The Pit Falls of Large Renovations

Projects, Projects, Projects

Renovation can be very exciting and rewarding, but when the projects start piling up they quickly become overwhelming. 

Don and I have been dedicated to working on our house for 2 years now.  We had a great start to our progress during our first summer and fall in 2017 completing the exterior front of the cape.  Since then we have been digging into renovation both inside, and out, plus a ton yard work that have blown our completion schedule. 

 

Here are a the many projects we've been working on

1st Floor Renovations  1. Dropped six ceilings (Two in each room)  2. Torn wall down to the studs  3. Demo'd the whole kitchen  4. Replaced 10 window  5. Replaced 3 exposed beams  6. Added Structural support  7. Replaced the ceilings  8. Replaced wood stove  9. Rebuilt the pantry 10. Tiled kitchen back-splash.  11. Replaced cabinets in the kitchen.  12. Installed wood plank counter tops 13. Hung dry wall  14. Added double sliding door 15. Updated the chimney surround & mantel

Exterior Siding and Landscaping   1. Built new front steps 2. Built a large side deck/porch 3. Reclaimed the yard from an overgrown thorn bush and grapevine HELL 4. Cleaned-up the dump aka our yard we unknowingly    purchased with the house 5. Revealed landscaped gardens beds 6. Bush-hogged the neglected back fields 7. Added a vegetable garden 8. Added a chicken coop. 9. Added a fire pit

Structural support & appliance upgrades 1. Replaced several support beams 2. Replace rusted lolly columns with wood posts 3. Replaced water heater 4. Purchased a newer boiler 5. Replaces sump pump

Wow! We have worked on many improvement projects.
Here's the problem......We have started more project than we can possible tackle in a timely manner. Our direction is so split that we haven't been able to complete anything. Looking back to our original timeline it's clear we have grossly miss judged the time it takes to complete these larger renovations, especially on our weekend work schedule. 
Sooo, that makes our real problem Focus. We need to put aside all the partially started projects and focus on finishing a singular goal. 

I think I've convinced Don to put aside the exterior project to next year and focus on the getting the 1st floor completed.  The original goal was to be downstairs by last summer, here we are in a year past that goal and still no closer to moving downstairs.

In an effort to see our new focus accomplished, I've started a TO DO list for the Kitchen, Living&Dining, and Bathroom. I won't bore you with many details, but there are two full pages of small project to get this done, from drywall to window trim, some smaller demo projects and a new bathroom layout, Ugh! completing still seems a million miles away. 

Here is the state of the 1st floor.  Like I said we are close, just 2 full pages of To Do tasks away.

Tiled back splash and marble mosaic behind the wood stove

Cabinets installed, dishwashers in place, and kitchen island is home

 

Counter Tops and Hood installed

 Designed, built, and painted pantry screen door slider

Ugh!! Most dreaded ceiling demo

Floor stringers exposed, and treated with linseed oil and framing for the new ceiling between beams

We wanted to expose the brick chimney, but NOT pretty so we did this instead.

These are our new babies

The Coop

Wish us luck.