Renovating My Old House

How to check your home for asbestos (by yourself) before renovating

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 02 Jun 2023 17:21:00 +0000

Homes built and/or renovated from 1930-1970 can contain asbestos materials. Even though materials containing asbestos were not manufactured after the laws were updated in the 1970's, materials already produced and stockpiled were allowed to still be used in construction. But why worry about the specific years of all the materials in your house? Just test them and be 100% confident.

Asbestos can be in vinyl flooring (the tiles themselves) and/or the mastic used to glue them to the floor. It can be used in the padding around hot pipes or as the insulation in attics. It can also have been used in exterior siding, and mixed in paint and compound to create a textured look. Honestly, it was a plentiful and cheap material, and possibly could have been mixed in and used anywhere in an old home.

Since we had a couple of ceilings and walls with texture/popcorn paint, we decided to get it tested before doing a project where we would scrape and sand it off the walls. Since we would definitely be aerating it it makes perfect sense to just get it tested first.

If you don't want to hire a professional to come and test your house, the next best thing is to find a company you can send samples to for testing.

I have used this company before and I was very happy with the results:

https://www.slabinc.com/shop/asbestos/asbestos-test-kit/

They also have a combo asbestos/lead/mold testing kit which is very convenient. If you are testing for asbestos, you likely have lead paint since it was used around the same time as asbestos in construction. Best to get it tested all at once and save money on multiple test kits.

When I sent samples away for testing, I sent a sample of vinyl tile I knew contained asbestos just to see what the results from the lab would say. I knew the tile was asbestos tile based on pictures I matched online and from an asbestos removal company who tested it for me. However, I was mainly worried about the mastic behind the tile, since that often contains asbestos as well and is more difficult to remove from flooring. The remediation company didn't test the mastic since they treat it as thought it contains asbestos when removing it whether it tested positive or not.

When you send samples away for testing, it is recommended to send several samples of the same material from different areas. For example, when I was testing the vinyl tile and mastic, we sent in several samples from different areas of the floor.

The testing kit comes with instructions of how to collect a sample safely. Mainly, you wear gloves, spray it with water before disturbing it, and you should also wear a mask that is rated for asbestos fibers. Luckily for me, we had pieces of tile, paint and other materials that had already broken off that we could just collect and put in the bags. We still used gloves/water/mask but didn't have to break off samples (and possibly create aerated fibers).

The asbestos kit looks like this:

Inside you will find a form to fill out. You have to note where each sample was collected and then label the zip lock bags appropriately.

The samples in bag look like this:

When you purchase a test kit, you can select the turn around time for the testing. They offer next-day, 1-day and five-day options.

To get the results for your test, you will be given a log-in to their website. From there you can look at the results. One thing I really liked about this company is that they tested every layer of whatever we sent. Below is an example of what the report looks like:

There was no extra fee for testing each layer of the sample. They have identified that the sample in the picture above does not contain any asbestos (see the highlighted yellow text above). They have also identified that it does contain cellulose fiber and non-fibrous material. Cellulose fiber is a construction material made from plant fibers and in not considered harmful for humans. It is often used in insultation.

When you do have a sample that contains asbestos, the report looks like this:

I highlighted in yellow the results for the tile, which show it does have a small amount of asbestos chrysotile. The mastic, which we had several samples tested, did not show as having any asbestos. However, when we remediated the asbestos, we still had the mastic sealed in after the tile was removed.

I hope this post helps any who are hesitant to get their house tested. The process is very smooth and does not take much time. Also, no worries if your sample has several layers. The testing company apparently will test all layers at no additional cost to you.

We did eventually get the asbestos tile in the basement remediated by a professional company. That process will be described in a future post.

Complete Removal (rip-out), Expansion and Rebuild of Master Bath in a 1950's Cape Cod House

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 10 May 2023 22:33:00 +0000

Our house is a Cape Cod house, so the bathrooms on the second floor are small and have sloped ceilings. The master bedroom has an en suite bathroom, which in our area is an uncommon luxury. In fact, most houses in our area only have 1 bathroom in the house--usually on the second floor. So having a bathroom in the master bedroom, albeit small, is something we greatly appreciate. Although 1950's construction was built to last forever (or ~70 years in our case), things have gone wrong. For us, it was a leak in one of the pipes for this bathroom which we could not fix by going through the ceiling of the room below. Additionally, we had mildew and peeling/chipping paint on the popcorn ceiling from poor ventilation (fan vents are not required in our area if the bathroom has a window so we bought this house without bathroom fan vents).

We didn't just renovate the master bathroom. We completely gutted it, changed where the fixtures were, and expanded it. See the graphic below for a visual of how the layout changed and expanded.

The before pictures of the master bath are given below. The bathroom door is awkwardly in the center of the bedroom wall. This means large bedroom furniture cannot fit on either side of the bathroom door (i.e. bureau). The bathroom door opens directly to the sink, which is right below a window. This means that the mirror/medicine cabinet is not above the sink, but to the right of the sink (to use the mirror while using the sink means stepping to the side).

The shower is to the left of the door. It has a sloped ceiling and lots of built up mildew on the popcorn ceiling. If the ceiling wasn't textured, remediation of the mildew would be easy, but on a textured surface treating and repainting is very complicated (see above right photo). The shower did have a nice custom glass door, but was also dark, small and foreboding (lower left photo).

To the right of the bathroom door was more peeling paint, mildew and sloped ceiling (top right photo).

On the right side of the skinny bathroom was the toilet (check out that vintage toilet!), mirror/medicine cabinet, light switches and radiator.

To renovate this bathroom, we started by completely ripping it out. We hired people to rip out the two inch thick concrete on the walls, floors and ceiling. They also removed the sink and toilet. We paid for a dumpster to dump it all in. It took two guys two weekends to rip out this bathroom, another bathroom we had downstairs, and remove other scrap wood we had in our basement and garage. The total waste was about 6.5 tons.

The complete demolition is shown in the next two photos below. The left part of the bathroom is shown first. This is the side that had the built-in custom shower.

The photo below shows the right side of the bathroom. That is the side that had the toilet, light switches and medicine cabinet.

The photo below shows the full dumpster. It weighed about 6.5 tons, and had the concrete from two bathrooms and lots of scrap wood we had in the garage and basement thrown in.

Reconstruction of the bathroom included making it much larger. The master bedroom had lots of space, so it really wasn't an issue to make the bathroom larger. Also, the door was moved to be from the center of the wall to the right side. This will allow a large piece of furniture to be placed on that wall now.

The photos below show the new frame of the larger bathroom and the position of the door now on the far right side of the wall.

When the construction was complete, the door on the right hand side of the wall opens to the toilet (see photos below).

The pedestal sink is now replaced with a double vanity. The vanity sits against the wall towards the bedroom. The shower is still against the same wall as before, but is much more open (see photo below). The bathroom now has vanity lights above each sink. Each vanity has a mirror and an outlet. A ceiling fan was also installed, and it doubles as a light. The bathroom now has all smooth walls without texture, which will be easy to maintain and update in the future.

