topic Re: Recent home projects? in Home

Recent home projects?

queendiva — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 14:57:46 GMT

Besides outdoor cleanup and gardening, which many are doing at this time of year, what was your most recent project? Your next project? Large or small- please share.

I'm not sure I completed a project recently, but I have two planned. One is to rehab a cool looking chair if I can find fabric I like and can afford for the seat cushion. No timetable for this one. The other is to "refresh" my infrequently used guest bathroom by updating the vanity faucet and light bar from chrome to rubbed bronze, which will look much better with the color palette in the room. Parts have been ordered. Hoping to have this done for Mother's Day weekend when I will have family visiting. A small investment of just over $200.00 plus the cost of handyman labor. I'm happy that I have nothing large-scale planned.

Re: Recent home projects?

Pecky — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 15:45:12 GMT

I am having my kitchen cabinets painted. They are oak and they need to be updated. We put in new counter tops a few years ago. I had an interior decorator help me pick out the color as I didn't want white. Everyone seems to have white and I wanted something different. I picked out a pretty light taupe that goes with my granite counter top. I am also reupholstering my kitchen chairs.

Re: Recent home projects?

ScrapHappy — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 16:09:19 GMT

We have to re-do a remodel in one of our bathrooms. Remodeled it 4 years ago and it leaks. Have to retile shower area and replace durarock. UGH! Prior to that, we remodeled our powder room on our own during the height of the pandemic. Paint, new vanity, new toilet, new everything. Turned out very nice if I do say so myself. Our list of home projects is extensive: need one more furnance and 1 more AC unit (already replaced one furnance and 2 AC units), need 2 new driveways, remodel main floor bedroom and bathroom, finish painting interior of house, some updates to kitchen like window treatments (would like new countertops, hardware but don't know if we'll ever get to that), need to knock down pool house and re-do patio around pool. Pool could use a refresh, but not so much a priority. Eventually the exterior of home needs painted. Yep...a lot and I'm stressed.

Re: Recent home projects?

itsmagic — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 16:11:51 GMT

Just today the workers finished replacing our cement driveway. It had cracked in several places and was looking pretty bad. Very expensive project but needed to be done for upkeep.

Re: Recent home projects?

AuntG — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 16:51:45 GMT

New concrete driveway and a decorative fence are on my wish list. I don't see the need for a privacy fence surrounding our house, but something behind our flower gardens, and between the house next door would be nice.

Re: Recent home projects?

wilma — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 17:20:07 GMT

We did a lot of home projects in 2020. We replaced an old beat up wooden garage door that was 60 years old with a painted metal door. Absolutely love it. We also had our gutters repaired and the wood trim, shutters, and gutters painted. Surprises in 2020 were buying a new motor for our HVAC & a new washing machine which broke.

2021

The year began with a surprise leaking water heater that needed replacing. We just paid someone to reupholster the cushions on our 22 year old dining room chairs. There's a thread in this forum about it. Our next project will be replacing exterior front lights.

After that we have 2 big projects looming. We need a new HVAC system as the motor replacement was just a temporary fix. We need new sunroom windows because the seals are breaking and creating condensation.

Always something to do.
Wishing everyone the best in their home projects!

Re: Recent home projects?

FancyPhillyshopper — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 18:05:50 GMT

The joys of home ownership and never ending projects.

Last summer we had a new heating system installed--twin furnaces due to the large size of our old Victorian house.

Then we needed a new washing machine early in the new year--it was a two month wait due to slower productions!

This Spring we had our three 135 year old 60 feet tall beech nut trees professionally trimmed. Many neighbors came out to watch the giant boom lift carrying the men high into the branches, and then were amazed how the workers swung around on ropes just like Tarzan.

Now we are getting roof quotes. I never knew there were so many roof design rules (color should contrast or enhance house body color, etc.) and so many choices of tiles!

Internal remodeling ideas are always on my list, but we are doing the priority projects first.

Re: Recent home projects?

JYWilliams — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 20:02:03 GMT

I had my two bathroom counter tops changed out. My next project is to put new flooring in my guest bathroom and my kitchen.

Re: Recent home projects?

RedTop — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 21:11:16 GMT

Everything is in order with the house right now. My BIL is coming soon to grind out 8 stumps for us.

Re: Recent home projects?

Free2be — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 21:57:47 GMT

A wrap-around deck is contracted but not yet started. When finished, outdoor lighting will be put in, also replacement windows. Then some carpet taken up and wood laminate floor put down but after some kitchen work is done -- details remain undecided.

Re: Recent home projects?

Snowpuppy — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 22:18:52 GMT

After I was floored by the labor cost today of a small project, I think I'm going to dust off some skills I have and expand my tool collection.

I'm not beyond shopping a Habitat Restore or reclaim store to reduce costs. Not everything is used. They get chartable donations of new but uninstalled building supplies.

Re: Recent home projects?

LonestarBabs — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 22:59:47 GMT

I recently installed interlocking grid floor tiles in my garage - just snapped them together with a rubber mallet.

I am going to have a new gas cooktop installed, and am getting ready to refresh the landscaping to replace plants lost during the TX winter storm. Installing a new decorative outdoor fountain is part of the project as is the addition of a few more uplights. Due to a knee injury I have to rely on others for help but I have budgeted for the work.

Later this year I'm going to paint the front porch ceiling and do some touchup painting in the main bedroom suite.

Re: Recent home projects?

Sweetbay magnolia — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 23:05:02 GMT

Just had my three fence gates fixed. None worked, and one section of fence had a tree fall on it over the winter. It is a joy to walk to and fro through the access ways!

