a much needed house project thread!

I saw someone say it earlier today and I thought id just start the thread. This year i can't wait to spend cold winter nights in our soon to be newly remodeled bedroom, I'll start from the start, me and the fiancee bought a house on a dead end road out of town about 5 miles, remodeled what was the living room bed room hallway and bathroom into a nicer living room and master bathroom, gutted EVERYTHING replaced 8 our so joists subfloor everything. Even windows, since the old ones leaked (which we found out after putting up all new trim and feeling like we were finished)
Now onto the bedroom, (windows and siding are also in process) we started the tear down this summer. Ended up hiring a small crew to tear out everything off Craig's list, told them $250 to finish the job no matter how long it took, we'll it took them a combined total of 35hours, we bought then pizza and a case of beer once they finished, which was done in one day, BEST MONEY EVER SPENT, that would've taken me 2 weeks with the fiancee and likely a lot of arguing and headaches.
The old walls leaked air, there was a crack in the wall from the corner of the window to the floor that you could feel a jet stream of air by from 4 feet away! So I firred out the walls another 2x4 and now we have 7.5 -8 inches of fiberglass instead of 3.5-4 of nasty blown in cellulose (I say nasty because taking the stuff out is a nightmare it's a complete mess) tyvek on the outside and poly under the drywall(when I get that far) we shouldn't have any air just blowing through the house now!
Also were going from having 1 outlet to 6 all new wiring. Also will have a ceiling fan this time around.
Should be a cozy bedroom this year, last 2 years any night that was windy at all we needed to run an electric heater in the bedroom to stay warm. Can't wait to have it done so we can move onto bigger better things!

 

Out with the old in with the efficient new!

 

What's everyone else got going on?

 

We did a total gut to the lower level of our raised ranch. Started late winter, early spring. We move downstairs and now our son is refinishing the upstairs. No gut job there New floors, bath tub, new paint.
I will post more pictures once we get unpacked.

 

I have to get precise measurements for the replacement inserts upstairs. Replacing 30yr old single panes with Andersen 400 series.... on the high side of my estimates at $500+ each. I missed "tax free" weekend here in Mass, but I wasn't going to rush the project to save 6%.

This weekend I hope to tackle 3 trees so that I can get to working on recovering my lawn in the late summer/ early fall. At the end of that, the windows should be ready for burning season. Ya blink and slack a weekend and its too late.

 

I just tore off our trim, and measured it out and ended up getting smaller windows, only to find out that after we tore everything out that I could've actually went with windows that were almost 6"taller and wider in a couple spots. Oh well, 10 windows are bought and paid for and they actually slide open. Our first year here before windows were replaced in the living room you couldn't sit on the couch without a blanket, this last year it was nice and cozy.
On our east wall I have a door that NEEDS to be taken out because it's 4 feet off the ground never gets used and leaks air and rain, enough air in the winter that I put my beer next to it to keep it cold, I ended up having frozen beer, INSIDE OF MY HOUSE, next to that door, what a headache.

 

Looks like a tornado went through all that construction work zone! Just like my bedroom currently looks! Very nice job on the kitchen that looks great!

 

Eric VW, you can do with rigid foam tuck tape joints re seal caulk windows. I did this to my living room which used to be a garage when I built decks as siding had to come off any way. no pics as this was before FHC, believe it's R -11 as you know insulation is additive so you would get some good r value. plus foam is chemicals and oil price should drop soon!

 

Eric VW , oh I forgot to mention, if you are going to do this read type of rigid foam instructions. Vinyl siding only stops I believe 90% of water that is why there are weep holes and house wrap. so you have 2 choices after insulation wrap house house again. some have issue with double vapor barrier. Code says inside. I believe it should be outside. but that is a huge digression . or buy exterior grade foam board.

Second issue is extending window and door jams extra 2 inches basically making your house walls 2 inches thicker. several ways to accomplish this depending on house. Easy way is if you have 2 x 4, walls is replace with 2 x 6 if upgrades are needed anyway. .. otherwise you are spending a LOT of time with table saw and metal brake!

 

Say whaaaa?

I think you are asking difference b/w replacement and replacement insert? The latter fits in the existing frame, so viewing glass is reduced with a simpler install as existing trim can remain. Essentially there is no nailing flange and the old window frame remains in place.

 

Your pics remind me of what I did in my old house. Gutted the entire second floor and took 7 years to get it done. Partly because I was working a lot and partly because I wasn't motivated because of not liking the house.

I've renovated all of the rooms in this house except for one. Luckily, I only had to gut the bathrooms. I finished pouring a patio off the back of the house last week that abuts the sunroom. The next step is to install a sliding glass door in the sunroom leading to the patio and replace the rest of the windows in there then replace the ceiling and rerun all of the electric and finish by painting the brick on the inside. The wife is nagging at me to get started on it, but I'm about to go into wood cutting mode in a few weeks, so it'll have to wait.

Bricked in a basement window today with concrete blocks.

 

Yeah, I'm already there. Now, if the rain would just hold off..........
I've only done 2 rooms in this house (and one still isn't done......long story), and should really just rip everything off the exterior walls and have a do-over party. I think I'll stick with the room by room approach though.

 

I had my doubts about being ready before school stated up again, But here we are. Upstair carpets being measured tonight. New upstair kitchen floor is done. New bath in up there and the kids rooms are in the process of being painted. Grandson's room is being painted orange and blue. He is a Dolphin fan. (at age 6) Granddaughter's room is some sort of light Lavender. Long ways from what I used for colors. But, it is only paint!

 

I hurt my hand and check book writing a check for our new roof job!

Gary

 

I hear you loud and clear with the 7 years because of motivation being busy with work and everything, at least once this room acc siding and windows are done on 2 maybe 3 walls of the house I'll feel better, then it's time to pay for it all! I told the fiancee were not starting another room until everything is paid off but the house itself and we have a couple grand saved for the next one.

 

Luckily the 2 big tickets are almost complete, the newly redone bathroom, and the kitchen is updated enough to wait another 8+ years, at least that's what she's going to have to wait anyways!

 

Says who?

Gary