home-improvement – Bones to Beauty

Imagination Land

We have actually made good progress on the kitchen and the pictures will give you an idea of what the finish product will look like. I titled this one as Imagination Land, as you do have to do some imagining to visualize the final product. Why? Because what you will see is a temporary sink and countertops (plywood with dry erase board on top). You will see concrete floors as that cannot be laid until the countertops are in (you cannot get quotes for the countertops until all of the cabinets are in). We still have one wall (by the fridge) that we have to put in upper cabinets, but I’m 1 short…so yeah that is gonna be a week or two out. When you look at the pictures, think of very glossy black granite countertops with a sliver back tile backsplash where the stove is and a beautiful black stainless-steel sink. The pantry is ready to be stocked! YES!! but you will see the toaster there – giving you an idea of what should be on those countertops. I think I want to add a shelf above the cabinets (about halfway up) and put those snacks (that we all know I love – thank you Little Debbie) in baskets.

Enjoy going back to your childhood and using your imagination. It will be hit and miss for postings for the rest of the year as I don’t know what time schedule the countertop folks will have and then the tile, toe kicks would follow. I did promise Chad we would just stop and enjoy life for the rest of the year…so just know we are on a break (so to speak). We will definitely be back at it hard first of the year as we will have 1 room left and I so want that pool to start to be in April – May 2026!

If you look to the right, you can see one cabinet and that is where the “bar” area will be – again imagine

Progress and some set backs

Chad did have this past week off but was on call for everything after 5pm until 7am the next day and then on call all of this weekend. He did great but this weekend was not so friendly to us. He basically worked all weekend, and then chaos on what should have been an easy water line move. I swear I live in Mayberry – I love this little town, but if you want anything “modern” or “out of the box thinking” this is not the town! Let’s just say, Chad had to educate the plumber on how you could run a sink and dishwasher to the middle of the room without having the venting run into the attic/outside wall. I’m just glad I was working at that time, or I would have “mansplained” to the MAN. Needless to say, we received the quote for what would be half-ass work, and I said…absolutely NOT, I have a Chad, and we will just do it ourselves, and we are!

So, we have all of the walls up for the pantry, all walls in the pantry and expansion area have been mudded, textured and painted! In the main part of the kitchen, all of the lights are up/wiring where it needs to be and we started on the hole in the middle of the kitchen. We did find the hot water line and had to wait for my Amazon driver (adding days to the work deliverable) to deliver the tool to find the drainage line. That did show up, and now we know where we need to cut the rest of the way to move the lines. All good – but as I said at the beginning, Chad worked most of this weekend and although he lets me run the jackhammer, not the saw (see picture below); therefore, that will be next weekend’s work!

little more ceiling demolition for the can lights in that section of the room

main kitchen area with all the lights/new ceiling up

this now has a hole, and I’ll share that next week, but the hot water line is between where the cut is and the saw.

We have walls!

The kitchen expansion is making progress as we now have walls up (as in real walls). We were able to finish getting the ceiling insulation installed, sheetrock up and lights installed. Our cabinets were also delivered, so there shouldn’t be much to stop us now. I do have to order the pot filler and range hood, but that does not make a kitchen functional, so I think it is ok that I have not figured out those 2 things yet.

You will see in the one view of the sheetrock our non-OSHA approved way to get 2 sheets up on the upper most part of the ceiling. We got them up and no one got hurt, so calling it a win. The other picture, you will see that we still need sheetrock up on the one wall and the higher part of the one wall. We need to router out a groove in the one wall for the internet cables (so we needed to ensure we take our time…anyone who knows me well, if my internet goes down, I’m not a happy person). The other high wall, right now has the temporary water line to the refrigerator, so that needs to get drained and moved – again something we need to take our time with as no ice probably comes right after no internet in my world. It is one of those ‘ugh’ things as that is not where the fridge’s permanent home will be so do I need ice, yes, is it a pain in the butt for Chad, yes…

Chad is on call again next week for service calls, the shop and service truck, so we will we see what we can accomplish. Hopefully soon he’ll only have to be on call for service calls only as he had 2 guys start this past Friday and another starts the 15th of August. Then maybe just maybe, we can get this stuff done.

Cabinets – yes we do have to assemble them.

A little sketchy, but Ciera wasn’t here to stop us, so we did it, and it worked.

We were busy!

This weekend felt really good, but now am I a little anxious about the next steps of the kitchen remodel. When you still have counter space and a stove top, you know in a pinch you can use it (despite the mess). However, when it is gone, well there is absolutely NO turning back!

