It’s still not done, but we moved in a couple of weeks ago. It was 7 weeks start to move in. Still worked my normal schedule, and worked on the house just about every spare minute.
It’s the first remodel I’ve done for myself(not for resale), and the first I’ve done sharing the decision making with my girlfriend. It was stressful at times, and fun most of the time. It really is different when you are working on your own place.
We decided on this house after about a year of looking, and there were many factors in our decision. We looked at everything from big Mcmansions, bars, churches, and a restaurant. We had plans drawn for a timber frame home, and I almost pulled the trigger on it. I really thought about it, and decided building new just wasn’t practical at this time.
We really wanted to do something unique, but decided to be debt free instead. This house was the best combination of size, price, and location.
It’s a small(2 bedroom, 1 bath)2 story built in 1925 by a local coal company. There are 20 houses on our street that are identical. Pretty crazy, but it works. We are kind of in the country, but still less than 20 miles from downtown Pittsburgh.
We really wanted something that fit our needs, instead of our wants. We are not tree huggers by any means, but I hate to be wasteful. With energy costs constantly rising I wanted to buy something that was big enough, but not too big.
Enough talking, here are the pics:
It’s not too late, it’s never too late.
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Bathroom.
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It's not too late, it's never too late.
Edited 11/11/2007 10:39 am ET by dustinf
1 bedroom.View Image
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Edited 11/11/2007 10:41 am ET by dustinf
Edited 11/11/2007 10:42 am ET by dustinf
Kitchen.
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It's not too late, it's never too late.
Edited 11/11/2007 10:43 am ET by dustinf
Living room.
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It's not too late, it's never too late.
Edited 11/11/2007 10:45 am ET by dustinf
mudroom.
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It's not too late, it's never too late.
Edited 11/11/2007 10:46 am ET by dustinf
Edited 11/11/2007 10:47 am ET by dustinf
Great! Isn't it fun moving into your first house? :) I love the kitchen, especially the floors, but that shag carpet has to go...:)Have fun!
Congratulations Dustin. Looks like you've got some good clay to shape. When we bought are house, we had a very similar philosophy as to what you have spelled out. Good luck with the renovation, you might have found the most difficult customer ;-)
Thanks Toni.
Are you in the Bahamas, or NYC? How's the big project coming? I've been out of the loop.
It's not too late, it's never too late.
Edited 11/11/2007 11:05 am ET by dustinf
forgot one.
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It's not too late, it's never too late.
Edited 11/11/2007 11:10 am ET by dustinf
dustinf,
Congratulations it looks like you have a fine home in progress.
A couple of points..
1. Don't overspend on it!
you said there are 20 houses all the same around you, well just about no matter what that's the value of the house.. It will rise and fall with inflation and market conditions but never appreciate much over what the rest of the homes in the area will. If you get fancy or spend too much you won't get a return on it..
2.
Start looking soon for a replacement house. I know you just moved in and are happy with what you have but your home is the one real advantage you have that isn't taxed to death. Done wisely slowly and carefully it's probably the only way the average working person will accumulate much.
Look, Get to really know the market and do a little dreaming, Gee fixed up that place would be spectacular sort of dreaming... Don't pull the trigger until you are absolutely certain that the replacement home does three things. (a) Offers you a real major step up at a bargain price (b) greatly improves your location.. remember the realestate addage, Location, location, location! (c0 Your existing home is either sold or you are confident it will be sold shortly!
3.
Spend a great deal of time looking at vacation homes, lakeshore or waterfront homes. That is the new Growth industry in America. The babyboomers are starting to look at retirement homes and many have been dreaming of the day when they can look out over the ocean/lake/river. The rule with waterfront properties is your toes need to get wet as you step off your property.
With over 50 million Americans approaching retirement for the next 20+ years it will remain a growth industry for at least the next decade. There isn't enough waterfrontage in the country to fill that demand so prices will continue to climb..
Very cool. So now you get married?
. "Chuck. Chuck. It's Marvin - your cousin, Marvin BERRY. You know that new sound you're looking for? Well, listen to this."
Ha. Don't start trouble.
There is talk of it, we are both from broken homes, and I don't think there is any hurry.It's not too late, it's never too late.
Let me know. I can jet in we'll go drinking we'll get up early do I'll do the ceremony real quick and painless no sweat. Buck can play drums.
. "Chuck. Chuck. It's Marvin - your cousin, Marvin BERRY. You know that new sound you're looking for? Well, listen to this."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=229QkXMvdc0
Edited 11/11/2007 9:05 pm ET by Gunner
That's what I'm talking about.It's not too late, it's never too late.
No problem. I do Bar-Mitzvahs too. Whatever you need bud.
. "Chuck. Chuck. It's Marvin - your cousin, Marvin BERRY. You know that new sound you're looking for? Well, listen to this."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=229QkXMvdc0
I do Bar-Mitzvahs too.
As long as you don't do 12 year old alter boys, you're in.It's not too late, it's never too late.
Never.
. "Chuck. Chuck. It's Marvin - your cousin, Marvin BERRY. You know that new sound you're looking for? Well, listen to this."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=229QkXMvdc0
Man, you're giving the inside of that thing a serious overhaul. What's the outside look like?Loren Wallace for president.
I'll post some pics when I get home tomorrow, but it needs some serious updating.
Everything is covered with chalky white aluminum siding. Decent sized covered front porch, and a small 1 car detached garage.It's not too late, it's never too late.
Better late than never. One of outside, before the new front door & windows, and some minor landscaping.
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This is a picture of the laminate floors we put in the bedrooms.
View ImageIt's not too late, it's never too late.
I gotta tell you, I look at pictures left column down, move to the right column and go down. I am looking a them and thinking "man is this guy straight out of the 70's or what?! That is the ugliest decor I have seen recently that wasn't owned by an 80 year old". Then I got to the right column with after shots lol. Whew! Stupid me. Anyway great job and big improvement. I really like the debt free part. A lot of freedom in not owing a bunch of money. Congrats! DanT
7 weeks? It takes me 7 weeks to pic out a paint chip...
Nice facelift. It looks like you replaced the tub?
The tub is new. American Standard Americast steel tub.
I figured I'd try it for half the cost of cast iron.It's not too late, it's never too late.
What flooring did you put in the kitchen? Looks great! One of the bedroom colours looks like the colour I chose for mine (an underwater Caribbean blue). It's very soothing when tryinng to sleep.I still trying to get over the fact that you painted the newel post & railings white but I like the wall colour and your mudroom seems less dungeon-like.I'd be interested in before & after outside photos too. Don't forget to recycle the aluminum siding for cash, if you're going to replace it. Well, the feeling that someone used a jackhammer on my jaw has faded to a faint dull ache. Did you know that a dental drill sounds like a Dremel tool?
The kitchen floor is an engineered cherry. 1/8" of cherry laminated on plywood.
There aren't any after pictures for outside. Haven't done anything other than cut grass, and pull shrubs. Waiting for spring now.It's not too late, it's never too late.