, Possibly a few more gallons of paint ( approx. 3 gallons more), floor stain, floor sander, floor material or concrete stain for the "master bedroom/den" and hallway to the laundry area.
Sunday, December 10, 2006
12/07/2006 ...And Still More Painting & Peeling
Today Ray and I went to the house in the evening to try to get some paining done to the areas that are cleared.
I came up with a way to cut down this painting job and get things done faster. The living room is now clear, so I taped and prepped the room, as well as the foyer. Ray painted most of the living room and foyer, as well as two walls in the "master bedroom/optional den" area. We tried to paint over the hard-to remove wallpaper to cut down on time, but it didn't appear to work well. Instead, we are preserving wallpaper in both bedrooms by clearing only one wall per room (whichever wall has the most impact and is the worst looking). That way, we only have to finish peeling those two walls in the bedrooms, plus the kitchen and dining room. We will leave the wall paper in the bathrooms. This will work perfectly; we didn't buy quite enough paint for the entire interior of the house, we only bought five gallons and I had estimated that we'd need 6-7 gallons.
The paint really brightens up the house and gives a nice look. I really loved the color of the living room walls, but the new color looks very sophisticated and luxurious. Too bad there are no moldings, that would really make this job shine! I cannot wait to see the floor all polished out and restored; it's going to look beautiful!
Also, in my estimate of the costs to restore, I forgot to add the floor in the master bedroom/den. We plan to just stain the concrete in a color that is complimentary to the wood floor color. This will cost approximately $150.00, as we will need a helper to tear out the current flooring and clear the concrete to prepare it for staining, plus materials. I can really start to see how great this house is going to look with brighter rooms and a nice, gleaming wood floor.
We've had two parties look at the house and both were turned off by the price. I truly hope that they will change their minds once the house looks good. Everyone agrees that it's a great house, they just think it needs too much work. Once we are done I hope they will see it just needs personalization, not repairs.
I came up with a way to cut down this painting job and get things done faster. The living room is now clear, so I taped and prepped the room, as well as the foyer. Ray painted most of the living room and foyer, as well as two walls in the "master bedroom/optional den" area. We tried to paint over the hard-to remove wallpaper to cut down on time, but it didn't appear to work well. Instead, we are preserving wallpaper in both bedrooms by clearing only one wall per room (whichever wall has the most impact and is the worst looking). That way, we only have to finish peeling those two walls in the bedrooms, plus the kitchen and dining room. We will leave the wall paper in the bathrooms. This will work perfectly; we didn't buy quite enough paint for the entire interior of the house, we only bought five gallons and I had estimated that we'd need 6-7 gallons.
The paint really brightens up the house and gives a nice look. I really loved the color of the living room walls, but the new color looks very sophisticated and luxurious. Too bad there are no moldings, that would really make this job shine! I cannot wait to see the floor all polished out and restored; it's going to look beautiful!
Also, in my estimate of the costs to restore, I forgot to add the floor in the master bedroom/den. We plan to just stain the concrete in a color that is complimentary to the wood floor color. This will cost approximately $150.00, as we will need a helper to tear out the current flooring and clear the concrete to prepare it for staining, plus materials. I can really start to see how great this house is going to look with brighter rooms and a nice, gleaming wood floor.
We've had two parties look at the house and both were turned off by the price. I truly hope that they will change their minds once the house looks good. Everyone agrees that it's a great house, they just think it needs too much work. Once we are done I hope they will see it just needs personalization, not repairs.
Thursday, December 07, 2006
12/05/2006 ...and Still More Wall-paper Peeling....
At the house today...peeling paper...
I finished off the living room and cleared a whole wall, part of the other two walls, and the entire border from the "master bedroom/den". I need this wallpaper cleared by the weekend so Ray can paint the entire place on Sunday!
Additionally, I had a conversation with the owner, who is also anxious to see this entire project wrapped up! I wholeheartedly agree. I have committed to finish this project by the end off the month, but I want to have the painting completed by this weekend; then we will just be waiting for more funds to finish the project.
Still needed: yard work, floor sanding + staining, trash hauling, detailing (fixtures that need to be fixed or re-attached; 1/2 bath mirror), then total house cleaning.
I am trying to only clear one wall for the bedroom attached to the bathroom and keep the rest of the paper.. I hope it will work (I am not certain if the other walls have a consistent pattern). The "office" may need complete clearing of the paper, since all walls are totally different and there is paneling on only some of the walls... I wonder if I can just get more paneling to add and then paint it white (like wainscoting), instead of removing it...?
