Man Work!

So this past weekend was pretty nice weather wise...there was a threat of rain, but we only got a couple sprinkles. So finally we were able to do some yardwork (demolition) before we put anything new in.

 Remember that awkward looking bush out back?

Well it finally met its demise :) Now it is waiting to be hauled away...

 And remember that funny looking bush with the shovel holding it up?

 Well, this is all that's left of it! One day Robbie decided to take his massive pair of tree clippers to it, and three trashcans later we had its thorny branches contained. Then this weekend we finally were able to dig up the root!

But the real "man work" came when my dad decided to bring over his chain saw. There are not many things I have seen him get excited about more so than using his chain saw to chop something down at whatever opportunity he gets :). (Note the safety glasses and gloves - OSHA approved!)

Before I managed to make it outside with my camera, they already had one strangled holly tree chopped down and filling trashcans.

 Then Robbie's turn came with helping make sure the tall one didn't go crashing somewhere it didn't belong!

 When all was said and done, we were two holly trees shorter, four trashcans fuller, and a few loads of firewood greater for the fall!

 Fun times in the yard! And more to come! (If you hadn't noticed, our yard is 70% overgrown shrubs, 20% weeds, and maybe 5-10% flowers - but not for long hopefully!)

Getting Ready for Home Improvement #2: A List

Being in Pittsburgh everyone and their cousin works for Westinghouse or some other engineering firm, so I hear the label "Project Manager" a lot. Well when it comes to home improvements, the improver is the manager. People come over and help out, I listen to their advice and end up getting shocked by an outlet. Improvers manage their own property and seek to make it better. So with that idea in mind we had to come up with a plan on how to renovate our kitchen. (Warning this gets specific.)

1. Remove the ugly wallpaper - it tore off lovely and we used a steamer to loosen the glue. Good friend Derek Bates suggest fabric softener mixed with water. It worked just as well and better on occasion.
2. Demolition: take out 1/2 a wall and convert it into a 40 inch bar wall. This will require moving wiring and removing bulkheads, thus exposing the attic.
3. Electrical work - install new lights over bar
4. Demolition - bye, bye cabinets with countertop, sink, stove, and dishwasher.
5. Ceiling work - install new drywall ceiling after removing the tile and scraping off hardened glue.
6. Electrical work - install recess lighting that replaces the old ones
7. Mudding and prep work for paint - gotta have a flat, smooth surface
8. Painting ceiling, walls, and anything else.
9. Flooring - tear up the old stuff and down with the new
10. Cabinet installation (which must be delivered) along with all the bells and whistles
11. Appliances delivered and installed
12. Countertop templated, ordered, and installed

I feel like I am missing something...............

Getting ready for Home Improvement #1: Assessment of Skill

This is gleaned from the past 2 months of experience. For any project at home one must begin with him or herself- how much do you really know about home improvement? Can you do it yourself, etc? What skills do you have? Do you even know how to hold a hammer? (I find that many of my students, guys included, do not know the basic know-how of tools. Sad.)

Personally I gleaned a lot of different skills over the years: maintenance at various campgrounds in high school, working with a construction company in college, and doing a lot of things at my parents home. Roofing, insulation, drywall, and painting are things that I know. A few things scare me- like electricity and plumbing. Providentially there are many people in our church community that know how to mud drywall, handle electricity, and other things that are willing to share their knowledge with me. So while my skills are limited, the skill knowledge and ability of our larger community is not.

Also are you willing to learn?

Understanding what you can do yourself along with the availability of skilled friends and family go a long way in determining what you can and cannot do on your house. (It directly affects your budget. Amazingly 40% of your costs will be labor and installation.)

One last note. Recognize that you are going to mess up. Consider that if you wired the ceiling boxes wrongly, then you will have to remove the drywall to fix it. Learning means making a mess, is doing it yourself worth the mess? (For us the answer is yes. As long as it is a small mess.)