It has been a crazy few weeks. We are still in a holding pattern concerning a contractor, but at this pace, we'll have the full building ready for them to put the pieces in. We hope to do all the demo ourselves, saving money and also ensuring that every piece we can salvage gets salvaged. We've been removing baseboard and trim work where necessary and putting it aside to strip and stain or paint. C even came across this little tidbit tucked behind a baseboard. I love the history this house has tucked into its walls.
A little bit of happy comes in the form of our new back porch light I installed last week. This pink beauty came from Barn Light Electric. It took me a while to pull the trigger on it as I was unsure as to how I'd like it day after day and also how C would respond to having a hot pink light. I didn't have to worry as it is EPIC and we both love it.
Another happy comes in the form of pedestal sinks and faucets. I'd put these on my wish list and low and behold they just happen to go on sale a few days ago. Granted, I did drive to the ends of Brooklyn in order to get my hot little hands on them but I am a sucker for Kohler. These pretties will go in the Jack and Jill bathroom and in both tiny tub bathrooms. I love how there is a bit of counter top space around the sink bowl.
We've been spending more time in the basement this week as the temperatures have gotten a wee bit high and the upstairs apartment doesn't have any insulation in the attic and it feels like a muggy oven up there. We've been moving boxes down into the one finished room in the house so that we can begin prepping the first floor apartment for work too. It is pretty lovely and cool in the basement. We'll post photos of the basement bathroom as we get it gutted. It is a project and a half. We seem to have some plumbing issues in this house, serious issues. The tubs have consistently taken 30 min to drain and there is a strange smell emanating from under the basement stairs. There is also water seepage into the basement whenever it rains. We are hopeful that the cameras we're employing tomorrow will settle what the issue(s) are once and for all. I have a suspicion that they are all one in the same, connected. Wishful thinking perhaps. I've got to keep looking on the bright side as our recent plumbing and HVAC bid clocked in at a breath taking $70,000. At first I was shocked, now it just sets me into fits of giggles. I can't even comprehend that plumbing and HVAC alone would cost us $70,000. Granted, they quoted us a high velocity AC system, something akin to a UNICO (used in a This Old House renovation) in which they'd also replace all our current heating ducts. I had hopes and still do, that it is possible to add ac without adding new heating. The high velocity ac is an amazing product as it is threaded through the wall cavities leaving the plaster and lathe in place and doesn't need new bulk heads build around new large duct work. Definitely need to rethink what else is possible though. We were told our old duct work is in miserable shape. I want a second opinion because it isn't good looking but I thought the worst of it was that it wasn't connected to the vents. Doesn't duct tape fix that?
Oh well, time for more happy. The laminate is all gone from the upstairs! Yaya! Go-go heat gun.
Those were some of the sweatiest days of my life.
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