Soooo Close

Sometimes Facebook gets the updates first (and tend to be a little more personal) so stop on by and 'Like' A Home Revised on Facebook!  Also I plan on making 'pages' for this blog when it comes time for room decoration.  I think that will force me to complete each room before I move onto the next.  That's how projects don't finish as it's so easy to lose focus when your thoughts are on another project.

It's so close to move in time I can taste it.

I have neglected most other parts of my existence, including this blog, to finish up the interior painting to both last week ready for the plumbers and this week ready for the electrician.  We are good to go!  We've painted everything except the doors and trim, which are not installed yet, and have completed all flooring installation but the living room.

A sink!!!!  With running hot and cold water!!!! (that's not the final paint job, btw, details to follow)

We have a shower people!!!  I took the longest, hottest bath I could stand on Saturday and it was heavenly. I had no door, no heat and no light mind you, but that was fine I had a shower curtain to hold in the heat.  We've a washing machine, but we'll have to wait on the dryer for the electrician and new laundry hose.  I'll just hang things all inside the garage to dry for now, it'll do.

We've had two rather expensive hiccups.  One was the skirting all around the house being rotten and the other was the discovery of a 10 foot length of foundation that was in ruins under the front door.  That has been a gruelling task for the workmen - just a couple feet tall under there and surely didn't smell to nice with all the raccoon activity we've had.  With those two glitches we could've bought a rather nice used car and a trip to Disneyland!  That's a huge reason why you don't go into a project like this with your maxed out budget.  We would've had some serious tears if we had, right now it's just an irritation and perhaps a hold on the 70" TV and sectional.  Booooo.

 The skirting repair has been mended and belly banded, but there's still this wonky bit.

How the damaged foundation was discovered...when we were deciding if the porch was rotting from underneath.  That turned out fine, but opened up a nasty can of mean ol' worms.  Hi Olivia!

A very small area for the workers.  Today the prepared hole will be poured.  He was able to cut down on our costs by putting our order in with another's foundation pour on the same day.  THANK YOU!

This was all inspected by an engineer so it'll be built to last.

My other annoyance was the shingle staining.  My first two bundles went swimmingly using the oil based product that I could just dip the shingles into a terrific speed then hang to dry. I quickly ran out of that stain so went back for more.  When I opened it up at home I thought "this looks weird" so I called them up to query why the base number was different.  Well to my dismay with the VOC regulations in Canada changed now only water based products are available.  I do not like this product!  It went on more like paint so dipping was a time consuming task as was using a brush.  Not only that, but the colour was more opaque.  The WORST part was when I finished up my hands felt like icicles so I decided to leave the last batch to dry flat where they were.  Bad idea.  It rained the next morning washing away the top layer, leaving behind a streaky, uneven mess.  I need to sort this out but it's too cold out now to fix it.  I'll have to wait for us to move out of the garage so I can use the space to start again or fix it, then it can dry with the heater and be protected from the elements.  It's getting chilly here in Western Canada, we get little snow, but make up for it with rain.

I feel defeated and sad about this.  Very sad.  

On the bright side, this does not need to be finished for us to move in so I'll run with that thought.  

It all looks really smashing inside and we know the outside has had all issues delt with and is now safe.  That's what matters.  Another 100 years are left in this baby.

We really are renovating still...

PROMISE!!!!  New post this weekend.  We've been so super busy that I've barely a moment to spare.

Termite Update

Phew, the pest control people said it's nothing to worry about and doesn't even suggest spraying.  Most of the wood had been replaced and was likely caused by a rose bush that gets watered in the spot they were found.  Not even a charge for the call to come out so that was a nice and rare surprise.

Old Island Pest Control was the name if you need a pest control company :)

1921 with Termites

Simple, to the point, termites :/' 

During the removal of the old house's shingles they found termites had done their thing in one section...so far.  The other part uncovered looks fine, but another part will need it's wood removed then the exterminators have suggested spraying the new to prevent any damage in future.  He'll come by tomorrow am to have a look.  Another expense, but hopefully with them just being the rot wood kind vs subterranean will be a manageable cost.  We'll see what the rest of the house reveals.  

Oh and a sheet of newsprint from 1921 was in the exterior wall.  Back then you could get coal for $11.80 per ton and a corset in medium bust style, well boned and neatly trimmed for 98 cents.  As well as a news story of a "Los Angeles policeman killed and another probably fatally wounded in a pistol duel with bandits..." A few other interesting stories and prices as well.  We'll put it the attic along with a paper from now.  Fun find.