Owning a house has proven to be one of the biggest joint adventures in our family life so far, and as we’re approaching the summer I can’t say how thankful I am that we decided to move forward with the idea last year when we still had time.
Our home was owned by only one other person, who lived there since its construction, and we went into it knowing that almost everything in the home was “original”. We chose to move here because we liked the layout and solid construction from the home inspection. We decided we could tackle any equipment repair/replacements head on while things like rebuilding walls, running electrical, or other large home renovations were out of our jurisdiction.
We closed on the house in late June.
Since then, it’s been one project after another, but each one has improved our home and made us feel a little more like we’re in our own place rather than living in someone else’s home. The attention required by homeownership eats up more time than I originally considered, but it has also granted me a drive in my newfound parenthood as well. I want our daughter to grow up in a comfortable living environment. Meanwhile, I also want the house to be presentable and ready to sell if we ever decided we’re going to leave the area.
In other words… we’ve been busy!
Some of the projects have been bigger than others.
Operation Fireplace
For example, we completed our first clean up project in October, where we got our fireplace up and running in preparation for the 2016 holidays. A lot of digging online revealed that I could buy glass doors for the fireplace, while gas logs research led me to find a traditional looking set for our home.
Operation Yard Cover
The second task was to try and bring the front yard under control. The previous owner loved the idea of a garden. She had a war against grass from what I’ve been told, and it showed. A yard full of bushes, trees, and other foliage that required attention we couldn’t give. I decided it was time for a chain saw, shovel, rake, and mulch.
The result was a large open area… barren to say the least, but ready for us to tackle SOD in the spring when the weather is right.
Operation HVAC
During the summer months last year, the house A/C was running 24/7 just to keep our house at temperature. We were warned during the home inspection that the house would need a new HVAC system and we held out until the air cooled down before we jumped on getting it replaced. The old system was about 19″ tall.
Operation Pool Repair
Pools are interesting creatures. They cost money to maintain, but they’re also great to have on a hot summer day. When we moved in, we were pleased that we had also become pool owners. As with everything else, however, the pool was old and would need maintenance. The pump was failing, tiles were coming off, and the light no longer worked. We opted to gauge which would be more expensive, repairing the pool or outright filling it in. When we found out it was substantially cheaper to repair, we went with that option.
To Be Continued…
The efforts to bring the USS Homestead out of 1998 and into the present will continue throughout the next year or two. Most of our efforts have been focused on external appearances, as the interior is in fair shape without any modifications. Eventually we’ll target the inside. Meanwhile, other renovation projects that deserve an honorable mention in the first year include:
- Interior Painting
- Baby’s Room (Pink)
- Guest Room (Blue)
- Door Handles Interior and Exterior
- Curtains and Blinds
- Patio Furniture
- Water Heater Replacement
- Garage Doors
- Exterior House Paint
- Sod Installation (Front Yard)
- Coming Soon TM
Basically, if our house was in an 80’s movie, we’d need a REALLY long musical montage.
Here’s to the remaining projects and the joys of investing in something that serves to keep my family and loved ones safe and sheltered.
TechnicoolDad 