I Love my Handyman

So, my aunts are coming to my place for the Christmas holidays, which I'm super stoked about! And bonus - it's giving me a kick in the pants to do a little more on the house before they get here. I called up the handyman company I hired a few months ago to come in and knock out a few more little projects. If you're in the Portland area and need some stuff done, I highly recommend In Your Home!

• Baseboards

I've been staring at this in the kitchen for the past 2+ years:

Ick.

Previously, there was that rubber cove base stuff that you see, for instance, in commercial restrooms. I promptly peeled that stuff up, and once the new floor was down and the walls were painted, I was ready to install some real base moulding! It only took me forever to do it :P But look how pretty it turned out!

Yay!

It gives the kitchen that nice polished feel :) And while we're still in the kitchen...

• Pantry Area

Remember this?

I always forget to take good before pictures - oops!

I had planned originally on knocking out that little wall to the right of the shelving unit, but never got around to it. I had resigned myself to leaving it there and somehow finishing off the edge, but when the handyman arrived, we talked it over and he was able to remove the whole deal (including the little soffit above the closet that used to be there)!

All gone!

Finished up and primed

He was able to cobble together the remainder of the floor tiles I had in the garage to finish off that corner too. Now I need to somehow match the paint and it will be like that closet was never there! I had originally planned to get a larger shelving unit to put there, so now I need to decide if I'll do that, or do something different entirely with the space? Decisions, decisions!

• Bathroom Window

I'm not really surprised at this, but the guy who used to own the house used the absolute wrong material on the bathroom windowsill. As you can see below, he used a pressboard product which expanded when it got wet - who knew that a bathroom window that is on the wall next to a shower would get wet?!?!?

Extreme closeup!

Sorry that's so gross...but I'm short and it was above my sightline! :P Well, not only did the handyman fix the damaged stuff, he even made the window trim prettier! :)

Much better!

Nice and clean and new

Even though I can't really see it, I'm glad it's all fixed up :) Oh! And one more thing - remember that strip of base moulding I installed in the bathroom? Which I royally screwed up with nails? 

This thing? (Wow, I forgot how yellow that paint was...)

Well luckily there was some extra base moulding from the kitchen so he replaced that too, yay!

While there's still some other things I'd like to get done before my aunts come to visit, I think I need to concentrate on painting. Lots and lots of painting. I think I will make a promise to myself to not do any other improvements until I've painted all the doors and base trim throughout the house. Oof, what am I getting myself into!

-Megan

Before & Afters

What! I'm updating this blog!? I know, it's hard to believe it myself, but I got a bee in my bonnet to start doing more updates on the house and I figured I should share with you lovely folks :)

My aunt Chris offered to get me a new front door as my housewarming gift, and now, over 2 years later, I've made good on her contribution :) It makes the HUGEST difference! Of course, with a new front door comes new locks (which I know Chris is excited about more than anything else, haha!) and for continuity's sake, I got new knobs for all the doors in the house!

New door from the exterior!

New door from the interior - such a big difference!

New knobs throughout (this is the bathroom door)

And speaking of the bathroom door - just adjacent to it is the spare bedroom door - which was a solid slab hollow core door, which did not match either the bathroom or "master" bedroom doors. Luckily, when my friends helped me knock down the wall between the kitchen and living room, we saved the door that used to be there. That door *did* match the other doors in the house, so I had the handyman install the saved kitchen door to the spare bedroom! Yay for matching doors!

Old vs. new - much better!

The spot where the kitchen door used to be had a hole in the hardwood flooring where the door frame used to come out of, so I also had that filled with wood and stained to try and match. Please ignore the missing base moulding....that's next on the list!

All patched up!

Another VERY exciting change for me was having the pony wall between the kitchen and living room capped off! You can kind of see in the top left photo the exposed 2x4 that has been there since we knocked down that part of the wall (I forgot to take a good before photo), but you can see the new decorative cap built up and then primed! I really love how it turned out!

Soooo polished looking!

