Home is Where the Heart is (And Where you play Rock Band for all hours of the night!)

This is the long-awaited final post of our home renovation construction experience.  The truth is that we are still pinching ourselves.  Did we manage to get through a construction/renovation project this easily?  Can this really be true?  Well it is.  We definitely have (and live in!) the home we had imagined so many months ago, then just a glimmer in our eyes.  Three bedrooms.  An office.  An open kitchen/dining/living room experience.  And to somehow we came out of this whole thing with a home that is even better than what we imagined to begin with.   We couldn't be happier (Thanks Mickey Simpson!!!!).  

Now don't get us wrong, there are a few minor things to do still.  But they are minor.  And there are things that we still need to do ourselves, like put up curtain rods, get a mirror in our powder room, and unpack the multitude of boxes we are so conveniently ignoring in our basement.

But we are really astounded at how professional, trustworthy, and accountable all of the people were who worked on our house.  

There was Bob the Architect, who we already mentioned months ago.  He did the excellent job of designing our house remodel (he even drew in the little bushes by our stoop that are now fully planted and budding new leaves in spring).  Thanks Bob!!!!  Thank you for optimizing all of our space so well.  Genius!

There was Charlie the Project Manager - who managed our construction project the whole way, including the electricity, the plumbing, and the Salo's late-night phone-calls.  He was really nice to us, exceptionally responsive and did a great job!  Thanks Charlie!!!  You're the best!  

There was Butch the Landscaper -- who planted our trees in the backyard that are blooming so nicely before our eyes, who replanted the squat trees around the perimeter of our property that are doing a whole lot better now, and who set up a great landscaping design by our front stoop.  He was a great guy - and offered gardening/lawn-care advice any time we need it.  That's too cool.  And did we mention his name is Butch?  That's just awesome.

And of course, there was Clarke Simpson - who started it all.   We called him up, told him our story, and before we knew it - he had loaded us into the back-seat of his Range Rover and convinced us to give him hundreds of thousands of dollars. Clarke never shied away from offering his opinion, and in many cases, his opinion was less of an option and more of a decision.  But the fact was, Clarke was right.   For example, he said we should keep the old porch.  And he was right!  There is nothing we enjoy more than coming out here and chillin.  So, we are really glad that we had ended up in his Range Rover, instead of in a construction nightmare that we would be blogging about into the next three decades.   Clarke made good on all of his promises, and he really helped to ensure that we made good decisions.   That's like unheard of - right?  And so - we say cheers to Clarke!  You saved us from the terrible situation we were in, and you got us into a much better situation.   Most importantly, you delivered us a fabulous home!

So any of the Mickey Simpson folks should know that they can get a cold beer (or healthy trail-mix) at the Salo House any time, and we hope you all know that we're very happy with our results.

Now we would like to provide the Top Ten things we love most about our new home:

10) Our Laundry Center is a mere 1 foot from our bedroom door.  And the washing machine and dryer do not require coins, or conversation with weird people.

9) Jeannie can stir-fry and watch TV on a huge new High-Def flat-screen at the same time.

8) Our plates and pots are in drawers.  WTF.

7)  Two guest rooms.  Enough said.

6) We have a gym in our basement.  So when we decide not to work out after a long day, we don't still have to pay a $75 monthly fee!  Screw Washington Sports Club!  Our laziness is no longer expensive!

5) We can fit a small country into our kitchen sink.  And wash all of its people.

4) We can host people for dinner, at an actual table.  And when they go to the bathroom, we can't hear them pee.

3) We have wi-fi that works everywhere, including on our back porch.

2) We can sit on a screened in back-porch with a cup of coffee every morning and marvel at a big yard full of wild-flowers and budding apple trees.

And the number 1 top reason we love our new home!

1) After a long day at work, rather than circling the block fifteen times for a legal parking spot and walking ten more minutes through a rat-infested alley -- we can pull right into our driveway, get out of the car - and walk right into our lovely and inviting home.   Woo HOO!!!!

