Happiness

I toured my house of new windows after work last night. They are so impressive and well worth the wait. This is one of my favorite views in the world...I can believe it's my living room.

A new view

I picked out windows and a new fence within the first week of renovation. Both have such a positive impact on the view from in and outside of the house.

There was some discussion about adding the fence only because our intention was to access the garage from the alley one day, but everyone agrees that the 8ft cedar fence has completely transformed the view - it's very serene seeing tree limbs above and removing views of neighbor's clutter and alley roads (good pick Mom and Chad!). Tip: You should apply sealer to the front and back of your cedar fence each year to persevere it. Sealer should be used two or more times the first year since the wood is generally very dry.

The windows have been in production since late March, and I'm happy to say they are being installed today! Dad and I are as happy as kids in a candy store. We have been looking forward to the new additions for a very long time and can not wait to start using the casement windows in the front of the house. The large one in the kitchen reminds us of having lunch at a European cafe. A special thank you to my Grandpa too for allowing us to have all new windows.


Original backyard with chain link fence:


new cedar fence:

backyard gate to alley:

kitchen facing south - our bistro style casement window:

corner kitchen windows:

new guest room windows:

For the love of attics

My Dad has a fascination with attics. I tease him about it mostly because I'm not a fan of climbing up there, but his completely sensible rationale is to make the most out of every space in the house. Not only does Dad ensure its an asset, he makes it a stylish, livable space. Chad and Dad bond over the attic layout - how the HVAC unit is off to the left and vents tied to the ceilings, the lights that are positioned over the highest part (also the walkway), and even the minor step up that could not be avoided because of my recessed lighting in the shower. I found them up there again the other day as I was vacuuming the house! While I truly appreciate what Dad is doing, I will leave attic discussions to them. Tip: Attics are great places for storage. Proper insulation and a good roof will ensure your belongings are well protected.

Updates to the attic have always been thoughtfully planned out. Early in the process, we found out that the house and garage roofs had to be replaced. I had two layers or wood shingles plus a layer of regular shingles on the house alone! Therefore, the attic and anything below were not updated until shingles and roof particles were done falling. I'll be the first to admit that the new attic and all the house mechanics up there shine like new pennies. I'm a happy homeowner!

New HVAC with exposed house roof:

Tearing down the garage roof:

New weathered wood roof for the house:

The new floorplan

My golden (26th) birthday was always a big milestone for me. I knew at an early age that it meant adulthood and had high hopes for those experiences. Given such an anticipated year, one would think that I treated myself to a lavish gift. What you (or I) didn't anticipate is that gift would be filing for my construction permit.

After a half hour wait outside the city building followed by 40 minutes explaining renovation details, Chad in his business casual attire and I in my three inch, black heels walked out with a permit and our contractor IDs. We were excited because it meant the new floorplan could begin to take shape.

Demolition started in mid-March and was the first official phase of renovation. I thought the tearing down of my newly purchased walls would be the hardest part. It was the BEST part! I was happy to see the diner-style kitchen tile go away and the vinyl record pattern ceiling crumbled on the floor. Seeing this house so exposed made it feel more like a place willing to be a personalized home. That was when I really started to fall in love with this precious house.

Original floorplan:

New floorplan (modifications made along the way):

Original kitchen looking at south window:

South side of kitchen in demo phase:

Let the transformation begin!

In February my level of home renovation expertise comprised of locating the nearest Home Depot. I had always visited job sites with Dad; but when you are seven, you are more interested in playing with the owner's dog than examining the subfloor's condition. Tip: The subfloor is the layer of plywood on top of the floor joists and below your "floor" (carpet or hardwood). If your subfloor is not level and stable, it will negatively impact your entire flooring system.

Luckily we had good subfloors, but there was still a lot to do in this little house. The excitement made it difficult not to tackle everything at once. What would happen first? As it turns out, I would start like everyone else building or renovating a house...manual labor.

Before demolition could begin the basics had to be stripped and/or exposed. This included a completely drenched Chad after 8 hours of pressure washing all brick and concrete; an oddly pleasant experience to the city dump where 4+ truck loads of interior doors, miscellaneous furniture and scattered trash were taken; and the removal of jail-style window screens and Cookie Monster-blue carpet. We had a blast getting rid of the grim and seeing the cleaner result!

Original state of Morton:

Screens removed, pressure washing complete:

Second bedroom looking at the den with blue carpet:

A Family Affair

My closing was February 17, 2011. I started the day in a conference room with my Realtor, loan officer and one supportive Momma, and signed my name on well over 100 documents. After a brief meeting with the previous owners and getting my keys, I stopped at a local eatery in the new neighborhood and headed home to use my housewarming gifts from Dad (a broom, contractor's trash can, dust pan and rake). Chad joined me for lunch on our front porch, and I spent the rest of the afternoon sweeping floors and throwing away belongings that were left behind. Before I knew it, we were gathering the family and pets around an aged coffee table to have the first of many family dinners at home. This picture shows on of the most cherished memories I'll ever have, and I'm so grateful to have it.

It all started in January....

As I began another day at the office, an excited family friend (and my Realtor), Ryan Streiff, called to tell me about a listing that hit the market about 24 hours prior to our conversation. I should preface by saying Ryan had indulged my recent interest for learning about Dallas' peak real estate areas. We would visit homes of interest so he could tell me about their advantages, and Dad could teach me what to look for structurally. Rarely did this experience result in purchase consideration. That was until this gem entered our lives....

The home is part of a post-war neighborhood built in the 1940's for soldiers and their families. Pier and beam foundations and better quality materials (mostly) are to credit for the longevity and strength of these homes. Tip: Pier and beam is commonly referred to as a poor foundation and associated with cracking walls. In reality, pier and beam is a great option because it offers a convenient crawl space for utility repair, and it's less affected by climate changes and shifting ground. It's unfortunate that the garage was not built with the same intent; but we were lucky that the dilapidated building was included since you have to have an existing structure and/or slab to build a garage in this neighborhood.

With a good understanding of the exterior, we were anxious to see what awaited us inside. As you breathed in the musty smell of old insulation and moved through rooms with walls thick from years of over-coated paint, you saw a house that never really changed from the day it was built in 1949. Sure, there was newer tile here and updated light fixtures there, but that was only makeup. Just as a gemologist can find a diamond in the rough, so could my Dad see the full potential of this home. That knowledge mixed with support from Chad, family and friends gave me the push I needed to make the final decision - bid on this house!

There were many bridges to cross before closing, but it was a great feeling to see my name next to the Owner's line at the end of the process. This house has already given me more than I anticipated.