Mortgage Monday: Time To Keep It Simple

With all of the work being done on the house lately things have been rather complicated. So far, nothing has been as simple as it should be. Everything on our project list has had a few subsections added to it with the floors and the exterior doors being prime examples of this ongoing process. However, in the end, many of these things, all of these complications, are going to give us what we have been picturing in our minds as our ideal home. Further, many of the things that have been uncovered and a couple of the future projects have and will remove some of the complicated aspects of our home.

The best examples of this are the HVAC overhaul currently underway and the electrical overhaul that we have on the schedule. The old oil and electric system required a heck of a lot of copper pipe running across the basement and up the walls to supply the baseboard heating. The air conditioning, being an afterthought of the original homeowners, was something that was put in as inexpensively as possible leaving us with duct work running through bedroom closets and really not being very efficient. The boiler, oil tank, and all of the copper pipes are now gone, the duct work has been overhauled, and we have now simplified the two zone (the heating was originally on four zones) system running forced air for both heating and cooling.

This project is nearing completion but the electrical work has yet to be started. While a few steps have been taken to simplify this (i.e. old whole house fan has been removed) there is still a lot of work to be done with new matching fixtures being installed and a lot, and I mean a lot, of outlets and switches that are going to be removed (with a few simply being moved). This will eliminate the need for a lot of the wiring that is running throughout the house and will put things (or leave things) in place that actually make sense (i.e. I don’t need three separate switches for the kitchen lights).

It is definitely a process but, as I said before, it will simplify some of the basic aspects of our house. After all, I don’t like having excess pipes and wires running through the walls when they don’t need to be there. After that it should be much easier to maintain. So, we will have to deal with a little more complication before we can reach a point of simplicity. Well, at least until the next round of renovations and projects.

Mortgage Monday: Labor Day Labor

While I don’t have work today the ironic thing about this Labor Day is that there is work being done at the house. It seems as though every minute of free time that my brother in law has had lately has been committed to this HVAC overhaul. For the past month (or more, I can’t recall when he started) he has joined us for the weekend forgoing time with his family and taking a break from his already long work week. There is no questioning that we are incredibly lucky to have him devote so much of his free time to not just getting this project done but getting it done right.

This is the part of Labor Day that tends to be overlooked. Many of the people whom we honor with this day are the same ones who would do anything to help their family. The same people that deserve to take a break tend to be the ones that can never stop working.

Thankfully, we are almost done with this phase of the work. A couple more weekends and everything should be complete and the way that we want it and the way that he wants it. There is already a huge difference in the house both with regard to the regulation of the temperature and the cleanliness of the system (the old one was, to put it nicely, nasty). Just a short time longer and we will all be able to enjoy the new system.

In future years we hope to have him at our house again during this particular holiday but this is, hopefully, the last time that we will ask him to do any work on the house. Actually, we hope to have the family join us in the future to relax not to work on the house and enjoy the work that was put into making our home as comfortable as possible. It shouldn’t take long before we start having family over again to enjoy the house.  

In the meantime, we are continuously cognizant of the sacrifices that our brother in law is making to help us out (and my sister and their kids) and we are doing our best to make him as comfortable as possible while he is here. We try to keep the beer fridge stocked, have good food on the table, and a bed made. We also have an open door so that the kid and my sister can come over and spend some time. But, the most important thing right now is that we try and do everything we can to give him back his weekends as soon as possible.

Mortgage Monday: HVAC Overhaul

Well, we are halfway there. While the work weeks were once filled with ongoing renovations, now the weekends are taking the brunt of the workload. Thankfully, as of this past weekend, half of the HVAC overhaul has been completed with the first floor now able to better maintain the temperature that we set on the thermostat. The old unit is still running (surprisingly) but is now only trying to cool the second floor. Now we only have to hope that it lasts until the rest of the work is done.

