Production!!

We've been so busy that I've hardly had the time to blog!

1. The kitchen cabinets have arrived and they are being installed now!

2. The carpet is being installed on the 26th.

3. The interior paint is more than 50% completed; we are waiting on Jimmy Watkins Drywall to return and make some last-minute repairs.

4. We had the trash and debris hauled from the property and three trees cut down to make the property visible form the street.

5. Sierra Windows has been paid a deposit and I handed the manager of SW the second of three checks.

6. The kitchen appliances have been purchased and are ready to be installed as soon as the kitchen assembly is completed.

7. Both bathrooms have new light fixtures, as well as the hallway, entry, and dining area.

8. The fireplace is in the process of being remodeled.

9. We have purchased new floor moldings and are having them installed!

Everything is looking great!

Termite tent is off and more work to commence!

The tent is off and the windows have been ordered!



Additionally, I am ordering the kitchen cabinets + counter tops. It looks like we may be going with white, paneled cabinets, stone-tile counter tops, and stainless steel appliances, if we can find a fridge that is stainless steel and counter-depth.





I have written the deposit check to Sierra Windows, but this week they will also need $1502.00 more for Sierra, so with cabinets and paint costs alone, we will need to re-up funds.



I am trying to fit the windows into the budget of $20,000, instead of $25,000. It looks like we will have something much nicer looking for the $25,000, but I really want to save the owners that last $5,000. For right now, I think receiving the next amount of $10,000 will put us in a position to be able to move faster, as Jan 1st is coming up and we also need to get moved into the house!



Next up is paint, we will need a painter to help us paint the taller areas of the house, but we think we will be able to paint the inside with no problem. We will have a helper or two to help us paint the interior and possibly even exterior.



The house looks great! With new windows and a new kitchen, it will look like a new house on the inside!



I am still researching the exterior yard project; trying to find the least expensive way to proceed with the front yard...

Terminex Tenting and Drywall results!!!

The house was tented today!!

Terminex insisted in getting a key to be able to lock up the house, so I made a copy and purchased a lockbox (which can be used for all service providers and Realty a the box access) and copied out house key, then added it to the lockbox.

The drywall is finished, also. Jimmy Watkins Drywall did an excellent job- for a great price. Jimmy Watkins Drywall can be reached at: (803) 215-9359 (local) or: gdigrazia25@hotmail.com. I will post photos of the new walls after the tent is removed.

I am very happy with Terminex, as well. We first had another company, Fowler Pest Control, bid on the termite tenting and they wanted us to tear down both patio covers before they would tent the house to get the same price that Terminex offered us. Terminex offered to do both patio covers + the house for $1992.00. Fowler Pest Control bid $2298.00 "as is": or @ $2000.00 of we ripped down the patio covers. We were pleased with Fowler, but wanted a price that was cheaper and Terminex beat Fowler's bid...so we went with Terminex!

Additionally, we contracted with Jim Christie of Sierra Windows (1-800- 958-5777) to do all windows (not the patio sliders, though) for $ 3755.00 @ 11 windows. We will have to replace the vertical window next to the front door and two patio sliders ourselves, because they could net get these windows at a special price, but it's a great deal for the other windows and will make a great impact.

I went to Ikea yesterday to purchase cabinets, only to find that the cabinets we chose are now completely sold out unitl February! I am going to a company in Mira Mesa tomorrow to check another place that has affordable cabinets. We truly love the cabinet add-ons that Ikea offers, but we need to stick to the budget and for our budgeted price, we can only get flat paneled cabinets from Ikea or that price... We are ready to order the cabinets and kitchen appliances, but we need a better price and a nice kitchen...

Additionally, we will be needing more funds very soon to order kitchen cabinets, buy appliances, and pay the residual of the windows.

The house is already looking great because of the wall retexturing, bull-nose corners, and scraped ceilings. The house looks newer and bigger inside because of the drywall work Jimmy Watkins Drywall completed! Now 101 Rodney is termite free, as well! As soon as the tent is removed and the gas is clear, we will start painting. We have also chosen the carpet, which is cashew colored cut-pile berber and will be installed as soon as the paint is finished!

Our exterior painting will begin around December 15th! Things are moving right along!!

Progress Report...

This House is Going to look great when we finish.. I just know it.


For exterior paint, we chose Pony Tail as the base color and Crescent Moon for the Trim, from Olympic Paint. Painting will start @ December 15th for the exterior.

The ceilings are finished!
Here are pictures while work was going on:

The walls have been repaired and re-textured for painting, thanks to Jimmy Watkins drywall. Jimmy also rounded all of the corners and scraped the ceilings; he did an excellent job and gave us a warranty on his work. We chose a smooth hand texture for the ceilings and a smooth orange peel for the walls (though we would have loved the re-texture with the hand trowel, it's a costly job).

This is the granite we looked at having installed. For $2,000 we can have the whole kitchen in granite with a 6" backsplash... Still a bit pricey, we may need to just do the island in granite and the other countertops wood OR vice versa. I personally think it is better to get good cabinets over flashy countertops, though the kitchen does need some eye appeal. The GRANITE we like is in the 3rd row (middle) and the second from the left-hand side. Its called Santa Cecilia and it's warm and nice looking. We also like the one at the bottom right corner, Baltic Brown.


We are working right along, now needing to get the termites and windows taken care of, which requires paperwork. My Terminex rep is really slacking, which is annoying me. I think I will get another quote while I wait for him to get his act together; he is not following up fast enough for my timeline...


