Looks Like We’re Moving…Cross Town
Fresh cut poppy in a Kate Wasson salt fired planter/vase I purchased at the Potters Guild Spring show.
Despite taking a lot of luxurious naps this weekend, I feel like I’m still recovering from the past month’s activities that started with the Colorado Potters Guild show the first weekend in May and ended with my daughter’s graduation from 5th grade last Friday – and now it’s June already!
5th grade graduation
So, what’s new? My husband has finally talked me into moving into a sorely neglected home that we have been renting out for the past 11 years. He’s been working on getting me on board for the past couple of months now…. We’re going to meet with our contractor (who remodeled our current house) on Friday to go over a few musts and wishes. The house has been neglected the past few years – the yard is overgrown, the kitchen is dated, there is only 1 bath room that leaks, and I could go on and on.
I tried being the voice of fiscal reason, copping an attitude, appealing to his love of the neighborhood, stamping my feet, among other things but I finally grew tired of counter arguing the issue and he won. Unlike the house we currently live in, we will not be remodeling it top to bottom because of budget issues. Our budget is roughly $60,000 which given today’s prices won’t get us far. So, we’re going to tackle some unglamorous but necessary and mostly invisible renovations such as *new and updated plumbing, *new and updated electrical (we cannot currently use a microwave and a toaster at the same time without blowing a fuse – let alone a kiln or two) as well as some more visible changes such as replacing windows, old appliances, changing out the old pink Formica counter tops, landscaping, painting and possibly some tile work in the bath.
Some work we will do ourselves such as landscaping, painting and cosmetic changes – but the big stuff like windows, plumbing and electric will go to the pros.
Why move? I had originally told my husband that I was done moving when we fixed our current house up, but when faced with the hard realities of the current real estate market and incurring capital gains taxes if we sell our rental (we’re tired of being land lords) it just makes fiscal sense. You see, if we live in our rental for 2 years, we can sell it without paying capital gains. We are going to rent out our current house for at least a year (this is something I don’t relish – my lovingly tended landscape going to pot) and more. But, there are 5 houses for sale on our block alone right now – that’s not conducive to selling. We will re-evaluate in a year’s time whether to sell or hang onto it. To tell you the truth, the house and location are great, the yard and square footage a little too small. Our rental is much bigger and has a larger yard, but is not in as desirable a neighborhood as our current home.
My conditions: On the one hand, I’m going to be sad to leave our home and start over. On the other hand, I relish the creative challenge of bringing a little more sparkle to the old house on a tight budget. I’ll be too busy to cry and moving into the old rental will makes both a puzzle and dare at the same time. I am also insisting on doing this greener than we have remodeled houses in the past. We are going to repaint the kitchen cabinets instead of replacing, recycle furniture, replace the windows and appliances with energy star rated products, add insulation where necessary, use low VOC paints, I am looking for eco-friendly kitchen counter options, am going to turn our front yard into an “Edible Estate” – and am also looking into keeping some chickens in the back yard.
Chickens
The past 2 items made my husband just a little nervous, but his desire to avoid paying capital gains is over riding his fear of an urban farmstead. I also want to revisit selling our current house next summer, something he doesn’t necessarily want to do. He envisions us moving back here in 2 years – but seriously, I’ll be in my last year of grad school by then and I might not want to move back, and my emotional investment in the remodeled house might be too high by then.
In the meantime, I’m looking forward to crafting our new home and think it might just make a nice little side blog – what do you think?
Cynthia
Mary T.
June 1, 2009 at 2:38 pm //
Yikes! Remodeling I deplore with a passion. Having the work done and finished I love. Not so unusual there. The only time I had to pay a lot of capital gains we choose it as our one time exemption. That worked for us because of our age. Might not for you.
Where are you going that you can have chickens, must be west or northwest!