Also, not pictured, but the handyman smoothed over the ceiling directly above the pony wall where we patched it up and put mud and tape on it...in which I did a very bad job and it was so sloppy looking haha. Now it's a smooth transition!

Okay, last but not least - the bars on the windows are GONE! They really made the house look ghetto haha. I think it makes the house seem more friendly and inviting!

No more jail bars!

I feel like I got quite a big chunk of stuff knocked off my to do list! And I really liked the company and in particular the handyman that did all this work. I'm definitely planning on hiring them again!

-Megan

Dogsitting

Well hello there! I may sound like a broken record, but nothing has been done on the house since the vent fan install. As I said before, it cost more than I anticipated, which is a big factor, but I've also been housesitting/dogsitting this past week at a friends' place. Isn't she sooooo cuuuute?

Fluffy!

I'm really happy with the vent fan so far. After purchasing the one I wanted, I read reviews which weren't the best, but I decided to go with it anyways, and I'm glad I did! I can leave the door open when I shower and the smoke alarm won't go off! The mirror isn't foggy anymore, the walls aren't damp anymore, and I don't feel like I'm still in a sauna when I'm toweling off. I'm really happy I got it done when I did, because come wintertime, I won't have to leave the bathroom window open all damn day!

I have a fairly busy weekend coming up (woohoo, volleyball tournament!) but the next couple aren't booked up yet so hopefully I'll be able to force myself to do *something* on the house. I haven't even put up any pictures/art on the walls...I need to remedy that!

-Megan

It's Electric!

Yesterday I took a half day off work so I could get a vent fan installed in my bathroom! Woo! There was never any sort of venting in the bathroom, besides the small window, and it would get crazy steamy in there every time I'd shower. The very first time I showered in there, it was so bad that the smoke alarm in the adjacent hallway went off! Ever since, I've had to shower with the door closed, and leave it closed for a good 30 minutes after I got out to let the steam dissipate. Well no longer! I went with a combo light/vent fan and it looks really pretty (in my opinion) and matches the style and finish of the other fixtures I have in there.

While the guys were working, I decided to mow my lawn since I've been too busy to for the past couple of weekends. Since I have an electric plug-in mower, and since there were no exterior plugs anywhere on the house, I've been running the extension cord from the living room out under the front door...it was kinda ghetto :P Annnywho, I decided to ask how hard it would be to install an exterior plug and they said not too hard at all! (Mind you, I didn't factor in the extra cost that this ended up being...ooof.) But, I'm pretty happy with all the work that was done, and it's one (two!) more things I can check off my to-do list!

The housing for the vent fan 

They had to install the vent fan housing slightly off-center and it bugs the crap out of me! However, they were restricted by the ceiling joists, so I'm just going to have to deal with it. That little hole you see to the right of the housing was an "accident"....grr! Not a big deal, I can just patch it up, but annoying nonetheless!

Ahhh pretty vent fan/light...and quiet too!

I tested out the fan this morning and it works great! It wasn't completely un-steamy when I got out of the shower, but I also didn't go too high on the CFM's for cost and noise reasons. I got an 80 CFM fan, which is double what I need for my 45 sq ft bathroom...I could have gone as high as 200+ but that would have been overkill!

The hole drilled for the external plug

All finished up with waterproof box and cover!

I'm excited to mow the lawn and trim the bushes via the new outlet plug! That makes me weird...doesn't it? I'll also be able to plug Christmas lights into this puppy when the time comes! Yeehaw! Unfortunately this stuff cost a bit more than I was expecting, so I'll have to put some other projects on hold for the time being. I really need to just paint the hallway and spare bedroom since I have all of the supplies already!

-Megan

House-aversary!

Well, well, it's been exactly a year since I closed on the house! It really doesn't seem like it's been a full year, but the calendar doesn't lie. There have been many many times when I feel like not a lot has been done, because there is still so much more to do, but then I'll sometimes peruse back into this blog's archives and realize how much has changed!

