fix up my house

This has been a project that has at times been sidelined because of the other big priorities in my life – my Children!
Now, I’m in the last days of 2009, I have spent the past few weeks REALLY giving my house my attention… There is so much to do, but I’m working slowly and steadily at my goal. I won’t be able to do as much as I’d hoped by the end of this year, but I’m going to put a dent in it!

Okay… so my house won’t really be “fixed” up since there is always more that needs doing, but I am down to just one more part of the last room (bathroom.) I’m thinking maybe next weekend… then a break until the new year and then a new list.

I have no idea what all has been done in that time. I do know that we did paint the front door again so that it is all one color. We are in the process this weekend of installing wood flooring in the living room. We’ve also redone the bathroom with new paint, new cabinets, sink, etc. We put a new vanity in the other bathroom, finally got a new light for the laundry room, and I’m not sure what else.

There are lots of little projects left to finish up or work on, but the big projects we still want to tackle include-

• New siding
• New roof
• New windows
• Build a back patio
• Make an island in the front yard
• Finish the backyard fence
• Tile the kitchen and laundry room

That’s all I can think of for now. After we finish putting the floors down, we’re going to finish all the little things that never got completed first before moving on to the next project.

Now just one room left and I can cross this off my list. That won’t be nearly as much work so that’s good. I’m taking a break for a few weeks but I hope to get it all done by Thanksgiving.

It won’t be done this weekend but the end is in sight!

It has been a busy weekend here, but the challenge is to keep the momentum going throughout the week and into next weekend. I find that we can be really productive for a day and then it just all stops once we go back to work and we live with holes in the wall (that’s part of this weekends progress) for weeks until we can get back to it. Right now we are fixing part of our stairs.

for the summer

Yesterday was the First day of Winter and I began a focused attempt at getting on top of this. I’m presently working on the Living Room.

Paid a guy to do some of the work and have spent this weekend priming and painting. The end of project one of three is in sight. :)

Last weekend I met with the appraiser to show him the work that was done on chimney and the basement. I found out Tuesday that the work had been approved and the loan had been resubmitted to the underwriters. That should go fine, the financial end has already been approved once. Though I did check in that the mistake had been cleared with the debt collection agency but they won’t be able to clear the credit report for 90 day or rather the credit report won’t clear for 90 days. They are however sending me a letter for the bank.

The lawyers office call to set up a closing appointment,Nancy at the bank said it should be about mid-June, I hope so, if I don’t close by June 30th, I lose my rate.

Now I have to do all the stuff I am so scared off. I know my desire to get this done by September is insanely optimistic. I just want to get in the house by the beginning of school. My budget is also insanely optimistic-forty seven thousand for an addition which includes an kitchen, bathroom & laundry room, screened porch-all in less then 400 square feet, oh and a new furnace—and a full basement. Maybe I should write again when the drugs wear off.
On the closer view (which is probably safer to limit myself to) This week I have to:
call the lawyer to make an appointment
contact the zoning office to see who I have to talk to to get a building permit.
find out how detailed the plans have to be.
find out the limitations on how big the addition can be.

I am scared to death that the responses will be:
“you are so stupid, didn’t you know that you can’t do that”, “this is the wrong office, you are an idiot”, and I will feel fat, stupid and dumber then dirt.
Till later