It strikes me that I’m really more excited about getting my parents’ house whipped into shape than I’m prepared to admit. It’s still not my ideal house but it’s the first place in many years I’ve been able to take over and really make into my own space without any outside influences like roommates, husbands, landlords, etc. And while I’m not going to spend a lot of money, I can spend enough to do it semi-correctly. I think it will be fun. As I spend more time with it and eliminate some of the chaos and the sad reminders, I’m realizing it’s really not such a bad place–even though it will never have a proper Tiki Room.
The extra hour a day that I’m not spending in my car is kind of nice too. It allowed me to meet with a repairman and have dinner with an old friend before it was even completely dark out.
Anyway, I’ll keep you posted. Maybe even with pictures…eventually. I kind of hate that I didn’t take any really good “before” shots.
The three rules of remodeling, particular of an older building:
1. There WILL be unexpected surprises.
2. You WILL go over budget.
3. It WILL fall behind schedule.
In other words, generously pad both the time and dollar estimates you get. The one project I embarked on, I padded the estimates by 50% and they ended up more like 25% over — no crisis, since I had plenty of breathing room.
I guess it’s a result of lessons learned from my parents, who had a house custom-built for them and who didn’t appreciate Rules Number 2 and 3 above (which apply equally to new construction as well as remodeling). I remember how much stress it caused them, and vowed not to ever fall into the same trap myself.
And lest I sound like Little Miss Negative, I’ll point out that the results WILL probably be well worth it all. It was for me.
Oh, and WATCH THE WORK LIKE A HAWK. Check up on it *DAILY*. It’s amazing how easily apparently clear instructions can be misunderstood, and the sooner the misunderstandings are detected, the less money they send down the drain.
Thanks for the pointers. Fortunately, most of what I am doing will hopefully be fairly straightforward low-level stuff: cabinet rehab rather than reconstruction, vinyl floor installation, minor plumbing/appliance installation, and some painting–all within the existing footprint and without structural stuff or relocation–so while I still know that 1,2,and 3 will happen, I’m hoping I won’t be digging myself too big a hole.
Be forewarned that my optimism may prove fragile :)