The shower has a space behind it where the ceiling dips low. This space can have shelves installed or can be used to hang additional towels (photo below right side of image).

This last photo shows the updated window. Below the window we eventually put a wooden bench with a suede cushion. The bench can be used while changing or to put clothes on while changing.

We hired a different contractor for the "deconstruction" and reconstruction of the bathroom. The plumbing had to all be replaced, new electric outlets and lights run. The radiator had to be moved to be under the window (not shown here). In total the reconstruction part took about two weeks--but this was not the only project our contractor was working at the time. Possibly it could have been done sooner if this was the only project. This project was done during COVID lock down, so many materials were difficult to come by, this also impacted the timeline.

Installing a Bathroom Shower Curtain

noreply@blogger.com (renovatingoldhouse) — Sun, 22 Aug 2021 02:31:00 +0000

How to Install a Bathroom Shower Curtain

Updating a bathroom doesn’t always require major renovation, sometimes, the smallest changes make the biggest difference. Installing a new shower curtain is one of the quickest, easiest upgrades you can do, and it instantly refreshes the space. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the steps I took to install a bathroom shower curtain in my home, along with some simple tips to make the process smooth and frustration‑free.

What You’ll Need

- Shower curtain

- Shower curtain liner (optional but recommended)

- Curtain rings / hooks

- Tension shower rod or mounted shower rod

- Measuring tape

- Step stool (if needed)

- Drill and bit

- Painters Tape

- Level

- Pencil

Tension Rods vs. Mounted Rods

Tension Rods

What they are: Tension rods are adjustable rods that stay in place using internal spring pressure. They don’t require screws, drilling, or wall anchors.

How They Work: You twist the rod to extend it slightly wider than your shower opening.

When you place it between the two walls, the internal spring creates pressure that holds it in place.

Pros
- No drilling needed — perfect for renters or tile walls you don’t want to damage.
- Easy to install and remove (takes under a minute).
- Adjustable length, so it fits most spaces.
- Affordable and widely available.

Cons
- Can slip if not tightened properly or if the walls are glossy.
- Not ideal for very heavy shower curtains.
- Less sturdy compared to mounted rods.

Mounted Rods

What they are: Mounted rods attach to the wall using brackets and screws. They require basic tools to install.

How They Work: You mark the bracket positions on each wall. Drill holes, insert wall anchors, and screw in the brackets. The rod sits securely on the mounted supports.

Pros
- Very sturdy; won’t slip or fall.
- Best for heavy curtains or tension-weighted liners.
- More decorative options, curved rods, and premium finishes.
- Looks more permanent and polished.

Cons
- Requires drilling into walls (tile, drywall, or plaster).
- Not ideal for renters unless approved.
- Installation takes more time and tools.

Quick Summary

Feature	Tension Rod	Mounted Rod
Installation	No tools, no drilling	Requires drilling & screws
Stability	Medium	Very strong
Best For	Renters, temporary setups, lightweight curtains	Permanent setups, heavy curtains, curved designs
Wall Damage	None	Small screw holes
Adjustability	Fully adjustable	Fixed once installed

Installation

We opted for a mounted rod. It came in a kit with all the parts, stencils and necessary instructions to install it myself. It's important to know how high it needs to measure and identify the placement.

Measure the Height & Placement: Decide where the rod will sit. Standard shower curtain height is typically based on installing the rod 72–74 inches from the floor, but your exact placement will depend on:

The length of your curtain
How far down you want it to hang
Keeping the curtain inside the tub to prevent leaks

How to Measure Properly

Measure your shower curtain’s total length.
Subtract 1–2 inches for floor clearance.
Mark that height on both walls.

For Example: If your curtain is 72", mount the rod around 73–74" from the floor.

As a personal preference, I had a higher floor clearance, I installed the rod so the curtain was about 5 inches above the floor.

Mark the Bracket Locations: our kit came with a paper stencil that allowed me to ensure I drilled the holes in the right locations for the rod mount. I taped the stencil on one side, after i determined the height. I then used a level to place the second stencil on the other side of the bathtub; this will ensure the two sides will align horizontally.

Since I used a curve rod, the instructions made explicit notations to ensure you orient the curve correctly to allow the bulge to be pointed outward from the tub.

Drill the Holes. I was fortunate to only having to drill into drywall. So I used a standard wood/drywall bit. Drill slightly smaller than your wall anchors for a snug fit. Make the holes shallow enough to securely hold the anchors.

Slide each end into the brackets.

Since I am installing a curved rod, I had to ensure the curve faces outward from the shower/bathtub. Attach the rod in two sections if it’s a multi‑piece system.

Tighten the set screw (a small screw on the bracket that locks the rod in place).

Make sure both sides are level and the rod feels solid.

Install the shower curtains. Weave the material so it alternates along the rod.

Done! Less than 30 minutes of work.

What does it mean to own a home?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 04:06:00 +0000

I suppose I should entitle this post: What does it mean to me to own a home?

My thoughts about home ownership have evolved since when I first started this blog many years ago. Back when we first bought the house we were so young, had so much energy and were amazed at this complicated but wonderful house we now owned.

A lot of life happens in people's homes. It is a place where some of your happiest memories are made, and it can be a place where you experience great suffering, which can come in the form of illnesses, and grief.

I think in the early years I didn't really understand what home ownership meant. You cannot just live in a house. You have to constantly repair, replace, clean, update and upkeep. I know we were doing that a great deal in the beginning, but we had a few years when we were busy with having kids, and forgot about it for awhile. In that timeframe several things went wrong with the house. We had major plumbing issues and we had issues on the external part of the house and the property.

The hardest part with having these issues was being unprepared for it . We should have known it could and would one day happen. We should have been upkeeping things such that they didn't completely break down. I don't know if being better prepared is something I should have known to do. I would like to think I am just 'normal.'

The one redeeming quality in all this, is that my story isn't over. I am still here in this house, and I have learned from my mistakes and will do better next time.

So what does it mean to own a home?

It means:

You need to plan for more than just paying mortgage, taxes and utilities. You need to financially plan for repairs and updates as part of home ownership.

Constant and continuous upkeep to avoid larger expenses and repairs later.

Learning how to do many things yourself, and also knowing when to admit projects are beyond your skill, knowledge and comfort level.

Learning how to make connections, get recommendations, hire contractors, get bids, and have others do work on and in your home.

Learn from your mistakes. They are not mistakes, they are learning opportunities.

My thoughts on asbestos in the home when you renovate yourself

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 02:52:00 +0000

Asbestos--despite being carcinogenic to human life--would have otherwise been a very useful building material. I read somewhere that the ancient Greeks or Romans had asbestos napkins which they would throw into the fire to clean (the internet is not clear on whether it was the Greeks or the Romans). The napkins would not burn and would come out clean and white. It may be surprising to us now, but even the ancient Greeks & Romans noticed that the slaves who worked with this material would prematurely sicken and die. Why did it take modern society so long to do anything about it?