In total, the boiler and oil tank have been removed, half of the baseboard units have been pulled out, and the propane tank, hot water heater, and complete AC system on the first floor have been installed. It is already a lot of work and we are only at the midpoint of this renovation phase. While it is difficult to go from the work week to the house work on the weekends, we are already enjoying the benefits of what has been completed.

It really is surprising how much of a different some of these things can make regarding the simple enjoyment of our home. And, lately, with how up and down the weather has been it is nice to have some regularity regarding the internal temperature of the house. We knew that the old system was undersized and ineffective but we didn’t really full grasp how bad it was until we got the new system up and running.

The next steps will involve attacking the second floor and completely taking the old unit offline. The weather actually looks like it is going to cooperate this coming weekend but, of course, our schedule is not so forgiving and we will be out of town for much of the long weekend. Thankfully, we have someone whom we can trust doing this work and we also know the quality of work that is being done which will allow us to not have to think about the house while we are away… more on the trip over the weekend.

For now, we are going to enjoy all the upgrades and improvements that we have decided to have done to the house and we are going to brace for the next part of the process which will descend upon us next month. While there should be little overlap between this current project and the next, there is likely to be a short period of time when there will be work going on seven days a week. Thankfully, it two completely different parts of the house. Should be fun!

TMI Tuesday: I Don’t Like Working Being Done!

Might have to make one of these given how fascinated he is with the work being done.

Over the last couple of months we have had something going on at the house. From the big projects like the doors, floors, and garage to basic maintenance and inspections to our current air conditioning marathon, there has been a regular flow of people in and out the door. While our son does enjoy watching the work being done and seeing new people every now and again, there are definitely moments when he has simply had enough. And he has no qualms about letting us know when he is done with all the work.

Thankfully, now that the floors are done on the first floor, we are past what we consider the most inconvenient and intrusive part of the renovation process. However, we currently find ourselves in a position where we are having the air conditioning being overhauled on the weekends and while it doesn’t really impact the living area upstairs, it does take me away from my son for a little bit during those precious days away from the office. It really is a give and take at this point but these are things that will pay huge dividends in a myriad of ways in the future.

He does enjoy the opportunity to spend time with family and playing with his cousins. They have been able to keep his mind off of the banging and drilling for the most part and have, in general, kept him occupied during what could be a difficult time of the week. That doesn’t change the fact that he really doesn’t like work being done at the house and there are moments when he stops and clearly babbles his displeasure at the situation.

It makes us wonder how he is going to react to the additional projects that we have planned for the future and whether or not there is enough of a break scheduled in between the phases. Of course, that window could be much smaller should a few things get delayed further but I am trying not to think about that… our luck has to change in that regard, right? I am certain that there will be some sort of voiced frustration but I am not sure to what degree. We will, like many other things, have to wait and see how things play out.

However, with all that being said, our son does seem to like the changes and gives us this look every now and again like “now I see what you were doing, this was definitely worth it”. And it does help that he is able to sleep through a lot of noise and overall commotion. So it may prove to be beneficial when we finally return to what could be considered a “normal” routine. Whenever that is.

Mortgage Monday: Timing

It seems like a constant dilemma that we are facing week after week, project after project. The simple, yet complicated, question that continues to arise is whether we push some of the renovations back into the spring or just get them done now? As I have disclosed previously, it is a really long list of things that we are planning on having done at the house and the constant routine that we find ourselves in is less than ideal. I guess a better question is how much more of this can we handle?

While a postponement would bring us some quiet time heading into the fall and some greater flexibility in our schedule, it would also leave us with a few things that while not essential, are either an eye sore or simply aren’t conducive to us fully enjoying our home. It would also leave a few things ‘half done’ at this point which is less than an ideal situation we would find ourselves living in. But it would be quiet and that is something that can’t easily be overlooked.

