Before/After Pictures

We've been loving our new house.  It just feels so great to have enough space for everything (and everybody) and to look forward to coming home each night. 

There is still plenty of unpacking (especially in the basement (aka "man world")) to do, and a few finishing touches to be done (like the porch columns and railings) but we thought it was time to post the before/after shots.  It really is incredible how much the house has transformed since we first laid eyes on it.  Because there are so many, I'm posting them on Picasa, instead of the blog.  Click here to see the room-by-room transformation.


Thank you to everyone who followed this blog and offered their support throughout this long and trying process.  I've already heaped praised on Impact Construction, and particularly Dave MacDonald, for their/his superb work.  We would also like to recognize Marge Olson for the many mornings she spent sitting with her cup of coffee and sketch book drafting idea after idea for this project.  She really helped us figure out what we wanted (and didn't want) and her sketches saved the project when the architect's plans didn't work out.  THANK YOU MARGE!


Now that the house is finished, we've decided we just have too much time on our hands.  So, on or about March 23rd, we'll have a new baby boy to occupy our time, and fill the new third bedroom.  You know what they say about idle hands!

More Finishes Fun!

We've been to the house every night this week and there has been something new to see every time.  We're still planning on moving in next weekend (keep those fingers crossed though).  Now that the old hardwood floors are refinished we can start moving things in from the storage unit (that is, if we can get it open and all our stuff isn't moldy and ruined....)

Another shot of the siding.  Still needs gutters.

New granite countertops!  Now, you may be saying, "hey, those aren't green!" And you're right.  Environmentally-friendly countertops are horribly expensive ($70-$100+/sq ft) and most just don't have the strength of surfaces like granite; not yet anyway.  But if you have some extra money laying around or happen to come into some money some day, they have some really beautiful countertops made of recycled material (paper, glass, etc.).  Here are just a few: 

http://greenhomeguide.com/know-how/article/5-gorgeous-green-countertop-materials

You could also use very modern looking materials, like stainless steel, which can be recycled over and over again. 

Anyway, here are some close ups of the "tan brown" granite.  We just love how the reddish brown chunks get picked up by the cognac colored cabinets, the wall color, and the finish on the pendant lights. 

The Hokie-themed bedroom walls after a few days of drying.  I think they look pretty great now.  Good job Jody and Alex!

I can't believe these are the same white oak floors, but they are.  The guys refinished them in one day (yesterday) and they just look fabulous. 

Another shot of the newly installed granite. The fridge isn't quite in place yet.  It's pulled out so the plumber can connect the water line. 

We decided to make the granite on the island the focal point of the kitchen, so we went with a more subdued Corian for the rest of the countertops.  This is the "earth" color.  It's hard to tell from the photos, but it actually has an umber brown base that goes so nicely (if I do say so myself) with the cabinets, tile, and granite.  They did such a nice job on the install that it took me a while to even find the seam.  Corian is an acrylic material that is not coated on top; the color goes all the way through.  So while it does scratch more easily than granite, the scratches can be easily sanded out without any damaged to the countertop. 

 The view of the new kitchen from the bottom of the stairs. 

Medicine cabinets mounted in the master bath.  We're waiting for a replacement globe for the light fixtures above, so we'll photograph those when they're completely in.

All of the closet rods and shelves are in now as well.  This coming week will include paint touch ups, final trim painting and touch up, carpet install, gutters, plumbing hookups in the kitchen and hopefully some grading.  The porch rehab will probably happen after we move in.  And there are some other little things that will have to be tended to, I'm sure.  But it's all coming together so nicely.  We're so grateful to have such a beautiful house and just can't wait to settle in!

Superman or Merlin? I'd say a little of both.

At this point in the renovation process, from what we have heard from other folks who were brave enough to test their marriages with big renovation projects, most people are ready to either throttle or sue their contractor.  We have been fortunate to have the exact opposite experience.  Dave MacDonald, our project manager from Impact Construction, has been a super hero.  

For example, we had this old piano sitting in our living room. After much debate between spouses, we decided to post it on Freecycle and Craigslist to find a new home for it.  Jody and I were really stressing about how to get this piano out of the living room before Monday, when we though the floor refinishing was supposed to begin.

