I can't really remember where I started. I think with the fireplace. After pulling it out and getting it set into its new frame, I couldn't get the correct vent pipe, even the pipe I ordered, which cost $100, wouldn't work. I was very frustrated. I think I moved on to the floor at that point. Or, maybe I started with the floor and then moved on to the fireplace......
Though I'm not sure of the order, one thing I am sure of, I spent the fall and winter doing only two things: going to work and coming home to work - on the home. For a time, I thought I was going to lose my mind. I still couldn't get the vent pipe to work with the fireplace, the wainscot was taking forever, my daughter's room was taking forever and Thanksgiving was coming (then came....and went) then Christmas was coming.....(then came, and went)....and still, there was so much left undone. It seemed that nothing was completed, or working. That's when my cars started to break down, and registrations expired, and the budget money for the remodel was drying up.........AND I LOST IT!
When calm returned.....I cut another hole in the house to use the original fireplace vent pipe.....at first, it didn't work, but after a few adjustments to the exterior wall, viola! The fireplace was firing, and staying lit. My daughter's car needed a $20 part, then a $100 sensor, and then a hose tightened and it passed inspection. My car needed a $118 overcoil, and it was fixed and passed inspection, the wainscot got painted, smooth, my daughter's room got painted, and slowly, things came together.
Now, I'm working on the front, side, and back wall of the front room (other three walls adjacent to the wainscot). The front wall is a lot of drywalling....and mudding, which means dust! Ugghhh, lots and lots of dust....that will be my next page, the front wall.
In the beginning, I started with $6,000 in the savings account and a goal to get a lot of remodelling done for as little $$ as possible. Christmas came and stole 1/3 of the budget. So, what you see here cost less than $3,500.00.
It seems like a lot of money at times. But when I think of what labor costs, I'm pretty confident I've done well. Enjoy the pictures (I hope) and let me know what you think. There are links at the top of the blog to each of the rooms I've remodelled at this point.
Oh, for those who think I've done well and wish to have their remodels designed by Miguel (my alter ego designer self), my firm bills me at $250/hr and I'm better at this than being a lawyer, so I've set my fee at a mere $350/hr.......I have plenty of slots open for some reason?
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