I will be returning on Thursday to work all day on the wallpaper and hopefully finish the "master bedroom/den", dining room, and kitchen.
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
More Wallpaper Removal
Pic, above left & right: The new paint, applied in a test run to the living room and foyer.
Back at the property,
removing wallpaper (no surpise there). We found hope in the form of plastic packaging and stainless steel "claws'....
THE CLAW
Guaranteed to cut the job down by 50%! We picked up a CLAW at Lowes to help the job go faster.
The claw has stainess steen claws on a wheel and a plastic protective body. It is used to score the wallpaper so that when we spray the water (through the mist sprayer we bought for the pet odor spray) or removing solution, it cal fully (or mostly) penetrate the wallpaper's seal and allow the entire sheet to lift from the wall.... that's our LAYERS of wallpaper removing technique for now!
The CLAW didn't work well in the living room or master bedroom/den, which had wallpaper that had been painted over (though it did help things go 50% faster than it was going), but it worked well in the foyer! 
Ray cleared an entire wall in the time it took me to clear the small area he is working on behind me in the photo above!
Ray cleared an entire wall in the time it took me to clear the small area he is working on behind me in the photo above!
It is such a shame to see that pretty color from the living room go, but I have a great feeling about this very neutral being color we found at Lowe's, as well as the darker accent color that will go on the back wall of the living room. It's going to look fabulously neutral! Question for the Homeowners:
Did you paint and remodel the living room or did the tenants?
When decorating with color, it is important to stick to one base color in a room; use it throughout the room and only introduce new colors that coordinate as accents. This room has four different wall designs in wallpaper and (I think) paint, plus three different borders.
There is hardly anything salvedgable, though I am trying to keep the globe design wallpaper on the window wall where the wood-burning stove sits.
There is hardly anything salvedgable, though I am trying to keep the globe design wallpaper on the window wall where the wood-burning stove sits. Had there been a reliable pattern to the design, I could have salvadged more, maybe even the whole room, but not with the distracting & confusing decor.
FLOORS:
I have been looking at floor stain for the wood; there are so many choices! I think I will go with a medium color, although walnut has really been calling my name! I want to keep the place bright, though, so we'll see. We won't be able to do the floor with what is left, we will need enough money to rent the truck, floor sanding machine, and the sealant for the floor. We shall cross that bridge when we come to it...
The dining room, 1/2 way done in peeling the paper from this room, but now we have a wall with a strange exterior stucco texture!
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Uh oh...Things are not moving along fast enough!
Ray and I have been taking any free time we might otherwise have in our schedules to work on this home... It is really taking a toll. Every wall has LAYERS of wallpaper that would have to be removed in order to paint. There is no room with 1 complete wallpaper design, so it is difficult to leave it "as is". Originally, we planned to paint over the wallpaper, but the wallpaper is mislaid, plus it's four to five layers- and more- deep. The house walls would look crooked and bubbled if we just paint over everything.
Now the real problem becomes that Ray and I are two people and this is not our part-time job. We work nearly every spare few hours we have to pull the wallpaper out of this house. This is a tremendous strain on us and is not the kind of service we offer; this is a job for more than two people- at least three or four! It is necessary that we be able to hire someone to assist us in this job, yet there is no money left in the $600 budget.
Otherwise, we have a house that is in very bad condition and we can spray paint on the walls "as is", but it may just add to the problem of looking like a "fixer upper".
We need help from the homeowners, so please comment this blog or email us with a suggestion or solution to this problem. If you say "paint over everything", then we will. However, without more funds, there is no way we can remove all of these decades worth of wallpaper, paint the walls, sand & restore the floor, clean up the yard, and clean the whole house and property; it is just not possible.
My thought is to go ahead and paint over everything; though it will only look good enough for a rental home or fixer-upper. Perhaps after spraying over everything, it will brighten the house, still. I hate to leave things as such, but we must be practical and reasonable with facts.
What do you feel is the next step that should happen?
What date is your target for having the home prepared for market?
What is your target sale date?
My goal is to get your home sold for an amount that will exceed what is owed to the bank + closing fees. That price is much too high for the condition of your home; it should be in pristine condition for $590,000 and $565,000. I feel that I am out of ideas in working with such a small budget for a home that needs so much to justify the sales price. I have my heart invested in the project, as well, but Ray & I cannot do $15,000 work of work for $600. It is so much work, I really wish you could see how hard we work on that house when we do find the time.