However, there are a few larger projects that simply make sense to get done now. We already started the transformation so why would we stop in the middle right now and keep us from seeing our plans for our home from coming to fruition. Yes, it will be noisy, inconvenient (most likely less so than the first round), and put a decent dent in our bank account but we would have nearly everything done. And with these things off the list we wouldn’t spend the cold months cooped up in the house staring at the things that we wish we had changed.

It is a matter of deciding whether we want to relax a little now or relax and breathe easier later? Do we want the inconvenience now or later? And, most importantly, how soon do we want to complete the transformation from our house to our home? This doesn’t mean that we have to check everything off of our list but knocking out a good portion of it would go a long way and allow us to push back a few of the other, “less important”, projects.

Either way, it is safe to say that we are all looking forward to the day when we can consider everything done. And while I can’t wait for that time to come, I am also a realist and know that there will probably be an entirely new list that has been drafted in the interim and I am not completely sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing at this point. What I am enjoying is the fact that no matter when we do all of these things, we will be improving our home and we will be able to enjoy them for many years. So, here is to the future!

Mortgage Monday: We Have Gas!

When my wife and I purchased our home we were well aware of the shortcomings of the heating and air conditioning. We also knew that the house ran on a combination of electricity and oil. We were reminded of this throughout the winter each time to boiler switched on and shoot the floor beneath our feet. Being that the house has an always on boiler providing not just the heat coursing through the baseboard elements but also supplying all of our hot water, we were well aware of the fact that it would be a massive undertaking to overhaul these essentials.

After conferring with family and confirming with a few other professionals, the decision was made to switch to propane gas. It was a bit of a shock to hear the total estimate for these projects but, knowing how much we spent on oil the previous year alone, it was clear that this would be a worthwhile investment and something that would solve a multitude of current and future problems. Besides, there was always an outside chance that the antiquated systems would fail sooner rather than later given their condition.

So, with these plans in our minds, I made the calls around to a variety of gas companies in the area, received quotes from them all, and decided on one that simply made the most sense. After a slight delay, they were finally able to make it to the house to install the tank. I actually forgot to mention the logistics of the project which entailed digging a giant hole and installing a sixteen foot, one thousand pound, propane tank… and running the underground gas line to the house. Seems pretty straightforward until you factor in the kind of soil that they had to deal with today.

I warned the sales person who did the estimate a couple of weeks ago that there wasn’t much top soil but it seems as though the message may not have been passed along. About twelve to eighteen inches down and the crew got a nasty surprise… bedrock. Needless to say it was an all-day project but they got it done and they seemed to take a few extra steps to make sure that everything was done right. Even the owner of Great Valley Propane took the time to review everything and discuss what had been done and what he was seeing with my wife. And now I can say with a completely straight face… we have gas!

TMI Tuesday: I Want My Playroom Back!

When we first started this round of renovations we tried to hold off on disturbing our son’s playroom for as long as possible. As work progressed that was no longer a possibility and our son was not happy about it. Obviously, as the doors were being worked on, even the door in the playroom, we were able to keep things relatively normal but as the flooring got underway the toy boxes began to vanish and the bookshelves disappeared.

It was tough for a few days as our regular routine was completely out the window as the carpet came up and the subfloor shown throughout the first floor. Thankfully we do have a playroom upstairs but it simply isn’t the same and our son let us know about it. While he was at “camp” during the day, when my wife brought him home he wasn’t quite sure what to make of the chaos that permeated the house. And with everything in disarray we had to further throw him off by making sure that he had his shoes on and carrying him from one spot to the next more than we usually do.

Even meal times we a bit of a challenge as he would stop every once in a while, point to the floor, and let us know that something just wasn’t right. Toward the end, the babbles were more along the lines of “when the heck is this going to be done already?” But, somehow, we managed to make it through the tantrums and the screaming and now our son is getting reacquainted with his playroom… the same as it was before but also a little different.