I met with my new handyman today, and besides his fixing the fence, we looked at a ton of painting I need done, and some drywall work.

We will be cleaning gutters next week (red maples I hate you) and making way for the front door to be painted, then carpet ripped up and replaced with vinyl in the den.

Love/hate homeownership!

Re: Recent home projects?

Lucky Charm — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 01:57:48 GMT

DH built a nice large closet in an upstairs bedroom. It's not filled with anything, but it's just great to have extra room for storage.

We pressure washed the decks and I cleaned my huge yellow porcelain planters till they sparkled and then filled them with red/orange geraniums.

They are coming to do the spring install of the awnings. We have to *rope in* my lilacs so they don't get damaged by ladders. The house looks so finished with awnings up and what a lifesaver from sun!

At the summer house, I have to *hug* my beautiful deep purple crepe myrtles for the same reason.

At that house, we are going to get a permit/permission to build a small deck/porch to one side of the front door. Half the stairs will be taken down (Y shaped stairway to front sidewalks) and will need some professional landscaping done to move shrubs and small trees. Very excited about that.

I painted the inside of the door to the garage today, not garage door, but an entry door. Looks so much better!

Re: Recent home projects?

Nonametoday — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 03:30:57 GMT

@Pecky wrote:
I am having my kitchen cabinets painted. They are oak and they need to be updated. We put in new counter tops a few years ago. I had an interior decorator help me pick out the color as I didn't want white. Everyone seems to have white and I wanted something different. I picked out a pretty light taupe that goes with my granite counter top. I am also reupholstering my kitchen chairs.

@Pecky

I have taupe cabinets,kitchen, great room, bathrooms, laundry room and taupe trim throughout my house. It's a very light taupe. Everybody has white and I wanted something different and my countertops look much better with taupe than stark white.

Re: Recent home projects?

homedecor1 — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 04:58:34 GMT

And my list continues to grow like the old saying "one thing leads to another"!

Last year I did the pandemic redecorating ...started with

1. Sold guest bedroom furniture & replacing with more updated appropriate sized furniture. Which lead to new paint, wall decor.

2. Decided to "update" guest bathroom started as that ended up gutting bathroom, new everything, painting and decor.

As that wasn't enough...

3. Replaced all carpeting in-house with new LVP changed the whole look of my decor -- which lead to selling all unwanted or older furniture (donated). Then scoured estate sales, thrift stores, and FB marketplace found great buys. Changed entire look.

4. that lead to buying new area rugs

5. which lead to having the walk-in pantry redone. Currently waiting for cabinetry to come in (back ordered since Feb 1).

6. just when I think I'm done decided to get master bath remodeled by gutting it entirely & reconfiguring it. Believe it or not there is a 7.5" step down into the shower area -- spouse trips even though put in 2 sets of bars. This will be a major job taking 3 weeks. I am waiting for final quote from contractor for labor -- I already picked out materials to order.

7. Currently waiting for blind company to give estimate for 3 sliding doors which are my DR back wall to lanaiarea, Im looking at Hunter Douglas luminettes.

And I'm sure the list will grow before I'm satisfied with the house😉 then start on outside backyard. I don't have. a green thumb going to hire a landscaper.

Re: Recent home projects?

FastDogWalker2 — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 10:22:03 GMT

We just had a new a HVAC system put in. Also, we built a kayak storage rack. We have been doing lots of gardening - not sure if that counts!

Re: Recent home projects?

ninjawife — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 10:43:40 GMT

I haven't recently done any home projects but we are planning to do some at our beach house. I absolutely hate the builder grade hardwood floors that came with the house so I have finally found a new hardwood floor that I like after sending away for multiple flooring samples. Once the floor is installed, we will have the place painted. Grey in the sunroom and dining room and a pale aqua blue in the living spaces and kitchen. We will also have the backsplash tiles with grey glass subway tile. We will replace the cutains in the dining room to compliment the new paint and refinish the dining room table.

Re: Recent home projects?

Snoopp — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 14:40:42 GMT

I need to plant grass in some sparse areas of my lawn. Just got the stuff last week so hope to do it soon.

I need to get a sprinkler head replaced. Had a handyman fix my broken mailbox last week - YAY! So happy he could do that. Waiting on an estimate to paint my garage doors. Still gets too cold to paint outdoors right now.

Hired a new lawn guy to help me out. What a fiasco though...two lawn companies were here with almost the same exact name doing neighbors lawns and I though I was talking to one company when I was really talking to a different company....how embarrassing - like I said, the names were almost identical. Lucky for me, the owner of the company I thought I had spoke to called me and came right over and accepted the job, so I am relieved. It all worked out, even with the confusion on my part. And now my lawn is cut and and that is one big job done for the week.

Re: Recent home projects?

Snicks1 — Thu, 29 Apr 2021 02:16:00 GMT

I'll start with late last Fall, got a new roof installed, had a leaky roof. The resulting stains on the ceiling led us to choose to install a wood plank ceiling, but before that, I wanted to paint the Living, Dining, Kitchen, Hallway, and Bathroom, so I did that work myself over the winter. We are now, finally in the process of starting work on the ceilings. It's a big job, so this will take us a bit. In the middle of getting started on the wood plank ceilings, we had the sewer back up in the downstairs shower and toilet from running the washer and the dishwasher. Got that fixed and that mess cleaned up. I am also doing outside yard work, as I am my own landscaper and yard person. I Will be getting my big flower pots out by the pool planted probably this weekend. Also will be opening the pool within the next couple of weeks. It has been and continues to be a busy time here as I see it has been for many.