What is needed is two workers that can come in and peel paper, clean, etc. Two workers for five days, assisting us. Then enough to cover the cost to haul the rest of the garbage and pay a Gardner to care for the yard routinely.
I have been showing the home through all of this. I have been told countless times that this home is over priced at that homes in the neighborhood are selling for $300,000 & $400,000. This house has a panoramic view that is awesome. The lot is much nicer than the city lots an dis nearly 1/4 acre, and the porch is amazing!
The problem is: No one sees that as reason to pay $165,000 - $190,000 for the difference! I agree, there is a huge difference; perhaps if the home looked better inside and out, with nice, smooth, freshly painted walls and a "newly restored" wood floor, it will give the house a better chance at selling. Also helpful would have been removing the popcorn ceilings, as many buyers have complained about the popcorn texture and the floor plan. I am having a popcorn ceiling removed on another property and the cost is $1250 for removal and retexture; not bad, but probably not possible on this project.
Alright, Home Sellers, we need your feedback!
Homeowner: Do you know what has been altered in the house that has made the floor plan what it is now?
What changes have you personally made to the property?
Would you just as soon not put any more money into the project and have us just spray over everything?
Now the real problem becomes that Ray and I are two people and this is not our part-time job. We work nearly every spare few hours we have to pull the wallpaper out of this house. This is a tremendous strain on us and is not the kind of service we offer; this is a job for more than two people- at least three or four! It is necessary that we be able to hire someone to assist us in this job, yet there is no money left in the $600 budget.
Otherwise, we have a house that is in very bad condition and we can spray paint on the walls "as is", but it may just add to the problem of looking like a "fixer upper".
We need help from the homeowners, so please comment this blog or email us with a suggestion or solution to this problem. If you say "paint over everything", then we will. However, without more funds, there is no way we can remove all of these decades worth of wallpaper, paint the walls, sand & restore the floor, clean up the yard, and clean the whole house and property; it is just not possible.
My thought is to go ahead and paint over everything; though it will only look good enough for a rental home or fixer-upper. Perhaps after spraying over everything, it will brighten the house, still. I hate to leave things as such, but we must be practical and reasonable with facts.
What do you feel is the next step that should happen?
What date is your target for having the home prepared for market?
What is your target sale date?
My goal is to get your home sold for an amount that will exceed what is owed to the bank + closing fees. That price is much too high for the condition of your home; it should be in pristine condition for $590,000 and $565,000. I feel that I am out of ideas in working with such a small budget for a home that needs so much to justify the sales price. I have my heart invested in the project, as well, but Ray & I cannot do $15,000 work of work for $600. It is so much work, I really wish you could see how hard we work on that house when we do find the time.
What is needed is two workers that can come in and peel paper, clean, etc. Two workers for five days, assisting us. Then enough to cover the cost to haul the rest of the garbage and pay a Gardner to care for the yard routinely.
I have been showing the home through all of this. I have been told countless times that this home is over priced at that homes in the neighborhood are selling for $300,000 & $400,000. This house has a panoramic view that is awesome. The lot is much nicer than the city lots an dis nearly 1/4 acre, and the porch is amazing!
The problem is: No one sees that as reason to pay $165,000 - $190,000 for the difference! I agree, there is a huge difference; perhaps if the home looked better inside and out, with nice, smooth, freshly painted walls and a "newly restored" wood floor, it will give the house a better chance at selling. Also helpful would have been removing the popcorn ceilings, as many buyers have complained about the popcorn texture and the floor plan. I am having a popcorn ceiling removed on another property and the cost is $1250 for removal and retexture; not bad, but probably not possible on this project.
Alright, Home Sellers, we need your feedback!
Homeowner: Do you know what has been altered in the house that has made the floor plan what it is now?
What changes have you personally made to the property?
Would you just as soon not put any more money into the project and have us just spray over everything?
Saturday, November 25, 2006
11/25/2006 A Buyer Tours the Property
Today we received a call froma woman named Sherry that is interested in the home. Sherry is a historic home lover and seems to adore the house. She toured the home today and asked questions:
1. What year was the home built?
2. Where were original walls and what has been changed?
3. With the historic home registration, what cna be changed?
4. How much is the mortgage payment?
5. How much per month? She offered $1000 per month and she fixes the house herself. This will not likely work at all. Also, she wants to buy for $530,000 or much less. She mentioned seeing another that she liked that was smaller and without the view or large lot for only $300,000. It is becoming clear to me that she is not the one for this hous eif those things are optional to her. Sherry would like to spend as little s possible, by her own admission. She also later admitted that her daughter is in high schooland she wants to wait until she graduates.
