The Beginning of the End of Wedded Bliss

The great outlet debate... my theory, you can never have too many, his theory must be quite different but he's never articulated it for me. My bet is he feels they are way too much trouble and what did they invent extension cords for in the first place.

I always speak up at the beginning of a new addition pointing out where I want every outlet and light switch. I’ve always given it considerable thought; have run through all possible scenarios in my mind. Having to pull out furniture to plug in the vacuum isn’t ideal, finding outlets for the candles in the windows at Christmas can be impossible; all these things run through my mind and impact my requests.

During the construction process I remind, request and have demanded. I don’t like having to demand it doesn’t result in happy labor but occasionally the situation calls for some emotion. Like this morning…

We was standing in the new pantry discussing the progress and preparing to install the next set of lower cabinets when I realized an outlet was going to ultimately be inside one of the cabinets. I pointed this out and he said “that’s ok; you can open the cabinet when you want to use the outlet.”

Think about that statement and think about a cabinet full of food stuff. Do you honestly think you’ll be able to get a cord to reach over the counter top, inside the cabinet, through the contents and reach the outlet? I don’t think he realizes the emotional attachment women have to outlets especially if you’ve ever lived in an older home. Outlets are far and few between and usually unsightly. When given an opportunity to call the shots on placement we become vested in the decision.

Needless to say we had a lively discussion about moving the outlet and it was before breakfast, that isn’t the way to start the day. I can see why renovating an old house could strain a good marriage and possibly be the end of a fractured one.

I’m luckier than most, we rarely argue, often share the same taste and fortunately he respects my opinion so as I type this he’s moving the outlet.

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Pantry and Mud Room Addition

The weather is turning chilly and work on the inside is starting up again.

We originally talked about building simple shelving in the pantry but as we started comparison shopping the cost of 1x12, hardware, storage boxes for organization and construction time we realized for not that much more money we could install stock cabinets that almost matched the custom cabinets we ordered for the kitchen perfectly.

After all this would not only be a pantry but with an outside entry it will serve as a mud room off the deck so we wanted it to look nice as well as be functional. We're also creating an enclosure for the cats litter box in the lower cabinet. A cat lover's dream - a litter box that's out of sight.

The kitchen isn't that large so the addition of the abundant storage found in the new pantry makes the size of the kitchen less important.

We want to be able to add the new square footage to the overall footprint of the house. To qualify the pantry had to be heated. Since it was once a screened porch and was offset from the main house this made connecting to the existing heating system a logistics nightmare. To accomplish our goal we opted to install radiant heat in the floor. For just over $200 we ordered a floor heating system over the internet. It will consist of a heated strip 2x6 under the flooring. We've discussed installing the same heating system in the new upstairs master bath as well. This will be a good test run on how easy it is to install and how effective as a heating source it actually is.

This project is coming close to completion. Look for updates on the progress soon.

Visit us at Leyland Ridge Farm to see our entire 1926 farm house renovation project.

Finished with the Exterior - Starting on the Interior!

The exterior is finished at last! We put up the last of the siding and the shutters this weekend. We can now finely concentrate on the interior.

Our goal was to add a second story over the kitchen to accommodate a master bath and walk-in closet. We wanted the new addition to appear as if it had always been a part of the old 1926 farm house. I think we accomplished that.

I want to add a screened in porch on back of the house eventually but we have a long way to go before we can start that.

Visit us at www.leylandridgefarm.com.

The last of the Construction

We started the final stage of construction last weekend, at last! The old porch was demoed and the new walk in pantry has been built. Once this is completed we can finish putting up the siding, shutters and guttering. The exterior will be completed. This has been three years coming.

I've always wanted a pantry big enough to store bulk purchases and have never had the space. Now we do! I can finely get the most out of my Sam's membership.

This addition will also serve as a cat room. We're building an enclosed space for the litter boxes, a cat owner's dream. No more smelly unsightly litter boxes sitting out for the world to see. It will also be a secure place to feed the cats without the dog stealing most of their food before they're finished with dinner.

A broom closet will be added, wall shelving for canned goods, lower shelves for produce and other large items and a shelf below the windows for wintering plants.

