I've been contemplating the elaboration of this list since we moved into this 1965 house, but I was completely derailed by my husband loosing his job, etc. Today, however, motivated by this post written by Jennie and the fact that I've been posting countless pictures and blogging a bit about our most recent home renovation projects, I decided to go ahead and get this written. I has to be done soon, before a good portion of the list can be crossed out even before being posted! (I must say it is exciting to prepare a to-do list in which several items will be crossed out from the start, though!).
NOTE: Photos of the crossed out projects from last year forthcoming!! Post will be updated as projects are completed.
My "obsessive categorizer" side is already driving my "indecisive" side crazy with all these options for classifying the renovations: from simply "cosmetic" to structural; floor by floor; room by room; priority wise, cost, etc. I guess I'll take the floor (or level) approach, leaving the less important/ more complex projects last in each list.
First, a quick review:
1) The Ground Level comprises: the garage, family room, 4th bedroom (home office), front door to back door hallway in which the laundry is located, and a small full bathroom.
2) The Second Level: living-room, dining-room, and kitchen.
3) The Third Level: master bedroom with small full bathroom, two bedrooms, hall bathroom.
4) The Partial Basement: one large "finished" room, the unfinished furnace and oil tank room, and another room where there's a sump pump and the electricity "control panel."
Ground Level Projects:
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- Paint home office closet
- Paint pink wall to the left of entrance hallway
- Remove wall paper from wall by living-room stairs
- Replace the "Technicolor Dreamcoat Carpet" by laminate or other flooring
- Deal with wood paneling in family room (paint? remove?)
- Do something to the ugly fireplace
- Get the remote controls to the garage door to work
- Fix cracked concrete floor in the garage
- Renovate small bathroom (floors, etc)
- Install exhaust fan to bathroom (through outside wall)
First Level Projects
- Remove ugly border from dining-room and paint
- Replace light fixture in dining-room
- ? Patch huge hole left from air conditioner removal (after stucco wall is replaced)
- Remove wall-paper from living-room back wall (after previous project)
Redo whole kitchen:
- Replace all cabinets
- Replace all appliances (except for white new fridge we bought for previous house. The stove is really bad right now, I can't wait to have another one)
- Put an island at the middle of the room
- Put new light fixtures
- Tile the floors
- ? Granite countertops?
- Install stove exhaust fan (through attic? how?)
- Transform corner into a closet with built-in-pantry (a pantry like that is my wildest dream!!)
Second Level Projects
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- Install exhaust fans/vents in both upstairs bathrooms (through the attic)
Re-do tiny master bathroom:
- Put ceramic tiles in shower stall (or buy a new plastic one)
- Add swinging door to shower
- Ceramic tiles on floor
- Replace white tiles on wall
Re-do "long" hall bathroom:
- Replace the ugliest bathroom vanity in history
- Put attractive light fixtures
- (Only a dream) Replace tub with a whirlpool tub
- Add sliding doors to tub (?)
- Re-tile floors, walls and shower/tub
Basement:
- Redo the whole thing, new flooring, walls, ceiling, etc.
- Install water softener
- Paint outside cement block walls with impermeable paint
Outdoor Projects- Replace, and level to correct angle the soil by the foundation of the house/ basement, so water doesn't seep into basement walls
- Redo buckling stucco wall on the right side of house (living/dining room wall) and all stucco around the house (close to 10K) -- will include demolition and probable replacement of plywood walls.
- Transform the back porch in a screened in porch
- Add two or three skylights to back porch (too dark)
- In two year's time -- replace roof.
I'm sure there's more to do, but that's what I remember now.
* Painting rooms in our book involves: painting the window, door frames, and baseboard (including heater) "pure white," painting the ceiling (white), painting the walls and the closet, and replacing all the black outlets and light switch with white, sleek ones.
5 comments:
Holy heck, Lilian! It was exhausting just reading this list. My post wasn't meant to inspire undertaking more projects (it was to suggest buying a house exactly the way you want it--he he--does that ever happen?)!
I should consolidate all my to-do lists for the house in this way! Although it would depress me to see how slowly I cross them out....
I'm seriously debating not painting the trim in this house, since it's less than 10 years old, but something in me doesn't feel good about that decision. Painting equals EVERYTHING, right? Well, maybe not. If I can convince myself. We'll see.
I'm exhausted reading this, too! But what fun, I think, to have this list and to systematically cross things off!
Can you manage all this ?!!! ;-)
Fun, fun, fun, Lilian!
Do you know that the pantry you linked to is the pantry I have in my kitchen?! It came with the house, and quite honestly it is pretty cool. Such a space-saver, too -- it's the only place in my kitchen I keep food (vs. having many cupboards dedicated to food items).
Can't wait to see your progress down this massive list. Know that your list is only slightly longer than ours (since we had a head start on the renovation process!).
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