After closing on the house, we had a list of "week-one" goals that we talked about in our last post. We officially checked off every item on that list and moved on to some bigger, more difficult tasks. Our next set of priorities were to repair all door knobs and locks, get a working
security system, get a refrigerator and get a functioning laundry room. We were finally able to start chipping away at actual repair and renovation projects for that last week of August.
While our "to-do" list on this entire house seems over-whelming to say the least, there have been some projects that have been completed recently that have felt like big milestones for us as a family. Here are some before and after shots to show what we have been working on inside and outside.
Tearing out the Kitchen Ceiling
Carolyn worked hard to remove all of the old, dirty drop ceiling tiles and expose exactly what we were working with in the ceiling in the kitchen. Obviously, we still have to take out the grid and replace the light/fan situation, but t already looks so much better. We have a painter lined up to paint all of the kitchen walls and cabinets as soon as we are able to finalize the electrical situation in here with professionals.
Removing the Gross Carpet
All of the stained, water-damaged carpet throughout the first floor of the house was removed. We found some damage to the sub-floors that we were not expecting to find, but it should be an easy enough fix. At least the potential mold and wet materials are out of the home so we have a blank slate to work with. We are still brainstorming ideas for flooring in this sun room space.
Reclaiming the Side of the House
We had to cut back and remove a lot of over-grown shrubs from around the foundation of the house. Do not worry--most of them will grow back just fine or be replaced with more manageable plants. Once we get all of the shingles removed, the house will be ready for a fresh coat of paint. We have a handyman lined up to come out and start work on that very soon!
Filling an Entire Dumpster
A lot of trash was left behind in this house by the former owners. Most of the stuff was ruined or moldy from sitting in an abandoned house for so long. We had consolidated everything to the garage and the basement for the time being, but it was finally time to get it all out. We had lots of great help and were able to empty the entire basement as well as the garage into a huge dumpster despite the temperatures in the high 90's.
