Junkin Reno: Hiccups along the way

It's been so fun renovating... opening up walls, picking out appliances, cabinets, fixtures, lights, etc.

All fun and so worth it. But it hasn't come without it's fare share of hiccups along the way. We knew we were walking into some large renovations, and a laundry list of items that had to be completed before we moved in...

   Asbestos tile in the basement and master bath closet.

   Termites on the screened porch.

   Two non-working chimneys.

   A {very tall and big} porch that is not up to code.

   Heat pump listed. No heat pump in the house {but we have a radiator that's is excellent condition}.

   AC units {yes, two} are working, but on their last leg.

   Great attic - with a pull down access that needs replacing.

   Single pain windows. That are beautiful by the way. But also, all custom.

   Two-prong electical outlets throughout the house.

   Wallpaper covering {the ceiling as well} in six rooms in the house.

   All new bathrooms.

   A whole new kitchen.

   Did I mention that the basement is covered in barn wood?

But... we forged ahead. Nothing too scary on the list, right?

Then the reno started... and we've added to the list.

   More asbestos tile in the kichen.

   Having to close in a kitchen window - sigh - in order to open up a wall.

   More asbestos tile in the den.

   Crazy cement-plaster walls that are SO hard to tear down.

   A broken window in the upstairs foyer.

   Standing water in the front yard.

   Oaks that are in desperate need of trimming.

   Flower beds that haven't been touched in well over 5 years. Maybe 10.

   Poison Ivy/Oak/Sumac covering the beds... the hubs learned this the hard way.

   Flys swarming the attic.

I am sure the I missed a few things that we have yet to discover... but I am happy to say that all of things on the above list have been addressed and we are making progress on the reno. We are not going to meet our target move-in date of July 1. But we are hopeful that we aren't far-off. Maybe July 15/20?

All this to say, the house is looking beautiful!

Everyone in town that we talk with has so many great stories to tell us about the house and it's previous owners. It was certainly 'a house of its day' for many many years, and we hope to bring it back to its {updated and renovated} glory very soon!

Stay tuned for more updates!