In most homes today you will find asbestos in tile flooring, external house siding, joint compound, attic insulation, and maybe even insulation around hot pipes. Before we started any project in our house, we often did check and worry about possible asbestos. Every time I had to check for asbestos I would wonder: what were the people who built with this stuff thinking? Why did they do it?

I have two possible answers. First, I think they used the asbestos material because it was what was mass marketed and mass produced at the time. Second, I don't think there was much thought put into what would happen when home owners would eventually have to remove or replace these materials. If there is any evidence that they thought what they built would last forever, all I have to do is look at my 1950's bathrooms, with 2 inch thick cement on the walls and floor. And for the most part, if you do not disturb the asbestos materials, they are generally not considered to be immediately hazardous.

The most common asbestos material that you will still find in public buildings today are the asbestos floor tiles. I know my elementary school had them in the whole building. They were routinely buffed and polished and were shiny and clean, but were still asbestos tiles. I have spotted asbestos tiles in my children's elementary school, and well as in older churches. Any building built between 1930 and 1970 could have these tiles. Older buildings which were renovated during that time period could have it, and even buildings built later, since builders could use excess asbestos stock even if they couldn't buy it.

There is so much history to asbestos which the current crop of homebuyers just do not know about. My father, who is of an older generation, remembers quite well building with this material, and it being very popular. When I was researching asbestos flooring a few years ago, I came across a copy of an old asbestos floor advertisement booklet. Needless to say, I was floored! But Seriously, when I first saw this booklet, I just couldn't believe it. This terrible material, responsible for so much human suffering, is right there, in an sales ad! Maybe this is how MY kids will feel when they see a cigarette ad in some historic archive. See the full booklet I am referencing here: https://inspectapedia.com/hazmat/Armstrong-Asphalt-Floor-Tile-Catalog-1955.PDF

I found that booklet from this website, which you can go to for more asbestos ads and information: https://inspectapedia.com/hazmat/Armstrong_Tile_List_1951-59.php

If you don't want to check out the link yourself, I have copied a snippet of the front cover below:

Check out that playroom! Haven't you always dreamed of playing in asbestos land? But, honestly, I am really not sure what the appeal of that floor tile was many years ago. I am not sure I would have installed it no matter how cheap it was. It really is just hideous-looking.

The sad reality is, there was a huge building boom in the U.S. during the prime asbestos years. Those houses and structures are still in use. Many of those structures are being renovated to modern materials and tastes. But will the people doing those renovations know to check for asbestos?

The first step to checking for asbestos is knowing that you could potentially have it. If you could have asbestos in the area you are renovating, just stop. Get it checked out. You can call a professional asbestos inspector, or you can send samples away to a test company yourself. Or, if you are very curious and want to test out how good the inspector is you can call an inspector AND send your own samples to a third party to check. I have done that myself.

You may not be concerned about your health in regards to asbestos, but you should be concerned for others. The material you disturb can get on your clothes, and in the air and can impact people other than just you. Do you want to bring home asbestos on your clothes and then wash it with your children's clothing?

You may not be aware, but most places have strict rules for disposing of asbestos containing materials. It is unlikely you will be able to dispose of it yourself in the appropriate way. All the more reason to contact a professional company.

If you turned to the internet to help you find information that supports whatever it is you were going to do anyway... well, then I recommend you stop reading this blog post, and look elsewhere. You will not find any stories here about how 'it will all be okay' if you just remediate it yourself. I know this is a 'do it yourself' blog, which means likely the audience is on a budget, but this is something you shouldn't do yourself. Part of being a homeowner is shouldering the financial burden of upkeeping your house. When you own an older home, you have the additional responsibility of diligently and properly updating it.

Cleaning Car Headlights - Why Headlights Fog or Haze Over

noreply@blogger.com (Robin) — Sun, 18 Oct 2020 03:00:00 +0000

Headlamps can become cloudy or fogged due to two main causes:

1. Oxidation of the plastic lens (most common). Most modern cars use polycarbonate plastic headlamp lenses, which are strong and lightweight but prone to oxidation. UV rays break down the clear coating that protects the plastic. Over time, the lens becomes dull, yellow, or milky.

2. Moisture buildup inside the headlamp. This happens when:

- Seals weaken with age

- Small cracks form

- Temperature changes cause condensation inside the housing

Impact on Driving Safety

Foggy or oxidized headlights can reduce light output by up to 50–80%, which can:

- Shorten nighttime visibility distance

- Reduce reaction time to hazards

- Increase glare for oncoming drivers

- Make the vehicle less visible during bad weather

This is why keeping your headlamps clear is essential for safe driving.

Step‑by‑Step Instructions to Clean a Fogged Headlamp

Using supplies commonly included in a car-cleaning kit: microfiber cloths, mild soap, rubbing compound/polish, masking tape, and UV protectant.

What You’ll Need

From your typical cleaning kit:

Microfiber cloths
All‑purpose car soap or mild detergent
Spray bottle with water
Rubbing compound, polishing compound, or “headlight restoration compound”
Masking tape
UV sealant or protectant (often included with kits)
Optional: Sandpaper sheets (e.g., 1000–3000 grit), only if included

Cleaning Process (External Oxidation)

Wash the headlamp

Mix mild soap and water.
Clean the lens with a microfiber cloth to remove dirt and road grime.
Rinse and dry completely.

Protect the surrounding paint

Use masking tape to cover the paint around the headlamp.
This prevents accidental scuffing when polishing.

Apply rubbing compound or polish

Put a small amount of compound on a microfiber cloth.
Rub it onto the lens using firm, circular motions.
Continue for 2–5 minutes per headlamp.
Wipe clean and repeat as needed until the lens becomes clearer.

(Optional) Wet‑sanding (only if included and needed)

f the headlamp is severely oxidized:

Spray water onto the lens.
Sand gently with 1000–3000 grit sandpaper in back‑and‑forth motions.
Keep the surface wet at all times.
After sanding, use rubbing compound to polish the surface smooth.

Apply UV protectant

After clearing the oxidation, seal the lens so it doesn’t get cloudy again:

Apply a UV sealant or headlight coating from your cleaning kit.
Let it dry according to instructions.

This step is crucial — skipping it allows oxidation to return quickly.

Cleaning Moisture Inside the Headlamp

If fogging happens inside the housing, cleaning the outside won’t solve it.

Quick fixes:

Remove the bulb and allow the housing to air out for several hours.
Use silica gel packets inside the housing if accessible.

If moisture keeps returning:

The headlamp seal likely needs repair or replacement.

