New Skills

First I have to say that I have an awesome family! I'm sure that none of them want to be spending so many of their nights and weekends doing what we are doing at the Kensington house. Just to give you a perspective of how much work there is to do ... I had contractors out to give us an idea of price(s) to get the house back in shape to get it on the market ... and it would be over $24,500.00. Yes, twenty-four THOUSAND plus! Just to get it back to being acceptible. This doesn't include replacing the range, ceiling fans or putting can lights in the kitchen - which we are also doing. It's not like we're redoing the bathrooms or kitchen cabinets and counters. This is just to get it back to liveable! How can three people do so much damage (oh wait "hard living" is what the insurance company called it when they said it wouldn't be covered by my rental insurance) in only three and a half years? There wasn't a surface in the place that didn't need work. Needless to say, we didn't hire the contractors to do the work. But I did hire someone to re-do the mudding and taping in the basement. Amy's church had graciously hung drywall down there after we got it dried out from the flood. But all their good intentions didn't make it acceptible work. On the main floor Megan, David, Susie and I took up all the carpet, tack strips and staples because they were rusted through from the urine. The padding under the carpet in many places had disintegrated so badly that we had to scrape the subfloor with putty knives. After going over it with a disinfectant we used a bleach solution on them. AFTER all that Mark rolled a heavy layer of Kilz on all the subfloor. Although it helped, all the smell wasn't gone so we've gotten Justin to pull up parts of the subfloor and replace it. What a workout our Lowe's card has gotten! The best part of the first week was Susie & I learning to use a power washer. I WANT ONE!!! It was so exhilarating to see the mold stuff coming off the back of the house! Yes the inside of the place wasn't the only thing neglected. One of my other new skills is replacing deadbolts and door locks. David is in Boston all week - but we have been there every night but Tuesday working. (stayed late at the office and it's piano night!). Katie even came home last weekend to help out. Emily & Sarah tried to help, but that's a story for another day. They've been really good about being responsible for lots and lots of extra stuff at home (like laundry and cleaning!) Mark started painting ceilings last night while Megan & I finished up washing all the woodwork in the house so that the painters tape will stick. I don't think any of it had been touched since the last time I washed it while living there! Found another few spots that her pets had "hit" while doing that as well. I'm sure that once we get finished with bleaching the basement there will be no hint of pet smells left! Evan & Susie have found all the nail holes, wall dings, etc and gotten them spackled. This weekend we are going to paint the rest of the ceilings and walls. Anybody that wants to join the fun is welcome! Next week should be replacing bathroom flooring, putting up trim and doors in the basement and hopefully carpet at the end of the week. Still need to find an inexpensive range and have David finish up some electrical work. Hoping for a break in the weather to be able to get to cleaning up the landscaping next weekend. After that it should be a good scrubbing of windows and bathrooms and painting of exterior doors, etc. and we'll be finished! But as I said - we've got an awesome family and they are a blessing!