The house smelled pretty good today, I am still amazed at how well we got the smell out of the house. However, the garage is now awful-smelling; like pet urine because the trash is in the garage! We definitely need more funds to get that trash hauled ASAP, but at least we can always spray down the garage with the AIP spray once we do find a way to haul the trash.
1. What year was the home built?
2. Where were original walls and what has been changed?
3. With the historic home registration, what cna be changed?
4. How much is the mortgage payment?
5. How much per month? She offered $1000 per month and she fixes the house herself. This will not likely work at all. Also, she wants to buy for $530,000 or much less. She mentioned seeing another that she liked that was smaller and without the view or large lot for only $300,000. It is becoming clear to me that she is not the one for this hous eif those things are optional to her. Sherry would like to spend as little s possible, by her own admission. She also later admitted that her daughter is in high schooland she wants to wait until she graduates.
The house smelled pretty good today, I am still amazed at how well we got the smell out of the house. However, the garage is now awful-smelling; like pet urine because the trash is in the garage! We definitely need more funds to get that trash hauled ASAP, but at least we can always spray down the garage with the AIP spray once we do find a way to haul the trash.
Nov. 22, 2006 We have Power!
The electricity is on!
A neighbor complained about the trash and are stuck trying to figure out how to haul trash with this small amount of money we have left!
The Seller suggested we move the trash to the garage for now until more progress has been made and then we will have it hauled when they can send more money for the hauling, so Ray moved all of the garbage and debris (except the large trash bags) to the garage. That worked out fine,. now the property looks better on the outside.
Ray tested out the paint machine by painting the foyer wall. I cleared one whole wall in the family room and Ray painted that, as well. We had planned to keep the family room as is and just find a way to paint the bottom wall a separate color, but since it is all painted-over wallpaper and we have no touch-up paint, Ray said we would need to remove it all. I Sadly obliged; that room was the best looking in the house! More work... yikes.
By the end of the day, we had removed most of the wallpaper in the family room and Ray painted 3/4 of the room. It actually looks a lot better, because we used a much lighter color, which really opens up the room.
We will return on Sunday to continue working to make this house beautiful. I couldn't take photos after we finished this day, because it was already too late, so I will update with photos of our progress on Sunday...
A neighbor complained about the trash and are stuck trying to figure out how to haul trash with this small amount of money we have left!
The Seller suggested we move the trash to the garage for now until more progress has been made and then we will have it hauled when they can send more money for the hauling, so Ray moved all of the garbage and debris (except the large trash bags) to the garage. That worked out fine,. now the property looks better on the outside.
Ray tested out the paint machine by painting the foyer wall. I cleared one whole wall in the family room and Ray painted that, as well. We had planned to keep the family room as is and just find a way to paint the bottom wall a separate color, but since it is all painted-over wallpaper and we have no touch-up paint, Ray said we would need to remove it all. I Sadly obliged; that room was the best looking in the house! More work... yikes.
By the end of the day, we had removed most of the wallpaper in the family room and Ray painted 3/4 of the room. It actually looks a lot better, because we used a much lighter color, which really opens up the room.We will return on Sunday to continue working to make this house beautiful. I couldn't take photos after we finished this day, because it was already too late, so I will update with photos of our progress on Sunday...
Novemebr 15, 2006
Today we purchased 1 gallon of commercial odor remover form Pet People. It was $ 38.78 just fo that one gallon, but we know it is worth it! The odor of the house is strong and a sizeable deterrant to a sale.
The AIP spray comes with a spray bpttle top, but after trying to use that sprayer, we decided it would be much better to buy a sprayer that will finely mist the walls, otherwise we will need to use 3 bottles of this AIP spray to make a difference.
We found a sprayer at Home Depot for only @ $20, and we got to work spraying! The house smelled fresher already, but the rezal magic happens when we come back in a couple of days; after the spray has had time to work its magic!
I pulled more wallpaper in the dining room and Ray organized the trash and took it out of the house. It seems like the job is getting bigger instead of smaller, because we are really starting to see how much work this really is!
Hopefully we can sand the floors this week, once the electricity is on. We will also be able to work on the house later in the day.
The AIP spray comes with a spray bpttle top, but after trying to use that sprayer, we decided it would be much better to buy a sprayer that will finely mist the walls, otherwise we will need to use 3 bottles of this AIP spray to make a difference.