Summary

Fogged headlights happen mainly from UV oxidation or internal moisture, and both significantly reduce nighttime visibility and driving safety. With basic supplies from a cleaning kit, you can restore clarity through washing, compounding, and applying UV protectant, or sand if necessary.

Before the Cleaning

After the Cleaning

Side by side comparison.

Running a new water line for a Fridge

noreply@blogger.com (renovatingoldhouse) — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 00:26:00 +0000

My fridge, which I am quite positive is older than I am, was on its last leg for some time and needed to be replaced. Not only does it feel great to finally upgrade an appliance in the kitchen, but it also saves on our electricity bill. Most new refrigerators are rated as Energy Star which means they are generally 20% more efficient than minimum federal standards. Don’t forget to write off your purchase on qualified Energy Star products when filing your taxes as well as submitting for local rebates and credits from your local electrical company. Three ways to save or get paid to upgrade my fridge, how can I say no to that?

My old fridge was a standalone fridge with no special perks that many new fridges now come standard with. No, I opted out of getting a fridge with a TV and WiFi capability. Call me old fashion, but I believe my fridge should store food and other basic nourishments.

The new fridge that I purchased has a hookup for water and an ice maker. To maximize the use of my fridge, I am going to have to run a water line from a cold water source to my fridge. I purchased a water hook-up kit which included copper tubing, a saddle valve, and a compression union. I had to
also purchase a second compression union, which I will use to extend the line from the basement to the connection inside the fridge.

First thing I did was find a convenient location behind where the new fridge would be located to punch a hole in the wall. This is going to be a entry point to the first floor for the cooper line that I would be running from the basement. This would have to be a place that is out of the way and would not be an inconvenience should I decide to later move the fridge to another location. We do not have a nook or built in fixture for a fridge so we have a little more flexibility to where we can place our refrigerator. We decided to keep it in the same location and have no intent in moving to any other place in the kitchen, or at least in the near future.

Once I made the opening in the wall, I drilled a hole going into the basement. It wasn't easy as I could not drill straight down but was forced to operator my drill at an angle. But the advantage is that it provided me a general location of where to drill up from within the basement. Initially, I tried to start drilling from the basement but as you can see in the picture below, my measurements were slightly off. I thought I had made my measurements correctly but they were apparently 5 or so inches off.

As you already know, we do not have a finished basement so it makes it easier for me to find a water line that is the closest to the fridge with easy access for modification. If you have a finished basement, you have to be a little more creative in gaining access to the floor directly underneath your kitchen.

I than took my saddle valve and placed it over the existing copper water pipe. All I had to do was screw in either side and the device, which the pressure created by the tightening of the screws, punctured the existing water line without ever having to shut off the water supply to any other place in the house. Ensure you have the saddle value in the off position or you have a slight mess to clean up.

Take a compression union and connect the cooper tubing to the saddle valve. I kept a few feet of copper tubing and tied it at the connection point. Never hurts to have some slack for the flexibility of moving the water line should I need to for a future project.

I placed a plastic junction box in the hole that I made in the kitchen and fed the copper tubing through it from the basement. I placed a coaxial cable face plate over the copper tuning.

Follow the instructions of your refrigerator to make the appropriate connections to the fridge itself. Once the connections are made, take another compression union and connect the water hose to the copper tubing.

Go back to the and turn on the saddle valve to allow water to flow through the new junction you created. Keep an eye on all the connections to ensure there are no leaks or breaks in the tubing. Finally, I am now ready to get a glass and taste the fresh, cold and filtered water from my new fridge.

Renovating a Planting Bed, Summer Garden Projects #3

noreply@blogger.com (Robin) — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 04:26:00 +0000

If you have already perused through Summer Garden Project #1 and Summer Garden Project #2, you will understand that this is the continued effort on our part in trying to reclaim the front of our house. I am just truly excited that I do not have to deal with removing Ivy in this project. My back still aches whenever I think about the Ivy Removal Initiative we did the year prior.

It's never fun to see the holistic task at hand. No matter what we do to try to tame this area, it just looks so disheveled. The area is on the side portion of the lawn that divides my property with my neighbors. I could not tabulate the total number of plants that were located on this small plot of land.

Time to get to work. My trusty tools and supplies consisted of a shovel, a spade, hand tiller (no I did not bother renting the motorized one for this project), plenty of garbage bags, top soil and mulch. The plants I wanted to remove have been there for years which required me to dig almost a foot and a half down in order to get to the bulb and the intricate root systems for each of these plants. Be sure to remove as much as you can, if not all of it, as they will be fighting for natural resources of the plants you are putting in and these old root systems may regrow and regain control of the area. I have no desire to redo this project.

I do not know where I got the energy, but I was able to remove all the plant life in just a few short hours. I spent a good amount of time just turning the soil in order to remove any roots that I had missed and to also mix in the top soil that I purchased at the local home improvement store.

The remainder of the project is very similar to the later half of Summer Garden Project #1 and Summer Garden Project #2. Just remember to do your due diligence in the types of plants you are looking to plant. How much sunlight do the plants require and does the location meet those needs? Are the plants you are choosing to transplant in your yard rated for the area of the country you live in? If you are going to Home Depot or Lowes, they will generally carry plants that are ideal for the area of the country you reside in. It's the specialty garden centers that may bring in more exotic plants that may not be apt to you climate conditions. Just remember, if you are going with those other plants, they will require a significant effort on your part to ensure they can thrive in your lawn.

As you can see, we are very simple people and thus our gardening vision reflects that. Granted these plants are in it's infancy and will grow to fill that plot of land, we chose to only plant 4 different species in this area. A far cry from it's previous condition, just a few short hours ago. We added a number of bags of mulch to help keep water in the soil and added the stone perimeter as we did in the previous project.

By removing all the erroneous plants, we now have given the appearance of a much larger front yard, or so I tell myself to believe. Three out of four sections of the front of the house has been completed. Now to take on the next Garden Project.

Front Lawn Ivy Removal Initiative, Summer Garden Project #2

noreply@blogger.com (Robin) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 03:38:00 +0000

The next work we did was at the end of the front walkway which meets the curb of our sidewalk where there was an overgrowth of ivy. The picture really shows the distinct contrast between the crowded bushes on the left of the house and the right side of the house which is a result of the Summer Garden Project #1.

To continue this minimalist garden theme, we wanted to remove the eye sore from the front of the house. The ivy took over a large portion of the front lawn, covers the steps onto our walkway and was an overall distraction to the aesthetics of how we want the garden to look like.

Where are the steps to our house?

A closer look at the enemy…

The other side of the walkway.

This has to be least enjoyable garden project thus far. Ivy is a resilient plant which has an extensive underground root system. Here is a link to a little bit more information about Ivy (http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg358).

Some success! This is what the Ivy looks like under the leaves after pulling it out of the ground.

