Before & After

This is what the house looked like when I bought it 10 years ago.

And now
Just in time for the biggest snow fall in 30 years!

The Reveal

It's starting to get a little cool outside, but we're ready for any weather. After calling in a few favors, the shingles were installed by an official roofer. Now we could concentrate on the inside. We had to dis-connect the electrical, and go through a whole rig-a-marole to get it hooked back up, including multiple inspections, and a roundy-round with the power company about their installing a faulty wireless electric meter.


If you wait long enough, and buy when things are on sale you can save 20%. This is what we did. We bought cabinets, flooring, and appliances all on sale. Then installed them.

The last thing we did after installing the flooring and painting non-stop was finding a heater. I wanted a high efficient furnace, since I have one in my main house and love it. I contacted a few contractors and got estimates from $3500-$5000 not including duct work and utility rough-in. My family, being frugal, was going to find a work-around. Sure enough my Mom notified me of an unused furnace that had been exposed to the elements at a local home recycling store for $250. It was the minimum size for the house, and high efficient, and best yet still under warranty! I had the installation instructions left over from the last furnace, and being the same brand I installed it myself. My Dad had the air box made, and I had to order some missing parts. I got it all hooked up and the new gas line inspected....then tried to fire it up and .... nothing. The guy I got the parts from was a certified warranty specialist for that brand furnace. He came out with a replacement circuit board, and for a $40 after hour service call BAM! we have heat. Please note the new programmable thermostat below. (This was a huge victory to me by the way) Thanks MOM & DAD!


I used my old cabinets from my kitchen, painted them to match the bathroom cabinet. I had a little bit left over from the kitchen counter top and used it. My parents found some reconditioned laundry appliances at a local repair shop and I bought them early on and stored them at my work.

Now were done! I posted the above photos on Craigslist and in a week found a renter, ready to move in December first!

The Roof

Okay, we were mostly over the hump. The walls are painted, and it looks like we're only doing remodeling. The stuff that we couldn't get a permit for is done, and we can safely get a permit for the new roof ( and feel comfortable with an inspector snooping around). The ceiling isn't insulated or dry walled yet, but we figured it would be covered by the permit. The permit is secure, and the knee wall leveling the old roof line is done. Here we go...

Weapons of Mass Construction.

My fan club.
The new roof line.

Plumbing, Electrical, Siding & Drywall

It was suggested that there may be too much narrative with the description of the renovation, but I say "What the heck, it's a blog." and besides it'll serve as a personal journal. I'll enjoy looking back at it (assuming they will have blogs 30 years from now). Anyway, my ramblings may be the reason that I don't keep the blog current. So, I'll try to be brief. Besides, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Here is the new door configuration. We moved the door over to the right. We took the old foyer and made it a bedroom, and added a closet, taking away from the utility room a little.
We ripped off all the old siding, and windows. With the new interior framing we were ready for the new stuff. This was Sunday in the morning. We had to complete this side of the building and paint it before the inspector returns back to work on Monday.
New siding & windows, done by Sunday afternoon.

Electrical & plumbing is roughed in, and the insulation and drywall are going up.Drywall takes forever, by the way.