We're planning duct work to the space so it will be heated and cooled along with the rest of the house which will allow us the luxury of adding the additional 75 sq feet to the foot print of our house. We've discussed how much our $3,000.00 investment will add to the overall value of the house. I say $6000.00 hubby says $12,000.00, any ideas from the readers?

And most importantly it well finely complete the line between the porch on the front of the house and the back. It looks a bit off right now but the measurements are the same. I hope once the gutter is installed it will look even.

Visit us our website at The Leyland Ridge Farm.

Pocket Doors & Bathroom Storage

We've made a bit of progress considering weekends is the only time we have to work on the house and that we’ve had to place a couple special orders for the last additions. We're moving a little slower then usual.

To save money we decided to build our own storage cabinets for the bath. We ordered replacement doors in the style and color we wanted from the cabinet department at Lowe’s and built the frame to fit. It actually worked out really well and we saved over $1000. Custom cabinets in the dimensions we needed would have been over $800 each. In contrast the doors with hinges were just over $80 each, $320 total. We used matching laminated MDF for the back and sides and 1x2 for the framing all at an estimated cost of $250. That’s $570 in both cabinets. They look wonderful and will serve their purpose very well.

On the other hand to save space we choose to install pocket doors. We installed a standard door to begin with and the cramped results forced us to go back to the drawing board. We have so many doors in such a small space we had doors bumping into doors. We’d never installed one before and were just a bit hesitant. After purchasing a pocket door kit and examining the instructions we realized it was doable but didn’t realize the door we needed was a special order. After almost a two week wait we got the door in and it’s now installed, a great solution to tight spaces. Now that we’ve installed one and realized it’s really not that complicated I expect to see two more in this old house before it’s finished, entry between the master bedroom and closet and entry into the downstairs bath that is yet to be started.

Visit us at Leyland Ridge Farm.

Up the Down Staircase or progress on two levels!

We have made progress on two levels and I'm love'n it!

We've had unfinished sheetrock in the office/pass through from the foyer to the dining room for over a year. I was always the one that did the finish work on the walls until I got a real job. Gary would hang sheetrock in the evenings or weekends and I plastered, sanded and painted during the day. That arrangement worked out real well for him because he left in the morning and when he came home the dirty work was done. When I took a full time job he said he would help with the plaster work, that never happened.

I tooks a couple days off last week and decided I wanted to finish those walls in my office. I went to the hardware store got everything I needed and jumped in head first. I had forgotten how much I hated working sheetrock and plaster. The dust, dirt and mess that drifts throughout the entire house is awful and what I thought would be a two day job turned into four. But I love the results and we can now say the dining room entry way is finished at last.

While I was downstairs making a huge mess Gary was upstairs making a big mess of his own. He set the spa tub with a mortar seat in the new master bath.

To see all the progress we've made visit us at our website Leyland Ridge Farm.

Installing the Spa Tub

It's Saturday and we're at the new master bath again.

We insulated and hung sheet rock on the outside walls and began installing the spa tub. It will be flanked by two ceiling to floor cabinets that will serve as somewhat of an enclosure for the tub area.

This is the second spa we've installed and we know from experience you have to set them in a mortar bed for stability. Gary thought he would build the frame first, lift the tub out, frame and pour the bed and sit the tub back in. His carpentry is far too precise for that plan to work though. The tub is framed in so tight it won't lift out.

We debated all afternoon as to how to address the problem. Taking it apart was a tough choice because if this man can do a job with 2 nails he'll use 4. Due to this fact I know nothing he has ever built will fall down from lack of support and de-constructing this frame would be a major job and waste of materials. We finely decided to build a frame around the tub and pour mortar in around it and hope for the best. My guess is as tight as the tub is in the frame it will never be an issue anyway.

It doesn't appear that much has been done but we are moving along faster then I thought we would. There's still another day left of the weekend, who knows what will come out of tomorrow.

Visit the farm at www.leylandridgefarm.com

Our Saturday Update...

We got the stained glass window installed - I say "we", that's not exactly fair. I went shopping while my husband and Dad installed the new window and added the stained glass, but it was my idea *smile*. Does that count? Should the designer get credit along with the carpenter?