My tears of joy quickly becomes tears of sorrow when I realize all that hard work only resulted in less than a square foot of ivy removal. When removing ivy, ensure that you use the big black contractor bag or other durable disposal bags. Ivy can grow almost anyway, by placing it in the traditional brown lawn bags may allow the ivy to rip through the bag and expose the ivy to untainted part of the lawn.

It took the woman of the household about 4 hours to pull this amount of ivy from our lawn. The man of the household took about 30 minutes to pull out the other half of the ivy to include removing the extensive root network that goes in about a foot into the ground.

No ivy or is there?

Pulling the ivy is not the only thing that must be done. Dealing with the strange bugs, dead and rotted ivy pieces, leaves from years past and hidden garbage are just some of the joys of this project. The root removal requires a little bit more ingenuity and a reason to make a trip to Home Depot!

This helped cut hours of back breaking work into about 2 minutes of fun with the Honda F220AN 130 RPM gas operated tiller! (http://www.hondapowerequipment.com/products/modeldetail.aspx?page=modeldetail&section=P2TL&modelname=F220AN&modelid=F220AN) This $900 tool cost only about $45 for an all-day rental.

Before the fun can begin, we need to outline the work area to till in order to aerate the soil and remove the deeply embedded ivy roots. I used a power cord as this can be easily adjusted to outline curves and frame the area to be worked on.

Another reason we used the orange power cord is because we had a can of orange spray-paint to outline the work area.

Don't forget to remove the wire before tilling...

Time to have some fun. By far, the best part of the project. Just remember to stay within the lines.

Now that the fun is over, now it’s time to go back to work. We cut into the ground about 3 inches around the border of the area. The depth was based upon the stone we were going to lay around the area. We evened out the soil and planted the first plant just to center our planned layout. Then we laid out weed guard, which is a black cloth-type material that you lay over the soil to prevent weed from growing out through the mulch but is permeable to water allowing water to get through to the root system of the plants. I used brick to hold down the weed guard as a tucked the cloth into the corners between the soil and the walkway.

This is where the learning curve came into play. The first garden area, we followed the directions and suggestions made by garden books, forums and blogs. We laid out the weed guard, marked with our orange spray-paint where the plants were to be placed, cut through the weed-guard and dig up the ground in order to plant the perennials and annuals. You will see how difficult that task can be when you feel the material that the weed-guard is comprised of and trying to do the previously mentioned steps. It was painfully annoying to cut a small hole, working with a hand trowel through the relatively small hole to dig up the dirt and place the plants in the area.

For the second half of the project, we opted to excavate the holes prior to laying the weed-guard down. Once the guard-guard was done, it was pretty easy to feel for the holes in order to cut the respective slits in the weed-guard in order to plant.

As for the aesthetic work on the garden, we used a granite-esque looking stone that was 4 inch by 8 inch. It is perfect for outdoor projects for creating walkway, garden patio or decorative borders, as we have opted for. I placed the stones against the cut in the ground and used a rubber mallet to straighten and level the stones. Using loose dirt, I poured it between the cut and the stone to straighten the stones and ensure it remained flush against the cut.

Once the border was completely laid out, I covered the area with regular mulch.

Closer view of the right patch.

Closer view of the left patch.

Panoramic view of Summer Garden Project #1 and #2. Summer Garden Project #3 will be to tackle the last of the older bushes seen in the left side of the house.

Before even thinking about Summer Garden Project #3, I’m just going to stand here in the middle of the street and enjoy the fact that Summer Garden Project #2 is completed!

Renovating a Planting Bed, Summer Garden Projects #1

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 17:49:00 +0000

First, lets get revved up for these projects by looking at the two photos below:

They are before and after shots of the first of two major garden projects we completed this summer. Aside from looking pretty, updating a garden area has major benefits for a home owner:

1. You can remove old mulch and apply new garden soil in planting beds.

2. You can uncrowd plants in over populated beds.

3. If you do not like pruning (and who does?) you can replace plants that are too large and fast-growing with smaller and slower-growing species. However, although this means easier upkeep in the long run, this will require a little bit of research and thought on your part.

4. If weeds are a problem, you can install weed-guard in your plant beds.

Here is some motivation for replacing the old planting bed:

What is not wrong with this picture? The planting bed is very over crowded, with too many plants in a small area. There are a lot of different types of plants, too many for my taste. Some of plants have become deformed from lack of care and damaged from the elements. Finally, there is a large buildup of dead leaves and other junk (garbage as well) mixed in with the mulch and it is not easy to remove because of the crowded plants.

Before you redo a garden area, there are some basics you should educate yourself about. You should research what your zone is (mine is zone 6), and what type of plants are best for your zone (they will be the easiest to have thrive in your yard, with minimal upkeep). You should match the plants you are picking to how much sunlight the area gets (full sun, part sun, or shade is very important). Finally, the plants final mature size should fit into the space (that way it will require minimal pruning). Of course, if you love a certain strange plant, that is not for your zone, and grows too big for the space.... you could still try to grow it, but you will need to put consistent effort in up keeping that plant... and it will easily die if you do not stay consistent. So, be smart, and find plants that are nice to look at, but also are easy to care for.

Link to: Garden Planning Basics

The first thing we did was remove the old plants. This required digging around each of the bushes, and getting underneath the bush's root ball. Once you get this up, you have successfully removed most of the roots. After that, break up the bush into pieces, and either put it in a mulch pile, or put it in the gardening brown bags you can pick up at Home Depot. Next, mix some fresh soil into the planting bed, before planting your new bushes.

Bye bye my bushes!

One bush after another!

Sorry little bush!

The second thing I did in planning my new beds was basic research:

- How do I balance winter color with spring color i.e. evergreens with spring flowering deciduous bushes?

- What color flowers, leaves and bark complement each other?

- Will the size of each plant fit in it's new location when fully grown?

- Will the plant grow well in the amount of light and zone I am in?

To solve these questions I decided on a few standards that I will follow for all my gardens around my house. I wanted a nice balance of red, green and yellow plants.

The red plants are the dwarf Japanese maple (will grow to a max of eight feet, perfect!), and barberry bushes (3' x3'). The maple will lose it's leaves in the winter, but maintains a beautiful bark color and shape.

Japanese Maple

The barberry will keep their leaves in winter unless it stays below zero for an extended period.

The yellow bushes are Euonymus (2' x 2'), aka winter creepers, they are a yellow variety and will keep their color all winter.

Euonymus Gold, Winter Creeper

The centerpiece bush is a green leafed Azalea that will bloom pinkish red flowers in the spring. It will lose leaves in the winter, but the bark has a nice look as well.

Azalea

All these plants will grow great in zone 6, require water once a week, and are great in full sun. Before purchasing the plants, measure your garden bed, and figure out how many plants will fit into the bed area. Do not over fill the garden! When you first purchase the plants, they are immature. They WILL grow, remember the main rule of gardening, things take time!

