Winter 2013 Scramble

Well, according to our to-do list, Winter 2013 ends with this month. We took a bit of time to make some updates to the sometimes ominous list, as we finished some things that weren't scheduled for weeks, while leaving others for a later date. Our list now is more reflective of what we actually think we can accomplish for now. We'll have to keep updating as we go, but this leaves you with an idea of what we have to accomplish this week to stay on track and what is coming up next.

In order to get refocused, I wrote out on paper the Fall 2012 & Winter 2013 goals that we had. I checked off anything we've completed, and then went to work making little notes about if the things were accomplish-able by the end of February-ish or if they should be pushed to Spring and beyond. Once Philip was in agreement with my list, it was time to make the necessary amendments to our official list. 

Go ahead and head over to the To-Do list section of our site to see comprehensive changes, but for now I'll explain the changes we made.

Right now this week and the end of Winter 2013 (not by the Groundhog's calendar, but by our To-Do lists standards) look like:

• Install Living Room Blinds (complete!)
• Install Hallway Light Fixture (we think we can squeeze this in this week because we already have it thanks to a friend's free giveaway, and it won't take long to do)
• March Banner Update!

This means a lot was pushed to Spring, but luckily we didn't have much slotted into that time, just some yardwork, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem. 

Spring 2013 (this looks slightly different than the To-Do list you'll see on our page, primarily due to paraphrasing):

• Cut Insurance Rates/Address Inspection Issues: There are a couple of things left to get checked off the old inspection so we can bring it to our insurance company and get our rates lowered (since we didn't have an inspection originally they just gave us basic rates that they'll adjust with an inspection but we figure we'll get rid of any concerns the inspector had first). 
• Rehang our Interior Doors
• Regain some Master Bedroom Sanity by moving the extra furniture out and starting to hang some artwork and things like that. 
• Finish our 3rd Bedroom
• Start dreaming up ideas for the rest of our house (deck, kitchen, basement, and the very far reaching idea of an en-suite bathroom and walk-in closet).
• Brace the Basement Stairs (when we gutted the basement the stairs lost a bit of their strength - they're still super safe but we're just going to make sure they're as safe as possible). 
• Plow unwanted flowerbeds
• Sod open spaces
• Plant flowers/bushes/trees/etc.
• Finish Bathroom (this is obviously higher on the list than this - I was even nervous to move it to the Spring category because that technically gives us till May to complete - but I'm hoping no more than a month and it'll be ready for a nice bath). We had planned to finish insulating this past weekend but have ended up needing to hire that out - we'll update on our bathroom progress this week!

What did you accomplish this Winter? What do you hope to do this Spring? Any ideas on how we should update our banner for March? I don't want to keep doing holidays but I suppose St. Patrick's day is an optional theme. 

Back to Business

We're back, with regularly scheduled posts - Monday-Friday. After the ankle debacle (severe sprain/tear and going to physio once a week) and Philip's drama madness (thanks again to those who came out!), we're back to sanity and you can once again expect posts from us on a regular basis. We're going to just forget about the February series, because we're so behind that there isn't really any point in trying to quickly catch up, and as we're approaching the end of our "Winter 2013" timeline on the To-Do list, we have a lot to accomplish! 

Just starting to get back into the swing of things here, but in the next little while as we get back to blogging every day we'll be revealing the new found privacy we've created in our living room, our very innovative but not useful bathroom, and some of the organizing projects that I did manage to finish as part of the planned February series. 

Looks like an electrical outlet...but it's not.

Things will definitely keep moving along here! Thanks again for your patience and continuing to follow along with this crazy renovation process as we chip away at it slowly but surely. Hopefully we'll have some progress to share soon! & an upstairs bathroom for all to enjoy! 

The Slowest Demolition in History

As of right now our bathroom renovation is sort of at a standstill. I've mentioned before, Philip is really busy with drama and so the gutting of the bathroom has taken a back seat. We have, however, achieved some progress and so I'll catch you up.