We're just one small step closer. I can't tell you how happy I will be to get a bathroom on the second floor! There are times the decision whether or not to crawl out of a warm bed and trek down stairs on a cold early winter morning takes so much thought it brings you wide awake. How long is it till it's time to get up anyway?

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One step at a time...

Today we're working on the new bath again. My dad has come by to offer his help. He's always a welcome addition because an extra set of hands get more done in a day. I guess the plan for today is to install the new window.

I've had a beautiful piece of stained glass for years that has never actually had a good home. I've always thought it would be beautiful in a bathroom so I decided to work it into this bath. We ordered a custom fixed window to perfectly frame the piece and we picked it up last night. I'm excited to finely see the window displayed as it should be.

This is going to be fun - cutting a hole in the outside wall while it's snowing and freezing cold.

Visit the farm at www.leylandridgefarm.com

Friday Night On The Town... no... at Lowe's

It's Friday night and we're preparing to make our weekly trip to Lowe's. I know we should buy stock in the company, no wait I think we already have.

The routine is shopping at Lowe's to get the necessary supplies for the weekend project on the old house then dinner and a movie. We went to see the "Bucket List" last weekend and loved it!

We have a running joke around here for rating project difficulty by calling it a one, two or three Lowe's trip job. The employees there know us by name and speak to us when we go in the door. After remodeling three houses they've gotten to know us quite well.

I don't know why but we don't enjoy Home Depot as much. I can't put my finger on it. Maybe it's because they don't mark things down as often and as drastically as Lowe's. We have got some bargains on the weekends. Many times hubby has gone to Lowe's to pick up some quick item and called with excitement over cabinets that would match our kitchen at 90% off or a window that "we'll find a place for". The employees at Home Depot seem to always push "installation", not for us seasoned DIYer's. That's almost an insult - us - pay for installation - never!

The Pain of Subcontractors

We've remodeled three houses and do most of the work ourselves. We consider ourselves experienced and able to deal with subs because we know what needs to be done and when but we're not immune to contractor woes.

The two story farm house we're redoing needed a new roof bad and hubby just didn't want to do it because he doesn't like heights. We got several quotes, checked references, did all the right things, we thought. The job seemed to go well. The sub we hired did the job in two days charged exactly what they quoted and we were very proud of ourselves. NOT!

It was almost 60 days before we had a good hard rain fall. Yap, your right, the roof leaked, Big Time! Hubby climbed into the attic to investigate. The idiots had stepped through the roof and made a huge hole. Did they fix it? Of course not, they just shingled over it. BUT that wasn't all. They had forgotten a row of shingles along the attic vent. A gap of about two inched at the peak. No Wonder it leaked!

We called the roofer that did the job several times and he never returned our calls. I told Hubby he should have left a message saying we had a friend that needed a roof, I bet he would have called us back then. It just makes me think he knew the job was substandard or he would have called. We couldn't wait because the drought had passed and there was more rain in the forecast and we had new ceiling tiles in jeopardy so hubby fixed it. Fortunately the fix was simple but it still makes you feel ripped off especially when you paid hard earned cash for a poor job.

You just can't win - - Even when you think you did all the right things. where are all those perfect subs on HGTV? If you want something done right, do it yourself!

Treasures From The Past...

I love learning about the history of old houses and the treasures found during demolition. I was very fortunate to have been given some photographs of our house from over 50 years ago. I treasure them and am always absorbed with searching out details I may have missed when I look at them. Taking in the changes in the landscaping and surroundings fascinate me.

For example the grape vine seen in this late 1930's photo. When we bought this great old farm house some 50+ years later that vine was still in residence. It had invaded the roof and rafters. Was working hard at choking out a beautiful old Lilac. I decided innocently to prune it. I consulted my father-in-law to make sure I was pruning with the signs and I cut away and promptly killed it. It saddened me because it was a great loss to us and the house. It was even more disturbing when I was given these photographs and I realized how far back the history of the house and vine must go.

We haven't found any treasures hidden in the walls yet however I'm still looking, but we have found several whiskey bottles tucked in the most interesting nooks and crannies. My imagination floats to the family who lived here and perhaps the husbands efforts to hide his hooch from the wife.