My top 5 projects from the past year:

1. The Kitchen
When I finally had a fully functioning kitchen, I felt like I had really accomplished a huge project. I was without a range and sink for a full 4 months, so I basically "cooked" with a microwave and used disposable dishes/cutlery whenever possible. I also ate out a ton, which wasn't too good for the wallet or the waistband! I'm still really enjoying the choices I made in regards to materials and specific appliances. I know that there is a bunch still left to do in the kitchen, but I'm most likely going to tackle other areas first. I still need to install a shelf on the sink side, install baseboard trim all around the room, replace the light above the sink, replace the window blinds, replace the windows themselves, and somehow close off the area next to the pantry which now (temporarily?) houses the cat litter box. Whew, that's a LOT! Maybe I'll have half that accomplished by next year...?

2. The Bathroom
I think living without a toilet for a full week (you don't wanna know how I did it...) really makes me appreciate how far my bathroom has come this past year! The paint color is probably the most noticeable change (from pee yellow - ceilings included! - to a calming grey), but having an unsoiled toilet, a sink that's not only pretty but actually attached to the wall (!!), and the removal of the black moldy caulk, really complete the image :) Again, still a LOT to do until I feel like the bathroom will be complete...replacing the plastic tub surround with tile, fixing the window frame, and installing a fan are the big ones. But I'd also like to replace the shower fixtures, the medicine cabinet, and the light above it, and replace that one strip of base trim that I royally screwed up with nails!

3. The Garage
Clearing the creepy "bonus room" out of the garage was a huge deal, and one I'm glad I got out of the way early on. I was willing to let this go for a while because I felt a lot of other projects were more pressing, but my friend Todd offered to knock down the room for me one day, and I'm so happy I took him up on that! Then, when I rented the drop box and a bunch of other friends came over to help clear out all the crap, I had a clean slate to work with. Admittedly, it looks like a typical garage full of "stuff" right now, but without that space (and the cool storage units from my grandma) the house would still be full of boxes, and I would still be doing laundry with barely any room to move. I have a ton of stuff in there that's slated for a yard sale, or donation, or recycling, so when I have time I'll sort that all out and the garage will be nice and roomy again!

4. The Floors
The very first project I did when I got the keys to the house was ripping up the carpet and refinishing the hardwood floors underneath. I did the refinishing myself, which accounts for the not-so-professional look to it, but whatever, I saved a good $1,500 by doing it that way! I've always been a fan of hardwood, and it immediately made the house look less "cheap". I also replaced the bathroom floor (oy, that was a nightmare) with vinyl tile...which I'll definitely want to redo one day. It didn't turn out quite that great, but again, super cheap! Like, $20 cheap. Woohoo! The vinyl tile I installed in the kitchen was another story...these tiles were more expensive, but sturdier, groutable (which I think was key to making it look like a nice floor), and because the tiles were rectangular instead of square, I think it gave it a more high end look. Still cheap though (compared to stone, wood, ceramic tile, etc)!

5. Paint
You all have heard me talk about it a bunch already, but every single interior surface of the house was covered in a grimy yellowish-white color when I first got the keys. Well, since then, I've primed pretty much everything, and have now painted most of the walls! It looks SO SO much better! It definitely changes the entire feel of the house and makes it feel much more welcoming. I don't know if I've chosen all of the right colors, but the cool thing is that painting is one of the cheapest (and kinda easiest) things you can do to change a room. I still need to paint the hallway and the spare bedroom (for which I have both cans of paint...just gotta get to it!), and I do need to someday paint all of the door and base trims around the entire house.

Now that I've compiled all of the big stuff in a list...wow! I guess I have done a lot over the past year! And by "I", I mean "my friends and I" because seriously, how in the hell could I have done all of this on my own?? I would probably still be sitting in a room with yellowed walls and dingy carpet if I hadn't had the help, encouragement, and support (physical and mental...and monetary!) from my friends and family. There are still times when I think I'm crazy for taking this on, but over the past year I've also had a lot of moments where I feel like I made a great investment and I get excited about the future.

And speaking of the future...here are the projects I hope to accomplish in the coming year (or two...)!
- Backyard - this one's a doozy
- Exterior paint - also of doozy caliber
- Roof - I think you know what I am going to say here

Some pictures for fun!