Chad and Dylan were able to get the 2nd header board in meaning the rest of the wall is out. You will see in the pictures that we do have one 4×4 board in the middle; however, it will not be there permanently. We opted to make this header board on Thursday night and I went a little crazy with the liquid nails and nailing, so this is more a precaution to make sure it cures before we 100% are confident that Ciera’s closet doesn’t end up in the kitchen. LOL! We also were able to start to take down the dropped ceiling in the kitchen, removed the island and the stove top. I think next weekend, we will get the rest of the cupboards out and start to remove the tile. Chad is on call for both the service guys and the shop as the new mechanics don’t start until mid-week, so depending on the calls, we will see what we get accomplished.

Chad finally has realized that his promotion is really real, so we did go get his toolbox from work. This meant some time in the garage to rearrange as we now have 3 of these things. I think we have enough tools! The plus, the more crowded the garage gets, the faster he will get the house done as the garage is always the last to get remodeled. I feel this is a win-win for both of us! Lots of pictures to follow!

This is the header board I went a little crazy on. Maybe the story here is, if you have frustration a nail gun is fun?

This is how we are holding up the upstairs until the header board is up.

Header board is in and the poles are in place to make sure all is good.

Before this weekends full destruction. Notice the drop ceiling.

After…no more dropped ceiling – Yahoo!!! We do have the one ledge where the cupboards are to remove and then that drop down will be able to be removed.

Full view with what it should start to look like. Remember the one 4×4 pole in the left side opening is just there for peace of mind while the header cures on that side.

Windows, windows, windows.

Before I get into what we did this past weekend, from here on out it will most likely be a combination of the kitchen expansion/remodel, master bedroom and bath as there will be times when we need one of the projects to “set – i.e. drying time” so will move to the other project. May all of the chaos begin, but in the end it should be functional and fabulous! We keep debating on the timing to get it all done. I want the inside 100% done by end of year so by this time in 2026, we are working on the pool, grilling area and sitting area. Chad is being a pessimist and thinks that isn’t going to happen, we will see who is right!

A special thank you to Dylan who came and helped this weekend!

This weekend it was all about getting in the windows set in the kitchen expansion area, moving the old door out to where the new door will be (we have the new door, but when you see the pictures, you’ll understand why the new door isn’t in yet). We also were able to get the window in the master bath installed and pulled out old original windows in the kitchen.

We will be going slow the next couple of weekends as my mom is coming for a visit and then we have Easter, so if I don’t post anything for a couple of weeks, that is why. We also are trying to be very diligent with the kitchen to make sure we put plugins in the right spots, lights were we want them, pool bench where it is functional, all that stuff, so I may need time to just “sit” and think, but worth the wait. I have it in my head, but don’t want to forget something and then mad at myself. We did get the new built-in stove/microwave as they were having a great sale, so that is in the garage waiting for us to catch up. I’m so excited!

Expansion to the kitchen – this is the old door that we moved out as we think the floor that was poured isn’t deep enough, so until we are ready to tile and can verify, the new door is going to stay in the garage. We also are waiting on one window that we are putting in on the wall where you see the ladders, I don’t think it gets in for another week, but it will be up high and to the left of the ladders.

So this was from a previous post, but look at the top open triangle area, that is where we will be installing the window we are waiting on.

outside looking in.

If you look closely at where the door area is, there is about an inch worth of mortar…umm we are a little scared to figure out why, but that can then throw off the whole floor, hence why not installing the new door yet.

This is where the old door was, and we removed the windows, so that is now all open. This gives us the ability to ensure we know where we need to have the supports to hold Ciera’s bathroom and closet (those are the rooms above the current kitchen area).

master shower area and the window. We are going to also replace the skylight with one that you can open, I need to get that ordered, but that will be replaced as well.

Inside ow what will become our master shower. We do not show it here, but there are a few angles in this room so it is going to be unique….just like the rest of the architecture in this house, so it should be perfect.

One more attic day needed…

This weekend we had a half day Saturday and a half day Sunday, and if we would have worked the full weekend, this darn attic would have been done. It is completed minus the linoleum flooring and trim around the door. I wanted it all done this weekend, so next weekend we could finish the bottom of the atrium with the intent of March being time to destroy the kitchen. Hopefully the timing will still work out. Chad is on call this week/next weekend, so we will see if anything gets accomplished. The pictures don’t show it well, but the main area is 24×8 and we have just about as much room in the second area, but we cannot go too high to store stuff due to the sloping ceilings.

Main floor (that will have the lineoleum) and then ready to put flooring down on the section section.