I'm not sure that we've ever even shared a before picture of this room. So here's a close up at what we were getting ourselves into:

Photo from before we moved in, courtesy of the realtor.

The highlights of this room were the floor with its gold sparkles, and the ivory and chocolate swirl plastic tiles. That's all gone now, and so you can use this picture as a reference when we reveal what we've accomplished.
 
We started by having a plumber come and do some work because this bathroom actually had no water shut offs, and so since we knew it would be a long project, and because it's a good thing to have, a plumber came and set up shut offs for us. After that, we removed the toilet, sink, and bathtub. Then we ripped out walls.

What's left to do:

• Take down the ceiling: For some reason we just haven't done this yet. It gets so dusty when we start, and I don't like doing it really because it takes me way longer than it would take Philip just because I'm not really a power tool user and I'm not that strong. 
• Take down the exterior wall: This wall needs to be done at the same time that we re insulate so we don't get super energy inefficient. 
• Reconfigure Plumbing
• Install bathtub
• Electrical
• Drywall
• Paint - we talked about yellow before...I'm also contemplating black. I'm shocking these days, you never know what could happen.
• Flooring
• Reinstall everything

I have no idea how long this is going to take us, but we're just trying not to burn ourselves out with everything that's going on lately, so we're taking our time. Hopefully one day we can go to the bathroom upstairs again though. Anyone else at a standstill with a major project?

Coming This Winter to a Winnipeg-based Home Reno Blog Near You!

Well, with December having commenced this past weekend, our official To-Do list for Winter 2012-2013 has just begun, and this is what we have to look forward to until February. For your benefit, we've included some rationales for why these items have been included now during the coldest part of the year:

Plans Plans Plans

• Design/quote bathroom
• Design/quote kitchen
• Design/quote deck
• Design/quote basement
• Design/quote upstairs ensuite/walk-in closet
• Design/quote landscaping and outdoors

Why now? Because we want to be able to budget for some of these projects over the next few years. And because it's cold outside, and dreaming up cool ideas for the future warms the cockles of our hearts.

This diagram clearly fails to illustrate where exactly the "cockles" are.
This article disturbingly suggests that cockles refer to snails.
We're going to stop researching this right now.

  

Window Coverings

• Quote blinds and curtains
• Install blinds in master bedroom and living room

Why now? Because we hate wearing clothes indoors want more privacy and because we feel self-conscious using our Wii-based exercise games in front of our only TV in the house in the living room, for all the world to watch us out our big picture window.

This gives you an idea of what you might see if you looked in our living room window while we were exercising using our Wii-based exercise games. Except, instead of "cool workout clothes" picture "ratty sweat-soaked t-shirts" and instead of "attractively bronzed men" picture "pale out-of-shape newlyweds dry-heaving during jump squats."

Light Fixtures

• Replace bedroom/hallway light fixtures
• Replace living room light fixture
• Replace dining area light fixture

Why now? Because IKEA just opened in our city and they have really cool lights. As well, our living room light fixture fell from the ceiling and nearly injured me more than a month ago (it was as dramatic as you imagine it) and, as of right now, we haven't done anything about it.

Garage Door Openers

• Remove existing garage door openers
• Install new garage door openers
• Identify lighting solutions

Why now? Because Philip's dad says Sears has a sale on garage door openers in December. As for why that is, well, you'd have to ask Sears.

Interior Doors

• Remove bedroom/bathroom doors
• Paint
• Rehang bedroom/bathroom doors

Why now? Because none of our bedrooms have doors on them right now. Which means  changing clothes when we have company over involves a complex system of full blindfolds, bedsheet curtains, and sombreros. Don't ask.

"Señor, please put that blindfold back on!" (Changing at our house involves everyone else dressing like a stereotypical Mexican bandito.)

Gut Upstairs Bathroom

• Remove mould
• Discard wall tiles
• Discard bathtub
• Discard flooring
• Discard sink
• Discard vanity/cabinets
• Uninstall toilet
• Replace window

Why now? Because right now we shower in the laundry room in the basement, and while the bathroom was once in style, that was when "Watergate" was something you might open to let a riverboat through.

