Saturday, June 14, 2014

Slowly coming up for air.

It seems so much longer than a couple of weeks ago that my younger son and I were having a final dinner out on the lake that I already miss. Everything has gone at a break-neck pace since. The movers showed up and managed to get my whole house loaded on their truck in just under two hours. The next day I closed on the house I was selling and headed out to do the walk-through on my new house. The seller, a very nice woman, let me move my things in before closing, since we couldn't schedule our closing until that afternoon. She told me at closing that she had obviously sold it to someone who would love the house as much as she did and that made her happy.
The same young guys who loaded up my things arrived to unload. In the garage, they were brought up short by the sight of the washer and dryer left behind by the seller, just as I was during the walk-through. I said I planned to keep my washer and her dryer and asked if they happened to know anyone who needed a set. One of the guys said, "Actually, I've been looking for a washer and dryer." I said, "Great! They're yours!" It seemed to take him a minute to believe that I was just giving him the extra set. But to me it was a win-win. He got a free working washer and dryer, I got to do something nice. What's not to like about that situation?
And what's not to like about this adorable little house? It's perfect for me. Needs some landscaping, but that's right up my alley.
First things first, I set about changing locks on the doors. You never know how many keys are floating around out there. This house has three exterior doors. I'll get to the door into the garage after I've had a chance to paint it - you'd have to be able to get into the garage to get to it anyway. But I started with the back door.
I went with deadbolts that have a keypad. No keys to hang on to and you can program temporary codes as needed. And yes, I'm aware that if someone really wants to get in they can just break through the glass.
Next up, the front door. It was originally a dark green and the owner had painted it white. Which is fine. But I like red front doors. They just make me happy.
I really loved this odd vintage brass door knocker with a sheep's head. Seems almost pagan to me. I removed it so I could paint, but there was no way it wasn't staying with the door.
I found a can of red paint in the garage and now my front door looks like this.
This go round there won't be a huge kitchen or bathroom remodel - I'll paint and so on, but I'm putting money into fixing things up that are dangerously outdated. Like the electrical system. Three fuse boxes, all with double-tapped fuses and crazy exposed wires running everywhere. Add to that ungrounded three prong outlets, insufficient wiring for the major appliances and an inadequate wire to the house. Conversation with a home inspector about updating the electrical system:
Me: "So it would make sense to swap out the fuses for those flippy things? That's the technical term, I believe."
Him: "Yes, definitely. Those flippy things are also called circuit breakers."
Me: "Or that. And then don't they make tube thingies to put the wires in?"
Him: "Yes. Conduits."
Me: "Either way."
I called an electrician for an estimate. They were here for the better part of two days, and put in a new main power line, a new circuit box outside, new circuit box in the garage, cleaned up the wiring system and put all the wiring into conduits. They also put a GFI in each room and changed the other ungrounded plugs to two-prong outlets. My house is now up to code. And best of all, they came in under the estimate! How often does that happen?
I have a lot of work to do, which I'll be blogging about as I go. But I have to say that when I have breakfast out on my deck, I am blissfully happy. It already feels like home.

44 comments:

  1. Excellent! The new place looks great, it should be great fun making it your own.

    And do be sure to put some finely chopped onions, and some capers on the lox.

    Cheers,
    Mike

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    1. I do sometimes add capers. But raw onions ? Not if you paid me!

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  2. nice....i think the seller lucked out as much as you did...and i imagine it wont take long for you to fix the land scaping....not a baaah-d deal...sorry, after seeing sheep knockers i have a hard time not punning....

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    1. I think I'll be working on the landscaping for years. But that's okay by me.

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  3. OMG...I was so eagerly anticipating this post because I was dying to find out how the move went and what your new house looked like. It's absolutely faaaaaabulous! You're right, adorable and so cozy-looking. And I love what you did with the front door; painting it red. Awesome touch!

    I also like how it seems that many of the door in this new house has a lot of windows, which lets in a lot natural light. And yup...that sheep's head door knocker is so cool!

    I'm so glad that to hear that it already feels like home! Love that last shot of lox, cream cheese and bagel!

    Congratulations on your new home, girl! The best to you!

    X

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    1. That natural light is key, isn't it? And it a very cozy house - sort of has a cottage feel to it.