The house last year

This morning! Please ignore the Christmas light clips still
on the gutters...the lawn looks a lot better though!

Remember that little front yard project from back in March?

Blooms!! Lots of weeds also...but look at the pretty flowers!

Until next time!

-Megan

I'm Alive!

Wow you guys...it's been over a month since I've updated this bad boy! I blame it on vacation, settling into the new job, and well, general laziness :P I have done a thing or two to the place though, check it out!

• Backsplash
  As promised, I'm finally going to reveal my super secret backsplash! It's an unconventional material for a backsplash. Can you guess what it is?

Much better than before!

Colorized!

Color up close

• Towel Bar
  I finally put up another towel bar in the bathroom...this one's for hand towels (oooh fancy!)

Oy what a mess!

Finito!

• Paint
  I painted the living room! I squeezed 2 coats out of one gallon of paint (it's a fairly big room!). It looks a lot like the bathroom color in these pictures...but it's actually more of a brown grey. I'm happy with it! I chose from the same color family as the kitchen, so they bounce off each other well.

Before...

After!

Other corner of the room

• Backyard
  I was a bad homeowner and hadn't touched the backyard since....last summer :-/ Needless to say, it was very literally a jungle out there. I honestly don't know how I would have been able to tackle it myself (didn't have all the right tools for one thing), and after talking with one of my new coworkers, I decided to hire her (very reasonable!) gardener for a one time clear-out. It was SO SO worth it!

I mean, literally, the grass was 4 feet tall...

Now the grass looks like crap, but at least I can walk around out there!

I really enjoyed my vacation to see my dad and family on the east coast, as well as spending the weekend in Chicago on the way back visiting my friend Chris. My new job is going really well so far! All of the people are cool, and most importantly, it's NOT my old job :P

I have a busy month coming up - Wendy's bachelorette party, the Tough Mudder, Sarah's birthday, beer fest volunteering...and mid-July Wendy & Adam are gettin' hitched! I don't know how much time I'll have to devote to the house but you all will be the first to know about any more updates! :)

-Megan

Running Water!!

Yesterday I had a plumber come in (recommended by my friend John from the gym!) and he pretty much wrapped up all the loose ends and now I feel like I have a fully functioning house! He installed the kitchen sink, faucet, and dishwasher, and also installed the bathroom sink and faucet, and switched out the shower knob...which opened up a whole new can of worms *sigh* But! The important thing is I can COOK! And wash those dishes after I cook! And I don't have to go into the garage to wash my hands after I do my business! :)

Sink, faucet, & dishwasher

Other side of the kitchen with the fridge in its rightful place

Spice drawer!!

And now for the bathroom sink:

Yippeee!

I didn't really have any groceries at home so I haven't had a chance to break the kitchen in yet, but tonight I will make my very first home-cooked meal! I also haven't tried running the dishwasher yet...I need to read the manual! I've only ever lived with a dishwasher once for less than a year so I'm not entirely sure how they work :P I just know that it will make my life easier!

Okay, up ahead: prime, paint, backsplash and open shelving for the kitchen. I also think I'm going to re-paint my bedroom soon...lately it just seems too dark and heavy.

-Megan

P.S. Thanks to Wendy for taking the photos!

Range is Installed!!!

Oh man, SOOOO happy! The range has finally been installed, yay! It's only been sitting in a box in my living room for about 3 and a half months! Wow...when I think about how long I've been putting this off it's kind of unsettling haha! Anyways, I ended up having to take all of yesterday off of work, but pretty much everything got done! The city inspector came at about 9:15 and it was a quick 5 minute approval. I was slightly nervous that they wouldn't approve it because I don't have a range hood (yet) but the guy didn't even mention that at all...the only thing he was concerned about was if I ever added another line (for a gas fireplace or outdoor barbecue or something) and that might be too much for what my little house could handle. Anyways, after the inspector came, the gas plumbing guys came back and installed the range! It's so dang pretty! And I'm not sure if you can tell,  but the left front burner is like a "super burner" that can boil water in 60 seconds or something crazy like that. I *cannot* wait to start cooking!! There is still the problem of not having a sink to wash dishes or countertops to prepare food on though... :P

I'm in love!

