Daniel and I haven't even allowed the dust to settle on our last project (we still have trim to put up, some touch-up painting, etc.), which took place in November-December, and here we are beginning yet another major one.
Apparently, we both enjoy remodeling more than either of us ever realized!
Half of the roof is gone, and for now we've got a tarp protecting us from the elements. Scary? Yes.
As I write, the back half of our roof is being ripped off and we have begun the process of expanding our second floor. Click here for a picture of the new upstairs floor plan (the different flooring represents the different sections-- the front 2/3 is existing, the back 1/3 is what's being added). The plan is for the kids' rooms to stay as they are, for us to move upstairs, and to have a guest room/future kids' bedroom. I so miss the spontaneity that having a guest room affords and to say I'm excited to have one again would be a tremendous understatement!
That back portion that's only 1 story? Yeah... picture it a full story higher, with a window and all.
This project won't be done overnight, but it's gotten started a lot sooner than we had anticipated, and that's super fun. We're hiring this first phase out (demo of the old through building of the new shell with roof & windows) and from there Daniel will chip away at framing closets, insulating, laying flooring, etc. We anticipate that it will be a year before we using those rooms, but we're excited for the end and enjoying the process.
Like, really enjoying the process (so far, anyway)!
This is how they conveniently get the garbage to the dumpster. Lovely, isn't it?
My front porch is cluttered, there's a huge dumpster in my driveway, my brand new front entry is a dusty, dirty mess, and I don't care a bit. We're able to live in our house through this project-- whereas our other projects have at some point necessitated us vacating the premises at least for a portion of the project-- and I am very much appreciating that. We've sealed off the upstairs from the rest of the house (our newly updated floor plan allows this in a way that could never have happened in the past) and just don't go up there.
Some people have wicker furniture on their porches. I have tools and wood and roofing materials.
Also, despite my OCD and perfectionistic tendencies, the mess of a project doesn't bother me that much. I guess it's knowing that progress is being made. I'm not afraid to have things get worse as long as I know there's a goal of it being better in the long run.
We're having fun and we've only just begun!
Wow - this is going to be amazing! Thanks for spelling it all out and the link for the floorplan - now I can visulize it.
ReplyDeleteL-O-V-E!
ReplyDelete@zebisstillmybrother - WE LOVE YOU GUYS!
ReplyDeleteAlso, your girls are teeny tiny, but so cute and well proportioned (they're not super long and skinny looking)! And let me give you one piece of advice: if you find out your having twins again, CALL LISA C. ASAP!!!! Hahaha. :)
Love the floor plan, looks like it will be wonderful for your family. Just curious...When you move upstairs what will happen to your newly relocated MBR?
ReplyDelete@mom2mkei_2 - I've had this upstairs expansion in mind for years, so when we did our project in Nov, our bedroom set up was definitely with an eye toward "someday" when our room would be upstairs. (We just happened to be able to start sooner than expected because of a really generous gift we received this winter.)Once we get the rooms upstairs finished (in a year or so, I'm guessing), the room we're currently in will be used as a study/reading space. I'm thinking that will be the spot to carve out a family computer space, since we don't really have one right now, etc. Long term, it will be a flexible room, though: if we ever have need of all 4 bedrooms for our family (eliminating the upstairs guest room) it may become a study/guest room; if we ever have elderly relatives who need a place to live and a first floor bedroom, it may become their bedroom; if we ever get to the point that we ourselves need 5 bedrooms, it may become our bedroom again! We'll see. It will kind of be the "bonus room"-- whatever we need it to be!
ReplyDeleteI hear you may be coming to visit this summer. If you do, you'll definitely have to come over and see all the changes to the house and give your $0.02!