Renovation Preparations and Expectations

As I mentioned in previous posts, I recently moved my blog from SheranMemories.blogspot.com to this Word Press site. My focus for the blog is on crafting a remarkable life. One aspect of crafting a remarkable life is your home. So for a while, I am writing about the whole home renovation we are about to undertake. This post is an update on where we stand. And, to put it simply, we are coming along at a snails pace. I am like a kid waiting for Christmas to come as I anticipate demolition to begin, but there are so many steps to take before demolition that I was not really prepared for.

I am like a kid waiting for Christmas to come as I anticipate demolition to begin, but there are so many steps to take before demolition that I was not really prepared for.

I was somehow thinking my magic property brother would show up with a design and a concept and we’d be ready to begin. But no, when my own property brother (My brother Rick is a contractor) showed up to discuss the job, he bluntly told me the legwork is largely up to us.

I had been keeping a running Excel sheet of all the issues that needed addressing and renovations I wanted to make. I had also had several contractors and vendors come and give estimates for various aspects of the job. Now, I had to get into the details (what type of flooring, what designs, what is the look we are going for) and put dollar figures to each detail. It is easier said than done.

One hurdle we have faced is deciding where to begin with such a large renovation that will touch both the interior and exterior of the home. We decided to dip our toes in the renovation waters by starting with our laundry and downstairs bath. These are two of the least functional areas of the home, but also two projects that should be able to be completed rather quickly and relatively inexpensively.

Then, we will take on the big task of Kitchen/main level renovation. This is the project that will have the most impact and greatest return investment in the home. I have been able to make progress on a design for the kitchen. It took almost a month and I just received what I hope will be the final drawings. There was a personnel change that caused an almost three week delay. So with drawings and an initial quote in hand, I can now begin to compare prices on the cabinets, flooring, counters, backsplash and appliances. While we are undertaking this investigation, we can begin on the laundry and bath.

Our First Projects

The laundry is a decent size, but it had a large door that swung into the room taking up a lot of space. We will replace that with a barn door on the outside.

Secondly, at one point previous homeowners moved the water heater from the crawl space to the laundry room in the spot where the dryer should go. This water heater is huge! We need to replace it with a shorty and move it back into the crawl space. Once that is done, we can put the washer and dryer side by side. Then all we need is some paint, a new light and finishing touches and it will be good to go!

The dryer sits sideways in order for the venting to work and it is too big for the space.

We want to remove the dryer and install shelving to hold sorting baskets and a counter top for folding.

The door to outside must be blocked to allow room for sorting clothes. We want to open this space and install a door for the dogs.

The dryer will be moved to the opposite side of the room next to the washer. We will get a new shorty water heater and put it in the crawl space where it originally was located. The whole room will be painted and refreshed.

The downstairs bathroom is a small, full bath that my teenager will use. It needs a total redo. New tile in the shower and floor, baseboards, paint, toilet, sink, mirror and lighting. Did I mention it is small? I need to find a vanity that won’t get in the way of the door (18 inches deep). And the door frame had been busted at some point and needs to be replaced as well. So in the next week or so, we will be pricing out the materials for this job.