Off Topic My House Remodel/Renovation.

[RWK]

Thought I'd share with you a collection of pictures taken at various stages during my home repair and renovation project.

You'll see where I am replacing older wood T-1-11 siding with newer insulated vinyl siding -color is called mountain blue.

You'll see new windows replacing older mobile home style windows.

You'll see new frontal underpinning and where an underhouse access point will be.

You'll see new porchlight, new ting knight guarding the door ( cute accent ), and new outdoor outlet connection for outside light decoration.

You'll see where we are beginning on rear structural repair and removal of sliding glass door.

Area where door is now will be framed in, insulated and finished in preparation for future kitchen expansion......not yet begun is total subfloor, and new finish laminate flooring throughout......carpeting will go bye bye - PERMANTLY.

Will have more pictures following as work progresses - By the time we are done, I will have a practically brand new house.

Best part - because the carpenters working with me heading up the project are great friends and members of my church......We are spending a little more than a third of what normal costs were estimated.

We obtained three estimates - the least expensive quote was 25 grand.....


Pictures can be seen at my FLIKR page - URL - http://www.flickr.com/photos/30333711@N07/sets/72157616397938493/

 

[Sher]

Rick, what a load of work...good thing you have friends..it looks like it will be very different from a mobile home when you are done...I got a chuckle out of the back porch area...do I see a piece of green styrofoam...lol
Nice work....
Sher

 

[RWK]

Thanks - Yes, You did see Green Styro at that.......I had at one time made faux flower window boxes.......however, with the degradation of the underlying structure.....they went bye bye.

But, They will come again.

 

[sandytf]

Wow-really is looking nice! Great improvments!

 

[Connie]

Very nice, Rick! Can hardly wait to watch the progress.

 

[Victoria]

The knight... a friend?

Nice job Rick and thank you for sharing.

V

 

[RWK]

There is a cute story behind 'TIN MAN' as I call him.
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At our SC State conventions, we reserve the Saturday morning design program slot for the State Designer of the year to present a program. 2003 was my year for that.

Connie may recall that convention. Madeline was President and her convention theme was 'RETURN TO CAMELOT'

Well, I had gotten a good friend of mine to present with me - and since it was a medieval overall theme, and Harry Potter books, films, and stuff was just cathing on really good, That lead to Cindy and myself deciding to present as Merlin and Morganna LaFey ( The two wizards of fictional camelot )

Well, I needed a representation of the Knights of the Roundtable....so, I found TIN MAN, then for the show, I took foamcore and made a heraldic shield and put a red dragon shape on the shield with carnation petals.....as Arthur's surname was PENDRAGON.

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I was Merlin, Cindy was Morganna, and for the finale, we had Cindy's stepdaughter be our Guinivere......Cindy had made a wonderful nosegay of silk black roses ( to 'curse' the happy day ) for Guinivere to carry.......at the last minute, Merlin sweeps in, grabs the bouquet, tosses it into the audience, and present Gunivere with her real bouquet - I had done a gorgeous royal sceptre style bouquet ( white roses, white dendros, gold ribbons, gold staff, white ostrich feathers ) - It was cool.
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In planning this program......my old boss had said that the DOY program was not suspossed to be a s dramtic as a finale program show......to which I replied - BS - this one will be !. We had the stage set up like a cave.....with cauldrons, fog, all kinds of cool stuff. Cindy and I in full costume. When I get my house done and things start coming back inside, I'll try to find the pictures, get them scanned, and post them.


I should also add that earlier in the same week as the show was when my Dad passed away - so, at the conclusion of the program, after I gave all the credits and acknowledgements - I said " As some of you may or may not know, My father passed away earlier this week. I'd like to dedicate this program to him."

 

[Twila]

Ricky,

You are indeed a man of many many talents! Thanks for sharing the pictures and the story.

 

[SpringCity]

Isn't it nice to snazz your place up? I like the copper post caps. We have those too, on our "airing porch" - pretty kewl

 

[RWK]

Thanks - those copper caps were EXPENSIVE little boogers.....nearly 35 bucks a pop

 

[RWK]

Some more 'in progress' pictures for you to see.

New decorative shutters on the windows

Completed siding, gables, vents in ends of house

My new storage barn

Work begun on rear of home, plywood replacing old panels, structural stengthening and replacing of rotted timbers complete up to wheelchair ramp.

 

[RWK]

Now, when everything is done.....Landscaping begins.......although I am not going to follow the traditional landscaping routes - I am combining landscaping with my love of fresh veggies...by using veggie plants in the place where normal shrubs and flowers would be.

Not only good lookin, but good eatin' !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[RWK]

I promise - new pictures will come tommorrow - but after 2 weeks of hotel living.....We are finally back home today.....with a completed laminate floor and an incredible kitchen. After unloading suitcases....I got started and got a new sofa put together, a matching chair put together, a dining table and four chairs assembled, and started assembling a new entertainment center.

The kitchen is now, white cabinets, black granite formica countertop, black knobs and drawer pulls, black smooth surface stove, black face dishwasher, and a new suspended microwave.

Now comes the fun job in between working Mother's Day week - bringing in a barn and storage pod full of stuff that was taken out of the house in preparation for interior work.

 

[sharonbrannigan]

nice job rick... i really enjoy the photos of progress.

 

[Connie]

Good looking results, Ricky! Keep the photos coming!

BTW, I missed the SCFA convention in 2003, but I heard about your program. Awesome!

 

[Mikey the Flower Guy]

Rick...you had to put a "sofa" together??

 

[RWK]

Yes Mikey - I had to attach chrome legs and install the mechanics that make it a multi-position sofa.....The arms can be postioned anywhere in a range of 90 degrees and the sofa back has the same range of positions.

 

[RWK]

More Preview pictures.

Ok - In this posting......several shots of the almost completed kitchen.

From a tiny kitchen with a total of 5 cabinets to this.

Also, Pictures of the adjustable chair - which operates like the aforementioned sofa.

 

[sandytf]

Love the kitchen....that classic black and white with the warmth of the wood floor...nice!!

 

[RWK]

Laundry room and two bathrooms next on the list.......