Go Get the Breaking Tools - aka DEMO

Demo.  It is a great and terrible part of any renovation.  At first, the smashing and breaking is fun and even therapeutic.  All too soon reality sets in and with it comes the blisters, sore hands and achy back. However, if you can demo your property yourself, it is a great place to save money and to make sure you see "the bones" of your property.

This past weekend we focused on demolition.  We had enough debris to justify getting a construction dumpster, and after researching a few companies we decided to use a local company (www.junk-boss.com).  It was a great choice!  They are fast, efficient, professional and very affordable.  The dumpster we chose was roughly the size of a pickup truck and was only 3.5 ft tall.  We have hauled a lot of junk in our day, and believe me...having them come and haul it off was worth every penny.

Junk Boss delivering our dumpster.  He parked that giant dumpster like it was a Honda. I was impressed!

I have mentioned before that this property is a mess, so there was a lot to demo.  We knew going in that there was water damage in a few areas and the troublesome cat smell that I have mentioned before.  Our main goal for the weekend was to take out all cabinets (cat smell begone) and to remove any water damaged areas to prep for replacement.  We also pitched toilets, ripped up old flooring, and removed wallpaper.  It was a long weekend, but a very productive one!

Two layers of vinyl were removed from the kitchen floor (left photo) and the front entry needed intensive work due to a poorly installed awning (right photo).

The condo still smells a little musty, but the cat smell is thankfully almost gone.  Our next task is to clean all the walls with a product known as TSP-90.  It is a professional grade cleaning product my family has used for years.  It will peel off layers of grime and stink to leave surfaces ready for paint.  Below you can see a wall that has been quickly cleaned using TSP and a sponge.  The change is plainly visible.

The result of a quick wipe-down with TSP.  Be sure to follow instructions and wear gloves when using this product.

We still have a few items left on our demo list, but we are very close to being ready to start putting things back together.  That my friends is very exciting!!!

The Obligatory "Before" Post

I (Tara) have a soft spot for complete dumps.

Honestly. Long before reality TV made it the "in" thing to do, I have lived in, remodeled, and dreamed of restoring many a sad home to its former glory. Because the truth is that every home once started out beautiful.  Some of them have just lost their way.

This condo has definitely lost its way.  In fact it is the undisputed, reigning champion of The Ugliest House on the Block Competition (completed fabricated competition by the way).  This type of home is my favorite.

Many people walk into these homes and feel overwhelmed.  The smell of year old cat funk, the water damage, the holes punched in the walls by angry owners, the wallpaper (shudder...seriously, the most annoying thing on this list to me) are sometimes all that people can see (and smell).  Look beyond all that, imagine what it CAN be and go from there.

The laundry room..."lovingly" referred to as the cat toilet.  Oh the smell...gag!

Master Bath

You know you want that wall paper.  Come on over, you can take it.  I'll keep it from getting wrinkled by leaving it on the walls until you get here.

An interesting perk received when you pick the ugly duckling in the neighborhood is you get to meet LOTS of neighbors.  They all wonder who is the person crazy enough to tackle the insanity (us obviously) and at first they only share the horror stories of the the last person who lived there.  But the more you talk to them and the more you listen, the more you learn about the history of the HOME you are restoring to life.

Yesterday, I learned that this house was once the gathering place for all the neighbors.  They would sit on the covered porch out back (the only one on the street) and enjoy the evenings together.  The roses that are now raging out of control were once gorgeous.  We had already planned to transplant them to our home (its the wrong time of year to try and shape them at this property), but knowing how much they have been loved in the past makes me love them even more.

The overgrown roses.

All that to say, this old girl has a colorful past and is a mess right now.  But she has good bones and will be a wonderful home again soon.

Enough of my chatter, you really came to this post for the pictures.  I saved some of my favorites for the end.  Enjoy!!!  

The "candle shelves". This is only one wall.  All the walls have ridiculous amounts of smoke trails.

"Built-in shelving"...seriously, that's a direct quote from the real estate listing. I am going to go ahead and claim false advertising on that one.

"A great way to add value to any home is to convert your bathroom into a closet," 

said no real estate agent ever.

Yum.

The "cobblestone" effect in the upstairs hall.  

This rendered me speechless the first time I saw it (which is difficult).

Another listing feature is the kitchens double ovens.  If only they worked, or even closed.

And my favorite. The "creative" approach to plating this double switch.

Why have one when you can have TWO?

Embarking on New Adentures

Summertime, the time we seem to enjoy embarking on new adventures.

Nine years ago, we bought our first house together. It was just the two of us, a dog and an upcoming wedding.

3 years ago we broke ground on our "dream home".  Our clan had expanded to included two adventurous boys who joined in on the fun.

And just this week...well, we purchased our first investment property.

Let the new adventure begin.