The plants we picked out

When planting a container bush, turn the container onto it's side and crush it. Turn the container and crush it a bit on each side till the dirt loosens and you can get the plant out. Next, while soil and dirt are getting everywhere, take the roots and try to separate them so they are not in such a tight ball. The roots grew like that to survive in the container, but it will harm the shrubs growth if you plant it like that. Place it in a hole twice the size of the roots, and fill in with dirt. Do not bury it too deep, the soil line should come up just above the root ball. Fill in around the plants with plenty of mulch and keep it well watered after planting. Do not feed the plant immediately after transplanting unless the instructions for the plant specifically say so. Some shrubs need time to adjust to the new soil and sun conditions. Plant feed forces it to want to grow quickly, which may end up causing harm if it has not finished adjusting.

Here is a link to more information about taking care of shrubs and trees. I agree with all the guidelines they have:

Link to: Tree and Shrub Care

Finally, with all the work complete, you have a fresh new garden!

Backyard Ivy Removal Project

noreply@blogger.com (Robin) — Sun, 09 May 2010 21:16:00 +0000

As you may have noticed, we have quite a bit of Ivy around our property. Slowly but surely, we are getting rid of them all. The last major hurdle is the Ivy in the backyard.

A third of our backyard was covered in Ivy. It was around the perimeter of the property, primarily against the property line of the neighbors behind us. As you can see, the Ivy was so overgrown that fence separating the two properties is almost nonexistent.

I still cringe when I see these pictures and how much of an eyesore and space it took away from our yard. I do not want to sound like a person that despises Ivy, but there is a reason it is considered to be an invasive plant when outdoors.

If you do not spend the time and effort to control these plants, they will grow out very quickly and overcome any other plant life that may be in the area. I know that I do not have the self discipline to oversee such a high maintenance plant, thus explains my strategic Ivy removal initiative on my property.

Some websites and garden books recommend using a lawn mower or weed wacker to initially breakdown the Ivy, prior to removal. Personally, I would say that is one of the worst ideas when dealing with Ivy. This invasive plant has an innate ability to grow in what seems like any weather condition. If you chop it up with a lawnmower, now you drastically increased the number of the plants and potentially have spread it across not only your property but that of your neighbors.

First thing I did was make my typical pilgrimage on to Home Depot and went to the herbicide section. I went straight down the aisle and looked for any herbicide that had a specific formula for Ivy. Although it seems an oxymoron, but Ortho brands of herbicide seem to be the most "eco-friendly" of all the brands that were on the shelf. I drenched the Ivy with the herbicide and let it sit for a day or two - read the warning labels carefully as each type of herbicide has its own particular directions pertaining to pets, children, effectiveness due to weather, etc. To my surprise the furthest branches and exposed roots were in the process of browning and withering away after my first application of the herbicide. For me, the use of herbicide a few days prior to tackling the Ivy made it easier to uproot the plant as the poison was actively killing the plant.

Have someone help you, take lots of breaks or have a case a beer with you while working. I'm not going to lie, it's back breaking work and you will feel it for a couple of days. I had a pair of sheers to cut the veins that were intertwined within the fence, but the rest of the work was done using my two hands and pulling it right out of the ground. I was surprised that the roots were really not that deep into the ground, maybe 3 inches deep at most. Unlike the Ivy in the Summer Garden Project #2, the root system was very shallow and the majority of the Ivy's root system was laying on top of the soil.

When removing the Ivy, I would recommend disposing it in contractors bags rather than the gardening brown bags or in a compost pile. Like I mentioned before, Ivy is an invasive plant and will quickly thrive in any new environment it is introduced within. Be sure to remove all the root systems when pulling the Ivy. With all the soil that you are turning over, you are actually making it more of an ideal growth environment for the Ivy.

After the Ivy had been uprooted, I reapplied the herbicide as a precautionary measure, just in case I missed a few pieces of root systems. No matter how much work I do on my property, the culprit still lies on the other side of the fence on my neighbors lawn. They do not maintain the Ivy as it is located behind a number of trees so they do not even see the Ivy from their porch - I wouldn't be surprised if they don't even know they have Ivy on the property. Either way, I periodically will go back there and spray the fence area with the herbicide to ensure that no stray Ivy root system wants to traverse onto my side of the fence.

Although the picture is from another garden project, you can see that I have been able to keep the my backyard Ivy free for some time now. We have not decided what to do with that portion of the backyard yet, but it's nice to just have room in the backyard again. We also noticed that once we removed the Ivy, there were far less insects and bugs in the area.

Just to give you an idea of how much trash came out of clearing 50 feet length of Ivy which was about 5 feet wide....

Insulating Pre-Existing Wall Cavities

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 21:36:00 +0000

Our house is about 60 years old. Back then, individuals did not really insulate their home. That was because oil was plentiful and cheap and insulating materials were costly, poorly fabricated and uncommon. People were not concerned about insulation till the energy crisis of the 1970's, when the price for gas increased dramatically. That is why today we are very conscientious about saving energy and insulating our homes. The expense to heat a home is huge, and every penny we spend on the best insulation and installing it correctly is worth it.

Here is a link to more information about the energy crisis in the 1970's:
Wiki page on oil crisis
Amusing take on why they did not insulate

From the wiki link you can see this chart of oil prices:

Notice the spike in 1973 and 1979.

Link to historical oil prices:
Oil Price History Chart

The whole first floor of our house has an outer wall of stone. Between the stone and the cement board (old-time sheet rock) that makes up the inner walls of our first floor, is air. No insulation!

I want you to imagine sitting in your house on a blustery cold winter day. A strong wind pounds against your house. Not only can you hear the wind, but you can feel the air in your home move with it. That is what it feels like to not have insulation in your walls.

If you have this problem in your own home, you can pick one of two solutions. First, you can knock down every wall in your house, and put in new insulation and walls. Second, and more practical, is you find or make a cavity that connects to the empty space, and fill each space between the wooden boards with blown-in insulation. In some houses, you might have a space between the wall and ceiling in the basement that connects to the first floor. In that case, you could blow insulation into the cavities from the basement. Another option is you might have cavities that are above your walls in the floor of crawl spaces or the attic that connect to the inside of your walls. Then, you could blow in insulation from above. However, if neither options are available to you, then you will have to do what we will show here. We had to make a hole in every wall of the first floor between the beams and fill it with insulation (some people make holes in their masonry and fill cavities if they cannot reach it from the inside walls, thankfully we did not have to do that!).

Here is a website with a cartoon video of exactly what we did:
Video of Blown-in Insulation

Before Insulating:

First we did extensive online research about blown-in insulation. We made a hole in some of the walls to make sure there were spacious empty cavities. We made sure that the insulation would not come through the basement ceiling or the second stories floor. We also realized that the project will go a lot smoother and quicker if we mark all the beams first using a stud finder, drill the holes and cover our furniture before renting the machine.

