86'n It

So, we retooled our budget after the good news of the refi and put some projects on hold until we are no longer operating in the red (e.g.: countertops, cooktop, new bathroom, etc.). We also gave up a lot of "stuff". Like internet for my phone, our cable tv, our YMCA memberships, etc.

We will continue to do little things that don't cost too much $$. Like painting the non-scary room.

I always wanted this room to be white but now that it is, I hate it. I'm thinking of going for an indigo blue, what do you think?

I've started a poll over there --> for you to vote!

I had to make a list of improvements for the appraiser. Looks pretty crazy on paper, especially when I think of all the heart-ache, splinters and dead animals associated with these items!


86'n It Improvements

Exterior

• Replaced rotting cedar shakes and replaced flashing on upper level
• Replaced rotting wood siding & trim
• Scraped loose paint and fully caulked all joints and gaps
• Replaced broken window glass and reglazed all windows
• Painted exterior
• Removed bathroom on back porch
• Rebuilt back porch floor & column structure and provided new flooring & 2 exterior electrical outlets

Interior

• Refinished wood flooring
• Installed built-in speaker system throughout lower level
• Structurally reinforced dining room ceiling joists and re-drywalled ceiling
• Re-drywalled lower rear walls and provided wall insulation

• Completely renovated kitchen:
• Rebuilt and insulated all walls and ceiling
• Enlarged wall opening from kitchen to dining room
• New white float-glass front Jenn-Air kitchen appliances (refrigerator, dishwasher & European convection oven)
• New kitchen cabinets & stainless steel sink
• Removed, re-laid and refinished wood flooring in kitchen
• Two new Velux SunTunnel solar tube lights

• Basement:
• New GE washer and dryer
• Cleaned basement, removed 2” of soil from floor slab, & installed dehumidifier
• New hot water heater
• New pressure release valve at incoming water line
• Replaced / repaired all basement windows

• Framed and sheathed new lower level bathroom and guest room

• Upper level bathroom:
• New cork flooring on new floor structural joists & sub-floor
• New wall board and wall tile
• New vanity, clawfoot tub hardware & tin ceiling tiles

Even after 3 advil I can't make myself scrub the remaining paint off my hands.
So here is the rundown of what we did, I'll do more explaining when it doesn't hurt to type.

I just couldn't paint over the signatures from our new years eve party. I'm a big softy. We always had the idea that some new owners would find it and think we were nuts and I guess I just couldn't let go. So I blocked some of them out:

This pictures are horrid. This is the hardest color ever to photograph.

Next up, moving stuff to the now dry basement. I want to also give a shot-out to our dehumidifier. He rocks.

So, big news around here is that we are refinancing. Hip-Hip-Hooray! Bad news is that we have to get the house appraised again. So we are busy fixing leaks and finishing or faking unfinished projects.... hence the Psyche!

My job tonight included replacing the PRV (see below) to stop the mini-wading pools in our basement and the fire hose-style water pressure. A trip to Home Depot and Lowes each later, it was done! Pressure is now at 60 psi and the water heater isn't a ticking time bomb!

But on to more exciting items, like the biggest psyche-out of all (so far) the painted plywood countertops.
Is that granite? Is that soapstone? Quartz? Concrete? NO?!
Is it 2 sheets of cheap-ass plywood and $9 worth of black enamel paint? Why, yes, yes it is. And I love it.


So we know that this is not going to fake the appraiser out, I do think that by doing some small, cheap things we can greatly improve the current craptastic look of our house. For example, the under-bar seating area will eventually get woodpanels, but for now, I painted it out black and drapped some navy fabric over the dishwasher. It's not perfect, IMO it's much better looking.

Next up, painting those plywood walls purple. Then Marc frames the future downstairs bathroom wall and we drywall that puppy.

Good times this weekend holds. Good times indeedy.

Oh and a side note, I think I totally missed my calling as a set designer. The joy that half-assing things brings me rivals my demolition joy.

:)

Normally when you buy a house you want good water pressure right? Well, turns out our water pressure is A LOT too high. We were having water leaking out of our new water heater's overflow pressure valve, even after my dad reduced the temperature for us. So like a good DIY'er I scoured the internet for solutions, then headed off went to Lowe's.





We got a new pressure release valve (above) in case the simple problem was that ours was broken and a water pressure tester(at left). So first I flushed the release valve and didn't see anything funky come out that would have clogged it.

Next, I decided to test the water pressure. I went outside hooked it up to the hose bibb and it jumped to 140psi. Google search had revealed that even 80psi was too much. Oh crap. Wanting to make sure, I disconnected the cold water at the heater and checked there... yeah 130psi. So not good.



We already have a pressure releasing valve thing-y on the line (like a backflow preventer) like we are supposed to (see left). Looks like I'm calling the city water department tomorrow and asking why they are trying to blow up my water heater, washer, faucets and toilet with their crazy water pressure. Um, thanks but no thanks.
Let's hope that this is something they can come out and fix at the meter and on their dime. :)

UPDATE: OK news, the city checked and the pressure at the meter is 150psi (static) which is within their standards. That means that our RPV (shown above) is shot and is only reducing the pressure from 150 to 140psi. Not the best news, but a pretty cheap fix!

It's tax time folks, and I'd like to show you Marc's very advanced receipt organization technique:

Anyway, it is scary to total the $ spent on renovations. So I'd like to thank Uncle Sam for making it a little less painful. We generally only total our reno' $ amounts around tax time when we are searching and stretching for every possible deduction, which helps take the "OMG" edge off of it.

In addition to the rainbow cakes, ice cream, homemade croutons, pear crisp, fondue, meringues, Moroccan chicken, etc., tonight, Marc pumped out a amazing Czech dinner for me. Five Spice Beet Soup garnished with cucumber slices and greek yogurt. Oh, and add a side of Rinaldi Sausage & mustard for good measure.
And if you are thinking, ew, beets? I promise, it is good. (recipe here) Not too bad for a stupid, weak hotplate that can barely boil 1" of water, right?


And as we speak, he is making a salt brine for a whole chicken. The rosemary is from our very own crack house garden. I will say that the plywood "counter tops" are getting on my last nerve. They aren't very sanitary and you can't clean them without getting a million splinters.