The List

I signed the papers to the house 9/23/09, afternoon. My birthday, true enough. The next day I submitted a request for a {free} city tree to be planted on my front lawn between the sidewalk and road. Next up was the STAR application, a state wide cut on property taxes.  A few days later I had compiled a list of things I wanted to do to the house. I felt confident; had a handyman/plumber that I and my sister had used previously and several recommendations from the inspector, whom I trusted. This was our 4th inspection over the 13 years I have lived in this town.

I wanted to do good by the house, so I firstly dealt with the chimney. Great guy. He adored the teeny tiny kitten (our neighbourhood house warming gift) and even tightened a few loose door hinges for me.  I had a liner insert put into one chimney and two caps put onto both chimneys. In my last home, we had frequent feathered visitors inside the home. I wanted to keep the birds and bats OUTSIDE this time.


Next up was insulation. Another local who has been in business for 20+ years and lived in the neighbourhood, which made him an expert insulating these 100 year old colonials. He also cared for the elderly, spoke highly of his competition and was passionate about the history of these homes. I was sold, no need for competitive bids. I had the ceilings and overhangs insulated.  He also made me a temporary foam horizontal attic door, to keep the heat from escaping up. Will call him another time to do the walls.


Then I thought it deserved a pick me up in the decor department and I called up my handyman plumber guy...there is not much written about it here as I started this blog after. Maybe I will update it some day.

Goals for the house renvation:
1) rid it of all vinyl (bathroom floor, closets, kitchen, landing),
2) seal it up a bit (fix broken windows, replace broken windows),
3) update with energy saving appliances (eco-conserve maytag, gas cooktop,
4) update water guzzling toilets to something  more eco-minded (dual flush),
5) update very, very outdated kitchen and bathroom,
6) access outdoors via kitchen or dining room
7) AND enjoy it with my growing family.
8) And hopefully get this all done before my work contract ends, which then would require me to move back to my homeland country.

The List
call local utility company about an energy audit - FREE.
apply for street side tree applied 9/24/09; return call 3/2011; getting Katsura May 2011                        

apply for STAR exempt taxes applied 9/24/09 (note: $1440 is included in tax payment for next 3 years. Portion of sidewalk replacement)


DOORS                                                   
seal under doorways:                                               
front door    free    11/25/2009    Gary                               
foyer door    free    11/25/2009    Gary                               
side door - currently sealed shut

Bedroom closet door
* shave off bottom so it opens freely
* change doors to sliding doors, creating more visibiliy when looking in closet and allowing more furniture placement flexibility in bedroom

Exterior basement door frame:                                               
* new frame (currently rotted)                                           
* rot can be fixed but door has been cut to fit in; only way to fix is to have a special ordered door       
Exterior side door: currently not in use and bolted shut,
* secure screen door nail and hinge are falling off (thanks to chimney guy)

* remove screen door, damaged by wind.
* replace with quaint, wooden screen door
* replace lock

Exterior Front door:
* needs hinge work
* needs sealing
                                                   
FLOORING
 remove vinyl from all flooring

Vestibule completed:
remove rugs and spoiled wood, replace with mosaic slate flooring                                       

Side door area:  peel off vinyl replace with ??

Kitchen floor / half bath completed
tear off vinyl, sand, tile
field stone or terra cotta  - went with something different
                                     Upstairs bathroom floor completed.                      
                                       

MAIN BATHROOM renovation
demolish bathroom    $350     12/23/2009    Jimmy Q.                plumbing materials    $75     1/27/2010    Jimmy Q.
portion of plumbing labour    -1200    pd ch#???? 3/23 or 3/24
plumbing quote    2200    (jimmy)  he bailed, job was over his head.
new contractors:
plumbing and electrical (and recessed shelf above toilet)    $1,665     7/2/2010    Benjamin Franklin
tile floor    $580     Jul-10    Benjamin Franklin
tile wall and bath surround +recessed shelf    $2,180     Jul-10    Benjamin Franklin

product:
daltile for floor    $300     pd    approx                                   
toto toilet    $350     pd    approx                                   
kohler sink    $200     pd    approx                                   
subway tile for walls    $1,100     pd    approx                                   
new light fixture over sink    $250     Rejuvenation    approx                                   
new mirror    $100     pottery barn    installed dec 10th weekend - CONTRACT-HER                            shelf above sink    $60         installed dec 10th weekend - CONTRACT-HER                                   


Paint bathroom; installed dec 10th weekend - CONTRACT-HER                                    Install proper baseboard:    $330.00     pd    installed dec 10th weekend - CONTRACT-HER                                   
KITCHEN WIP
gutted 2/2011
planning period
                                                 