We got color, baby! And Floors!

Ahhh, it's been a long long time since we've posted on the Blog-Haus. There are any number of excuses, but to sum it up, the Republican Party fell apart, McCain's campaign team really sucked, we elected a new President of the free world (U-S-A, U-S-A!!!), and we painted our house, got walls, and got floors! Hell yeah! Change has arrived on Bellefonte Ave!



The photos are spread across a number of weeks - and they don't show everything that has happened - like the plumbing, the cable, the breakin 2 electric boogaloo, and all that stuff. It is impossible to show the beauty of the great transformation in it's full form!



I tell a story. Once upon a time, a fuzzy green and white caterpillar crawled into a leaf (?) -- yes, that's right, a leaf -- ate a Chipotle burrito, drank a few beers, took a nap, and formed a chrysalis. Today, it is a larger and fatter caterpillar -- it's thinking about another beer. It may soon bud some little wings. And one day, perhaps around Christmas, it will be a magnificant butterfly. Now that we are sufficiently uncomfortable with how far I am taking this metaphor, we can enter the house.


What's new? These things:



A new front door (with paint!)

A new front stoop (with paint) and new repaired hand rails and stuff

A new set of french doors in the back of the house (centered)

New oak floors

Repaired back porch, with centered door, and new paint

Dry-walled rooms - so that we can see what this house gonna look like

concrete pad in the back of the house is exhumed

Exterior has been painted with colors we chose, though needs to be finalized with additional coats and stuff



What's next?



Installation of fixtures/toilets/shower stuff

Installation of tile

installation of cabinets

Installation of plumbing fixtures

Lighting

Installation of fireplace and mantle

Finishing the drywall



All in all, it's coming along! We love it so far! And it's getting closer to being done!


Move in date? 2009 baby! Perhaps inauguration day?

Viva La Transformation! A roofless house becomes a home.

So, it's been a while since we've posted an update. Sorry for that, but things have been crazy. New jobs, broken cameras, excuses galore. But we're back with a great big update on the project.

The house is really taking shape now. We have a second floor, a roof, shingles and siding, some new windows, a new furnace, and some plumbing and electrical wiring too. Oh Boy! And - the other minor, but entertaining detail is that our old shed in the back has been "terminated." May it Rest in Peace.

After not seeing the site for a few weeks, we drove up to it, and it was amazing. Like a different house altogether. In fact, we almost drove past it (like some of our neighbors who thought they were in the wrong place). The second level has transformed the facade completely. Talk about curb appeal (thanks Bob!). We love the angled columns. Seeing it take form has really solidified the fact that we made the right decision to renovate. Although there is still more time for regrets. And if mortgage companies keep folding, we may be regretting a lot. But hey - at this stage, things are looking wonderful, and we cannot wait to see more.

It's very interesting to see how things look when you see the bare bones in the framed out home. Our pictures may be hard to make out - but we'll do our best to explain. And I'm sure it will become a lot easier when the dry-wall and fixtures are in place. A few weeks ago, we had the amazing experience of selecting our kitchen cabinets, appliances, and all of the kitchen and bathroom fixtures. That was quite an afternoon. Suddenly, you get the chance to select some of the best parts of your home. On the one hand, we didn't want to make any mistakes that we would have to live with for years (we all remember the yellow linoleum and green ovens of the 70's). And on the other hand, we didn't want to over-analyze every decision for so long that we would overthink it to death, ending up with really bad decision that we actually have to own (somebody defended the green oven to her husband, and she had to live with that for decades). So we decided to go with the easiest route. Make the irreversible and extremely expensive decisions in a jiffy. If they are bad, you may have learned nothing, but it will give you something to talk about and regret for the formative years of your marriage (like the time-share briefing. We've all been there.). If the decisions are good, it proves that putting less work into difficult home-related projects is a true formula for happiness. We'll let you know how this turns out.