Upstairs Bathroom

• Install new shower/tub
• Install new lighting
• Install new flooring
• Paint/tile
• Re-install toilet
• Install new cabinets
• Install new sink
• Install new mirror
• Reconnect plumbing

Why now? Because unlike with the gutted basement, we don't intend to let the bathroom stay gutted for very long. And yes, we recognize having to go down to the laundry in the basement to have access to a hot shower is one of those classic #firstworldproblems, but it's at least a problem we have the power to correct.

As for more recent news...

Since we haven't updated you on the status of our bedroom reno since last Wednesday: Yesterday night we got a little bit overwhelmed because we're trying to get our bedrooms done (a project that has really unfolded to be a lot more complicated than we'd originally anticipated) so that we can make our living room a little less chaotic by this weekend when we have a Christmas party happening at our house. Wish us luck! As soon as we're done that it's full speed ahead with bathroom renovating - a little bit nervous about getting that all done on schedule, but we're doing our best! Started planning out yesterday some vanity choices and figuring out some obstacles ahead of time. 

Remember to fill out the poll today before we reveal results tomorrow (we've learned that comments and polls aren't working for iPad users, so get your computer out!). We'll be sharing a bit of our Christmas preparations as well tomorrow. 

What do you have in store for Winter? Anyone else crazy enough to tackle a major renovation while Christmas shopping and hosting holiday parties?

Fall Update

For those of you following along on our updated to-do list, Fall is officially over tomorrow! With Philip doing his usual Friday post (one suggested title for these days is Filip Phriday - I'm a fan) I thought I'd write this post one day early, Fall Completion Eve. 

Let's take a closer look at the original list for Fall:

Fall 2012 (September-November)

Boiler

Get HVAC inspected for the winter

Look into having boiler system and air conditioning system replaced with furnace and central air

Cut Insurance Rates

Silicone exterior cracks

Repair front steps

Have electrician address electrical issues

Correct other inspection issues

Present evidence of repairs

Bedrooms/Living Room

Remove old trim/baseboards

Convert outlets to properly-grounded three-prong

Paint

Replace windows

Install new trim/baseboards

Move out of basement

Fall Clean Up

Remove vines and trees from right side bushes

Remove circular flowerbed and seed

Empty rain barrels and store, redirect eaves troughs

Till the vegetable garden to prepare for sod

Seed open spaces

Turn off water to outdoor hose

Bleed radiators and reserve tank

Some of the things on this list have changed, but we actually did pretty well. 

Looking back, at the beginning of September when our Fall list commenced, we were living in our finished basement with our spidery friends, with plans to finish a bedroom and move upstairs. That changed to gutting the basement, replacing the HVAC system, and moving into the unfinished guest room upstairs in the interim. We had a pretty small list, but it became pretty big. 

We have a couple of last minute things to complete over the weekend (we actually did change the outlets and plugs already in the bedrooms a while back but haven't written about it yet and need to take pictures so maybe we'll change a plug in the living room just to provide a better step-by-step). You'll also notice on the more up to date to-do list that we didn't repair the front steps yet, it was shuffled down to a later date as Winter is here in full swing and it just isn't ideal for right now. 

Soon we'll finally be done enough things to invite a solid group of people over, already found the invitation.

Our blog was started on October 29, 2012 and so far we have published 27 posts (including this one). Here are some of the things we've covered:

