Railing

(if you look closely at the wood flooring, you can see the detail of the outline along the banister! Good job Mark! All his idea, and I loooove it!)

Ding Ding Ding!! We have a winner!

And for all the rest of you who were just dieing to know what I was up to......

From the beginning of the reno I said - New railing! Needs a new railing! Well, then I went to look at "new railing" parts at the big box hardware stores, and wouldn't you know. They have like. No. Selection. What I envisioned was a white railing/banister/whatever you call it, with dark wood caps, to match the hardwood flooring. And I pictured it in all square spindles.

Turns out that would probably cost $$$$ (thousand(s)) and lots of time. So - my NEW plan is that I bought the caps, stain, and varnish, and I'm going to get the top balls chopped off and put on the caps. To tie in the wood with the banister posts. I also already repainted all the spindles and posts the same cloud white that the rest of the trim will be painted.

The price tag for my new plan was $111.00. Not including the labour fee =).

And now I just hope it looks ok.......

Can you guess....

What my project was today?

Day 40

Everyday now the progress is amazing. That is the best part of the finishing stage. Visual progress.
Like, just today, our bedrooms went from plywood, to beautiful carpet! Same as our stairwell, except that went from the most hideous carpet ever, to beautiful carpet =). And the hardwood floor just keeps coming further and further everyday. All of the switches are being changed to match, and lights are going up. And it is fun to go see the progress!!

My dad found these new type of plug outlets that have a blocking plate in the back. Temper resistant they are called. So your kids can't electrocute themselves. What a brilliant idea. Isn't it funny when these things come out - you just think.....really?! Did it take this long? And probably by next year, it will be in the building code. But in any regard, I am excited about them!

We are moving in 11 days......eeek! I'm still in a bit of denial....but hey, at least our rooms have carpet =).

painting painting painting.....and some other stuff.

The house is really coming along now! And in the next few days things will start to look really different. This is the fun part - when all the visual progress happens!! Tonight and tomorrow will be our last (hopefully) long painting days, and it should mostly be completed. Except maybe the bathrooms.

Today and tomorrow the hardwood is starting to go in - and I am soooo excited to see how that will look!

I am really loving the colours on the walls - sometimes it looks grey, sometimes blue, sometimes green!! Just what I was hoping for =).

All the pot lights in the kitchen/living room have been installed.

The kitchen people called me today to say they wanted to move the install from May 17th to the 13th!! This is great news - because we are moving in on the 15th! And we will have a kitchen, and bathroom vanities. Kind of important components to a house. Too bad we have to wait another 15 days for countertop.......could be for some fun improvisation.

Vanity Tops

We bought these vanity tops for our bathrooms from Rona.

I liked the idea of cleaning these all in one pieces, and liked the shape of the sink.

The price was attractive as well when you put into account

that you usually have to pay for the counter top and sink separately.

Today all the mudding/taping/sanding/ceiling spraying will be done!

Tomorrow will be a full day of painting.

And the floor will be prepped for the flooring! Yippee!!

Day 29

Sorry for my hiatus...... I hope I can make it up to you =)

So what is going on?

Everything is framed and drywalled. All the time consuming, hard part, of the plumbing and electrical is complete. The mudder/taper/sander is currently doing his work on the new drywall, and should be done on Tuesday. Next week the floors should be installed, and the house will start coming together! Before then we need to finish painting everything, and have the floors prepped for the flooring. Yesterday the final wiring and holes were cut for the pot lights we are putting in the living room. This afternoon I go to the kitchen place for the final sign off of our plans.

We have luckily not run into any surprises, which has been great.

A big huge Thank You to my mom and friend Teresa for all the painting help!! It is really boring and lonely to paint alone in the evenings.....so I am so thankful for help!

I hope I haven't bored you silly with such a factual update.

Kitchen Samples

This morning was our final kitchen consultation at Marr-tech.

There are a lot of decisions to be made when putting together a kitchen from scratch.

It is very overwhelming (for me anyways).

I debated between white and linen cabinets for weeks.

Where to put glass, what knobs to pick (still haven't decided that)

What style door, what pull outs?! Oh, the list goes on, and on, and on.

Don't get me wrong. I am so grateful for the opportunity to pick it all out!

And that I am going to get a new kitchen. So so grateful.

But, the decisions still have to be made.

And it is something you don't really want to get wrong!

So we (or I) have picked out (as seen above)

Shaker doors in Linen, with Silestone counter top in Bianco Beach.

The wood to the left is the hardwood that will be in the kitchen

(and the whole main floor except bedrooms and bathrooms)

and also the colour of the wood going to be in the bathroom vanities.

Another thing I am grateful for: My husband.

He trusts me with all decorating decisions.

And doesn't care one bit what I pick. It really is so freeing.

If we both had our own opinions this would be so much more difficult.

Paint Troubles. (rant of the day)

I have had the hardest time with paint. I have bought over 10 test cans. But, when I put it on my walls, it looks ugly. I am trying to find a grey/blue. "Trying" being the key word. Well, I thought I found it. Bought 5 gallons. And it is BLUE!! Argh. It is so frustrating.

Currently, all the walls in the house are off white. Like a cream/beige type colour. My mom and I figure that the only way to get the colour to show up on the wall, the way it does on the little swatch, is to paint it on white. Soooo, we will be priming all the walls white, and then painting the "grey". Sigh........

I hate paint.

To wallpaper.....

Or not.

That is the question.

I found a gorgeous wallpaper at Rona. Can't find it on the website to post it here.

