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[JoseSPiano]

DR Danise - Is there a chance that we will be seeing you and your house on an upcoming episode of "Extreme Home Makeover"? 

[elmore3003]

Hi folks,

This may be the last evening I can post for at least the next 2 weeks. 

After I went out for the hardware shopping, we got to talking and he suggested that with everything that is wrong with the house that we simply gut it and start over. 

Now by "gut" I mean they will tear all the walls down so they can get to the wiring but they won't change the inside set up of the house. 

When it is all said and done I will in essence have an entire new house with all new insulation.  Because they have to tear everything out, it was decided that I will have central heat and air.  The only thing I may have to give up is the utility room.  I may still get one but it won't be as big as I had hoped.  I don't have the money for everything.   

On the plus size, since they are totally redoing the walls, I will have all new cabinets in the kitchen.  The entire house will have tile floors as well. 

I will get a brand new stove, fridge and microwave (the microwave is going to go over the stove) but I might have to keep the washer I already have (that's fine with me) and get a used drier for the time being (that's also ok with me).  I've never had brand new appliances. 

I'm happy and scared to death.  I just wish it was all over.

Sheena may have to go to the kennel for a few days and I may have impose myself on Thelma for the week.  I feel so bad about even having to ask her if I could stay. 

Wow, DR Danise! You're really renovating.

[DAW]

Wow, DR Danise.  Big changes.

I'm rooting for you!!   

[Kerry]

Huge vibes to Danise!   UGH!  And congratulations.  But stilll UGH!

[Ginny]

DR Ginny are you seriously looking or just looking to see what's out there  (at houses, that is)

I'm wondering the same thing.  You sort of left us dangling there

Sorry, DRs Cillaliz and Jane and anyone else who's wondering.  Richard and I have been talking for a year or so about how nice it would be to have a one-story house with the laundry not in the basement.  We've been going to open houses once in a while, just to get an idea of what we like and what we don't.  Today, he was grossed out by the fact that, in the master suite, you had to go through the bathroom to get to the huge walk-in closet.  Seemed pretty impractical to me.  No wonder they haven't been able to sell that house since it was built on spec.

The day that Hurricane Ike hit (Sept. 13) we stopped at an open house on the way home from church and took a quick look at a house just after the power had gone off.  It was as close to perfection for me as we'll come (except for the location, but you can't have everything).  When we passed it today, with the sign still out front, I said that to Richard and he said, "I thought you didn't like it."  Think we might make an appointment to go have another look, with the lights on and our lines of communication open.

[Jane]

You have to remember that my house is only 600 square feet and he's putting 2 crews to work on it starting tomorrow morning.  One will do the outside and one will start on the inside.

Two crews, the answer to my question.   You have picked a good time to do this.  Normally keeping one crew on a job is difficult.

[Danise]

Thank you all.  I'll take all the vibes I can get. 

There was just so much wrong--I knew it but I was just trying to do what I could.  The contractor saw it and when I told him my story about Mom not wanted to work on the house and how I stayed with her these past 30 years, he said I needed some help and he was going to do everything he could to give me a comfortable home.

I haven't been that good.   I did what anyone would have done.   I just keep wishing Mom could be here to enjoy this as well.

[Ginny]

Oh, DR Danise, I don't envy you the next couple of weeks, but it'll all be worth it!  Hang in there!

[Jane]

DR Ginny at times I miss having a two story house, until I'm cleaning or not feeling well.  You might find some of the one story homes have higher ceilings which are great.

We have our closet in our bathroom.  Actually I find it very convenient.  We also have a door to the toilet so the bathroom isn't completely open.  Some privacy is nice.

[Danise]

You have to remember that my house is only 600 square feet and he's putting 2 crews to work on it starting tomorrow morning.  One will do the outside and one will start on the inside.

Two crews, the answer to my question.   You have picked a good time to do this.  Normally keeping one crew on a job is difficult.

  Times are slow.  I think that's part of the reason he's willing to go the extra mile for me.  I guess in one way, I couldn't have picked a better time to get all this stuff done.

I'm just scared about what I'll do if I lose my job.  I don't want to lose my home.

[Jane]

DR Danise, a fraction of the people would have done what you did, especially to the extent you did it. 

Your contractor seems like a good guy.

[Jane]

MONEY & JOB & HOUSE REBUILDING VIBES FOR DR DANISE!!

VIBES THE CONTRACTOR IS AS GOOD AS HE SOUNDS!!

[Danise]

He is.  I met his wife on Saturday.  She was already telling him things he could do to the house.  I was so embarrassed to show them the house the way it is.  I don't think they could believe some of the things I've put up with all these years.  She kept saying, "We'll fix that, won't we honey?"  I think his list of things to do kept getting longer and longer and it wasn't me doing the talking. 

[Jane]

I would rather have a small laundry room than one in the basement, especially when having it in the basement makes two flights of stairs.

DR Ginny is your basement finished?  I called our first basement the dungeon.  It wasn't as bad doing laundry in a finished basement.

[Danise]

Oh, and on the boxer story.  He was at my house again last night. 

The kid came knocking about eight PM.  I don't think they knew he was gone before then. 

Sigh.  There is nothing I can do for that dog now.  There is no way I'm taking on another animal when I'm going through all of this house stuff.  I no longer can afford 2 dogs.  At least, not until things settle down and I see where I'm at.   

[Ginny]

...
We have our closet in our bathroom.  Actually I find it very convenient.  We also have a door to the toilet so the bathroom isn't completely open.  Some privacy is nice.

Yeah, I've seen those split set-ups in plans and liked them, but this required that you walk right through the middle of the bathroom (all fixtures in one room) to get to the closet.

[Cillaliz]

Hi folks,

This may be the last evening I can post for at least the next 2 weeks. 