The electrician also came in to run a line for the dishwasher, and it ended up being more simple and taking less time than he thought it would, so I asked if he wouldn't mind also hooking up my new light fixture! Yay, one less thing for me to do...which is good since I don't know how to do that haha.

Wee!

The scale of the light looks a little off, but I could always add more track to it and more light heads as well. It's a heck of a lot better than what was there before though:

Kinda far away...I forgot to take a good pic before he started taking them down!

I was a little concerned that the little bulbs wouldn't be bright enough but they are plenty bright and I like how the light is directed where I want it instead of having the big weirdness that was there before :)

While all that work was being done, I concentrated on the bathroom! I replaced the shower curtain, curtain rod and rings, and painted the medicine cabinet white to match the rest of the trim (it was light wood before):

I plan on replacing the light fixture at some point...

And I added a towel bar, for which I had to buy my very first drill so I could install it! :) I also replaced the dingy heat grate and got a little tiny door stopper...it's so cute!

*sigh* The nail heads in that trim are killing me!

And not pictured: I replaced the toilet paper holder because it was gross and the edges were still caked in the old yellow paint, and I caulked around the base of the tub and the base of the toilet. Even though I still don't have a sink, the bathroom actually feels complete haha. At least now that the bathroom is pretty much fully done (for what I can do, anyways!) I can move on to the spare room or the living room while the kitchen is still being finished. Yay progress!

Oh! And also, I've gotten compliments on the kitchen floor from all 6 of the guys that came in to do work over the last few days! They all couldn't believe it was vinyl tile, and they all asked how I did it and where I got the stuff. Awesome!! :D

-Megan

Paint!

So, I didn't do anything house-related this weekend really. Wendy came up for the Race for the Cure, and we just had fun the rest of the time instead of me making her help me with the house :) I did, however, paint the bathroom last week! Stan helped with the primer and partial painting, then I finished the paint on my own. I do have to put a second coat on, and hopefully I'll get to that this week!

Yay!

It's a warm grey color (as if you couldn't tell from the picture...). It fits well with the tub surround and I think it bounces off the floor nicely. Matty wasn't able to get in to install the sink this past week but hopefully he can do that soon! I also picked up a few things to finish off the bathroom: a new towel rod (there were 2 short mis-matched rods there previously), a new shower curtain rod (brushed nickel instead of white), and a new shower curtain that goes well with the new colors in the room. I'll take pics once those are all installed!

-Megan

Bathroom Floor - FINISHED!

Wow, this project took WAY too long for how simple it ended up being. I started putting the last tiles in on Tuesday night, got frustrated, but finished it up yesterday! The tool that Travis let me borrow was a huge help, but it was still slow going on those funky pieces...trying to fit it, cutting off a bit, trying to fit it, cutting off a bit, over and over until each piece finally fit!

All the tiles are finally down!

Next was installing the new baseboards to cover up that grossness that you see above.

Putting on the adhesive

I used a corner block in the only corner of the bathroom because I didn't want to deal with mitering the baseboards, but it's behind the toilet so it doesn't look too terrible (at least I think!)

Don't worry, I'll paint the corner block to match!

And now, we have the other side of the bathroom...where the wall (I think??) is crooked. The baseboard did NOT want to stick with only the adhesive. It kept bowing out in the middle so Stan and I would push on it and then the sides would bow out. I tried using these little nails that I had to keep it stuck but they weren't long enough, so I ended up pounding in these huge nails left over from when Matty and Travis fixed the rotted floor. End result: ugliness :( I was planning on just painting over it, but now I may just rip the whole thing out and install a new piece of baseboard...grr, it wasn't the cheapest though.

Totally awesome

Well, I don't know how I'm going to handle that just yet, but hopefully Matty will be able to help me install the sink sometime this week (yay!) and I may need to recruit Wendy and Adam for painting when they're in town this weekend :D It's coming together slowly but surely!

-Megan