Second we went to Home Depot and checked that they had the insulation in stock, and that there were machines available to rent. We checked the diameter of the nozzle of the machine to make sure we would drill the holes the right size (1"). They have a deal that if you buy 20 cubes of loose fill insulation they will give a free one-day rental. We also tried to approximate how much insulation we will need.

Third, the week prior we drilled the holes and moved furniture and pictures away from the outer wall of the first floor.

Here is a picture of some of the holes we made. We drilled them close to the ceiling, but not above windows, only below window sills. We intend to replace the windows eventually, so we will fill those spaces in later.

We filled about 50 cavities, and it took us half a day. Starting at about 8am, we were done by 3pm. It took a few hours to get into a groove where we did not get clogs in the tubing nozzle or hose. I will share some tips for making this process go smoothly.

Breaking Up The Insulation:

The machine came with two garbage cans that held the huge hoses. We used the cans (as other renters probably did as well) to break up the loose insulation into manageable chunks by hand. You can use a garden scraper, shovel or dust pan to roughly loosen it up. Please do this while wearing a dust mask and eye goggles. Some of our implements are pictured below:

You really do need to break up the insulation by hand if you are using the attached nozzle to blow it into a wall. If the tubing gets clogged you are likely to make a huge mess and waste a lot of time unclogging it. Below is a picture of what the insulation looks like broken up into a garbage can.

However, you do not need to go crazy breaking up the insulation perfectly by hand in the garbage cans. As we found out after working for a few hours, it is best to let the machine do most (not all) of the tilling. Below is a picture of the machine breaking up the insulation and blowing it through:

Filling Up The Machine:

There is a sliding gate on the bottom of the machine that controls how much material flows through. We found out that if you close the gate to about and inch and a half, and let the machine churn a whole bunch of the material for a few minutes, you can then open the gate really wide and let a huge stream of insulation fly through. This seemed to work better then breaking it up really well by hand or leaving it at a low flow for the whole time. Below is a picture of machine with the exit hose, the orange gate shows you that it is almost closed.

I found that the hose at the bottom of the machine would often detach if material clogged up, so I wedged it against the weight of the machine and the first step outside my house, this prevented detachment. If you are the one controlling the machine you can easily tell when there is a clog or a cavity is full. The machine makes a whirling sound similar to when a vacuum has something caught in it. You can also see through the tubing if the material is flowing. Because of this, we did not need to use walkie-talkies to communicate when to turn it off.

Filling The Walls:

The person who is filling the holes also can do their part to prevent clogs. If you hold the hose immediately behind the nozzle at the same level, it gives the insulation a stronger push through the nozzle. The downside is the loss of blood in your arms as you hold them above your head. See picture below:

Here is a close up shot of the nozzle pushing material into the wall:

Here is what the hole looks like when it is completely filled with material:

When you are all done you can seal the holes with an expanding foam spray, found in the same aisle with the insulation. When that dries you can shave off the excess, compound and then paint it over. See photo below:

When I sit at home now, I no longer hear the noises from the street or feel the wind blow through my house! We were left with 6 bags of insulation (cost about $10 each) which we returned, and Home Depot still let us have the free rental! The final expense for this project was ~$130 and a half days hard labor for two people. The savings in utility costs will make it very worthwhile.

Here is final picture of the mess left behind (the reality of doing any work on your house):

Cleaning Rain Gutters

noreply@blogger.com (Robin) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 03:48:00 +0000

Rain Gutters provide a major purpose in routing water away from one of the largest surface area of a house, your roof. By channeling the water away from your house, it actually ends up protecting the siding, windows, doors, and even the foundation of your home.

I pulled the following from a DIY website, which describes the many components to a typical aluminum gutter system that may be used around your home. Regardless of how it is setup, how it looks, or the material of the system, it's primary purpose is to keep water away from your home.

When we first moved in, we realized after the first few rain showers, that water was spilling over the edges of the gutters in multiple different locations around the house. After inspecting the gutters, I realized that they were filled with leaves and silt so water was not able to make it to the drop outlet to drain away from my house.

I gathered the following items: a ladder, heavy duty gloves, garbage bag and my garden hose with an affixed pistol grip spout. I'm not going to glorify this task, it's not fun nor is it an interesting project. Add on to the start of winter, cold weather in a wet working environment did not make for a good combination, so if you can, check your gutters when the climate is to your advantage.

Thus the project begins, start digging into gutter and remove all the excess leaves and silt that has accumulated since it's last cleaning, if ever, and place into the garbage bag. I ended up tying one end of the garbage bag to one of the higher rungs of the ladder so I have one hand to hold onto the structure while the free hand was pulling the obstruction out of the gutter.

Once I was able to remove most of the obstruction, I took the garden hose and adjusted the nozzle so that I would expel a high velocity of water. I started from the opposite end of the gutter or close to an end cap furthest from where the downspout is located and sprayed the remainder of the loose dirt out. You may need to bring back the garbage bag to pull more loose dirt once it starts accumulating again. For parts of the gutter that had two downspouts on either end, I would start in the middle or where it seemed to be the lowest point in between either drop outlet.

In the middle of this project, I realized that it is something I do not want to do again, or at least I would need to find a way to prolong having to do this again. I went to the local Home Improvement store and purchased snap-on Gutter Guards; they come in multiple types and colors that are available. I prefer the ones that are depicted below; they appear to far more durable and simpler to attach. They are a couple dollars per 3 feet segments. They do come in cartons, which also helps in saving a few extra dollars. These guards have an embedded mesh wiring in-between the plastic body which allows water to filter through while keeping debris out of the gutter system.

Image pulled from Home Depot Website, depicting Amerimax 3ft Snap-in Gutter Guard

To install, take the end of the gutter guard with the lip and snap to the part of the gutter that is away from the wall of the house. You will hear and feel it snap into place with little effort. Once the tongue of the gutter guard is in place, take the flat end and place it between the roof apron and the shingles of the house. It may take a little bit of manipulating of the shingles and the gutter guard for it to be properly installed. Continue doing this until your gutters are completely covered by the guard. You will be need sheers or heady duty scissors to cut the end pieces of the guard to allow for proper fit.

Image pulled from Home Depot Website, depicting Amerimax 3ft Snap-in Gutter Guard

Since putting on the gutter guards, I have yet to go through the drill of cleaning the gutters of any excessive debris like I did the first year. I still go up and periodically to check the gutters (once every 6-months) just as a precautionary measure. Also the periodic checks allows me to identify any pieces that have been damaged in the elements, I have the opportunity to replace the damaged piece before it becomes a bigger issue later. Overall, this was only a few hours worth of work on a single weekend day.

Removing Outdated Window Cornices and Installing New Window Treatments

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:27:00 +0000

We have been very busy all winter, so busy that I have not been able to post about all the work we have done. This project was an easy one, and can be done in half a day. A window "cornice" is a wooden valence that goes over the window for decorative purposes. It sits like a three sided box and hides the top part of the window frame. You can also install curtain rods right into the wooden sides of the box instead of the wall. Also, as was the case in our house, the cornice can have lights inside to light up the window area at night. I suppose that would be necessary because the cornice makes the area look very dark.