• New to the whole having a yard thing, there were a couple of posts about learning to cope with yard work - including this post and this post. I also apparently had a few things to learn about the indoors.
• I got crafty as a domesticated house wife, learning to do things like use craft paint here and here. I also found inspiration through the ancient ways of library browsing. 
• Carpet and walls were taken down for good in the basement to make room for our new HVAC system - Philip shared that with you here and here. 
• Beginning our master bedroom and office renovations, we've shared our progress in this post, this post, this post, and this post. 
• Our house was beautified with brand new clear windows.
• Inglis Liberator Plus retired from our home to be replaced by my beautiful new LG high efficiency washer and dryer (in love). 
• We learned about blogging, including adding a new page, and messing up big time *cough* Philip *cough*. You also learned about my inability to use a measuring tape, ruler, or any other measuring utensil.
• While you learned more about us, we've started learning more about you through polls like this and this.
• We tackled one of the worst projects ever of patching the ceiling, and the walls too. Keeping that trend going, Home Depot delivered the excruciating experience of purchasing closet shelving. Just to keep sane during all of that, we took a trip to Ikea a couple of days before the grand opening. 

I tried to link to every post here, hopefully I didn't miss any - but if I did feel free to use the archive tool on the side and start reading from the beginning! I'll review our upcoming Winter to-do list on Monday and hopefully it isn't too overwhelming. 

On a side note, we're going to extend the poll until Tuesday in order to start a new polling tradition which we're quite fond of so tomorrow there will just be the one post from Philip - with two to look forward to next Tuesday, Dec 4. 

Thanks again for reading! We've really enjoyed blogging so far, and can't wait to see some of the stories we'll be able to share as our house really begins to take shape. 

Master Bedroom Transformation: Part 1

As you saw here, we're getting ready to start and finish our master bedroom. 

Here's the To-Do list for completing this bedroom project:

• Empty bedroom of all clutter
• Remove old A/C vents in ceiling
• Patch walls and ceiling
• Prime
• Paint
• Trim
• Sand & paint doors
• New door hardware
• New light fixture
• New closet shelving system
• Assemble furniture and arrange room
• Hang artwork & accessorize
• Curtains

Today I thought I'd share some before/after pictures of us emptying a room filled with clutter. We also emptied our office and plan to paint it at the same time but we don't have as many ideas yet about what we'll do, more to come on that soon. 

Warning: This post is photo intensive! There's not a lot to say about clutter removal, but hopefully seeing all this junk everywhere helps you to feel better about whatever room you have that's filled with clutter.

As you'll remember, we were storing all this stuff in the basement when we decided at the last moment to gut the basement in preparation for our forced-air system install.

Philip removed all the doors to enable our trim removal. Turns out it wasn't as necessary for trim removal as once thought, but we're planning to refinish them anyway, and living in a door-free house has it's perks. Like... ummm... less doorknob-related injuries? I'll get back to you on that one.

Why yes, that is a certified flotation device.  Why do you ask?

This is all you need to know about the story of "How Philip lost his new driver's license before it even made it into his wallet."

We started out by sorting the items in the rooms. The main categories were items coming back into these rooms, items we wanted to keep but just needed to store for the time being (e.g. memory box items, Christmas decorations, etc.), and last but not least items for the yard sale. We started trucking items downstairs with me putting them into the piles and Philip carrying them up and down the stairs.

The other factor we took into consideration is the fact that all of these items have been moved at least three times in the last six months and we're getting crazy tired of it. We tried to keep as much upstairs as we could, just moving things downstairs that we knew we weren't going to put back into these rooms right away or items that we just couldn't fit anywhere else for now. 

Hooray! From our condo to the basement to the main floor to the basement once again.

Philip's Michael Jordan poster is huge. You could measure heights in "Michael Jordan 'Wings' posters," as in "I am 1.1 MJWPs tall."

Clutter awaiting the Philip train down the stairs.

One day, when all this stuff is cleaned up, we'll marvel at the size of our living room.

For now, we're just thankful for a place to sit and watch Community.

Those are mostly Philip's movies, surrounded by yet more clutter.

This is where we're at now, piles of things in the living room (mainly books we didn't want to carry down or things we still wanted on hand like gift wrap), piles of things in the basement for the yard sale or being stored, and two empty rooms ready for patching and painting!

With this mess, you'd assume we'll be holed in here with the door locked so that no one can see - but we're crazy so we're posting it on the internet and inviting people over for dinner tonight!

