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.
The New Look of the Salo House
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Here's the house -in clary sage, white dover trim, and burgundy/rust accents. Sigh.
The Before Shot
This is what it was in the beginning. Still cute! But different...
Please Come In!
We love our home. Come in and see why!
You are welcome here!
Our snazzy door star says it all
The Cozy Living Room
Two Couches. Fireplace. Happiness.
Coat closets!
we put coats in closets. Or if you are Matt, you put them on the closest piece of furniture.
The Office/Study
This is where we store our prize possession. Rock Band!
Our Home Fires are Burning!
The fireplace is one of the greatest parts of our new house.
The Kitchen!
How do we love you kitchen? Let us count the ways.
The Sink that Will Defy All Sinks
The picture may not do this sink justice. We could probably wash our car in this sink.
The Pantry!
Wow.
The Dining Area.
Who knew people could sit at a table to eat? Go figure!
Powder Room
We still need a mirror, but do our guests really need to worry about their looks when they're relaxing at the Salos? Of course not!
The porch in all its glory.
This is happiness. What else can we say?
View from Behind
Things are nice in the backyard. And soon, we'll actually get a lawn-mower!
Rustic or Rusty?
This is our cute rusty wheelbarrow that sits in the backyard.
Our Cute Patio Peach Tree!
The Squirrels will eat all the fruit. But the process will entertain us greatly from the patio!
Apple Trees!
Granny Smith and Rome...will they bear fruit? We'll see!
Blooming flowers
We love our back yard!
The Upstairs
This is our upstairs hallway, leading to many bedrooms
The Master Bedroom!
We have bedroom furniture now!
The Closet!
The Master Bath
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Double vanities...sigh
The 2 Person Shower
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Rain-water faucet and Hand-held faucet, bench, and the approximate square footage of our former residence.
Guest Bed #1
People can stay with us now. And they won't be sleeping in our living/dining room in order to do so.
Guest Bed #2!
More people can sleep here!
Guest Bath
Oldie Style Tiling
The Guest Shower
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A closer look
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Here's the front stoop a bit closer. We are still finalizing the paint job - but you get the point. Welcome sign coming soon!
Our House Got Back
This is the lovely new exterior of the backside of our home. Sadly, the basket-ball hoop is next on the execution list. I know, I know! It's not right! It's immoral.
Yee Haw!
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Matt is doing a Michael Jackson move to express his happiness with walls.
Windows
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Bill Gates, watch out, we got our own windows now. This is a shot from the new windows looking out to the back porch from our dining room.
Living Room!
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Here we see the living room being "floored" with wood. You get a better idea of how this house is going to look.
The Study
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Here's the room you just saw by the door. This is where we'll set up the computer and stuff. A powder room is in this room for guests.
Better View of the Living Room
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This is a better shot. You see the fireplace. This would be a shot taken from the future kitchen area- which is going to be open to this living room.
Stokin'
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Matt's ready to stoke the home-fires in our soon to be fire-place. It's there. You just can't see it yet.
The Dining Room
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This is a somewhat decent photo of the dining room, although it now has the new flooring and paint on the new french doors.
Going up the stairs
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Here's the upper level and hall area.
View from Hall toward bedrooms
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not much to see - but it gives you a sense of what is happening here. Rooms.
View of one of the 3 upstairs bedrooms
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This bedroom is to the left of the top of the stairs. The other is to the right (both the same size).
Master Bath
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This is a strange foto, but it the vanities will go on the left, under the left window. The 2 person shower is on the right of the little window in the back. The toilette - it's on the right too - you can't see it. It has it's own little room!
Guest Bath
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Hard to make out - but it's a guest bath with a tub in there.
Laundry Room
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Yay! A room for laundry. It will go here. It has light. A stackable w/d will go in a nook to the left, so there is room to set up a folding table, etc.
Master Bedroom - second view
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This shows the view to the Master bath on the left and the closet on the right.
Master Bedroom
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The Porch
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This porch is painted now and fixed up. It's looking a lot better. No screens in this shot - but they'll be returned!
Parents
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These are the parents again. They are standing in front of our back doors - and they look quite natural there. I think we'll keep them.
Hangin Out
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One day, we get to hang out for real in here. Until then - we will hide in the bushes and watch the construction workers.
A Prior Photo of the Facade
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This is the current state of our home. Compare to the old photo below!
SOMEONE STOLE OUR ROOF!
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After Demolition - Facade
Profile of a Great House
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This is what it looks like from the side. So tall now!
Innards...taking shape
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So this is the view inside - looking out french doors to the porch. The space to the right will be the dining area. To the left of the doors, the kitchen. The photo is taken from what will be the living room, open to the kitchen. The area to the right of the stairs will be the study.
