The Haunting Begins.....

So one of our workers was in the attic and slipped off a beam and his foot fell through the floor/ceiling.  Nobody heard or saw him.  After he "survived", he came outside to tell us he almost fell through the floor.  And of course, being the good support system that we are, we all laughed.  We even embellished the image of him hanging through the ceiling and being stuck with some of those wasped stinging him in the head, with no one to help.  But none of this really happened.  Just a foot through the ceiling. 

So to continue the fun, I placed the doll in the ceiling so just her feet are seen when you walk in the door.  The doll was found in a trunk in the attic on the first day.  From the first time I saw her, I knew exactly how she would come in handy.  She will continue to "visit" our poor unsuspecting workers.  Just be on the lookout!

On another note, some great progress is being made...take a look!

There were about four layers on this! Those old wood boards look like they were fresh off a tree.  You can see right into the attic.

 The roof will be done right this time!

 Look at all the trash!  The 30 ton dumpster was emptied once already and is half full again.

Turn That Frown Upside-Down

This is our house. It is our house with its first real face-lift. Lets just call it a nose job. For those of you following our website, facebook, and of course our blog, you've seen that the front of the house was cluttered and looked as though it needed a facial makeover. The porch sagged on the bottom and frowned on the top. We are excited to show you this first photo of home recovery for this pink house. Notice the raise in the porch, the stylish, yet countryish beams, and the beautifully poured new front porch. Those that have sat on this porch enjoying sunsets in the past are now smiling, because there will be lucky owners to enjoy the sunset in the future, but with a happier, and more confident pink house. Stay tuned because this baby, our baby, is going to look amazingly fantastic as the weeks progress. You wouldn't recognize her if you saw her on the street...she's a pink house and she's looking good.

Week 2 Outside Progress

Check out these pictures from week 2.  Our team is fantastic!  John and Anthony have been at the house doing alot of the work and boy are they hard workers!  The demo has gone quickly, we've already filled the largest dumpster and need to get a new one.  The roof will happen soon, hopefully not in this heat.  I love seeing the changes everyday.  Take a look at some outside progress.

 New cement porch looks so awesome!

The columns are perfect.

 Clothes lines removed in back yard. Designing a firepit.

Small brick patio in front of shed from cool old bricks found around the property.

Treasure of the Day
While working in the house today, S discovered a treasure and I thought it was really intriguing. It's a treasure because it is unique, and was at one time important to someone sharing the history of this property with us. It's actually a onesie for adults - keeping the shirt tucked must have been a fashion trend in the day - and has initials embroidered on the front. The W is actually the original owner of the property, he held the deed. I have to say that Mr. W could not have been too comfy in this item of clothing. We're guessing it was a work shirt, but I really had to wonder about his occupation. Maybe a milk delivery man. Most likely he pushed his cart like the man on Fiddler on the Roof tightly tucked. It's amazing, when renovating a home, that the history is uniquely found. New homes are beautiful but generally lack character. An older home that is renovated is new & modern, but leaves a footprint in history. It's one of the most gratifying and connecting experiences.

The Key

The key to success for pinkhouse girls is teamwork.  Even though this is our first house, Brooke and I are working seamlessly through each step as if we've done this a hundred times!  I love her enthusiasm and dedication! We have built a great team and now we are re-building a great house.  We will be posting more before and afters so keep posted!
S

Patience. I know the old saying, 'Patience is a Virtue,' seems a bit outdated in our fast food world, but it rang true for us this week. We have finally closed on our first pink house, the one we have been patiently waiting to clear title since last April. It has been worth the wait.

This fantastic home has been a Loveland icon for a hundred years. Many have added on here and there – rooms, a shed, newer fixtures – but the beauty of this house is that the old still remains. Our main goal is to acknowledge the beauty of the old, with the convenience & style of the new, to create not just a house, but a home for the future owners.

One of the best parts about rehabbing a house is the neighbors. They have kept an eye on the house for us throughout this entire process, relay the stories of the home's history, and are also really excited to see this home bring up the quality of their street.

Rehabbing homes is a very eco-friendly term. It's about taking something with character, a part of history, and creating it into something exceptional...one pink house at a time.

Fencing Myself In

My latest project was for Nina, my kids dog.  She only visits my house sometimes so we had to finish fencing in the sides of the house so she will stop running around the neighborhood looking for a playmate!  Can you see that little dog in the corner, they are so cute together.  

So I searched Craig's list and found this matching vinyl fence...when I went to meet the gentleman, it was all 16 ft lengths, yikes!  I can't transport that in my suburban, but I can fit 8 feet!  So he gave me some dirty used pieces for free!

Nothing a powerwash couldn't fix!  Yeah!  He also had some posts which he sold me for 5 bucks including the cap!  But they only had 2 openings and I need 3 for Nina the horse.  So I got them and figured I could cut a template and router the 3rd rail opening. 

  Not perfect, but not bad either.  I made the girls help me dig the holes, even though they insisted it's child labor! It's their dog! 



Setting the posts and pouring the concrete were the easiest parts!  They were level and even with the neighbors, so far so good.  I was just having trouble figuring out how to get the 3 rails in the posts.  I could do it if the posts could move a little, but I poured the concrete and if they set I wouldn't have that tiny bit of wiggle room I needed to get all three of them in. 

 I cut them the right length, put them all in the openings while the cement was wet.  It was comical, because I would get one in then one would fall out.  ugh, one even hit my head.  Then I got this scratch on my leg from one.  I was sure I wouldn't be able to finish this myself without asking someone for help.  And to top it off, it's been 90 degrees daily for the last couple weeks here.



But finally, they all stayed.  I made sure the posts were level and ran away...just kidding.    

It looks great.  I will add the wire next and Nina will be safe!