Getting the insulation down then the floor. The previous owners had left over tile, so using that on that 2nd section in spots where I know I will walk. it would be too hard to lay linoleum in that 2nd section due to all of the rafters, so using what was leftover in strategic places.

Done! Just need the linoleum on this main section and then we can go get my Halloween decorations out of storage.

New Attic Access – almost done

I did not get this updated last weekend, so this is our progress from last Sunday, Chad had a snow day on Tuesday and then this Sunday – so 3 days of real work. We were able to move studs in the attic area over the garage, reframe that area and put in a door. This will allow us to enter the attic area over the garage from the one atrium landing areas. We are closing up the garage access to the attic, so only way in will be the new door. We have a little more plywood floor to put down and then put some linoleum on top and that project will be completed and all of the Halloween decorations can come home (right now they are in a storage unit as they would have been in the construction zone).

Studs moved to either side, wiring moved down and out of the way and reframed. This is the garage attic side looking to where the door will be to walk onto the atrium landing.

Framing of the former drop down access from the garage to the attic

New floor! Just need the last couple pieces and to put the linoleum down.

Holiday Happenings

I gotta say the 3-day weekends has been great and so wish we had these all the time as we got a lot done over these past couple of weekends. I hope the holiday’s were great for everyone and that you are excited for the New Year!

We got the double windows removed, the new French doors in and the water pipe capped (the water pipe came out where the new French doors are) over the Christmas holiday. This New Year’s weekend we removed the two windows and door from the west side of the room, got it all sealed back up, installed a new window and got 2 of the 3 sections of the popcorn ceiling removed. I did get a new ceiling fan ordered and 8 pendant lights which should be arriving in the next couple of weeks which will be perfect timing. It will take next weekend to get the first coat of mudding on, and finish the remainder of the popcorn ceiling removal. Then fingers crossed we will be ready the weekend after that to texture the room. We are getting there!!!

This the brace to keep the ceiling up as we took out these windows and needed to reenforce the area for the door.

Notice at the top the reinforcement, so we could remove the ceiling brace to install the doors.

Doors installed

West wall – before, we took out the windows and this door and closed it in with just a window where the door is now.

Outside looking in – this is now closed up and just a window.

Basically a completed view – just needed to do the side where the single door is (which is above where we removed it and put in a window).

Popcorn ceiling removed on 2 of 3 sections

I wanted to include this picture, this is the very top section of the ceiling that bumps up to the upstairs walkway. The builders did not texture the wall here, instead just had it popcorn textured and ran a brush over it. Needless to say, it all fell off with just touching it. Thank goodness we are doing it all over again!

And we are back at it…

I was still sore last weekend, so we didn’t get a lot accomplished and by the time I should have sat down to write the blog, my shoulder and arm were just over doing anything. However, I’m feeling much better now! Still have the tingling in a couple fingers, but I don’t feel like I can’t lift anything, so we jumped back into things this weekend. Chad worked most of the day Saturday, so pretty much Sunday work, but happy with the progress. Last weekend we got new wiring ran, decided to replace the old insulation and got the patio pad poured. This weekend, the sheetrock went up and we pulled down the temp wall that led into the hallway so we could put up sheetrock to close that off. We did take out some sheetrock on the wall that bumps up to the kitchen. I wanted to open up that wall – for an open floor design. We knew it was a load bearing wall, which meant we would have to reinforce it. What did we find instead… the upstairs sewage lines and water lines. That answers that question, that wall cannot be opened up. There is no way I’m up to messing with moving those lines. We have the kitchen and master bath water/sewage lines to play with, so I opted to give up that designing makeover dream (the opening of the kitchen to living room).

Next weekend we will be in San Antonio so I most likely won’t have an update. We do plan on working on both Dec 24-25 as Ciera is spending the weekend with us in San Antonio and therefore spending the holiday with her boyfriends family. I asked Chad what he wanted for his birthday (12/24) and what he wanted to do for Christmas, he said work on the house. So we will be working on the house. I’m dreaming of a completed remodel (like of I’m dreaming of a white Christmas). Look for an update then after Christmas!

patio pad poured. The new door is to be ready for pick up on 12/21!

New wiring on the wall that doesn’t have the black insulation. New insulation in this side wall and then replace what is on the back wall (got rid of the insulation in black).

This is the living room looking into the hallway – framing so we could put up sheetrock.

Sheetrock on the fireplace wall and the wall that will become the entertainment center.

This is the hallway looking into the living room (if you could see in there). What is the blue tape for? To help keep any dust from coming through until we are ready to tape it properly for mudding/texturing.

Crushed designing dream – not even going to try and move all of those lines to open up the wall between the living room and kitchen.