The Bathrooms

The Master Bathroom 1

The Master Bathroom 2

The Kid's Bathroom 1-- We still need to wash that tile.

The kids bathroom 2

The downstairs bathroom 1-- the seat has a bunch of junk on it.

The downstairs bathroom 2

The Kitchen

We've just got a few minor details left (one base cabinet and install the appliances) and then we're finally done with the kitchen. Woohoo! I've been working on the bathrooms at the same time. I'll post pics of those another time.

Bring on the kitchen!

Although I can't find the pictures, many thanks to Ryan, Amber & co. plus Dave for coming down last Saturday and helping finish the hardwood flooring and put all the cabinets together. Then Dave came up again this weekend and helped put cabinets up and doors on. Just a couple more to go this wee, plus the countertops, drawers and appliances and we can eat! Oh wait, they still won't turn on the electricity (another long story, call for details).

Harddwood floors...

I was in a rush so I only took one, bad picture of the hardwood, but we really like how they look compared to the bad marble job he had done previously. This was the toughest job so far. Me and a guy I found on craigslist (and his wife and sister, long story; call for details) spent two 16 hour days putting it all in. Actually, Dave Ryan and I finished the hallway and bathroom later. It took an hour and a half to do the first row, because neither of us knew what we were doing. Eventually we got the hang of it and it started to speed up. I'm glad to add hardwood flooring to the list of things i can sort of do, because it sure does look pretty.

Best news we've had in a while....

No, it's not our house, although there was a time when I wish it was.

These are the two abandoned houses across the street from us. Some lady apparently owns ten homes in the neighborhood and she's tearing them down one by one. These two were the first to go. We were so happy to see them go.

Which got me to thinking, why not our backyard. So for eight hundred bucks they dug a huge hole and then buried everything and leveled it. They even brought their chainsaw and weedwacker back there and made it look pretty. It would have taken me a year to clear everything out. Instead, just a day. (technically, that's not all my property, the city owns the last ten feet on the right side. it's an unused alleyway, and my plan is to see if they'll give it to me or at least let me use it).

Let the tiling begin!

I love tiling because afterwards it looks so different (and of course better). I tiled the master (marble) and the kids (multi-stone color) and Court did the guest bathroom downstairs. Her's looks much better so I'm not going to post a pic of it (actually, I just haven't taken a picture of it yet). It looks really good. These are grouted now too. I'll post more pics in the end.

Painting

After they got done, we posted an ad on craigslist to find some painters that were desperate for work and were quick. For $200 a day two painters came in with their guns and shot up the place real colorfully. Courtney really wanted to do the painting but we had to meet a deadline on flooring, and we were glad to get it done so quickly. (I know you can't see it all that well, but if you come visit I'll give you a tour.)

Ductwork

After the plumbing, electrical and now the a/c ductwork, I'm losing all my work space in the basement. I think I still see a corner in the back.

My Sheetrock problem

Sheetrock arrived. Two guys put it all up, except two bedrooms, in one day. I watched with my jaw dropped. While they did that I put durarock up in one and a half bathrooms. I felt so little.

The mystery chimney. He had this covered up on the inside and outside. No idea why and I don't want to know. If we stay in the house long enough, maybe we'll have a chimney expert come look at it and see if it's worth opening up the can of worms.

We had to rip down 60% of the sheetrock in the home so that all the electrical could be checked and a few things fixed. Not fun! This is the wall on the right in the kitchen. It's where the panel is located on the outside.

Downstairs bathroom...

After the inspector passes it off we're ready to pour cement and tile. I've really enjoyed this since it's completely different from what was already in there. The hole in the upper right hand corner is from the plumber. When he filled up the drain pipe, water sprayed everywhere. Turns out he never connected the two pipes in the ceiling. Plumbing is roughed in now. We have water!!!

Backward Progress???

If there is such a thing. It was more expensive to buy and put in matching tile for the parts that he broke off than it was to rip it out and put in hardwood. That said, I still wanted to put in the tile rather than take any out. I think it will look better with the hardwood in the end. Anyone with a hammer and crowbar is welcome to join me!

New Tools!!!

I almost love this more than the finished product. It's my favorite part of renovating, the tool purchases. Of course for each new project I "have" to have the right tools. It's like going to the candy store with mom's credit card, or winning a shopping spree. I think home depot is one of my favorite smells. If it was a fragrance, I'd wear it. My favorite purchase on this house is the nail gun. That thing makes jobs SO much easier.

Building A Downstairs Shower

Emma Jane is checking out the new shower down stairs. This has been really cool to build. I saw it in a magazine while at Lowes and I thought 'this seems a little too complicated.' Of course it wasn't, just a lot of steps. But it's coming along. It'll be a little stand-in shower with a seat and all glass. I've got to line it and pour some mortar before I tile it. Hopefully tomorrow.

Sooo sad...

This is the master bathroom. All that beautiful marble tile... gone. Since all of the plumbing had to be redone he had to knock a wall out. The tile he had in was too hard to match so we found a good deal on some other marble tile (prettier too, I think), and I ripped the rest of it out. The frame is for a drop in jacuzzi tub. When Court came to see it, it came up past her knee, so I may need to drop it down a couple inches. It was fun to build though. I'm beginning to love carpentry work.

Unfinished Door

I still haven't found a stain to match so that I can put on the trim and have it officially closed off. Meanwhile I enjoy the breeze while working in a house with no a/c in the middle of a southern summer. I really like the door though. Thanks dad and Curt for helping me pick it out and put it in.

Foundation pillars

We're structurally sound!! This was extremely educational. The inspectors made me get a structural engineer's report (so i got to crawl around with him and pick his brain) and then hire the foundation contractor. The guy built a three story home on a nearly 80 year old one story structure. They put up 11 pillars on footings while I put joist hangers on on nearly every joist. Glad to know this house isn't going anywhere.

Here's another view of the pillars. Half the crawl space you can stand up in. The other half you're on your belly.

Hit the deck!!!

Emma Jane came to visit and see if I installed the rails and sides properly. Thanks to Dave (Court's dad) for the help. His side is the straight side.

The Beginning

Here's a couple pics of before so that you can appreciate the after. We have our work cutout (knocked out) for us.

Nothing says welcome home like a couple pieces of plywood.

The finished attic. Except we have to close off the opening and build a staircase up to it. But other than that it's finished.

Front staircase. We're going to need rubber carpet so our kids bounce down unscathed.

On the bright side, I'll bet he had a lot of fun with that sledge hammer.

Dining room. He only took half of the tile. If anyone sees batlic brown marble tile go on sale, give me a ring. (Roll tide!!)

The Master's sweet. This is looking from the bed area into the sitting area.

The kitchen. Courtney gets to pick out a completely brand new kitchen. I get to install it. Boy do I feel gipped.

The downstairs bathroom. He even took the shower?!?

Does anyone know a quality plumber? I need one. Those pvc pipes sticking up are all I have to work with.

This is the guest bathroom. I promise it'll be done by the time you come to visit. We just bought a jetted tub. May not be able to afford the toilet now, but we got our priorities right, right?