The Soon To Be Kitchen
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The fridge will be to the left, with cabinets and stuff wrapping around like an L there. The sink under the windows. And island will go where that big pipe is poking up.
Step by Step, it's coming together.
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Are my puns, annoying? Tough. I'm the one writing this blog. And this is a shot of our new stairs, and one wall of our new dining room. On the other side of these stairs, there will be a powder room and a study.
People in a Bedroom Drinking Coffee
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This is one of the upstairs bedrooms. And that's Matt and his folks, Earl and Gail. Who are a good and kindly folk.
The Master Bedroom & the Masters
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Here we are in our Master Bedroom. Our bed will go right 'tween them li'l windows. Sigh. The master bath will be to the right of where we are standing.
Weird Thing
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This is a weird spider looking thing that is providing what we think is heat and air to the rooms. But we like to imagine that it's a giant spider. A friendly spider that eats the boogie man.
2 Person Shower in the Master
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You can't see it well, but this is a two-person shower with a rain-spout and an ample bench to sit and read an IHOP menu. Matt can hardly wait.
Standing in the Future of a Closet
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Jeannie can only imagine all of the things she wants to put in this closet.
Back of the House. Woo Hoo!
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This is what it looks like from the back now, but the back porch will be painted, repaired, and the doors will be centered with steps. And that lady will not always be there looking so enthusiastic. Sometimes she'll be in the living room, kitchen, and/or jumping out from around corners to scare Matt.
Poor Sheddie
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Here Lied Shed. Once. He was a good shed. He had a lot of spiders though. A lot of other stuff. We never went in there. Once I saw an old fashioned pencil sharpener in there. RIP.
New Front Stoop
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Matt is examining the consistency of this step. Will it be strong enough to hold him and that giant forty he will be drinking out of a bag every Sunday morning? Along with C-Mac, Howard, and the other kid. Will it? More tests needed.
Port-O-John
As you can see, the Port-o-John is still here. But he's looking tired. It's a dirty job. With little gratitude. What's that? I think he's asking for some hand sanitizer.
Moment of Zen
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Dumpster o' Trash
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Memories in the form of rubbish.
Wha Happened???
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Matt is amazed at how light and airy it is now.
Wheel Barrow in a Living Room
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It's not a title of a book, but it should be. This is our living room. This is a wheel barrow in our living room. This is a radiator, next to the wheel barrow, in our living room. Fin.
Stay Back, Demons!
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Matt is prepared for the Vampire portion of our construction project.
The Stairs to a Blue Tarp.
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Once there was a roof. Now, there is only blue plastic. And yet, I am drawn there, like a gnat.
Through a Window of Trash, We see into ourselves.
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This is the window we use to look through to complain about the neighbor's messy yard. Hee hee hee. We are now the ultimately messy-yarded neighbors. Boo ya!
Back Deck Kitchen
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This is our back deck, and also a place for our appliances. Who knew?
Destruction at Sunset
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This is where the wall once stood. It is now...gone. And it will become our new living room. Woo hoo!
Port-o-John
The Port-o-John is a beacon of civilization. This means that our demolished house is inhabited by construction people. And that's a sign of progress, people. STAY TUNES FOR MORE PROGRESS! But use your own bathroom.
The Before Shot - Facade
We will pop the roof off and raise it up to create another floor. The front stoop will be repaired, covered, and the whole house will be painted.
Before Shot - Rear View
There will be a four-square second level, and this deck will be repaired and repainted. The doors will be centered in the back with french doors to the interior kitchen.
Before Shot - Deck Interior
There will be french doors in the center of the deck. The wood will be rebuffed and stained. We'll use the deck for eating and relaxing.
Before Shot - Interior Living Room
There will be a study on the left. All walls to the right will be knocked out to create a new living room open to the kitchen.
Before Shot - Kitchen
This tiny kitchen will be pulled out completely, and the space will become the dining room. The new kitchen will be open to the living room (replacing an existing bedroom that you can't see in these pics).
Before Shot - Downstairs Bath
Bye Bye Bathroom. This will be knocked out. At least we don't have to worry about cleaning it first. Yuck.
Before Shot - Upstairs Bath
This bath will also be knocked out completely, and the room will become a Master Bedroom, with a new separate Master Bath including a 2 person shower.
Before Shot - Basement 1
The basement will be repainted, and the floor will be covered in a basic padding and carpet, so that it can be used for a kids rec room and storage area.
Before Shot - Basement 2
This deeper side of the basement will probably become a work-out zone (likely to be ignored).
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1 comment:
Blue plastic roof makes for pretty mood lighting. Don't waste the money on a new roof.
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