ELECTRICAL temporary                                                   
washer plug - change from two prong to three    free    Nov 25/09     GARY
dryer - hook up vent    free    Nov 25/09     GARY                                 
dryer - bring down dryer outlet (from kitchen)    free    Nov 25/09     GARY
living room outlet - need three prong (for tv)    free    Nov 25/09     GARY
attic light    fixed    seems that benjamin franklin did something to make it work                                       
replace dining room light fixture. completed started feb/mar 2011
put outlets on wires in two bedrooms
Rewire kitchen: Jan 2012 work in process

                                           
ELECTRICAL big job                                                   
update all outlets to three prong and grounded (upstairs bathroom done)
10.2011 - Electrician advises not to rewire entire house. The wiring is good right now, it is not necessary to ground everything. BUT all outlets should be changed to update proper wiring (i.e. house is full of three prong outlets which are not grounded.) WIP.
Re-wire kitchen.
Bathroom done.

10.2011 - Dave's electric. Replaced dining room fixture, fixed two outlets in bedrooms

                                                   
ROOF                                                   
replace 2 shingles    free    11/18/2009    RSI                                   
more work required as of 4/2011 (several shingles scattered around my lawn from winter storms and wind)

WINDOWS                                                   
fix all broken glass windows

upstairs sunroom replace windows                                           
replace windows - perhaps - secondary - not urgent -updated: do not like the vinyl window, will have to fix other windows, rather then replace.                                           
attic windows (2): replaced / vinyl  $600  12/5/10 MARGO
living room window: replaced / vinyl  450 (200 labour materials, new sill)  12/5/10 MARGO
materials    100    foam, attic trim, insulation

FRENCH DOORS                                            
   DONE: broken plexiglass/front door -> replace glass                                               
   sand and polish doors:
1) french doors to dining room;
2)  porch door
   
CARPET upstairs - small room aka Orange Rug Room
fix little room $100     5/3/10   Haydar                               
tear out rug               
sand floor,ok job, but inexperienced
stain floors ME                                   
varnish floors. half done, white junk from painting room, got stuck in crevasses. stopped. redo some other time

PAINT small room  DONE                                                 
fix soft wall; paint wall, ceiling; trim    $340.00     12/10    CONTRCT-HER
                                                   
INTERIOR DOORS upstairs (5):
    paint three doors (on east facing wall). some done
    replace 2 doors (one has fiber glass in half of it, the other has missing bottom panel???)
                                                   
FRONT PORCH                                                   
    hand rail and spindles                                               
                                                   
ATTIC                                               
insulation blown in attic floor and porch ceiling    $1,408     11/18/2009    RSI
new windows (2) DONE                                  
                                                   
CHIMNEY                                               
sweep    $118.80     (10/9/09)    ZZZ Chimney                                   
cap    $729.00    10/13/2009    ZZZ Chimney
cap and liner and clean (furnace chimney)        10/13/2009    ZZZ Chimney

MISCELLANEOUS: WIP
~Mortar work: replace cracked and broken walkway around right side of house                                        ~Stepping stone and little stone walkway left side of house / french drain      
~add Lilac bush to back entrance
~Parking spot and inside garage: pavers
~Kitchen counters; cupboards; walls: WIP 2012

~New stove and fan
~dishwasher
washing machine and dryer    $843.00    bought 9/29; shipped 10/5/09                                                                               
LANDSCAPE/BACKYARD: WIP
    replace fence w/ with post and rail fencing                                               
    plant cedar tree fence line to hide neighbour parking lot
    build deck and install french doors off dining room; add slide, fort, rope ladder and climbers. build a pea gravel patio for time being.
    veggie garden along north fence: started summer 2010
    flower garden along south border: started fall 2009
planted a white leaf blooming pear tree in back yard
                                                   
LANDSCAPE/FRONTYARD                                       
    planted: red blood maple & renaissance shrub 1-May/2010
    city tree (coming may 2011) DONE

    fix garden: in process
   
CHAZ CLOSET
    build shelves inside closet opening / board and plumbing pipes
    add another top shelf                               
    need poll for hanging clothes                                  
    hang curtain: have material, need rod.
                                                   
PAINTING                                               
    bedroom "nursery"    pomegrante&red ceiling, walls and trim    $140.00    John                               
    bathroom: beige/taupe-> done Margo ($500) update: It needs to be white.
    Orange rug room: peacock blue done Margo $500 for bathroom and blue room. Love, but now the room needs clearing.
    kid room: DONE
    living room: wip


BIG, HUGE, & NOT SO FUN Projects:
~re-cement basement floor, groan
~take out / replace two concrete and seriously cracked stairs that lead to basement, along with oodles of water when it rains. ($3400 estimate whoa 8/2011)
~gutters, yawn
~re-shingle roof: seems the roof is older then its guesstimate of 10 years. found some blown off shingles this spring '11.
~and I am sure there is more           

Another 100 year old house renovation

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