Yesterday, Septtember 09,2010 we went to the house I did my first deal on and really started getting some work done on it. Up until now we only had a little time here and there, due to Rick's 12 hour days at his job, and the kids getting home from school and my night home daycare. When Rick has a couple of days off, the first one is usually for getting sleep since he gets home at 5:30 am. So we usually have part of a day and a day to get anything done. There isn't a whole lot besides demo we can actually do because we only have a little money at a time to work with. I haven't found anyone yet who wanted to do the funding for the repairs, so it's slow going. Since this is my first month I am actually having to pay the payment on the loan for the house, we decided to kick into gear and at least get the demo part finished. We did alot of work yesterday, and I am still feeling it today! We had to knock down plaster on the walls to the bare wood because the plaster had cracked and was falling or chipped, to date we have gotten one room ready to drywall and are working on the second About a third of that is ready. We also pulled out particle board closet doors and some funky metal doors they were using for bedroom doors. It's actually starting to look like it could be livable! Before it really looked condemmed.
We pulled out old layers of carpet in the living room and family room, as well as the kitchen. We also pulled up two layers of vinyl flooring to reveal nice wood underneath. The family room, living room, and kitchen all have real wood floors that we will sand and refinish. They are very nice for the house being so old. Rick pulled the ceiling down in the bathroom, and pulled out the carpet in there, but he still has another layer of flooring in there to pull up. He also got the vinyl panels pulled off the walls. We had already pulled out the old sink and cabinets, and today he pulled out the toilet. Tomorrow he will get all the electrical fixtures out. Once we get the roof repaired above the bathroom we will drywall the ceiling and the walls, and then get the floor put in and the new toilet, sink, and cabinet in there. We have some panels that look like real tile we are going to put around the tub. The tub is actually in good shape so it only needs cleaned.
I had wanted to replace the kitchen cabinets and countertop, but we have decided to just paint them and put on new handles. They are not so bad that we can't use them. We will have to put in new light fixtures throughout the house, and the electric is outdated but is functional, so we may just replace outlets. Also switches because they are push button kinds, and I have never seen anything like that in my lifetime before now. We also need to put in new entry doors, and at least two of them will have to be the ones that come with the frame because they will have to be shimmed to the openings. We also are planning on putting in double doors to the master bedroom. The opening is already made for that. Now two of the three bedrooms will need carpet or a new floor laid down. They have something that looks like painted contact paper on them. There's no way that stuff is coming off either. It seems to have become one with the floor.
Although we seem to have our work cutout for us, it will be worth it in the end. We do have lots of windows to replace as well. There are 12 or 13 total, and about 6 of them have cracks in the glass. You know the house is old because it has those old storm windows on them. Since I grew up in California I hadn't seen those before now either.
Today I cut down the bushes in the front as well. They were so huge it's not even funny. My arms and hands are so sore, I can barely hold a cup. Hopefully we can get most of everything we need to do done tomarrow. The part that will take the most time is going to be whatever we have to pay for to be done because it's slow going in that department. I just want to get it done so we can get it rented. We are still thinking of wether we want to keep it as a rental or sell it, but I don't think in that neighborhood it would be good for selling.
Yesterday, Septtember 09,2010 we went to the house I did my first deal on and really started getting some work done on it. Up until now we only had a little time here and there, due to Rick's 12 hour days at his job, and the kids getting home from school and my night home daycare. When Rick has a couple of days off, the first one is usually for getting sleep since he gets home at 5:30 am. So we usually have part of a day and a day to get anything done. There isn't a whole lot besides demo we can actually do because we only have a little money at a time to work with. I haven't found anyone yet who wanted to do the funding for the repairs, so it's slow going. Since this is my first month I am actually having to pay the payment on the loan for the house, we decided to kick into gear and at least get the demo part finished. We did alot of work yesterday, and I am still feeling it today! We had to knock down plaster on the walls to the bare wood because the plaster had cracked and was falling or chipped, to date we have gotten one room ready to drywall and are working on the second About a third of that is ready. We also pulled out particle board closet doors and some funky metal doors they were using for bedroom doors. It's actually starting to look like it could be livable! Before it really looked condemmed.
We pulled out old layers of carpet in the living room and family room, as well as the kitchen. We also pulled up two layers of vinyl flooring to reveal nice wood underneath. The family room, living room, and kitchen all have real wood floors that we will sand and refinish. They are very nice for the house being so old. Rick pulled the ceiling down in the bathroom, and pulled out the carpet in there, but he still has another layer of flooring in there to pull up. He also got the vinyl panels pulled off the walls. We had already pulled out the old sink and cabinets, and today he pulled out the toilet. Tomorrow he will get all the electrical fixtures out. Once we get the roof repaired above the bathroom we will drywall the ceiling and the walls, and then get the floor put in and the new toilet, sink, and cabinet in there. We have some panels that look like real tile we are going to put around the tub. The tub is actually in good shape so it only needs cleaned.
I had wanted to replace the kitchen cabinets and countertop, but we have decided to just paint them and put on new handles. They are not so bad that we can't use them. We will have to put in new light fixtures throughout the house, and the electric is outdated but is functional, so we may just replace outlets. Also switches because they are push button kinds, and I have never seen anything like that in my lifetime before now. We also need to put in new entry doors, and at least two of them will have to be the ones that come with the frame because they will have to be shimmed to the openings. We also are planning on putting in double doors to the master bedroom. The opening is already made for that. Now two of the three bedrooms will need carpet or a new floor laid down. They have something that looks like painted contact paper on them. There's no way that stuff is coming off either. It seems to have become one with the floor.
Although we seem to have our work cutout for us, it will be worth it in the end. We do have lots of windows to replace as well. There are 12 or 13 total, and about 6 of them have cracks in the glass. You know the house is old because it has those old storm windows on them. Since I grew up in California I hadn't seen those before now either.
Today I cut down the bushes in the front as well. They were so huge it's not even funny. My arms and hands are so sore, I can barely hold a cup. Hopefully we can get most of everything we need to do done tomarrow. The part that will take the most time is going to be whatever we have to pay for to be done because it's slow going in that department. I just want to get it done so we can get it rented. We are still thinking of wether we want to keep it as a rental or sell it, but I don't think in that neighborhood it would be good for selling.