Cold Room – Under Water

We’ve been working on transferring over the laundry from the back room to the cold room which will become the new laundry room. There’s still lots to do but it’s coming together. Here’s what we’ve done so far to the cold room.

In this room we did nothing at first, we just added a few of our own movable shelves to this room and stored some items away. There was a lot of random stuff that was left in here and we figured we’d just deal with it one day. The past owners put in massive shelves across every wall, even over and around the water heater. Taking them down was horrible. There was also a little shelf with damask paper on it on cinder blocks that we kept for awhile but it has now since been removed as well. The walls were black from moisture and the rotting shelves.

Last year we had no choice but to do work on it when it flooded. When it was super cold in February (coldest ever on record?), I was leaving the house and heard an odd sound. I doubled back out of concern opening the door to the cold room to see water, everywhere. As there’s no ductwork in our house, there was no heating in here, it got extremely cold in there with the door closed and a pipe burst. The plumbing for the laundry came from this room, across its ceiling down and through the wall and into the room next to it.  It broke on this pipe coming down the wall. We found out later that it was probably coldest at the wall or in it. Here are some photos of the flood that we took after shutting off the water. Basically this flood chronicles the “beginning” of the renovation of this room.

First view of the flooded floor

Wordless Wednesday

Bleh! Bat Guano removal.

Measuring an Old Home

So I wrote a post a few months ago (Nov) and I guess I didn’t post it? It’s now January so I shall post it now. I’m not sure what date will come up. I have no brain left – pregnancy and brain fog from my disability make Rosie no worky. Anyhoo, check this one out…

What a pain when you’re trying to figure something out that is so all over the place.

Plumbing in Our Old Century House

The original part of our house turned 125 years old this year. I think often of the trial and tribulations of what living in this house used to be like pre-modern conveniences. I complain about the lack of insulation and ductwork but there’s a lot more that we have now than when the house was originally built.

Excuse the Absence; We Have Big News

So I have not written since June, not too surprising as I have been quite ill and overloaded. For those of you that don’t know me, I am disabled and suffer from a bunch of invisible illnesses (POTS, EDS, MCAD, IC, chronic respiratory issues and many more).

So this year fate surprised my partner and I by blessing us with a child. I’m now just over 22 weeks pregnant! We are so excited. We’ve always wanted to be parents but worried we couldn’t have any. Such a miracle and we didn’t even try for one. So lucky! I just still can’t believe it.

Ugh renovations

When you buy that “perfect” fixer-upper the world seems so bright … And then a year and a bit in you feel the walls crumbling down (pun intended) and not in the good way.

We are still moving forward but it is at a snails pace it seems.

At least we’ve made it to the point where we can now properly flush the toilet and it smells a heck of a lot less here. Turns out the old clay pipe had a joint that went the wrong way and the lip of that joint led to continual build up.  Basically it’s fixed, it was a lot of hard work and that’s all I will say on that one.

For all those home owners out there and those other crazies (said in the best of ways) that are doing a super overhaul renovation while living in their house … What did you do to keep sane?

Window Seat

There were vinyl stickers on this window seat that were just not so lovely.

The window seat when we moved in.

The #1 Essential – The Loo, The John, The Facilities, The Porcelain God …

When we saw this place the bathroom had a wooden toilet seat. Lovely, to say the least. At least I could clean that thoroughly and feel okay using it.

Here’s a picture of the toilet when we viewed the place before purchase.

Then we came for final inspection, they had for some unknown reason, changed the whole toilet. It now had a special toilet seat with the mushy top. Really, I don’t know what to call it. I feel like although they are plastic, I can’t really clean that thoroughly and feel like nothing has seeped through the million of pores into the foam.

New toilet with foam seat.

I Dislike Awnings If I’m Not on a Bar Patio When It’s Raining

So our house had two awnings. One small one on the garage and one on the front door. They were older and they didn’t match the house. I also find they block a lot of light. Hate is a strong word but man, do I hate awnings. Ewwwy is my superficial position on them.

Thankfully I am one of the lucky ones and my other half and I agree on almost everything when it comes to aesthetics and design, which is huge when that is a big part of your chosen professions. (Phew)

We both wanted those awnings out. ASAP.

To remove them, grab your trusty drill and put it in reverse to remove the screws. Make sure you have another person or persons holding it up for you so it doesn’t land on your head when it detaches. For us many of the screws were stripped and rusted. We had to use a hammer to nudge parts of it.

THE GARAGE …

Awning in place over the door. Excuse the garbage the past owners left.

Before + After : Living Room Carpet Removal

The living room was one of the more difficult rooms. The wood floor is extremely solid and some of the nails did not want to leave their home; imbedded in the floor. It for me was one of the most dramatic changes.

The “Before Moving In” / “Real Estate photos” get me every time … so much hidden potential.

Left Side of Living Room