There was a hole in the basement that was full of the most interesting trash though. Old metal filling station and soft drink signs. They were in a bad state of decay but we kept them anyway. Even the trash of days gone by is worth a second look. Many bottles of every variety and some garden implements that had lasted past their usefulness.

The saying "One man's trash is another mans treasure." is a true statement. What treasures have you found in your old homes walls?

Bathroom layout

We lugged dry wall up the steps with much tugging and pulling (and damage to the stairway walls). I never know if I should pull or push. With the sheet rock in place the bath room is beginning to take shape. Just to satisfy my curiosity I convinced Gary to set the sinks and bathtub in place. It's going to work!

We had such a difficult time deciding how to layout the bathroom. We cut out templates for the sink, tub and toilet and moved and shifted and pondered for days. It finely found it's place and we knew it instantly. I was never sure till we sat the fixtures in and I do believe it's right. We had our wish list and we managed to get every item on it except an additional closet but we'll make that up with the huge walk-in closet being added. Also I have secret plans for the guest bedroom that I haven't revealed yet. I'll bring him in on the plan when he's ready, right now his energy is concentrating on the new bath. I don't want to cause sensory over load.

We went to Lowe's and ordered a custom fixed window for the stained glass we want to put in the bathroom. I knew we were in trouble when the sales person helping us said "I don't usually work in this department but...". I wanted to leave right then. But no...we were there Gary said. I don't know what we'll get but it's ordered no the less.

Where to begin....

I should have started this two years ago in the late summer of 2006 when we bought this old house because that's when all the work began. We started ripping out and refinishing even before we moved in.

The beginning, that's where I'll start...

I'm a business consultant specializing in small business planning to expand to e-commerce. I travel a lot and quite often to small towns and communities. I had an appointment in a small farming community in Southwest Virginia one late summer afternoon. When I was finished I decided rather then take the interstate highway home I would take the scenic route through the country side. I passed a beautiful but neglected farm house with a "for sale by owner" sign in the yard. On impulse I whipped into the drive and began to look around. I wondered around the beautiful lawn with ancient Peonies just losing their bloom. I was fascinated by the old cement cattle trough in the yard that would have once been the barn yard. I explored the old barn that was solid and smelled like my childhood and brought back memories of a pony long gone.

I was in love! I called my husband and told him I had found "our" dream house. It had the farm house I wanted and the barn and acreage he wanted. Once I began to describe what I was looking at he became intrigued. I was so certain I had to have this house I called the owner, asked the price, told them I wanted it and I put the for sale sign in my trunk. I didn't care how neglected it was, how much work was involved because I wanted it. I could clearly see what it could be not what it was.

The price was right considering the location and the five acres of property with the house made it even more attractive. There was only one catch. We had just finished completely renovating the house we were currently living in less then three months earlier. We worked for two years, had turned a neglected 50's ranch with a breath taking view of the mountain into a "doll house", the description given the property by our Realtor. The biggest negative was there was only a lot, no property with the house and my husband wanted land. For that reason it didn't take very long to convince him to sell and start again.

Being a HGTV addict and having watched countless hours of "Design to Sell" we put everything I've learned into practice. We leased a storage unit, emptied the house of everything personal and unnecessary clutter and "staged" the house to the hilt. Including baking cookies and fresh flowers. In a weeks time the house was shown 21 times and was sold within two weeks. Our house sold for double what we paid and we were left with a nice profit for beginning the work on the next house.

As I type this I hear saws and hammering on the floor above, a part of everyday life when renovating an old house.

This is the third house my husband and I have renovated, I say renovated not restored because I being who I am have to change things. The previous houses were not our dream house but they were solid houses in good locations that had great potential. We bought them with the intention of renovating them and selling for a profit which is exactly what me managed to do. Each decision was made with resale in mind so I didn't have the luxury of indulging in my personal taste which tends to be very traditional.

With each house we've bought "up". Our first "flip" was in 1999. A sweet 1920's 900 sq ft bungalow on a beautiful tree lined street in the city. A park across the street, a school two blacks away and a golf course within walking distance. The older residence were starting to pass away and the houses were being bought by young couples for starter homes. There was a lot of homes around us being renovated and the location was perfect. We knew when we bought it we wouldn't stay, it was just too small and we liked country living. But there was too much potential to pass up for such a cheap price. By the way, we do our flips the hard way, we live in them while we're flipping them. That way we don't have to rush, we pay cash as we go and the profit in the end is greater. We worked on that house for two years doubled our investment and bought another house, the ranch I mentioned earlier.

