UM...Spring is supposed to be the time to REVITALIZE.
Up until now---we've always done ALL our own REDO work, but since November we have had to have a new furnace/air-conditioner installed, ($8,500) then our VERY HARD well water chewed through the third water softener, so we added new filtration water system and softener ($5,600). (The well was redone 5years ago for 8K.)
Last Wednesday the electrician was here. We need to sorely upgrade our voltage/panel, raise the 'stack' (to do the roof), move the meter to a new LEGAL location, and run more amps to the garage (for a heat-exchanger). And guess what ---the house has not been properly grounded????since 1974.) ($12,000+).
We currently run a fan and a heater for the greenhouse which is partially insulated.
At least the greenhouse saves on plants and produces 'free', lol, $food$.
The insulation has helped and we easily keep the greenhouse +20 degrees over the outdoor temps running on half power.
Hubby has a full workshop in the garage, and wants to add an heat exchanger for heating, which makes sense as he has gone crazy with the long winter this year.
And all that---for THINGS you can't see???????
I cringe thinking what the contractor might want for the new roof? We had planned to raise it so all the leaves, debris, and snow slide off???? We are getting past the age of climbing on the roof ten times a year to clean it.
We have redone all the sewer and plumbing ourselves, and upgraded most appliances and light fixtures.
While not blog, 'Decorating', fodder this was quite the feat. I got a sewer line/pump and water to my craft shop. In some post-covid day, I can have classes in there.
Hubby also changed the angle drain from kitchen sink/ /dishwasher/washer/dryer pipes sixty feet away. Upgrading the 50 year old pipes didn't hurt a thing either.
Of course this meant we upgraded the toilets too! DOMINOS...||||||//////______
We have a passive solar home that has been re-insulated,and new windows replaced over the last 15 years and new doors.
(Last year, the final window bill was $3,000)
doing it ourselves. 
Hubby matched the siding, and added brick below. This replaced our drafty floor to ceiling 108" leaky windows. Very late in the year, and I never really took any great photos of the finished 'look'.
So, well, is Easter on ??? NOT At the moment???
The electrical starts the day after Easter. Leaving us without power for how long?
Now, I think we are not doing the floor in the extra bedroom---and concentrating on these big expenses and upheaval first. We will be clearing the porch and basement for the Electrician$ to have room to work.
NOTE: (A day later the permit arrived online). Last time we needed permits ourselves---it took 3-5 weeks. YAY---for the Electrical Contractor!
At this point, I'm hedging on the two gallons of paint to do the living room. You know what happens when you paint a room, Decorating Dominos begin to fall, and there will be no $$$ for decorating with anything new.
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As we said to our kids, when we added 'cement' siding and the new windows to the house a few years back, "Welcome to your 'No maintenance' Inheritance!"
Smile...if it isn't one thing...it's another...
House Medicare, that's hilarious! This Mini Farm was built in 1980 and tho' it had been completely Remodeled only 4 Years before we bought it, the first Year in we had to replace expensive shit like the one Air Conditioner, then the Hot Water Heater since the old one caught on FIRE, then the Water Softener too... Jeeeeesus! You know, when we owned the Historic Home which was a Century Old, it still had Hot Water Heaters from the 1940's that were working just Fine... I think a lot of these spendy appliances are designed now to crap out in only 7-10 years or sooner. And, House Warranties are worthless, they never cover the really expensive stuff... we bought this with a Warranty and they covered absolutely NONE of the expensive replacements. Then they acted surprised when we didn't renew. *LOL* Good Luck with the Remodeling projects, even if it weren't a Vintage Home, you'd still be spending Money, trust me, Villa Boheme' was a New Build and I spent more money on it than on these Older ones... plus, the new construction is shoddy all around, those Homes won't even Survive as long as ours have.
ReplyDeleteI know---it's pretty much ridiculous. We need a new roof and were considering raising it...but YIKES. I know you had a bunch of expenses with both your houses since I was reading your blog---if it 'ain't one thing, it's another', I so wanted to find a clip of Roseanadana saying that, but too many bits to got through, and I'm not skilled enough to clip from UTUbe
DeleteThanks for stopping by, Sandi
Thanks, Linda. If and when, it will just be for fun--watercolors, painting, decoupaging, little seasonal projects for fun and a get together with friends. I have formally taught Color Theory, acrylics, craft painting, floral design, wheel-pottery, porcelain jewelry, mold-making, and wide variety of kid's classes over the years. But, this would just be for social fun! Covid interrupted that! Hugs, Sandi and good luck on your home...we had a 1905 brownstone in northern Wisconsin---and that WAS a moneypit!
ReplyDeleteSandi
I certainly admire your good humor about this and the account of all you've done yourselves just floors me. I thought my husband was a project person! And like you wrote, to spend it mostly on things that don't show, ouch that's hard!
ReplyDeleteHa, Thanks, Dewena. At this point---we know one of the kids will take over the house eventually, so I guess it is an investment. My parents left me a house that was 65 years old and never was upgraded with anything---so it was a nightmare! Won't do that to my kids! Grins, Sandi
DeleteI hear you. I got all my appliances when I bought the house in 1995. They built them to last (actually, the stove made it 57 years!). But now the washer and dryer have died, the dishwasher... I got a new hot water heater and need a new fridge. And indoor repair work. I hope I have the same upbeat sense as you as I deal with that!
ReplyDeleteYikes appliances are really hard now. We finished with the last kitchen appliance (stove& refrigerator) last year...so now we will have to start over soon again with the dishwasher. Upside, hopefully the water system will let them live longer! Hugs, Sandi
DeleteOh my, that's a lot! I feel your pain -there's nothing fun about spending money on repairs. Those dominoes -- ugh!
ReplyDeleteHi, Amy. I hope you had a lovely Passover Holiday. We had snow here today...yugh, thanks for visiting! Sandi
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