So far our son really enjoys the new door at the end of his playroom as it is much clearer and brings a lot more light into the room. The carpet is something that he seems to like as the different colors and softer feel are rather interesting at times. The hardwood floors are, by far, the biggest adjustment but he does seem to enjoy running around from room to room with seemingly more confidence than when he was running from one surface to another and back again. But, most of this doesn’t matter as all of his toys and, more importantly, books are back in the room and he can, once again, spend better quality time with mommy and daddy now that the work is done. That being said, the next round of renovations should be interesting.

Mortgage Monday: We Finally Have Our House Back!

This is how it all started.

When I first reached out to contractors in late June there were two very simple projects in mind, garage doors and an office door. That is all that we planned on doing this time around and all that we thought our budget would permit. The garage door situation was resolved rather quickly and Shank Door did not disappoint in either price or service. However, it was a much more involved process trying to find a contractor for the work inside the house. After all, this is our home and I wanted to make sure that whomever we chose would do the job right.

I first met with a few contractors and was less than impressed with how they were approaching this rather simple project. It wasn’t looking good until I met with Mike Swenson from Swenson Home Solutions. Not only did he listen to what I wanted done but he was also honest with me and let me know what would work best for the space where I wanted my office door. On top of that his estimate was lower than all the others that I received by a few hundred dollars. There really wasn’t a question at that point, this was the right company for the job.

First addition to the project list...

This is when that small project began to morph into something much bigger. What started as a simple French door installation soon transformed into a small first floor renovation. With the prices we were being given, the work that we wanted done was, all of the sudden, possible now rather than later. This is when we decided to replace the carpet and linoleum with hard wood floors (thanks in part to a great price on ¾ inch oak floor from Carpet and Tile Mart in Reading), replace all of the external doors, replace both of the toilets on the first floor, and remove the baseboard heating. The two day project was now expected to take a week and a half.

...and the biggest addition to the project list
(we will work on the walls later).

Well, that was the plan. The office door, besides the floor being slightly out of level, went smoothly but everything else began piling on days to the project. Not only were the carpet and linoleum subfloors different thicknesses but the kitchen floor had a thick layer of leveling compound under it which required over a week of work on hands and knees with a heat gun and scraper. It made the dry rot repairs around all the doors seem like a minor hiccup that only cost us a couple of days. In the end, the week and a half projection ended up being nearly four weeks of work. However, when it came to the bill, what surprised me most was the fact that he stuck to the original estimate and only added a nominal amount for supplies.

We finally got our home back today and we are really happy and impressed with the work that has been done. It was a lot of work and only the first stage of what will be a rather long process to make this home our own but at least we now have an honest contractor that really has our best interests in mind and treats each house as if it were his own home. What more can you really ask from a contractor? Not surprisingly, we are already having him write up a few more estimates for some other projects in the works. But, for now, we are going to enjoy our “new” home.

Mortgage Monday: Revising The Project List

My wife and I have continuously kept an informal project list of things that we would like to have done at the house. As I have written about before, some things are more pressing than others with the majority of these tasks being things that we want to do rather than things that need to be done. However, in the end, they are all projects that will transform this already wonderful home into a perfect one.  

Of course, we have to work within our budget so some things have been shifted around according to our finances. This has also impacted the overall timeline of the work we would like to get done at the house. That being said, as we have priced out some of the items on our list there have also been things shifted up or down accordingly. Lately, those prices that we have seen have allowed us to move things up in our timeline.

