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2017 Projects & Plans

I planned to share a post about our library closet and organization. However, it is currently a work-in-progress with the emphasis on work rather than progress. Instead, I am using today’s post to write about our 2017 projects and plans for BHH.

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Andy and I do a budget analysis in January. That sounds grown up and technical, but what it really means is that I try to talk Andy into projects and he says they are too expensive. Our marriage is a partnership, not a patriarchy, but as someone who is in charge of multi-million dollar budgets at work, Andy knows thinks money does not lie. I believe that it can be gently manipulated and shifted about until I get a new couch. Andy brings spreadsheets to the discussion. I bring dramatic and convincing arguments based on my heart or gut instinct. Once we complete this yearly relationship ritual, we have our list of projects.

2015 and 2016 were both very expensive years. In 2015, BHH got a new roof and some fresh paint. In 2016, we hired painters to paint BHH blue, and we used a combo of Lowe’s contractors and DIY to gut and remodel the kitchen.

2017 will look a little different as we scale back on spending. We try to strike a nice balance between work that makes us feel better and work that keeps BHH from toppling over. This year will be a nice mix of the two.

Inside Projects

In April and October, we will participate in the One Room Challenge™. We have not announced our spring ORC plans yet, and the fall challenge room is TBD. We will spend the rest of the interior budget on a bunch of little projects. Those items include:

Closets

We have three storage closets that need organizational makeovers. Two are upstairs, and the third is the closet that we call “Harry’s Room.”

Harry’s room is the closet under the staircase, and the name is a nod to the Harry Potter book series. At the Dursley’s house, Harry lived in a small room under the stairs. Harry’s room in BHH is a coat closet.

(Update 3/7/17: The Library Closet is done!)

The Guest Room

This room has some issues. In 2015, ice dams ruined the wall by the windows. We were in a hurry to set up a bed for our revolving list of guests that year, so we slapped the room together and walked away. The guest room needs some window repairs, and we will change the decor. Two weeks ago, I found new duvet covers. Fortunately, most of the changes in the guest room will be cosmetic.

The Living Room

The living room is another room with great potential, but it suffered due to our lack of time and the quantity of work necessary. We considered the renovation of this room to the be the first pass, so to speak.  I will be building a new coffee table, and we plan to improve the lighting. Also, behind the couch, between the bookshelves, there is a long wooden bench. I will sew a thick cushion for that spot so we can use the bench for additional comfy seating. Speaking of the bookshelves, we need to repair, paint and decorate the interiors of both.

Outside Projects

Landscaping and Driveway

When BHH was on the market, the lawyers who looked after the property hired a lawn service to keep everything green and tidy. When we moved in, we discontinued that service, and the lingering chemicals kept the yard in tip top shape all through the next season. (This was nice, but kind of terrifying if you think about it too much.) Due mostly to neglect, the grounds at BHH are a disaster.

There are a few low spots near the house which allow water to seep into the basement. We will hire someone to improve the grading and add soil.  In the front of the house, where we removed the pine trees, the landscaping looks like this:

We will get the stumps ground, and all of that pachysandra is getting bulldozed. Goodbye, green stuff that catches leaves and hides trash. We will clean all of the flowerbeds, replant and mulch for the summer. I can hardly wait for flowers to bloom again.

In addition to landscaping, the driveway needs to be repaired and sealed. We have noticed that most people get their driveway sealed every year.  Since we moved in, our driveway has not been touched, and it shows. We need to repair the cracks, fill some holes, and seal the whole thing.

Exterior Painting and Shingle Repair

Last year, we budgeted to have 1/2 of the house painted. This summer, we will hire the same painters to finish the job. However, before they can do their part, we need to do ours.

The back of the house needs quite a bit of repair.

We will remove and replace all of the cedar shingles on that side of the house. Also, we will reglaze all of the windows in the upper section. I did not take a proper photo of the left side, but there is a large gap that the squirrels love. We need to close that hole and fix all of the dry rot on that side.

On the other side of the house, we will replace the shingles that are missing at the bottom and repair the glazing and replace the cracked panes of glass. Approximately 80% of the windows need some attention.

