The House

Well, I'm pleased to report the house is one step closer to being complete. We only need to completely reside it, finish gutting the second floor, renovate the second floor, fix the porch, then gut the first floor and renovate that.

It should be done in no time (not).

In a display of optimism, however, I'd like to share our latest triumph! This is the house in 1891:


As you might recall from my previous posts, this house has experienced several attempts at renovation over the years. The last one was probably sometime in the late 1960's, so it's overdue. Because some of the previous restorations were...um...well, just bad, we're completely gutting the entire place and starting over, basically from scratch. The only thing left on the house that will be original will be the frame.

But, someone has to pay for it, and someone has to live in it, and we haven't gotten our bail-out check yet, so it's going to take a while. Here's the house earlier this week:

It has a brand new roof (1-layer as they tore off every old layer AND the old wooden shingles underneath, removed the chimneys and basically started from scratch). Please excuse the nasty old rusted railing and the junk. I keep picking up junk, but they keep working on the house, so I'm always picking up junk. It's a vicous cycle.

Here's the top of the house. The mission yesterday (while I was at work, thank goodness, or I might have had a coronary), was to put this top on the top of the house.

We didn't think the house should go on being in public topless. It just isn't proper.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you, the house, with top:

Ta da! Kind of a different look, isn't it? I think it looks stately (I think). I have mixed emotions--it's much more sound for the house to have a peaked roof than a flat roof, and it actually does keep with the original Folk Victorian architecture, but it's strange seeing the house look so different after seeing it one certain way for 15 years....

The plywood on the top will have siding to match the house (when it gets all done), but first we have to do new windows, new porch, new trim, etc.

You have no idea what all goes into a house until you dig into one. Dad and I spent over an hour in Home Depot last week just trying to decide on one piece of roof trim that you can't even see unless you're standing directly under it and looking way up!

We did end up with a lovely smaller version of crown molding, but an hour folks--an hour.

Here's the side view:

Almost seems like it should have a bell in it! But then people would call me Quasimodo, and we just can't have that.

Not in my house.

Last night I had a gin and Fresca and got on Photoshop, which is a dangerous combination. I share with you, the fruits of my sins:

Hopefully the end product will look MUCH better than this!!