Home Projects - Part 3

When I last wrote about the home projects that my dear husband and I are undertaking, I believe we were only at the egress window and refrigerator stage. Oh, and we were about to start the second story deck.

Much has happened since then! What with school and Chilimania, I haven't had much time to think about writing.

That said, in the weeks since my last post, we have put up two ceiling fans with one more to go; installed a dining room light fixture; put in a new screen door; put up the second floor deck; painted half of the basement floor; painted the office (almost done!); and had solar panels installed.

I should add that by we, I mean Eric as the project manager. I quite honestly have had it easy as I go to work and come home to see a newly completed project. I love my husband!

Additionally we just purchased a new couch (comes today) and painted the first floor deck. 

WHEW! Okay, breathe. . . .

So here are some pics! 

The deck!

The solar panels!

The new front screen door.

One of the new ceiling fans....

And, the newly painted deck.

Much more to come! Stay tuned!!!

Home Projects - Part 2

Work continues on the home and we are seeing forward progress! The egress window was successfully installed and boy, does it make a difference. The light it lets in is wonderful and (when it's not 90+F outside) it's great to open the window and get some air moving downstairs.

Work has begun on the office. Everything is packed away and the door and window have been installed. We've had to adjust our plans from a set of French doors to having one door that goes out the back. Originally I was bummed but it is saving us a ton of time and money. And that's always a good thing! 

But the coolest part of this whole process thus far has been the purchase of a new fridge. This thing is huge and it's beautiful. I'm sure that like most refrigerators, it will be full and dirty fairly soon. In the meantime, though I'm going to enjoy my appliance heaven.

Next week the 100-year-old tree in the back yard will be trimmed in preparation for solar to be installed on the house. And the new deck will be installed and perhaps the house will be painted. 

Of course, this means prepping plants and what not for the crews that will be descending upon us. Whew, I'm tired just thinking about it! And, we're going to paint the office since its empty. Wish me luck!!

Home Ownership - Projects Part 1

When Eric and I bought our home in February 2009, people said that the projects never end. They were right. We're about to start another set of projects which I think will take up the rest of our fall. Once they are done, it will be awesome but I hate that in between time. It means a messier-than-normal house, people I don’t know being in my space and large amounts of cash going out the window.

But again, it will be awesome when we're done. And it will increase the value of our home should we wish to ever sell.

First we're planning to put in an egress window. This will not only lighten up the basement but allow us to classify the basement as a fourth bedroom – i.e. driving up the value of the home. Second, we're planning to put in new doors on our second floor out to the deck. This will mean I can use the deck again – once we put it back up. We had to take it down last year to make some repairs to the roof below it so I've been suffering along for two summers without my rooftop garden oasis.

Those two projects alone mean not just a bunch of work during the process but also in preparation. This means I need to move a number of plants to make way for the egress window and I need to pack up my office before work starts on the second floor.

I really am looking forward to the project being done. Here are the before pictures. After pictures coming soon – hopefully! 

This is where the future egress window will be put. Note the plants I need to relocate today. Anybody like digging?

The midget door will soon be replaced with a set of French doors and a dormer. Then, at last, my deck can come back.