Rebuild The Chimney

The last item on the list is a big one. The chimney on the back of the house needs to be completely rebuilt from the roof up. Bits and chunks of it fall off periodically. When the house was inspected prior to our purchase, the inspector strongly suggested that we replace that chimney right away. During a strong wind, it could tip over and fall off the house. We have been tempting fate for the three years that we have lived here.

Since home ownership is not a business, we know that it is possible that we might have to re-evaluate our priorities as we start to knock these items off the to-do list. We might run into unforeseen circumstances. In particular, I am concerned about the chimney. That will be an interesting project for sure.

Tell us what you think. What is on your to-do list this year, and how do negotiations work in your house?

16 Comments

  • Chad
    Posted February 23, 2017 at 6:45 pm

    Though the budget is mine and mine alone, I’ve had some neuroses over it on my path out of and back into fiscal solvency. Once I had the house sorta done and furnished I said I’m never going to buy anything again, ever. So when people volunteer their opinion on what I should do to the place right away (namely my mom), I either tell them nicely why I won’t be doing that, or I snap back at them. The other negotiation-ish thing is when I find some insane bargain on furniture I don’t really need, text photos of it to friends so I can own it vicariously through them, start pacing when everyone says no, realize that the idea of letting it slip away seems to be eroding my sanity, and go buy it. And on that note, you should wait for Craigslist to deliver you the couch you want.

    As for what I’m doing this year, cheap things only. Kitchen cabinet doors (which are just plywood) and painting woodwork, and maybe getting a plumber back in to fix the old plumber’s punchlist. I don’t expect any room in the house to be truly finished for at least another 2 years. Except maybe the back bedroom, which will be the least used room in the house if my roommate leaves.

    • Post Author
      Stacy
      Posted February 25, 2017 at 8:03 am

      Chad, I identify with your thoughts so much. Andy and I have had some ups and downs financially. Also, I was raised in a very different financial situation than he was. All of that comes into play when it is time to make decisions about money. I love your game of texting friends when you see something you like and don’t need. I play a game at Target. I stick with my list, but if I see something that I just can’t stop thinking about, I put it in my cart for awhile. When it is time to pay for the items I need, I return the frivolous item where it goes without purchasing it. I am tactile, so the action of literally carting it around satisfies that need for me. This exercise is risky because it works against the psychology of shopping, according to this article anyway. However, my minimalist leanings and desire to buy things second-hand as much as possible override the short-term rush I might get from buying something unnecessary at Target. As for the couch, that was a figurative statement. I am sure there will be another “couch” that catches my eye this year, though. 🙂

      I think your plans sound pretty lofty for someone who works full-time and is accomplishing the work alone. Cabinet work seems to take forever.

  • SH
    Posted February 23, 2017 at 11:05 pm

    Like your description of the budget analysis meeting, lol. Sounds like a nearly perfect partnership. All your projects after the guest room seem like rather large undertakings to me, so not sure I’d describe it as “scaled back!” If you stay on track, or nearly so, BHH will be in such great shape. I look forward to continuing to follow along in 2017; all your work is done with care, and heart. When will we hear about your spring ORC project?

    • Post Author
      Stacy
      Posted February 25, 2017 at 8:11 am

      Our partnership works. After 22+ years, it is pretty predictable. 😀 You are right, the items on our list are pretty huge. The high ticket items are the chimney and the driveway. Having the house painted is also expensive, but it won’t be as much as last year. We do not have shutters on the back side of the house, and there are less square feet to paint overall. All of this justification makes sense in my head. However, I am the emotional spender. Don’t trust me. Ha!

      I will write all about our spring ORC project closer to the start of the challenge.

  • Candice
    Posted February 24, 2017 at 10:46 am

    I look forward to seeing all of your progress! Our house is not old (2001) but we have some plans dor 2017. A screen door for the front, construct build-ins on either side of the fireplace, and have a porch roof built over our patio.