We found a sprayer at Home Depot for only @ $20, and we got to work spraying! The house smelled fresher already, but the rezal magic happens when we come back in a couple of days; after the spray has had time to work its magic!
I pulled more wallpaper in the dining room and Ray organized the trash and took it out of the house. It seems like the job is getting bigger instead of smaller, because we are really starting to see how much work this really is!
Hopefully we can sand the floors this week, once the electricity is on. We will also be able to work on the house later in the day.
Nov. 16 2006 Funding & Wallpaper Removal
We received good funds to continue the project!
It's only $600, but it will help!
We still need to buy/pay for:
1. Paint
2. Wood Flooring Stain/Enamel
3. Rent a Floor Sander
4. Rent a truck to carry the sander
5. Haul Trash to the dump & pay dump fees
6. Gardening
7. House Cleaning
..and only $600 so far for all of this work! Whew!
It's only $600, but it will help!
We still need to buy/pay for:
1. Paint
2. Wood Flooring Stain/Enamel
3. Rent a Floor Sander
4. Rent a truck to carry the sander
5. Haul Trash to the dump & pay dump fees
6. Gardening
7. House Cleaning
..and only $600 so far for all of this work! Whew!
Removing LAYERS of Wallpaper
& Painting
Painting over the wallpaper has been a problem! The walls have been wallpapered so many times and the wallpaper is not laid properly, so we have to remove the wallpaper before we paint.
This is taking an exorbitant amount of time, since there are many layers of wallpaper on the walls! We hope that we won't have to remove everything, but so far, it is looking that way!
I am spraying, scraping walls with a putty knife; pulling and yanking on wallpaper and Ray is helping me and also painting. Under every layer of wallpaper is yet another layer of ... wallpaper!! Yikes! Good thing we did not just paint over the wallpaper; it's too thick and needs removal.
This is taking an exorbitant amount of time, since there are many layers of wallpaper on the walls! We hope that we won't have to remove everything, but so far, it is looking that way!
I am spraying, scraping walls with a putty knife; pulling and yanking on wallpaper and Ray is helping me and also painting. Under every layer of wallpaper is yet another layer of ... wallpaper!! Yikes! Good thing we did not just paint over the wallpaper; it's too thick and needs removal.
The job of painting is daunting for the two of us and would take at least two weeks, since this project is part time! We don't have time or energy like that, nor do we have the funds to hire a painter, so we found & purchased a paint sprayer from Lowe's to make painting fly by!
Paint Sprayer= $199.99 + tax, but is already worth its weight in gold! We have another house that we are also working on and now we can use the sprayer on that house, as well, then split the cost of the sprayer between the two projects!
Paint supplies (paint, pans, small brush set) = $250.00 so far!
Paint Sprayer= $199.99 + tax, but is already worth its weight in gold! We have another house that we are also working on and now we can use the sprayer on that house, as well, then split the cost of the sprayer between the two projects!
Paint supplies (paint, pans, small brush set) = $250.00 so far!
So, just with paint supplies, we have spent:
$454.24 @ Lowes in paint supplies
$ 62.13 @ L0wes for a pressure sprayer, wall putty, & joint knife
$ 38.78 @ Pet People for 1 gallon of AIP (best money spent!!)
$ 50.28 @ Home Depot for Construction Trash Bags, a ladder, & towels
$ 50.59 @ Our expenses (gas & food during project work)
_______
$ 656.02
- 98.50 Credit for paint sprayer
_______
$ 557.52 Total Spent
-600.00
______
$ 42.48 Left!
$454.24 @ Lowes in paint supplies
$ 62.13 @ L0wes for a pressure sprayer, wall putty, & joint knife
$ 38.78 @ Pet People for 1 gallon of AIP (best money spent!!)
$ 50.28 @ Home Depot for Construction Trash Bags, a ladder, & towels
$ 50.59 @ Our expenses (gas & food during project work)
_______
$ 656.02
- 98.50 Credit for paint sprayer
_______
$ 557.52 Total Spent
-600.00
______
$ 42.48 Left!
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Another Grueling Day at the House...
Today Ray worked further on clearing the floors and removing debris. Thanks to our clients (homeowners), we have one dumpster... and it is already full!
We will likely need to keep this dumpster for 1 full month to be able to dump all of the trash and debris around the house, with weekly pick-ups from the trash company.