Although these window designs were popular at one time many years ago, today it is very uncommon. Modern day window designs vary, but I think we all agree that curtains and curtain rods are now both functional and decorative, and leave the potential of letting a lot of light into the room. However, I did do some research online and found some modern day cornice designs, as can be seen here:
Modern Cornices

Some of those are nice, but it does not go with the over all design we want for the house.

Here is a picture of several cornices in the living room with the curtains that came with the house:

The theme of the cornices continued throughout the first floor of the house, and even on one wall where there was no window, there was a cornice with a florescent light under the over hang:

To take them down we pried them off with a screw driver, hammer and crow bar. Removal was a bit difficult because they are all heavy, huge thick pieces of wood, and you are right near a glass window... Luckily no windows were broken:

To finish this project we had a couple of loose ends to tie up. First, what to do with all these extra wires from the lights we removed? Second, we need to compound and paint over the areas were the cornices used to be. Finally, we need new window treatments.

We decided to only keep the wiring above the wall with no window, and the other lights that were in the windows will not be replaced. When do you ever see lights above a window? So here is the track lighting we installed above the wall:

Much better! The track lighting goes perfect with our decorative bookcase.

Here is what it looked like before so you can easily compare:

Here is a picture of all the cornices removed:

And finally a picture of the new window treatments after some compounding and one coat of base paint:

One coat of paint does not finish the job, but there are several other projects that we will be doing in this room. We will not paint the room with a final color until we have finished those other projects. That includes our next projects of installing insulation in the walls and replacing old windows.

Opening up a staircase with a load bearing wall (To get a bed up of course!)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:01:00 +0000

It all started simple enough, we could not get our queen sized mattress up the staircase. I think the previous homeowners had a mattress with sections, so never had to confront the narrow passageway. The staircase was originally encased on all sides, with a doorway that had a removed door at the bottom. The effect was claustrophobic. Although the walls on either side of the staircase were load bearing, one would have to come down. Why? Well besides from being able to get a bed upstairs....

First, modern designed houses have larger open spaces with each room lending a welcoming view to the next room. Opening up the wall near the staircase would allow people to see that there is a second floor, and how to get there. Second, it allows you to see that there are other rooms on the first floor behind the staircase wall. This will make the house look larger. Third, it allows heat from the first floor to flow upstairs and warm it better in the winter, improved air circulation!

Lets see what the encased staircase looked prior to any work:

From the above photo you can see how narrow and claustrophobic the staircase was, and in the photo below, you can see how low the wall comes at the top of the frame. It is as high as the door frame right next to it. Definitely not getting a large mattress up there!

Below is a picture of the wall that faces the staircase wall. At the time we had a decorative bookcase against the wall. You would never know that is a staircase behind there. Also, the house feels a bit smaller and it looks like there are just a bunch of doorways every where.

Below is a picture of the same wall with no bookcase and with both doorways on either side of the staircase wall visible:

The first step was to knock down the extra wall above the staircase doorway:

It already looks so much more open! Then the wood paneling (ek!) came off of the outer wall:

Then the cement board came down (note: not sheet rock, sheet rock would have been easier and cleaner, cement board is heavy, dusty and a mess), but the beams holding the weight of the floor above are kept in tact.

Those were left in because we installed a steel beam from one end of the wall to the other end of the stairs to hold the weight of the house and redistribute it from the center beams to the end beams. That part was slightly complex and required a bit of finesse. A make shift wall was built right next the weight bearing beams, to hold the ceiling's weight while these beams were cut and the steal beam was inserted in the ceiling.

Installing this required putting a beam on the top and bottom and outer sides, then hammering in the middle beams. Below is a close up picture of the makeshift beams next to the old ones before they are cut.

Below you can see the steel beam in the ceiling holding the weight after the beams were cut and the extras removed:

The project as of now (without the compounding and paint) looks like this:

And the view is more open:

And as a bonus we took down the wall above the hallway door frame, to make it look more like a hall and less like a door. This again follows with the modern idea of big open spaces, doorways and views.

One last look at how things were:

Next weekend, we will add in a banister and finish off the walls by compounding and painting.

In case you thought this was easy, it took four weekends of labor, a lot of tools (saws, crow bars, hammers) and back breaking work. It was also messy, as you can see from my last two pics below ;-)

During the work my cat crawled into the space between the two floors, and it was not easy coaxing him out! He was so filthy I had to give him a bath :-(

We closed on the house and moved in!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:44:00 +0000

My husband and I are officially home owners now! Moving out was very hectic because we were due out of our apartment a day before we closed. We ended up sleeping on an air mattress in our empty apartment and sneaking out in the wee hours of the morning. We did the final inspection at 7:30am and then went to sign our lives away at the reality office.

I wanted to share some pictures of moving out of our old apartment in the city:

The living room with city views:

Here are some pictures of the new house pre-move-in, while we were doing the final inspection in the morning. This is the last time for a long time that you will be able to see the house empty:

The living room:

The kitchen:

The dining room:

The master bedroom:

Inspections have come back, there is Radon!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 14:06:00 +0000

How unexpected, yet expected. The previous home owner said that they had a radon test before that came back negative. Maybe it did. However, ours did not. This is Pennsylvania, the state of quarries and rock and stone. To not have Radon in your basement here is almost impossible. So it was expected. As my father told me, people who do not have a radon system in PA are in denial. What is Radon and will this effect our resale of the house? Following what the EPA website says: Radon is a cancer-causing, radioactive gas. You can't see radon. And you can't smell it or taste it. But it may be a problem in your home. Radon is estimated to cause many thousands of deaths each year. That's because when you breathe air containing radon, you can get lung cancer. In fact, the Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. Only smoking causes more lung cancer deaths. If you smoke and your home has high radon levels, your risk of lung cancer is especially high. Radon can be found all over the U.S. Radon comes from the natural (radioactive) breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water and gets into the air you breathe. Radon can be found all over the U.S. It can get into any type of building — homes, offices, and schools — and result in a high indoor radon level. I am just surprised that the previous home owner and tenants had radon for so many years and never took care of it.

First Post, What is my story?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:45:00 +0000

My husband and I are still trying to finish all the paperwork on our first house. We have only just completed the back and forth bargaining with the seller (a nice older Lady ready to downsize) and settled on a price. Now all the other nuances have to be taken care of: the inspections, titles and assessment.

At this point we are craving for it all to be done ASAP. My husband and I misjudged how long the whole process will take and our apartment lease ends Sept 10th, but our scheduled close date is Sept 30th. We are going to be homeless for 20 days! However, the most important thing to both of us is that we stop throwing our money down the drain to live in our high rise apartment, and start putting it into an investment that we can get a return from.

Here is a picture of the house that has made all our suffering worthwhile: