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Even worse

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  • Even worse

    So, I decided to forgo the cheap IKEA couch and just deal with more Frebreeze.

    BUT, there's a grant available for the historic districts to repair the outside areas of the houses- i.e. roofs and porches. Our porch needs some serious help- like there are boards buckled and I primed most of the exposed wood but I have counted three layers of paint so far based on the huge chunks of paint coming up.

    My main man Vincent and his main man George (who are my new best friends) came over today to take a look and are going to draw up an estimate for the porch. I will have to go to the historical society and look up this house and get some pictures of this house over time to see how the front has been modified (if at all- we think the columns are original- they need to be stripped and have some minor repairs but those babies are solid!) We need ballisters and railings and new boards and an entirely new paint job and all of the windows need new screens. but...they'll match up to 15k for the redos. I think it'll have to be done before next winter. We get freezing rain and ice a few times a year and most of the porch wood has maybe a coat of primer...

    and while George was here today, I decided that before we have the interior painted, we need to have some custom bookcases and a window seat installed in front of the picture window in the office. That eliminates the need to keep the crappy bookcases that I bought at the Crate and Barrel outlet in '99 and we will have some display area, too. The window seat I plan to have will have either drawers or a hinged top for extra storage.

    Well, you can't do new installed bookcases without painting the ceiling and walls. and really, since there are pocket doors separating the office (former parlor, FYI) and the dining room and THEY need to be refinished, we calcluated that they're going to have to be removed and stripped, too. (actually if they can remove them for me, I'd love to have a go at them. I love refinishing furniture, provided that there are no kiddos to deal with.)

    and well, the only other way to get to the office is from the former vestibule (they removed the doors) and the spackle from previous crappy paint jobs is falling onto the floors. So, George is calculating how much it's going to be to paint: Vestibule, hallway (one color) + ceiling and trim. Dining room, office, living room (which will entail removing previously mentioned mustard colored non-chair rail and crown molding (not historically appropriate for this house, anyway.)

    and we haven't even started talking about the eating area and my room and the kitchen...

    gotta love the old house.

    oh, and all of my floors are going to have to be refinished at some point.

    like when Nikolai graduates from high school.

    Jenn

    PS- Rick loved this house...because he said, "oh, we've never bought a house that's 'done'." Riiiiiight. and we still haven't.

  • #2
    It sounds like it will be done when Rick gets home!
    Wife to NSG out of training, mom to 2, 10 & 8, and a beagle with wings.

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    • #3
      But think of all the character! Your house sounds fantastic and I love seeing the pictures. And, this way, you will have it exactly the way you want it. Historic and older neighborhoods tend to hold up better in down markets and you know you'll get it all back. Not like you would ever want to move after all this!

      It's sort of a masochistic deal, all that remodeling, but I'm right there with you. arty:

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      • #4
        Lily-

        we have an architectural antiques warehouse that is just amazing. there must be 15 cast iron tubs, hundreds of sinks for every style house from 1850-1950- in every color of the rainbow. Ballisters and handrails and columns, etc.

        I bet you have one near you, too.

        Jenn

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        • #5
          IMO, it is easier to repair or update the original features of a house rather than update someone else's "improvements". Sounds like a fun project!

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          • #6
            Started stripping the pocket doors- got off white, blue, darker blue and am now down to a brown layer that I think is the layer that's actually on top of the wood. That's what I love about stripping paint, every application you actually get to see that you're getting closer to the goal. (funny- someone had colored all over one of the blue layers in what looks like black crayon. I guess they just decided to paint over it. Must have been before Magic Erasers were invented)

            So, one side is 2/3 done. Three more sides to go. I'm using the environmentally friendly non-toxic, non-smelly stripper so it's going to take longer.

            But now- I'm going to have a glass of wine and sit and watch bad tv. Actually, I have no idea what's on TV on Sundays.

            Jenn

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