There is still a lot of trash. Carpet from the living room and family room filled the entire dumpster, already! We really need two dumpsters for two weeks, with a pick-up every week (at least) to clear all of this trash! 
We already have another dumpster-full of trash piled next to the dumpster, plus all of the lawn debris trash bags, there is still carpet in one bedroom, more lawn debris & trash in the yard, a huge pile in the dining room, and rubble about the proeprty! Yikes! I went around the house, identifying trash/debris: pulling loose wallpaper off of walls and anything else that is not going to stay inside the home.
We also cleared the kitchen of the hanging cabinet unit that was obstructing the light from the window in the nook.
Den: the unfortunate room that is blocking the next best light source for the kitchen and unable to become a bedroom because of the lack of a window... Any ideas? For now we will leave it alone and continue work to get the property cleared for rehab (paint walls, floors refinished + clean lawn).
We will still need some help to clear all of this trash and rubble, but time will tell how much! Below: Laundry room (needs work) and Ray cleaning off the house with the hose.
Thursday, November 02, 2006
703 E. 5th Avenue BEFORE Rehab & Cleanup Photos
Sorry that this is chronologically out of order, but I wanted to share these photos of the property BEFORE we started work. These photos are largely from the first visit to the property:What I hope all will see is how beautiful of a place this could be to live. For instance, in the back yard, there is a green spot that is perfect for sitting out and playing your musical instrument of choice, or laying a blanket out and enjoying a book. In fact, this property is full of such peaceful pockets and places!
All of these photos in the slide show are showing the raw beauty of this property, even without work done. Yes, it does need a lot of cosmetic work right now, but can't you just see the potential of this place?
The more I come to this property to work on and clean it up, the more I appreciate and respect it's beauty. The fresh-breath-of-air feeling on this slightly elevated property is reminiscent of a mountain home; after spending a few hours at this home, I feel as though I have been at a small mountain retreat! Just add the babbling brook!
This is definitely THE place to call home; it has been owned by the same individual for over 18 years!
Questions? Comments? Please post them below and we will respond.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Planning the "Rehab"...
This is from @ 10/21/2006
So far, we have come twice to plan, clear trash & rubble, and really look into things to see where we could cut costs and enhance the value. This was mainly lifting carpet & wallpaper; studying the surfaces underneath, clearing some areas to look further, and cramming trash into the three trash cans we had (which did not last very long).
We took out the trash and now have empty cans to fill again, but we need a dumpster ASAP!
Let the Rehab Commence!
Saturday, October 28,2006
On this day, we really rolled up our sleeves and dug in deeper. Mostly Ray did the dirty work while I busied myself with the walls in the dining area.
On this day, we really rolled up our sleeves and dug in deeper. Mostly Ray did the dirty work while I busied myself with the walls in the dining area. Some of the wallpaper in the dining area is hanging off the wall; I won't have any luck gluing it back on. 
This is a small setback that I wanted to avoid, because removing old wallpaper usually means adding mud to the walls to cover the holes (the drywall crumbles away from the wall). This adds time and expense to the job (sigh). I will have to remove some wallpaper, though it was not in my original plan to remove any.
This is a small setback that I wanted to avoid, because removing old wallpaper usually means adding mud to the walls to cover the holes (the drywall crumbles away from the wall). This adds time and expense to the job (sigh). I will have to remove some wallpaper, though it was not in my original plan to remove any.LIVING ROOM
Ray ripped the green carpet out of the living room to expose the beautiful (though in need of TLC) hardwood underneath. This instantly improved the room and made it brighter!
We both agree that this is a major improvement to the room. The living room is the best-looking room in the house; it has been slightly remodeled. 
There is crown molding at the ceiling and a nice, neutral paint on most of the walls (one of which walls seems to be recently added).... Perhaps I can find a color to match the walls so I don't have to paint all four walls..?
FOYER
Next, Ray began to remove the carpet in the foyer. That was the easy part, taking out the carpet just exposed a new problem; the tiles, which took a bit of time to decide what to do with them.
After much deliberation, we decided tearing out the tiles was the best course of action. The hardwood is very nice; we would have had to tile the entire foyer to keep the tiles and matching the tile would have been impossible!
There was some pretty stubborn wallpaper on the foyer walls. Ray found that the wallpaper was glued on top of wood paneling, so he simply removed the paneling with the wallpaper!This is the After Photo of the foyer (before tile removal).
This is the large pile of carpet and debris that has been removed thus far. We definitely need a dumpster to continue, so I made a phone call to the owners. 
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