To review, here are the things that we have known for some time and which we had planned to address over the next few years:

• Installing office door
• Flooring (hardwood or laminate?)
• Minor electrical work (fixing existing issues)
• HVAC overhaul
• Replacing boiler with hot water tank
• Installing steel duct work
• Installing two HVAC units
• Installing underground tank for gas
• Side Deck
• Front Porch
• Repair / replace retaining wall
• Tree removal
• Installing chimney cap
• Repointing masonry
• Garage Door replacement
• Re-grading around the house

That was the basic list that we came up with shortly after we moved in and it remained relatively unchanged for a few months. Over time, we added a few more items:

Interior painting

• Replacing kitchen and bathroom hardware
• Replacing appliances starting with the washer and dryer
• Converting fireplace to gas
• Expanding bonus room upstairs and finishing

Now, the list has grown to include a few new items and some clarifications on the aforementioned ones as well. With the existing things that we knew from the beginning, previous additions, and a batch of new items, this new roster of projects now consists of the following:

• Installing French doors to my office
• Installing hardwood floors throughout
• Minor electrical work (fixing existing issues)
• HVAC overhaul
• Replacing boiler with hot water tank
• Installing steel duct work
• Installing two HVAC units
• Installing underground tank for gas
• Converting fireplace to gas
• Install gas or solar generator
• Installing composite side deck and front porch
• Repair / replace retaining wall
• Tree removal around property
• Installing chimney cap
• Re-pointing the patio
• Garage Door replacement
• Re-grading around the house
• Interior painting
• Replacing kitchen and bathroom hardware
• Replacing appliances starting with the washer and dryer
• Redirecting dryer vent
• Replacing refrigerator
• Expanding bonus room upstairs and finishing
• Replacing front, side, and patio doors
• Lighting fixtures in all bedrooms
• Replacing toilets
• Resealing basement walls
• Re-configuring landscaping (removal of flower beds)
• Replacing / adding outdoor lighting
• Replacing doors to garage with fire rated doors
• Replacing gutter guards
• Replacing blinds
• Installing new window treatments
• Replacing windows

What started as a relatively small collection of projects has grown rapidly into a long list of things that we would like to have done to the house. And while there are many more project than before, we are still hoping to get the majority of these things completed by the end of next summer. Some things will be quick while others will take weeks and some are things that we will get done eventually like replacing the windows. So, beginning this summer, things are going to be quite busy around the house but, slowly and while sticking to a specific budget, we will transform our home into one that we have only dreamed about in the past.   

Mortgage Monday: Estimates

While I was hoping to get a head start on this process much earlier in the year, sometimes things just don’t go exactly as we plan them. Of course, there isn’t anything really pressing at the moment… there isn’t anything that absolutely needs to get done at the house. There are projects that should be started (and finished) soon like replacing the garage doors but there is nothing that needs to be done.  

Unfortunately, without things being set into motion, there is plenty of time to add things to the list. And the list is getting quite a bit longer than was previously disclosed. All of that means is that the dollar figure at the bottom of the sheet of paper keeps climbing which makes me look back and really start cutting some of the unnecessary expenses from the growing budget. This has become an even more essential task of late as we have received a few quotes.

The biggest expense on the horizon is replacing the existing heating and air conditioning systems (which also means we have to swap out our hot water supply). Currently we have an undersized air conditioning unit (I have to call the home warranty company about this) and a loud boiler in the basement providing us with both hot water and heat through the zoned baseboard system throughout the house. While functional, it is not working for us. We will be switching to a central HVAC system with a hot water heater in the basement. While most would balk as we did at the $25,000 estimate (lowest available for quality work), the simple fact is that we will recoup most of that expense in the increased efficiency.

Some of the essential repairs and alterations needed are also quoting out much higher than expected. Actually, the garage doors and motors were a little lower at $2500 while the interior French doors to my office are much higher at $2500. Some may consider these as extra expenses but, for us, they are two smaller projects that need to be done. I am not going to simply repair or replace one garage door with an uninsulated patch… it makes more sense to just replace both and take care of the motors at the same time. And the office door is needed so that I can actually utilize my office.

The last think on this list of initial quotes is the removal of dead trees. While we had much of the property taken care of a couple of weeks ago, there are still a few leafless monsters swaying in the breeze. Because of their size and location it is not going to be a cheap endeavor. The first estimate is about $2800. Some may see them as simply an eye sore but they are within striking distance of the house and it is an unnecessary risk to leave them standing. I just hope that we can find a better price.