My thoughts were to put it on Miss N's walls, up to 6 ft. Then, have the 5" plain baseboard (that will be in the rest of the house) used at the top of that 6 ft. to be used as a ledge, with a piece of moulding underneath. Does that make any sense?! Anyways. I have a hard time finding art to decorate kids rooms. (Well, inexpensive art that looks nice!) So I thought this plan would remedy that because I could just a few things on the ledge, and call it done!

But I still haven't made up my mind. And it's not like the wallpaper will be a budget saver.....so, my question is. Would you wallpaper in your house? Or do you think it's too trendy?

Outside....

....Eunice must have loved perennials. There are everywhere.

Unfortunately. There is no rhyme or reason to their placement.

So I will be digging them up.

My question is,how will I know what bulb is what??

Anyone have a tip?

Rhubarb will be staying. Love it!

Framing bathrooms & Plumbing

Hallway view into the main bathroom
Laundry hook-ups

Shower base in the ensuite

Looking through to the ensuite from the main bath

Looking into the ensuite from the master bedroom

My dad has been working everyday to hook up all the plumbing for these bathrooms!

It is such a huge relief (financially) to have him doing all this for us - I am so thankful,

My mom starting some painting today as well. The kid's rooms ceilings are done.

As you can see, I still need to remove some wallpaper in the bathrooms!!

That, and picking paint colours is next on my list........

First sketch.....

Of the kitchen!

Ensuite shower

Purchased this one at Rona for the ensuite today. Hoping to have enough air miles to take a trip at the end of all this renovating =).

Pictures

This is my quick sketch for you of our bathroom situation: before and after. Sorry for the quality =). The dark line shows you the barrier between the two washrooms.

Before: Ensuite vanity

Before: Main Bath vanity/closet/toilet

Before: ensuite toilet

Before: Main bath again

Demo: wall down between the main and ensuite

Mark beside the hole where the main bath tub used to be (he is standing in the hallway, which is being widened.)

Some wall paper found behind the main bath mirror. This stuff is pretty cool!! Totally back in style. Maybe I should frame a piece....maybe not.

Main bathroom open to the ensuite. Everything out!

The framing is mostly done for the new walls already. Ill snap a few more photos tomorrow. Oh, and the gate is in! And it looks good!!

Day 6

Today the bathroom demo began. The bathrooms where exactly what you would expect from a house built in 1980. A 2 piece "ensuite", and a large looooong main bathroom. We have decided to re-configure them, after my dad threw our house on AutoCad, and drew up a few different options. This will give us two nice sized bathrooms on the main.

Having the washer/dryer on the main floor was also something that was important to me, so we have found the best place for it will be in our ensuite. It was that, or the main bath. And I think I will like it out of the way. I picture many hours of folding laundry on my bed....and I'm ok with that =). Not having to drag it all downstairs, just to drag it all back upstairs will be wonderful!!

Today we are also getting the gate installed at the top of our deck, making it a safe place for our kids to run around! Can't wait to use that deck!!

I'll be heading over later this afternoon. Pictures are coming later today =).

Day 1 - Pictures

Some samples of carpet, vinyl, and paint we were looking at today.

Kitchen and walls gone!

Hey, remember this?

Well......this photo was taking in the same place.

The kitchen: gone

The walls between the kitchen

and dinning room/living room: gone!

(if you look on the ceiling, you can tell where the walls were.)

I love this house

when you go in the mornings

the light that pours into the house

from all of the east facing windows

is refreshing.

We ate one of our first of many meals on the deck today at lunch.

I look forward to making many memories here.

Day 1

The people....I didn't forget! I'll introduce you to our all-star team =).

My brother-in-law Mark, owner of MTM construction, will be, basically.....doing, umm, everything. We have hired him as our contractor, and are very confident in his abilities! He is a perfectionist. What more could you want from your contractor??

Luckily, I also have a dad who has knowledge of basically everything home/reno/building. His specialties are plumbing and electrical (bonus!). So he will be around to support, help, and advise in any way he can!

A previous co-worker of Mark's, Cy, will also be on call as Mark's right hand man. The two of them together are quick, and have done many reno projects.

Of course, John and I will also be around to help however we can. Unfortunately life (work and kids) get in the way of us being there all the time. I will also be the runner/shopper. Fun and stressful all at the same time.....oh, and the budget keeper...even more stressful!

I have pictures from today's work so far....unfortunately there is no way to get them onto this computer at the moment. I will go back at the end of the day, and take some more. Stay tuned - I'll try to post them tonight.....

the start....

Today we got the keys!

Tomorrow first thing, the renos begin.....so stay tuned for pictures and updates....here we goooooo!

First purchase.

This morning on an impromptu trip to Home Depot...I walked out with flooring for the main floor. I have looked a few places, and decided to do either a hardwood, or engineered hardwood. When I saw a palette full of dark birch hardwood flooring on for a smokin' deal, I couldn't resist. Other comparable hardwoods were a few dollars more per sq ft. So, under budget, I have hardwood!



(The picture doesn't really do it justice...)

The house:

I thought a renovation blog would be a fun way to document our upcoming renos! So, if you think so too, feel free to check back often for posts and pictures.

Let's start with the house:

A 1980's rancher with walk out basement, just over 1300 sq ft. on each floor. The major renos will be taking place on the main floor: 3 bedrooms, 1 full and 1 half bath, kitchen, living room and dining room.

The front entrance

The major selling feature for us was the quiet cul-de-sac it is on,

and the deck!

...and not so much the wallpaper =).

Next up: the people.