It’s been a couple of months since the tenant vacated the rental house. If you missed that story, you can read about it here. Though I’ve had a lot of irons in the fire and progress is slow, work is progressing and it’s starting to feel like the end is in sight. The goal is to have it on the market by October 1st.

To date, the following work has been completed:

• All trash and debris was removed and disposed of
• The house was cleaned, cleaned and cleaned again
• Exterior trim was painted (though we still need to touch up in places)
• Much of the interior has been painted
• Kitchen cabinets and appliances were removed
• Bathroom sink and toilet were removed
• Bathroom wall paper was removed
• Wood floors were sanded and refinished
  Normally, this would be the LAST thing I do, but in this case, it was completed very early in the remodel. The flooring guy is good, which means he’s busy. It just so happened that his family’s camping trip was postponed, creating a little window in which he could do these floors. If I’ve learned anything doing this kind of work, it’s to be patient and flexible!
• New flooring in the basement
  We used vinyl planks. Because they are economical, easy and quick to install and waterproof, they were a perfect choice for the basement
• Steps were sanded
• Holes in walls were patched
• Active water leak where the dishwasher used to be was addressed
• Grass was planted in the front and back yards
• New kitchen flooring
  We used stick down vinyl tiles with grout. They look really great and install easily. Still, I would not have chosen this product if it weren’t for the radiators.This house still has the old, cast iron radiators and a boiler. I LOVE them. They create the softest, nicest heat without drying out the air.  But, when it comes to flooring they create a real headache.Thicker flooring would have required me to remove the radiators. The added floor thickness would have required adjustments to the plumbing that supplies the radiators. Not even my plumber wanted to touch that! So, vinyl tile!
• New flooring in the main bathroom
  This room got the vinyl tiles as well for the same reasons.
• Broken glass was replaced
• Broken window frames were repaired
• Swamp cooler was replaced
  If you’re from the arid Western US, then you’re probably familiar with swamp coolers. If you’re climate is humid, you may not have ever even heard of a swamp cooler. Swamp coolers are a very efficient method of cooling in dry climates. Essentially, a fan blows air over pads soaked in water, lowering the temperature up to 20 degrees.I love this method of cooling. It’s simple, efficient and economical. It also adds a little moisture to our dry air. As an added bonus, unlike the refrigerated systems that require all doors and windows to remain shut,  it works best if a window is cracked just a little bit.
• New ceiling fans were installed
• The kitchen received new cabinets

Master bedroom. I left some wall paper in the closet because it’s original to the house and I like it.

Master

Master

Bedroom 2

Bedroom 2

Bedroom 3 – Notice the missing window! It’s been repaired and needs to be reinstalled.

Bedroom 3

Kitchen floor

Kitchen in progress

New kitchen cabinets. I used 42″ uppers rather than the standard 30″. They look so much better with the high ceilings.

Dining room. I could not get an accurate photo of the wall color. It’s much more similar to the color of the kitchen walls.

Looking from the dining room into the living room.

The bathroom is coming along

If that sounds like a lot, it is, but it’s not quite finished yet.

• We still need to install the kitchen countertops.
  I’m trying to decide between granite, quartz and good ole’ laminate. There’s actually a laminate, available over the counter at Lowes, that looks great! But, for only $900 more, I can get granite or quartz.Granite or quartz would definitely be more desirable for buyers, but the laminate would allow me to finish the kitchen immediately. That definitely has some appeal!Ultimately it comes down to value. Will the addition of the granite bring enough additional money upon the sale to justify it’s use. That’s the question I’m trying to answer.In some houses and areas, it most certainly would, but I have to take into account this area and the buyers likely to purchase this house. Honestly, I’m just not sure. I’ve reached out to my long time friend and realtor for some insight.
• The backsplash needs to be done as well as some tile work around the stove
  The tile around the stove needs to be replaced. The old tile is in good condition but just doesn’t match the design.
  
• Some of the kitchen walls still needs some patching and paint touch ups.
  Initially, I’d planned to put in two additional cabinets so we didn’t repair that wall. When I got the cabinets into the kitchen, it just felt too crowded. Now we need to go back and deal with that wall, as well as some areas around the cabinets
• The bathroom vanity and toilet need to be installed
• A new floor will be installed in the laundry room, after the painting is finished
• The third floor still needs some drywall work and paint
• Stain needs to be applied to the steps, then sealer
  I’m planning to stain the treads and paint the risers.
• There’s still quite a bit of trim that needs to be painted
• One bedroom needs carpet
• Basement walls need patched, the paint touched up, wall paper repaired, trim added and the red wall painted
• A couple of  the windows we repaired still need to be painted and reinstalled, and there’s quite a few other windows we still need to paint.
• The back door needs replaced
• The rail at the back steps needs to be welded. My 16 year daughter offered to do it for me! I’ve never mastered welding. The fact that she can do it is just about the coolest thing ever.  Someday when I master Instagram that will be a #proudmama
• There’s a dozen little things, like hanging a mirror in the powder room, curtains in the living and dining room, and replacing the front door knob. At the end, it’s all those little things that make me want to pull my hair out! 

It’s the final stretch, but the end is in sight!