Choosing a Kitchen Design...
White Cabinetry with Stainless Steel creates a tidy look...

...Or MIX white cabinets with a dark walnut-stained island to give dimension and add warmth to an all-white kitchen.






...Or go with all dark-stained cabinets with
Stainless Steel and solid surface like white laminate or sandstone (a softer stone).

I really like the walnut stained cabinets, perhaps I can find some unfinished cabinets and treat them with a dark color to save money...

Before Photos (interior)

Budget Reevaluation

So far, we have the following MUSTS in the budget before move-in:

* means work already has begun

PHASE 1

Popcorn Ceiling Removal + Paint $ 2000 saved $ 300 *
Paint Interior $ 900 saved@ $ 600 *
$ 300 wall prep
$ 100 Paint Sprayer
$500 Interior Paint
Termite Work $ 1992 saved $ 3000
Bullnose Corners $ 800 *

Carpet $ 1800
--------------------------------------------------------------
Phase 1 Total $7942

PHASE 2

Kitchen Cabinets $2500
Counter tops $1000
Kitchen Appliances $2000
Vinyl Windows $ 3558
___________________________________
Phase 2 Total $17000

PHASE 3 (est. costs)

Exterior Paint $1000 Save $500
Yard $3000
Pergo Floors $2000
Misc. (lighting, fixtures, etc) $1000

Cabinet & Flooring Choices

Tundra Floors

from Ikea $1.29/sq. ft.!!

(From Top Left: Maple, Med. Brown, & Antique).

I like the antique finish (right), but I worry it is too "country-style". I love the deep medium brown floor with white kitchen cabinets and wood countertops...

Kitchen Cabinets:

Choice 1

AKURUM/ ÄDEL
Kitchen
$1,756.92 / size shown

Choice 2:
AKURUM/ ÄDEL
Kitchen
$2,058.92

Choice 3:

AKURUM/ FAGERUM
Kitchen
$1,627.92 / as shown

Countertop Options:

NUMERÄR
Countertop

(From top Left: Beech, Antique Oak, Birch)

$169.00 / 96 7/8" x 25 5/8"

So many choices on this kitchen, we would like to know what the Homeowners think of the available choices before we decide....

Popcorn Ceilings No More!

I went to the property today to check on the progress.

Jimmy Watkins Drywall is doing the drywall work. His prices are very fair and he does quality work. So far, I am very satisfied with his professionalism and work ethic.

Jimmy agreed to scrape the popcorn ceilings, re-texture the ceilings, and paint the ceilings white for a great price that came in just under our $2300 budget for ceiling scraping!

So,that's $300 in savings.

Then, Ray and I purchased a paint sprayer for another house we are working on. The paint sprayer costs$199.00, so we split the cost between the two houses and are able to save the cost of a painter (unless we cannot paint the cathedral ceiling, then we will pay Jimmy to paint only those walls). That means we can most-likely save @ $1,000 on interior painting. Ray may also be able to pain the body of the house's exterior, hiring a painter to paint only the remaining exterior trim. That can mean a savings of $1,500 off the painting budget (total)!

With that extra $1500 and the $3,000 we are saving from termite repairs, we have decided to then put in the vinyl windows $3755.00. Also, we are having Jimmy round all of the interior corners into bull-nose corners, even the windows (it looks great!!); giving the home a newer look $800. Finally, we hired jimmy to also prep & repair all interior walls for painting $300; giving Ray the opportunity to paint much more area in a faster amount of time; if the wall underneath doesn't look good, the paint won't look it's best!

101 Rodney Project!!

This house is oozing character! The charming Mediteranean Exterior is visually soothing. I want to bring this look and feel throughout the home; perhaps paint the baseboards dark, instead of white, then the walls a cream color. This look could even be inverted throughout the residence.

The Plan:

Preliminary Budget + Timeline
Repair Item Breakdown/ Est. Cost(s) Budget Time to Complete

Termite Inspection & Termite Work
$ 5,000.00
Week 1

Paint
$ 3,000.00
Week 2

Interior Paint
$ 1,500.00
Exterior Paint
$ 1,500.00

Flooring:
$ 3,800.00
Weeks 3-6

Carpet
$ 1,800.00
3-4 days

Tile/Pergo floors kitchen, liv rm, dining , hallway
$ 2,000.00
2- 3 weeks

Kitchen
$ 5,000.00
weeks 4-7

Kitchen Cabinets: Restore or Replace
$ 2,500.00

Countertops
$ 1,000.00

Newer, Matching Appliances + Installation
$2,000

(Replace Faucet w/ pull-out
$ 100.00 )

Yard & Lawn
$ 1500.00
Weeks 7& 8

Plant trees & plants, and Roto-till + seed grass
Remove concrete & sheds
Repair Sprinklers
Miscellaneous
Ongoing

Repair ceiling fan cords
$ 500.00

Replace light fixtures
$ 500.00

Scrape Popcorn Ceilings, Re-texture, & Paint
$ 2,300.00 COST $2000.00 SAVED $ 300.00

Shower heads (2)
$ 100.00
Master Bathroom Framed Wall Mirror
$ 100.00
Master Bathroom Sink cabinet+ fixtures
$ 500.00
Master Bedroom Closets (rods/organization)
$ 150.00
Replace Slider - Bedroom + Dining area
$ 1,500.00
3 days
2 Broken Windows
$ 250.00
1 day
Total
$ 24,700.00
8-9 weeks