Everything else on our long and growing wish list is pretty much on hold as we pursue these projects and try to find a way to pay for them. Once these are done we will re-prioritize the rest of the list and decide when we want to tackle additional improvements and whether we will be able to budget for them. Of course, we will also factor in what makes sense for us now and in the long run… sometimes it is best to get something done now and other times the better option is to wait. We will just have to see what happens with these first few items from our list.

Mortgage Monday: People You Can Trust

Now that my wife and I have pulled together our list of things that we need to get done, want to get done, and what might need a second look in the future, it is time to start lining things up and getting many of the ‘projects’ evaluated. While we have both been around and lived through renovations, large and small, in the past, this is the first time that we are looking to get the work done ourselves. With such limited experience, it is best to review these growing lists with some professionals. Thankfully, I have a few resources that will be able to let us know what is worth doing, how much it will cost, and how long it will take.

When it comes to having work done on our home I want to make sure to hire people whom I trust. There are many people to which this applies and I will be reaching out to many of them in the near future to have them look at what needs to be done as well as consider what we want to do in the future. Of course, family comes first and I am fortunate to know a family member who will be able to help with some of the renovations needed… this also might be the biggest project that we are considering as well which makes the whole process that much easier.

For many of the other things on our long, and growing, list I have turned to a few of the brothers from my lodge. The members of the lodge represent a hugely diverse mix of occupations, professions, and specialties and while I don’t know what everyone does for a living (not at this point anyway) I know enough brothers whose knowledge and skills will be a tremendous help to me. So far, I have already been in touch with a few contractors, a couple of electricians, and an architect. All people whom I trust and know that they will do great work at a reasonable price.

This is the basic reason why it is so important to get to know the people in your life. Knowing what they do for a living can be a tremendous asset when you find yourself in need of their services. And you never know when they might need your assistance with a project. The most important thing is that we make sure to help, aid, or assist those in our life. Whenever given the opportunity, take the time to help someone. When you need help, don’t be afraid to reach out. This isn’t just something that applies to home ownership, it is a way to live your life. It just happens to help during times like these.

Progress And Questions

Don't let this be your last question!

With the notice having gone out at the beginning of the week, I felt much better heading down to the main line to take care of a few things before the stated meeting this Thursday. I got to the lodge a little later than usual last night having had to run a few errands after work. By the time I arrived, the lights were on, the doors unlocked, and the brethren were already hard at work moving a few of the heavier items out of the kitchen. As soon as I walked into the small space I knew the best thing that I could do is stay out of the way and sort through the freshly collected mail.

The kitchen has been the primary lodge improvement project while we have been away during the summer and things seem to be progressing nicely. Actually, the space is looking completely different having been gutted, painted, and upgraded thanks to many of the brothers who have campaigned tirelessly to get the work done. It is the first of many on a long list of improvements that need to be made and, thankfully, the trustees have a schedule already formed as to when all the items will be checked off the list.

Once the heavy lifting was completed, I was finally able to catch up with a few of the brethren whom I haven’t seen all summer. We have all been at the lodge at various times but never at the same time until last night. There was a long list of things that we needed to talk about and it was nice to finally have the time to discuss many of the situations that we dealt with throughout the summer. This was also a time that afforded me the opportunity to discuss some potential projects with brothers who know what the heck they are doing rather than someone (me) who doesn’t have the background to go beyond the idea stage. This is only the latest of such situations/conversations.

And this is something that we sometimes lose sight of during the course of the year. The brothers with whom we spend time with every month (or every week) are not just family, they are professionals from all different lines of work. While certainly far from the focus of our fraternity, it is important to remember that there are always brothers with different experiences, occupations, backgrounds, and training who are willing to help no matter if it is personal, work, or lodge related. All you have to do is ask. Sound familiar?