Next, we are going to get to choose countertops and tiles, and then we have to choose carpet and paint color, etc., etc. I'm sure there will be a lot more decisions in between. And I'm sure we'll start to get more emotionally involved in these decisions once our vision turns into a reality, and we can see it all becoming our home. Yippee!!!! Cross your fingers that it happens sooner rather than later.

And a quick thanks to the construction team at Mickey Simpson for doing such a great job. Our neighbors even said that you have been very courteous, quiet, and thoughtful. But they warned you to shut the doors and windows at night, because a racoon family that has been terrorizing them is interested in a new property this winter. Sadly, their mortgage is a lot cheaper than ours.

HEY, SOMEONE STOLE OUR ROOF!

On Friday morning, July 11th, we sat across the table from our friendly Title Company Guy (Tom Fletcher Promise Land in Arlington), and the mood was light and jaunty. First of all, it was a Friday, and we weren't at work (except for Tom). Secondly, we were about to hit the road for an out-of-town conference in Philadelphia, filled with really good free food and booze (this is one of Matt's annual meetings). And thirdly, we were about to get our big home remodel going!

The mood remained light as we proceeded to sign 9,000 pages of legal documents (initialing 20,000 more) while sipping Murky Coffee. Alas, we lamented about the last minute dealings with our bank, because they almost DIDN'T GIVE US the loan at all (may have resulted in a more enraged blog-post). But we used the Vulcan neck grip, and by 10am on Friday, we had closed on the loan, and were in the car, fleeing Washington DC for Philadelphia.

NOTE TO BLOG-READERS: It is a good feeling to drive quickly out of town after signing a number of very serious non-negotiable legal documents that you don't understand. Especially when it's for a large amount of money that you won't be able to pay back for years.

Upon returning from Philly, we found our loan had been processed and the construction company would soon have access to the FIRST DRAW of our construction budget. And before we knew it, one of our neighbors (Mary Brazier) emailed us the following: "Hey, someone stole your roof, you should check that out." In a second email, she wrote "you should be aware that mosquitoes in our neighborhood have tested positive for the West Nile Virus."

Okay. That makes us think the following things:

A) "Hey, the construction is underway. That's awesome. Let's go check it out."

B) "By the way, why is our dream home infected with a deathly and misunderstood pandemic from Africa?" Which makes us think, "Why is this virus named after the the West side of the Nile? I mean, we are talking about infected flying mosquitoes on a major river in Africa. Do they just shun the East side of the Nile? Is that too communist for them? Are they forward-thinking, pro-democracy mosquitoes? And why did they fly to our backyard?"

But the most important thought involved the new construction, so we checked it out right away, after showering in DEET. Take a look at the pictures we've embedded in the Blog-Haus.

It's like a semi-war-zone at our house, but there's a port-o-potty. As long as there's a port-o-potty nearby, you know that you aren't a part of the Zombie Apocalypse, or some really bad ethnic conflict.

Enjoy the photos of the first stage in transformation: THE DEMOLITION.

Got the Permits: Let the Fun Begin

Today - Bob the Architect bears great tidings, and the tidings are: "We've got the permits." So the adventure begins!

According to the contract, once the permits are in, construction must begin within 30 days. But the builders say it might even begin sooner than that. So what now? Well, Matt & Jeannie have to close on the first phase of their immense construction loan to pay for all this fun construction. During construction, the bank will provide the builders with funds based on the agreed payment schedule they work out in advance. The amount of money they provide for the entire project depends on the future value of the home after completion (and the budget). At the end of the process, the entire mortgage (preexisting and construction money) is fused into one permanent mortgage.

As part of the process, Mickey Simpson gives the bank a schedule and the bank conducts roughly 4 inspections during the process to certify that what they have paid for is completed before issuing more money to the builder. Makes sense, huh?

The clock is ticking. And we've all heard horror stories about the construction process. According to the builders, the entire project will take anywhere between 5 months and 9 moths. Will it take 5 months? 9 months? 9 years?

