Day 7 All Inclusive where I get to drive everyone nuts

Flipping houses offers me all the things I like to do in a lump project.  Shopping for new things while trying to get them at a good discount.  Designing old with the new to make a place more functional yet stylish.  Recycling (I drive my boyfriend nuts with this) the old things like kitchen hardware, metal sinks, old doorknobs, or just taking those things we are not re-using to local places like Goodwill, Restore, or my all time favorite Uncle Benny's!  (I drive my kids nuts with wanting to go there just to look).  Blogging about the little funny things that happen during a project. Being an owner and boss of everyone (just kidding, I say that kinda stuff to make our workers laugh or drive them nuts.  I think I'm funny.)   Making Money, which is always a plus. So I guess I've found something that I love doing while driving everyone else nuts.  Life is good.  Now if we can just add some of the elements of this kitchen to ours, it will be great!

Day 7 Progress: I remeasured the kitchen space so we can get the cabinets on the Home Depot bulk order.  Both Home Depot and Lowes will give you discounts on a contractors bulk order if it's over a certain amount. We got all of our kitchen appliances for the last house for about 2,100 bucks by doing this.  They are all new with warranties and the new home owners can move into a complete package. I also took down the cabinet doors so I can just sand and paint them separately.  My girls want a project to do, so I am giving them this one.

Lights!

 Here is the view from the front door. We need a light for this room that will really stand out. So many choices! 

  

Day 4 It should be Illegal...

Look at the porch columns! It's going to be so nice.  

The brown house with the mango door is the inspiration for the porch columns.  I love the colors too.  We are deciding between this mango or an orange door with the brown paint!

 

I am highly convinced that paint should only be sold to a professional.  Case in point, look at the house next door.  Green with green trim.  Really? I guess it will only make ours look even better.

Day 4 Progress: 2nd floor ceilings 1/2 demo, porch columns and floor build, all inside demo clean up.

Day 5 1978 Grease vs 1897 Grease

According to the records from Larimer County, this house was built in 1897.  81 years later the movie Grease was filmed.  115 years later I am removing grease from the house's kitchen cabinet latches that I so desperately want to keep. It is the inspiration for the kitchen design.  I am trying so hard to figure out why I do things like this.  I like the latches, I like the movie Grease.  I do not like the 115 years of grease and paint built up on these handles.  I can't find a connection between the two greases except the dates have the same numbers.  Is that enough to justify this tedious job?  Apparently so because all I can think about is how great these will look when I'm done.  So I'll just enjoy my OCD-ness about these fabulous latches and throw on the movie while I clean the grease off.   "Your the one that I want....."

Day 5 Progress: New 30 yd dumpster delivered, 20 yd picked up already, permit for roof, roof demo, inside carpets 2nd floor out, porch columns and porch floor done, kitchen cabinet salvage, 4:00 walk through update and happy hour!


Week 1 plans discussed: concerns about kitchen cabinets, discussed plans for lower cabinets, style, tile floor designs, main bath insert 2 piece verses 1 piece, master bath shower 2 shower heads verses 1, sink re-positioned to other wall, discussed sliding barn doors for bath and shower, barn door build and design, basement door rebuild, closet design, sanding floors with a dark stain finish, 2nd floor carpet verses painting floor, trees down and trimmed and mulch used for yard.  Making 2nd door in master bedroom a window.

Day 3 Lost or Found

The dumpster is filling up quickly.  The porch didn't need to be torn down just secured and leveled.  The blue tub is out, the plan for the master bath is fantastic, the kitchen will come together soon, the roof is coming down and there is a shoe in the dumpster!

Lost during demo or found in the house?

Day 3 Progress: Roof coming down, more carpet out, 2nd bath disassembled, (saved toilets and sinks and mirrors), closet shelves out, columns and porch build.

Day 2 Old vs New kitchen

Kitchen style is very personal so when designing a fix and flip it is hard not to put your own taste into the design. These older homes are sometimes limited to design with their quirky old features. Our first house had a metal sink that we chose to refinish and design around that. This one has old cabinets with some cool hardware that is the inspiration for the design. However the counter top is lower than normal, just about 33 inches. Not a good fit for Bill who is a towering 6 ft something. But a perfect fit for Brooke who is a petite 5 ft something. We compromise with the average person and demo the bottom and add the standard height cabinets. Good decision until we realize the wall cabinets are lower than normal and the space between those and the cabinets is approximately 12"! Do we demo the top now or keep? The goal is update the space to a functional kitchen within our budget and time constraints, We will let you know if we manage to accomplish that soon enough.

Day 2 Progress: Roof starting to come down, columns on front porch started, porch floor secured, carpet coming out.

Day 1 Demo Fun-;0est Day Ever

Doing demo takes the stress away from all those problems that happen during the initial part of obtaining a property.  Will you close on time, how much money do you need at closing, how much will it appraise for?  There are so many variables out of your hands, it becomes a waiting game even though you know its a good deal. So hang in there and keep your confidence up, if the numbers work you'll be swinging your hammer soon!

Day 1 Progress: 20 yard dumpster delivered, 2nd kitchen and cabinets are down, bathtub is out, front porch railing down.