Cynthia
June 2, 2009 at 6:46 am //
I used to love remodeling – but that was before we had Jasmine. Although, now that she’s older, we’ll put her to work. Free labor
For capital gains – you can now sell your primary residence and not pay capital gains every two years ($500,000 exempt for married couple, $250,000 for single person).
I guess I just need to embrace the project and do it! Actually, our house is fairly central – South City Park.
Eva
June 1, 2009 at 2:49 pm //
What did the I-Ging say?
Cynthia
June 2, 2009 at 6:48 am //
Did not consult – Eva
ang
June 1, 2009 at 5:40 pm //
wow, sound crazy and an exciting project,,hows the studio work space?? a lot can change in 2 years and i love the garden idea why not grow your own..!
Cynthia
June 2, 2009 at 6:49 am //
Just like the house is larger – my garagio will be a 2 1/2 car vs. a 1 car. I would have to insulate and I would want to add an extra window – along with proper electrical needs for kiln. That’s a good thing – plus we have a full basement for storage.
cindy shake
June 1, 2009 at 7:33 pm //
I love a good remo project! I was thinking what Ang asked -how’s the new place suited for studio space (though you may not care when you start school)? My husband and I have bought, remodeled and sold several houses and lived happily to tell about it! We may be the exception, but we enjoy working de/construction together. He always says, if a couple can survive a kitchen and bath remodel, their relationship can survive anything
) Sounds like you guys have had to make difficult but sound economic decisions.
Cynthia
June 2, 2009 at 6:51 am //
We have purchased an remodeled quite a few ourselves and so far so good. The chickens might be a sore spot – I mentioned to him today that after researching, I found out that Denver allows chickens for 50$ license fee and proper housing. When I told him, he responded, “We are NOT having chickens!” I don’t think he thought I was serious.
cindy shake
June 2, 2009 at 9:38 am //
We have kind of an underground chicken thing going on here in the Anchorage Bowl… You really aren’t supposed to have farm animals in the city but many folks do -including the neighbors right behind us (they have built a fancy heated little hen-house)! I LOVE to hear them clucking every morning. I’d so get chickens if I knew I would be responsible enough to want to care for them forever, especially during the long, cold winters (we take off and go skiing!). They would need too much care and my husband knows he’d be the one ending up taking care of them each day -ha!
Janet
June 1, 2009 at 7:35 pm //
Are you going to build a chicken tractor?
http://home.centurytel.net/thecitychicken/tractors.html
Cynthia
June 2, 2009 at 6:53 am //
As a matter of fact I was on that very website yesterday for quite a long time!! Looks doable – I could even make it myself without much help.
Angela Rockett
June 1, 2009 at 8:03 pm //
Sounds kinda exciting – and admittedly a bit daunting too! I’d love to see your progress on it – especially the green aspects. (Have you seen the new book “Bothered by my Green Conscience” by Franke James yet?)
Cynthia
June 2, 2009 at 6:56 am //
No – I haven’t – I’ll put the book on my reading list. Truly, I spent all day researching frugal/green kitchen remodeling and what I discovered is that I should really just love what I have. Though, if we remodel with an eye towards *possible* resale in the future, we’ll have to find something that will be aesthetically pleasing as well as light on the pocket book.
Angela Rockett
June 2, 2009 at 7:51 am //
Franke’s website is good too (and more immediate than the book) – http://www.frankejames.com/
Linda Starr
June 1, 2009 at 9:08 pm //
How exciting and challenging. We completely remodeled this house – interior and exterior and it seemed never ending – a major kitchen remodel (completely gutted and walls moved), two bathrooms (gutted), new flooring (laying slate and tile) throughout, well just about everything (lighting, plugs, switches, doors, windows, no major plumbing because we kept the previous locations of the sinks and toilets, but electrical in kitchen was totally new and I used a licensed contractor for that). We did a lot of the work ourselves. For the interior I was the general [and the slave], (since Gary is working outside the home), and hired the subs [handman types to conserve dollars] when I needed them. We also did a complete exterior landscape (both of us for that) for three acres – major grading, drainage and complete landscape, stabilized the barn and replaced all the posts, built the studio, storage building, patios, pathways, irrigation and plants, etc – no wonder I’m worn out. I actually like doing it, but it is very difficult living inside and doing the interior remodeling at the same time. Three of the years Gary’s father was living with us and I was caring for him and establishing the lavender business and running it. We’d like to sell yesterday, but the market isn’t conducive to that. We’ve done this with four other places but those were more cosmetic interior remodels and exterior landscapes. This home was the most time consuming and extensive remodel. After this remodel I am now convinced it is easier, quicker and less expensive to build from scratch than remodel.
