Does your life get off kilter sometimes? Well, mine does. And that’s not good for a writer.
Six weeks ago I started a renovation at my house, thinking, praying, that it wouldn’t take a whole 2 months to complete. I mean I was only knocking out a wall, putting in new cabinets, tiling the kitchen floor and putting new hardwood where the den used to be and refinishing the old hardwood…not to mention the sheet rocking and painting. Oh, and I took out 3 windows, put in French doors and added a deck.
Okay, okay, you can quit laughing any time.
Actually, I’m surprised we’re as far as we are, and I do believe the renovation will be finished by the 2 months. Here are a few before and during photos:
This was the kitchen and den. There was a wall between the two and a wall dividing the living room from the den.
Here was the living room, looking through to the den.
The wall is down!
It’s starting to shape up!
And here’s a peek at the cabinets. The granite isn’t down yet, but you can get an idea of what it will look like:
Check back next week to see how much closer the project is to being finished! But for now, have you ever renovated anything? How did you survive? Leave a comment–I need help!
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Comments 21
Back in 2010 we added a garage Mahal (36’x36′), large glam bath and closets in the master suite, and a day room with French doors. Most of the work was done by construction folks, but there are still things we have to do. And ideas are still percolating. Hang in there! You’re making great progress. I really like what you’ve done.
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Then you know what I’m going through! lol. Will post more photos next week. I’ll be so glad to get my house back. Thanks for stopping by, Crystal!
I like it lots and great artistic planning. I’m just SORRY you’re a candidate for knee remodeling at the same time. Be refreshed and heal quickly, friend.
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Thank you, Dee! The counter tops go on tomorrow, and then I can cook!
Repeat after me, “I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me.” Repeat after me…..
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“I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me. I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me.” Needed that this morning. Thanks Cheryl.
Amen!
How did I (we) survive three total house renovations (guttings)…no outside help of any kind…only my Jack of all trades husband and his dutiful wife. Our children have learned much from their carpentry skilled father. However, a condo will do quite nicely for me now. Must tell you that mudding ceilings isn’t in my job descriptions any longer nor scraping six layers of wallpaper at my parents home. AND riding in the back of an old Datsun pickup holding down extension ladders with a 15-year old is out of the question!! My prayers are with my dear friend, Pat.
Guess I haven’t really answered your question yet. I survived years of house and yard renovations by the grace of God and repeating, “I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me.”
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That is the only way I’ve been able to survive! Glad all that is behind you, Cheryl.
Goodness, I hate stripping wallpaper, Cheryl! I think the next home we buy, no wallpaper will be a prerequisite. 🙂
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I stripped the wallpaper from my hallway, thanking God that was the only place I’d put any up. lol
Oh, let’s see. We’re in our fourth home right now, and it’s our third fixer-upper. We’ve replaced roofs, windows, carpet, Sheetrock, tile, wood parquet, ceilings, crown moulding and other trim, French drains, bath tile, whirlpool tubs, tiled showers, a massive deck, and even stone masonry on the hearth/face of a fireplace. And that’s just what my husband has done himself (with a little help from me when I’m not taking care of the kids). This last fixer upper needs a new kitchen (our first kitchen reno) and needs updated wiring (out of our area of legality–gotta get an electrician for that one), but the hubby has to finish the laundry room renovation before he can get started on that. We’ve been in this house for 7 years, and renovations go much more slowly here, not because the house is so old, but because of our two children. Kids really slow down renovation projects. 🙂 Would love your advice on surviving a kitchen renovation. I’m concerned about being without a kitchen that long! We’re planning to tear out the wall between our existing kitchen and dining and flip them for logistical/flow purposes. Thankfully, my cousin’s hubby is a general contractor, and we’ll pay him to come and help.
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Wow, Renee! I officially quit grumbling after what you and Cheryl have been through. As for how to survive not cooking…I am cooking at Bryan’s house–when I cook. Mostly he wants to eat out. lol. And we have a great hospital cafeteria in Corinth that is very cheap so we have eaten there LOTS. Wishing you the best when you start the reno! Oh, if I were only doing the kitchen, the reno would be completed after today with the installation of the counter tops. I still have the hardwood floors to be finished and that guy is coming the end of next week. THEN I’LL BE DONE!
Oh, Patricia! This is going to be great when it’s done. Hang in there during the construction phase! Blessings!!!
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Oh, Katherine, thank you for the encouragement. I need it for the stretch. lol
It looks like its going to be beautiful! I can’t wait to see the rest of the changes as they progress!
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Thanks, Jennie! I’m going to post more photos next week. I should be cooking by this weekend! Never thought I’d be excited about that. lol
Not that it will help you much since your counters will be in today, but when we redid our kitchen a few months ago, I put plywood over the cabinets so I could cook. We went a couple weeks without running water in the kitchen. Not fun! Ours dragged out to nearly 3 months because a couple cabinets were the wrong size, and we had some damage that required us to return and reorder. Although it was a pain to live in a construction site, I was very thankful for my empty nest. It would have been a lot harder if my kids were small. It helped a lot that my office is upstairs. Made retreating easier!
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Oh, Wendy! 3 months? I haven’t had running water in the kitchen for 6 weeks now and went one whole weekend without running water in the house. Not fun. lol Thanks for stopping by!
They say it’s all in the perspective… and the need. I desperately need my kitchen redone, but looks like that will have to wait a bit more. That is really funny that I’m once again wishing to renovate because back in our early years of marriage my husband and I restored a dilapidated railroad station (didn’t even have running water) into a home. Sounds like fun? Romantic, working together? Oh, far from it! Too much work. Too much stress. Yet, here I am wishing to roll up my sleeves once more. So Pat, hang in there! The work will end and you will sit back and enjoy it.
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Elaine, I can easily see how renovating a dilapidated railroad station might put a little stress on your marriage. 🙂 I’ve done small renovations before but nothing this extensive. I’m doing my bathrooms next…as soon as I recover, maybe in 5 years.