    • Post Author
      Stacy
      Posted February 25, 2017 at 8:12 am

      These all sound like great projects that will enhance your enjoyment. 🙂

  • Courtney @ Foxwood Forest
    Posted February 24, 2017 at 10:54 am

    Oh my goodness, we are in a very similar situation! I try and talk Evan into projects and then he whips out his budget spreadsheets, haha! I totally understand. 🙂

    • Post Author
      Stacy
      Posted February 25, 2017 at 8:13 am

      That’s funny! I feel like maybe we should choreograph some sort of interpretive dance to add dimension to the negotiations. At the very least, it could be distracting. 😀

  • Betsy
    Posted February 24, 2017 at 11:17 am

    I am along for the ride!

    • Post Author
      Stacy
      Posted February 25, 2017 at 8:14 am

      Excellent! We are glad to have you.

  • Ame Jo
    Posted February 24, 2017 at 12:10 pm

    Your chimney makes me anxious, please do that first so I can stop worrying about it. ?

    There are no negotiations in my house. Projects go like this: I mention in passing that I’m thinking about doing XYZ in ABC room. Phil makes a non-committal noise. Eventually he forgets all about it, until he comes home from work one day and I’ve gotten the room torn apart and am halfway done with said project. He acts surprised, and throws in annoyance if I mention that a trip to Lowe’s is needed. I remind him that when we moved in, he said I could do whatever I want to the house. Once finished, he tells me I’m amazing.

    There are rarely discussions of money, since I’m the budget keeper. I like it that way!

    • Post Author
      Stacy
      Posted February 25, 2017 at 8:15 am

      😀 Knowing everything you have told me about Phil, I can see this all playing out exactly as you describe.

      In our house, I’m the day-to-day bill payer and budget keeper. Andy takes charge of the capital improvements budget. 🙂

  • Andrea Matters
    Posted February 24, 2017 at 1:24 pm

    I love your 2017 plans for your beautiful historic home that has become even more beautiful, month by month, through your work!

    Our plans for this year include painting the other half of the exterior; like you, we did only one half of it last year. I’d also love to “redo” our hideous 1970’s-era main bathroom with wallpaper stripping, new paint on walls and cabinets, floor paint and rag rugs over the ugly vinyl flooring…all a means of de-uglification while we save up for an actual remodel.

    And we will do more work on our landscaping, zone by zone. We decided to invest in the services of a landscape architect, and I recommend that unreservedly. We found a person we really like, and she spent so much time talking with us about the look and feel we want, plants we especially love, the amount of time we wish to devote to maintenance, and so much more. It will take us several years to accomplish the entire plan, but now we can watch for plant sales on needed cultivars, do small areas at a time as we have the money for it, and know that we are always working towards an integrated final plan. Though her services cost us about $1500, I am confident that we will save at least that much through having a long-range plan that suits us perfectly. We started with the front yard last year. Thanks to our plan, I was able to buy smaller specimens of some expensive things and then fill in the temporary gaps with plants that will eventually find a home in other areas of the garden. And I know I was saved from MANY, MANY impulsive purchases at the two big garden club plant sales last year! I was able to fill my cart with just the things I actually needed, instead of being seduced by every frond and petal that caught my eye!

    BTW, I really love the fancy millwork on the sides of the stair risers!

    • Post Author
      Stacy
      Posted February 25, 2017 at 8:17 am

      I love that you only painted half of your house too. 😀 I will give your idea of a landscape designer some thought. My neighbor, who is in the garden club, has given me a lot of advice. I have spent the last three years studying what grows well here and where. It is an entirely different zone here than it was in California. The benefits of hiring a landscape architect make sense, though.

      PS: We love the stairs too! Turn-of-the-century craftsmen were amazing.

  • Catherine C Alford
    Posted March 1, 2017 at 10:47 am

    Haha I loved how you described your budget meetings. That’s pretty much how ours goes except I’m the one saying no to hubby haha! The house looks gorgeous! Can’t wait to see how your projects turn out!

    • Post Author
      Stacy
      Posted March 2, 2017 at 7:21 am

      Thank you, Catherine! 🙂 I am glad to read that our negotiation technique has some legitimacy. LOL

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