Stay tuned as we get ready to patch and paint our bedroom in the next week or so! Can't wait to have a mattress off the floor and finally start decorating! 

Anyone else painting a room soon? Any ideas for us? Take a look back at our inspiration photo post and let me know if you have any accessories/light fixtures/artwork ideas that we could implement in this type of space.

Reminder: This is the last day to add your vote to the poll on the right side of the homepage. Tomorrow we'll analyze the results in what is sure to be a very statistical type way and start a new poll for next week.

The To-Do List

One of the first things we did upon moving into the house was make a pretty intense To-Do list. I made one by going through each room and thinking of what the dream would be for that room and what it would take to accomplish it (Philip calls this the MLK method--you know, "I have a dream..."). Philip made a similar To-Do list but his method of choice was by breaking it down over a timeline of what we'd like accomplished in each time period, assuming we can steal enough little kids' lunch money to cover the costs. 

We ended up combining them into the below and since we've started some things here have already changed! (And maybe it's not such a great sign that, budget's being tight as they are, we've already completed the Winter 2014 category we jokingly titled "To Burn the Extra Cash." But that's a story for another time!)

Warning: This is extremely long... feel free to skim. I was going to just include Fall, but as you'll see over the upcoming posts some things have changed and we've completed a couple of items that were way further ahead in the timeline. Thus it will make more sense if I just share the whole list now and we'll refer back to it periodically. 

Anyone else with an insanely long to do list lording over you motivating you to do great work? What does your Fall To-Do list have in store? How much progress have you made?

Fall 2012 (September-November)

Boiler

Get HVAC inspected for the winter

Look into having boiler system and air conditioning system replaced with furnace and central air

Cut Insurance Rates

Silicone exterior cracks

Repair front steps

Have electrician address electrical issues

Correct other inspection issues

Present evidence of repairs

Bedrooms/Living Room

Remove old trim/baseboards

Convert outlets to properly-grounded three-prong

Paint

Replace windows

Install new trim/baseboards

Move out of basement

Fall Clean Up

Remove vines and trees from right side bushes

Remove circular flowerbed and seed

Empty rain barrels and store, redirect eaves troughs

Till the vegetable garden to prepare for sod

Seed open spaces

Turn off water to outdoor hose

Bleed radiators and reserve tank

Winter 2013

Plans Plans Plans

Quote new HVAC system

Design/quote bathroom

Design/quote kitchen

Design/quote deck

Design/quote basement

Design/quote upstairs ensuite/walk-in closet

Design/quote landscaping and outdoors

Window Coverings

Quote blinds and curtains

Install blinds in master bedroom and living room

Light Fixtures

Replace bedroom/hallway light fixtures

Replace living room light fixture

Replace dining area light fixture

Garage Door Openers

Remove existing garage door openers

Install new garage door openers

Identify lighting solutions

Interior Doors

Remove bedroom/bathroom doors

Paint

Rehang bedroom/bathroom doors

Gut Upstairs Bathroom

Remove mould

Discard wall tiles

Discard bathtub

Discard flooring

Discard sink

Discard vanity/cabinets

Uninstall toilet

Replace window

Upstairs Bathroom

Install new shower/tub

Install new lighting

Install new flooring

Paint/tile

Re-install toilet

Install new cabinets

Install new sink

Install new mirror

Reconnect plumbing

Spring 2013

HVAC System

Get necessary permits

Check for high-efficiency rebate programs

Remove basement ceiling

Remove boiler/pipes

Install new heating/air conditioning

Install new venting

Patch ceiling/wall holes

Lower Yard Maintenance

Plough in garden, unwanted flower beds

Sod remaining open spaces

Build raised beds

Reshape right side flower bed to be curvier

Replace bricks on right side flower bed with rubber trim, or other edging that is more aesthetically pleasing