Care to cast your vote?

Only time will tell how smoothly the project will run from this point. We can only hope the guys at Mickey Simpson prove all of the horror stories wrong and make remodeling a home in the Washington area look like a breeze.

Finding an Architect and Builder

After the vision was born, Jeannie and Matt set out to research the world of construction and remodeling. And after a very long process of researching, meeting, procrastinating, designing, and REDESIGNING with a new company, Matt and Jeannie FINALLY signed their contract with Mickey Simpson design company and builders.

Mickey Simpson has been around for 39 years -- since 1969 -- serving Arlington, Alexandria, McLean, Great Falls, Vienna, Oakton, Falls Church, and Bethesda. They bill themselves as a one-stop-shop for anybody looking to build a new home, addition, or remodel. They handle design concepts, plans, permits and construction services -- and they will even choose every material and color for you, if you hate making decisions (or if you tend to spend more than you should). Another really attractive point was their policy of choosing to design based on a set budget. In the case of the Salo Home, it was important to stay on budget -- even if it meant sacrificing the bowling alley and coy pond in the living room.

The final design includes:

• The complete renovation of the entire interior of the house, including a new kitchen, re-designed living room with fire place, study, 3 bedrooms upstairs, 2.5 baths, upgraded appliances, etc.
• A brand new second floor (four square on top of the existing main level) with a Master bedroom with a full bath, a second full bath, and 2 bedrooms, and laundry center upstairs.
• New central heating and air condition system (there's no air now, yikes!)
• New roof (of course) and over hanging roof for a the newly painted and repaired front stoop and steps, with columns.
• Freshly painted and repaired back deck, with re-located french doors to the back-yard
• Removal of concrete slab in the backyard and new grass for the lawn
• New painted exterior of the home (new siding where necessary)
• Brand new windows for the entire home
• New paint job for the basement, and a layer of padding and carpeting.
• New privacy fence in the backyard
• Haul away of all of the Salo "junk" including the "scary shed" in the back
• Landscaping for the finishing touches

After the completion of the design and sign off on the materials and specs, and final contract - the next step was getting the city of Alexandria to issue permits for construction.

The adventure is just beginning...

The Vision

It all started in Howard Yoon's kitchen. Jeannie was sitting on the counter, sipping wine and scooping up something delicious into something else delicious. Matt was in the corner, feigning to listen to some aquaintence by furrowing his brow and looking knowingly through his glasses with a nod and gaze of like-mindedness. His true focus was in acquiring the maximum quantity of guacamole on his tortilla chip before the bowl was passed away from him. But his masterful focus and his tortilla chip shattered when Howard yelled, "Hey, Matt, you should rebuild your house in Del Ray."

Howard was talking about the house that Matt bought when he was younger, in 1999, before he married Jeannie. Currently, Matt and Jeannie were living in the city in Washington, DC, but looking for a bigger place somewhere else. Matt's parents had moved into his house when he wanted to get closer to DC night-life. His parents were still renting the house, but also looking for a new home further away, with more land and trees and quiet. Jeannie and Matt were thinking about selling the house in Del Ray, but they weren't sure what they wanted to do. The house wasn't in very good condition, it was too small, and it would need a lot of work.

Matt looked at his broken chip sadly, and Howard continued: "What you guys need to do is gut that house, and rebuild it completely." Howard took a sip of his cognac, and continued: "Gut it, rebuild it, and live in it. It's a great piece of land in a great neighborhood. And it's time for you to think about your family now."

Matt continued to nod and gaze sincerely. He needed to get another chip, and find a way to rotate that guacamole back to his lap. But he was also thinking to himself, Howard is Asian, and Asian people are wise. I am going to give this some consideration.

Jeannie was also intrigued. "Hey, that's a good idea. We should do that." And at that moment, the vision was born. And everyone played Wii until 4am.