After I went out for the hardware shopping, we got to talking and he suggested that with everything that is wrong with the house that we simply gut it and start over. 

Now by "gut" I mean they will tear all the walls down so they can get to the wiring but they won't change the inside set up of the house. 

When it is all said and done I will in essence have an entire new house with all new insulation.  Because they have to tear everything out, it was decided that I will have central heat and air.  The only thing I may have to give up is the utility room.  I may still get one but it won't be as big as I had hoped.  I don't have the money for everything.  

On the plus size, since they are totally redoing the walls, I will have all new cabinets in the kitchen.  The entire house will have tile floors as well. 

I will get a brand new stove, fridge and microwave (the microwave is going to go over the stove) but I might have to keep the washer I already have (that's fine with me) and get a used drier for the time being (that's also ok with me).  I've never had brand new appliances. 

I'm happy and scared to death.  I just wish it was all over.

Sheena may have to go to the kennel for a few days and I may have impose myself on Thelma for the week.  I feel so bad about even having to ask her if I could stay. 

Wow! Danise, this sounds great!  I can understand being scared, but it will be a great house when you're done.  As long as you can swing it financially, I say You Go Girl!!!!

[Jane]

DR Danise once your house is fixed up maybe you can rent out the spare bedroom.  I see adds for that all the time.

[Danise]

I hope if you really like that house that you get it, DR Ginny. 

[Jane]

Danise did you get the phone number of the Boxer's family?  It is fun for Sheena when he visits, & fun for the Boxer.  I have had dogs & cats that visited.  Even though I worried about them at times I just enjoyed the visits.

[Ginny]

...
DR Ginny is your basement finished?  I called our first basement the dungeon.  It wasn't as bad doing laundry in a finished basement.

No, but it's not quite a dungeon.  I'm just getting more and more concerned about either one of us trying to go down the steps carrying a full basket of dirty clothes.  We've talked about installing a laundry chute (no good location) or moving the laundry room to the main floor.

[Danise]

Hi folks,

This may be the last evening I can post for at least the next 2 weeks. 

After I went out for the hardware shopping, we got to talking and he suggested that with everything that is wrong with the house that we simply gut it and start over. 

Now by "gut" I mean they will tear all the walls down so they can get to the wiring but they won't change the inside set up of the house. 

When it is all said and done I will in essence have an entire new house with all new insulation.  Because they have to tear everything out, it was decided that I will have central heat and air.  The only thing I may have to give up is the utility room.  I may still get one but it won't be as big as I had hoped.  I don't have the money for everything.  

On the plus size, since they are totally redoing the walls, I will have all new cabinets in the kitchen.  The entire house will have tile floors as well. 

I will get a brand new stove, fridge and microwave (the microwave is going to go over the stove) but I might have to keep the washer I already have (that's fine with me) and get a used drier for the time being (that's also ok with me).  I've never had brand new appliances. 

I'm happy and scared to death.  I just wish it was all over.

Sheena may have to go to the kennel for a few days and I may have impose myself on Thelma for the week.  I feel so bad about even having to ask her if I could stay. 

Wow! Danise, this sounds great!  I can understand being scared, but it will be a great house when you're done.  As long as you can swing it financially, I say You Go Girl!!!!

Thanks, DR Cilliz.  I'm hoping I've made the right choices. 

[Jane]

...
We have our closet in our bathroom.  Actually I find it very convenient.  We also have a door to the toilet so the bathroom isn't completely open.  Some privacy is nice.

Yeah, I've seen those split set-ups in plans and liked them, but this required that you walk right through the middle of the bathroom (all fixtures in one room) to get to the closet.

Strange & I expect very inconvenient at times.

[George]

Thanks, DR JoseSPiano, for letting us know about the free concert on HBO.   I didn't know!!   

I didn't either.  I set my DVR to record it, too.

[Jane]

It is scary DR Danise.  I think you are making the right decision to do this now. 

[Jane]

...
DR Ginny is your basement finished?  I called our first basement the dungeon.  It wasn't as bad doing laundry in a finished basement.

No, but it's not quite a dungeon.  I'm just getting more and more concerned about either one of us trying to go down the steps carrying a full basket of dirty clothes.  We've talked about installing a laundry chute (no good location) or moving the laundry room to the main floor.

Some of the new washers & dryers fit into very small spaces.

[Danise]

I'm getting a kick out of the new and all this "historic moment" stuff.  It sure is--at least for me!

I remember when Mom and I painted the living room and had the TV off all day only to find they had that big police man hunt for Hank Earl Carr.  I told Mom, he could have come down our street and we wouldn't have known anything was going on!

[Danise]

Danise did you get the phone number of the Boxer's family?  It is fun for Sheena when he visits, & fun for the Boxer.  I have had dogs & cats that visited.  Even though I worried about them at times I just enjoyed the visits.

  No.  I keep telling myself I need to get it so I can call them and tell them to come and get him but I guess I have other things on my mind. 

[Cillaliz]

Danise, when I had my little house at the lake...it was a very little house. I had a friend who was just getting started as a contractor.  I asked him to make my screened in porch a room and he proposed a new addition to the house with a master bedroom and a big living room.

I know you're gutting and redoing not adding on, but I have to tell you as messy as it was, they completed the entire thing in less than a month. From pouring the foundation to having the carpet installed and the walls painted.  We did it during an off time when the sub contractors were available.  I was very scared at the time, but in the end, it was lovely. I really enjoyed it while I still lived there  and it helped me sell the house for a profit when I finally decided it was time to sell that house. 

[Ginny]

I hope if you really like that house that you get it, DR Ginny. 

Thanks, DR Danise.  We're really not ready to move, but looking can't hurt, can it?