Replace petunias with perennials

Plant hydrangeas in front flowerbed

Move peony to somewhere else away from the house

Summer 2013

Exterior Doors

Remove exterior doors

Replace locks

Replace alarm system

Paint

Rehang exterior doors

Garage and Shed

Remove garage shed

Sod empty space

Replace garage windows

Paint garage floor

Put up shelving/cabinets in the garage

Backyard Safety and Fun

Build a gate to close off the white fence for safety

Build/Purchase a fire pit with a proper cover to meet code

Lighting solution around fire pit entertainment area

Plant privacy bushes at back of yard

Remove clothes line

Buy a barbecue

Fall 2013

For some reason we have nothing here... apparently we're going on vacation or something

Winter 2014

Moving Walls

Get any needed permits

Remove kitchen cabinets on doomed walls

Discard wood panelling in kitchen

Remove doomed kitchen/living room wall sections/closets/shelf

Place beams to in place of missing walls

Remove hardwood flooring in entryway

Remove tile in entryway

Drywall around beams/patch modified walls

Build new front closet

Paint

Patch/refinish hardwood flooring

Replace trim

Install new light fixture in entryway

Patch ceiling in hallway corner

More efficient closet shelving solutions

To Burn the Extra Cash

Purchase new washer/dryer

Remove old washer/dryer

Replace water heater with larger water heater

Spring 2014

Kitchen

Discard appliances

Discard kitchen sink

Discard kitchen cabinets

Discard flooring

Discard ceiling fan/patch ceiling

Patch walls/paint

Replace windows

Install new flooring from front door through kitchen to side door

Install new cabinets

Install new sink

Install new appliances (incl. larger fridge, dishwasher!)

Reconnect plumbing

Build banquette dining area

Update dining room table

Light fixture

Summer 2014

Deck

Get permits

Remove side door stairs

Remove paving stones where necessary

Install wiring

Build deck

Get outdoor living room set

Fall 2014

Gut Basement

Get necessary permits

Discard wall coverings/wood panelling

Discard carpets

Discard shower

Discard vanity

Discard medicine cabinet

Uninstall toilet

Relocate plumbing for bathroom, laundry, upstairs ensuite

Move electrical panel

Remove doomed walls

Cut out needed windows wells

Replace basement windows

Fix/insulate former cold room

Install sump pump

Insulate ceiling

Winter 2015

Basement Bathroom/Bedrooms

Frame walls

Replace wiring

Rebuild ceilings/lighting

Install shower

Hang drywall

Paint/tile walls

Install flooring

Install cabinetry

Install sink

Paint doors

Rehang doors

Spring 2015

Laundry Room

Move washer/dryer out

Frame walls

Replace wiring

Rebuild ceilings/lighting

Hang drywall

Paint

Install flooring

Install cabinetry

Install laundry sink

Move washer/dryer back in

Reconnect plumbing

Install sump pump

Remove cold storage area

Try to Forget

That, crap, I (Philip) am 30!

Summer 2015

Exterior Façade

Get necessary permits

Remove decorative brick from facade

Build craftsman style façade

Front yard rock display with lit-up house number

Change front porch light fixture

Hot Tub

Get necessary permits

Install hot tub

Install wiring

Build deck around hot tub

Fall 2015

Rec Room

Frame walls

Replace wiring

Rebuild ceilings/lighting

Hang drywall

Paint

Install flooring

Install needed entertainment cabinetry

Move living room furniture downstairs

Updated Living Room

Sectional

Built-in bookshelves or cabinets

Winter 2016

Ensuite/Walk-In Closet

Get necessary permits

Remove door/patch wall

Remove middle bedroom closet wall

Install door into master bedroom wall

Install door into far bedroom wall

Frame walls

Replace wiring

Install shower/tub

Rebuild ceilings/lighting

Hang drywall

Paint

Install flooring

Install cabinets

Install sink

Install mirror

Reconnect plumbing

Install closet shelving/racks

Spring 2016

Backyard

Play structure?

Higher fence?

Pool?

Tree house?

Shed?

Fix up garage?

Summer 2016

Relax

Watch sports on TV

Play golf

Go for a run

Go to the cabin

Start looking for the next house