Turns out, it's starting today.  Thus, I received this picture on my phone when I arrived at work:

Dave had enlisted the help of a subcontractor and they somehow managed to get that piano out of the house and on to the porch.   Another contractor may have just delayed the project until the piano was out, or asked us to hire someone to move it.  This is just one of many ways that Dave has gone above and beyond for us.  

The list is extensive.  Not only is he managing many subcontractors to get this project done as quickly as possible (plumber, electrician, carpenter, HVAC guy), but he is also managing the many additional things we have asked of him (e.g. quotes for a new driveway, landscaping, mounting racks in the pantry, towel bars in the bathroom, trim over the kitchen cabinets, rain barrel installation, etc, etc).  This is all in addition to the fantastic attention to detail he has had over the 11 month life of this project.  We embarked on this adventure knowing there was a very tight budget.  Instead of just ordering the cheapest of the cheap, as most contractors do, Dave picked out some beautiful finishes that stayed within our budget (e.g. the interior doors, exterior window trim, interior window and door trim).  

Dave, we want you to know how much we appreciate your diligence and hard work.  You will forever be a part of our new home.  Thank you for making it so beautiful!

Finishes Part III

We're getting so close now that I'm tempted to put a sleeping bag on the floor and eat takeout just to be in my own house.  Almost all of the light fixtures have been installed, as have the rest of the cabinets and bathroom vanities.  The biggest news from last week is the siding installation.  We're really pleased with the color.  Alex and Jody also spent the weekend painting Alex's bedroom in Virginia Tech Hokie colors.  Yes, that's right.  His room will be maroon and orange.  I won't lie-there was a bit of "I told you so" this afternoon when Jody realized he was going to have to do a third coat of paint.  

This coming week the carpet is scheduled to be installed along with the granite countertop in the island and the Corian countertops along the walls.  Then the plumber can come back and finish installing the sink faucet, refrigerator water line, and bathroom faucets.  

The couch delivery and Fios install have been scheduled for the week of the 18th, which means we're *planning* to move in the weekend of the 23-24.  Pregnant ladies aren't supposed to do a lot of heavy lifting, so if you're around that weekend we've got some pizza & beer (or dinner of your choice) with your name on it in exchange for a few hours of hauling boxes from the on-site storage unit!

 Wall cabinets installed

 

New banister

 

 

Master bath vanity
 

New toilet in the master bath

 

Kids' bath vanity

 

New drywall to divide old and new basements

 

Standing in the old basement into the new

 

Entry light fixture (one of my favorites)

 

New siding!

 

New pendant lights over the island

 

First coat of maroon. The lady at Home Depot promises that it will actually be maroon, and not fuschia when it dries. 

 

Ah, just like the autumn foliage of Blacksburg, VA-don't you think?

 

Second coat of maroon.

Finishes Part II

More photos from our meeting this morning.  The interior in the old part of the house has now been painted.  All the tile has been grouted and part of the kitchen cabinets are in.  The countertop folks came by yesterday to measure so they can start fabrication.

Looking into the new entry way from the outside, standing on the new side porch.

Old dining room, painted new!

Laundry room with grouted tile-trim is next.

Looking into the kitchen from the entry hallway.  That's the island on the left.  You can see the new wall for the bar overhang peaking out the top.

Another shot of the dining room looking through to the old living room.

Newly grouted kitchen tile.

The wall cabinets have not yet been installed.  This is looking from the family room into the kitchen at the back of the island.  That's the wall to support the overhang.

Our old bedroom/new guest bedroom/study with new drywall and new paint.

Another shot of the awesome dining room color (can you tell it's my favorite?)

Closer up shot of the old living room, with new paint.

Another shot of the kitchen. I'm  standing next to the island, with my back to the pantry.

Finishes Part I

The house is really starting to come together.  We have new front doors on the old and new porches.  Tile in the kitchen and bathrooms and newly painted walls (which are still being touched-up in the photos below).  

Cabinets will go in by early next week and the siding should be up by the end of the week.  Will we actually be in the house by Halloween?  Free candy for everyone if we are!

Kitchen tile (not yet grouted)

Master bath

My closet

One of the windows in the bedroom and my closet door

Family room

New front door on the old porch, which will be getting a spruce up when the interior is finished.