fireplace surround...in progress

here is the before picture

and in progress...

siding...

stripped

we finally had a break in the rain--just in time because we were ready to start improving the exterior. so, on saturday we stripped the old siding from the house.

we also ripped up those mangy shrubs (you can see them piled up in the photo)

fun with moulding scraps...

crown -reindeer
door casing -man with hat
baseboard -owl
door casing -man with big nose and prominent forehead!

some more trim...

this bedroom is basically finished...it just needs a little paint/touch-up!


we trimmed out the front door...still need to paint it!

bathroom

we installed the crown moulding and base trim in the bathroom...mitering crown moulding is really challenging! not much left to do here except for caulk, touch-ups, and tub refinishing.

thank you sully!

for all of your help today!

more interior trimwork-progress

laundry closet:


walk in closet:


living room:




bedroom 2:

home stretch...

we are finally installing the trimwork, which is the final step for the interior renovations...after this, we will go outside to replace the roof and siding and add a back deck and upgrade the landscaping...

here are the windows...trimmed out

wood flooring

living room...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY(s)!!!

scott and i would like to wish my mom and his dad a very happy birthday!

ahh granite!

the granite countertops were installed yesterday...we are sooo happy with them! we chose "black impala" granite which has flecks of black, grey and beige.

wood floor installation

here is what we refer to as bedroom 1. it is the smaller of the 2 bedrooms. we installed the hardwood floors yesterday.


here is the beginning of the installation of the wood floor in bedroom 2...we finished it today.

long overdue update!

the fireplace tile surround is now complete. we have grouted it and since it is marble, it was necessary to apply a sealant.



i have recently learned that garbage disposals are called "pigs" amongst the construction professionals...so here is a picture of our new pig! the dishwasher drains into the pig...and since it is all hooked up, we were able to run the dishwasher today! very exciting!


here is a picture of the new washer/dryer unit. it is also all hooked up and we ran a test wash... this washer heats the water when it needs hot water, so it doesnt drain the hot water tank (great for if you are showering while running a wash). also, it boasts an annual running expense of only $30 a year. quite the energy saver!


we also installed the faucet in the bath sink...and here it is!


oh yeah, this was fun....we are changing all of the fixtures in the bath to new fixures that are brushed nickel. so, we wanted a new tub drain to match...and we had to remove the existing drain that is supposed to just unscrew....well, after hours of trying to somehow unscrew the drain, scott took the reciprocating saw to it and finally got it to budge (without damaging the tub--otherwise, we would have had to replace the tub, which would have been a disaster!).

i would love to show you pictures of the beautiful granite countertops that were installed today, and the new hardwood flooring that we installed in one of the bedrooms...but i forgot to bring my camera again!!! so it will have to wait until tomorrow...sorry!