For kitchen counters there are some very nice formica options and other surfaces have come down in price, even granite. For $60,000 if I was the general, I could do a lot.
If there is anyway you can do most of the major remodeling (plumbing, electrical, kitchen, bath) on the interior before you move in, I would recommend that – get everything lined up, costs, supplies and folks to help and go full speed ahead for about a month or two, then move in – you will be surprised how much easier and quicker that will be; then you can take your time doing minor work and the exterior.
The GardenWeb home forums are great place to ask questions about prices and bargains, and get advice, even from some experts, including plumbers, carpenters, tile layers, etc.
Good luck, I look forward to hearing about your move and remodel adventures.
Cynthia
June 2, 2009 at 7:01 am //
Our tenants move out the end of June and we’re hoping that the big stuff such as windows, electric and plumbing will be done the end of July/beginning of August BEFORE school starts for me. This semester won’t be terribly bad though since I don’t have a studio. We plan on staying in our current house until the major stuff is finished. Not much will happen on the landscape front other than clean up and planning – then in the fall, I’ll add/move around a few perennials and start seeds indoors in the spring.
The costly items are the windows, plumbing, electric and new appliances – though we are going to scour Craigslist to see if we can find gently used ones.
You really did a lot yourselves on your current home – didn’t realize that you hadn’t lived there long.
jim
June 2, 2009 at 8:50 am //
i feel for you… i’ve done enough renovation that i no longer relish the challenge, so good luck, i’m sure you’ll do great at it… just mix in the renovation stuff on the same blog… it’ll be less work for you to switch subjects than to maintain two blogs AND do ceramic work AND teach AND renovate!
Cynthia
June 2, 2009 at 9:31 am //
No more teaching for me Jim – last class has come and gone…going back to school instead.
W. J. St. Christopher
June 2, 2009 at 12:58 pm //
Hi, Cynthia! I love renovating, remodeling and decorating, and would be excited to watch your progess. However, chickens? Really?
I nearly came to blows with a neighbor over the torture of living with their chickens. They’re freakishly noisy, dig and tear up gardens, and Fly. Over. Fences.
And, God forbid you end up with a rooster that crows from midnight ’til noon. More than once, I had to hide my gun . . . from myself. There would have been chicken parts everywhere!
Other than that, it all sounds very exciting. Did you mention — is there room for a workshop at the new house?
Meredith
June 2, 2009 at 3:18 pm //
sorry today it makes me tired just to think about it.
I am glad that even if you move you will take us with you. I will keep a bag packed and ready to cheer you on!
Undaunted
June 2, 2009 at 4:31 pm //
You are so brave! I wish you the very best with all of your plans.
On a side note, I clicked the link about the garden and the bright orange made my eyeballs sink back into my skull – with fear!
patricia griffin
June 3, 2009 at 6:55 am //
Hi Cynthia! Wow, lots of change. I know you’ll do amazing things with the “new” home. I look forward to seeing your ideas come to life. Bravo!
Lynette
June 4, 2009 at 10:13 pm //
Aww Cyn, moving is one of the hardest and most stressful things to do but it sounds like you have the right attitude and some great plans for the house you’re moving into. I’m thinking positive things and I know it will turn out great for youall! I love the idea of going ‘green’ and the chickens too!