      Thanks!

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  4. wondering - extra holes in the walls from the electrical work?
    The keypad lock - is it powered?
    all the best with your new home

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    1. No holes - they didn't re-wire the house internally, just changed outlets and ran new wires to the external box.

      The keypad is battery powered, and you can also use a key.

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  5. Wasn't the electrical thing something that should have been done by the seller to have the house up to code? But glad that it worked out underestimate and you are slowly but surely claiming this new house as your home! It does look darling from the front! Good idea with the keys to change the locks with it; better safe than sorry!

    May you have many wonderful years there!

    betty

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    1. There's no law requiring an old house to be up to code in order to sell. The house I sold wasn't. My seller agreed to a price reduction so I could get the work done myself, which was my preference. And thank you.

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  6. Looks like you are doing a very lovely job. I am sure with each project completed, you are feeling more and more like it is yours.

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    1. Definitely - I'm a believer in making a space your own.

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  7. I've been waiting for this post - your new house looks like a perfect size for you.

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    1. It really is - there's plenty of room but not too much.

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  8. This house looks wonderful. You are a very lucky woman and thanks for sharing your house here. I can't wait until everything is done!

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    1. Thanks. It'll be a while since a pesky little thing called a job demands a lot of my time!

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    2. I'm so glad you're back as I've really missed your posts. Glad it went smoothly and you have some time to enjoy the outdoors as well. Looking forward to more updates. XO

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    3. Thank you - I will be updating as I go but finding it so hard to carve out time right now.

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  9. Congratulations on your new abode and all the very best for the future there for you. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the flippy things and tube thingies! You did the right thing as I was the only one in my block of flats with all equipment intact after a spike last monsoon because I was the only one with properly spread power supply through circuit breakers.

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    1. I feel like faulty electrical systems are something you just don't want to leave as is. It was the first thing I fixed in my previous home, too.

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  10. Years ago my dh was a mover. He got gifts like that fairly often.

    As to rewiring, I had to update from nob and wire. Part had to be done before I could get the loan, so it was done before closing. Talk about making me sweat.

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    1. Fortunately, my mortgage was approved before I found the house, and then finalized after inspection even with the faults.

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  11. It looks lovely. I live in a condo apartment right now but I miss having a yard, a dog, my own little space. Perhaps I shall find a lovely small house.

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    1. I thought about getting an apartment for a while just for the ease of it, but knew I'd miss a yard too much.

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  12. Congratulations! I bought this house when I was single and it's still the perfect house. Red doors are good luck, too!

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    1. Apparently, according to feng shui guides, red doors are preferable for south-facing houses, but I don't care for the colors (cooler tomes like black) recommended for north-facing houses. I like red.

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  13. That's a really nice looking house, or bungalow as we would call it. And it looks like you're settling in smoothly and stamping your own identity on it. Very wise to update the electrics - what was there before looked positively lethal. I wondered how quickly pictures of food would appear!

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    1. I can't hear the word bungalow without thinking of the Beatles song "Bungalow Bill." It's not a word you really hear in these parts. I googled it, though, and it looks like they are generally seen with dormer windows.

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  14. It is an adorable little house.

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  15. Beautiful bungalow and I wish you every happiness.
    It looks very homely and comfortable and somehow nice vibrations about it reach me even here across the golden pond.
    Great you have circuit breakers - they are much safer with their trip switches.

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    1. Thanks - I feel like it looks like a friendly little house.

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  16. Absolutely adore that red front door.

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  17. Blissful happiness is a very good thing. A very, VERY good thing!

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  18. Your new house is adorable. Best wishes for your future enjoyment there.

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  19. What a lovely new house! I am impressed by how fast you're moving on getting it just the way you want, though it looks pretty good already to me (hmm, not the electric wiring though). I like the red front door, and the design of the door with those little windows on top. They have similar doors in some of the Victorian houses around where we live here in London. Please let us see more details when you have time.

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    1. It does look mostly fine as it is. But I want it to look like ME. I will indeed be posting more as I fix it up.

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  20. Congratulations! Love the red door, and the setting looks like it will be a perfect backdrop for your designs and plantings. Can't wait to see what's next :)

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  21. Looks lovely, and you've already accomplished so much!

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