The ranch was 1600 sq ft and just not my taste. The greatest advantage this house had was the view. It had a 180 degree view of the Blue Ridge Mountains that people take vacations to see, it was stunning. It was surrounded by thick forest with not another house in sight and was within walking distance to a stocked trout stream. But the surrounding land was not for sale and never would be at a price we could afford. At any time it could have been sold to a developer and the privacy we treasured would be lost.

The house sat on a sloping lot that gave it the appearance of grandness. It had great curb appeal but once you stepped inside it scared the average buyer to death. The property had been tied up in probate for several years and had sat empty all the while. The previous owner was a chain smoker and spent ten years living in only one room of the house. The nicotine was thick on the walls and ceilings and the smell was unbearable. The water had been turned off so long the washers in the faucets had dry rot. When the water was turned on every faucet in the house shot water in every direction. It was just a nightmare! But the price was right and we negotiated terms that would have made any home renovator green with envy.

We worked on it for three months before it was livable and it took just over two years to complete but when we finished it was beautiful.

Now here we go, starting again, another old neglected gem waiting for our magic. The house was built in 1926. The house is 2200 sq ft with a barn, a two car detached garage with a one bedroom apartment above, it all sits on 5 acres of farm land zoned agricultural. It had been bought from the original owner’s estate by a realtor that intended to flip it himself but we bought it before he started working on it. He would have cleaned it, modernized it and sold it as quickly as he could. We’re going to take our time, spare no expense and it a beautiful home when were finished not just another house.

There has never been a lot done to the house so all the original charm is still in place. A kitchen was attached to the back of the house in the 40’s and a very small bath was added around the same time. The rooms are big with high ceilings but there are not that many rooms, so by count of rooms it rather small. It’s actually has only two bedrooms yet the house is almost 2200 sq ft. We’re adding another 600 sq feet with a master bath and a walk-in closet on the second level over the kitchen. We’re enclosing a once screened in porch with windows removing a wall and expanding the kitchen to double its current size.

Before we moved in we had all the original red oak floors stripped and refinished. We added central heat and air, had the electrical replaced and replaced every window and door. Since then we’ve divided the entry into a smaller space, added a coat closet and an alcove office for me in a pass through between the entry and dining room. We added another closet under the stairs. We built a wall to separate the bathroom from the dining room. We have plans for renovating the original bath but we’re not starting on it till we have the new bath finished up stairs. The dining room has been finished and the entry along with stripping the stairway. Everything else hinged on getting the second story project finished.

This past summer we planned to start the second story construction. It had been an unusually dry summer and we kept a watch on the weather forecast before we began ripping the roof off the kitchen. We gathered family and friends and started the demolition. The roof was removed, we took a break to grill some steaks for our helpers and it began to rain. Everyone scrambled to cover the roofless kitchen but it was too little too late. The rain poured and the thunder and lightening rumbled. Within a couple hours the water was gushing through the cabinets gathering in the floor and the old plaster ceiling began to collapse. We hadn’t intended to remove the old ceiling but Mother Nature had other plans. It rained for a week non stop. The mess surpassed anything we had ever gotten into before but with help and determination we cleaned it up and moved on.

Now we’re starting to put plumbing and electrical in the upstairs bath. We bought the fixtures and I’m planning the tile design.

When all the renovations are complete including the barn we plan to use the apartment above the garage as an equine inn, including full hook-ups for horse trailers with accommodations. We’re located very near an interstate highway and offer easy access to travelers with horses. We’ve planted a row of Leyland Cypress trees along the ridge and the sides of our property to create a natural screen between us and a housing complex behind us. With this in mind we’ve named the farm Leyland Ridge Farm and that will be the name of the inn, Leyland Ridge Equine Inn.

I don’t plan to write in the blog everyday, just as things progress on the house. I designed a website for the farm, if you would like to see what I’ve described visit our website at www.leylandridgefarm.com.