Work Around The House

[Kilgore47]

I don't mind getting covered in grease while working on an old car but I just can't get motivated to work on a house.  Not my thing.  Guess that's why I put it off for too long.  Give me an old car to work on and I will drift off to my happy place.

 

For the past few months, I have had contractors working on the house.  Replacing rotten wood, painting and re doing one of the bathrooms.  Have used this group before and they do good work.  But I am tired of having people wondering around here all day every day.  It's almost done - another few weeks.  What a mess and the yard is a disaster.  It will be worth it when it's done.  Really looking forward to having my home back when the work is complete. 

 

Venting done - - -

[Plymouthy Adams]

can't hide money.....!!!!   ?

[Kilgore47]

Yep - Came into a little extra cash and decided to fix the house before I spent it on more cars and parts.  

[keithb7]

Our house is a little less than typical I think. My wife is a very competent and experienced home building, renovating  hobbyist. I have yet to see a project, repair or reno that she hasn’t tackled.  She does it all. And I do mean all. This summer she started on the main floor of our house. Moving interior walls. All flooring removed. Tile jack-hammered apart. Ceiling textures scraped clean. Lighting moved. Plumbing upgraded and moved. Kitchens. Bathrooms. Rec-rooms dining rooms tore down.
 

Exterior stucco. Hardy-plank. Windows. Roofing. Retaining walls and much more are among her resume. 
 

I am there as her joe-boy when needed to offer some muscle. Or someone to just listen to her ideas and thoughts. She’s an extremely hard, talented worker. This is her passion. She works 40 hours a week at her day job. Then puts-in about 50 hrs a week on the current home reno project. Its not often I am called on for some assistance. 
 

These photos were taken last Sunday morning. She’s on stilts drywalling the new ceilings here. I’m in my dust free zone, the garage, having my morning coffee. Our kitchen has been a war zone for months. Not super easy to live in the home currently but we work it out.  I play with my cars and make You Tube videos as a hobby. My wife works herself like a mule and loves it. 

I am humbled by what a small person with such small hands. What this woman, can accomplish.  A few pics of the current project are below. Many other bigger projects have preceded this one. In hind sight I should have created a You Tube channel, and made content following her projects and work. 

 

Edited October 1, 2022 by keithb7

[Los_Control]

I certainly feel your pain. Simply from the other side though. I was a remodel carpenter for many years.

Because you spend so much time with the client/home owner, you develop a personal relation. It may be good or bad, it is a relationship though.

 

The best jobs are where there is no surprises & everything goes as planned.

Sometimes you will open a wall & find a total mess .... The cost of the job just escalated because of past work done to a 100 year old house.

 

One time while adding a 2nd story to a home, the multi height roof line. The staircase was a circular addition in front of the house with a cone shaped roof. Just impossible to properly tarp it & dry it in .... A freak storm came in & did a fair amount of water damage to the first floor .... Getting that call at 4:00 AM was no picnic.

We had been working with that client for several years at this point. They trusted us ..... The wife sure did tell us what she thought & what we should do.

She was very angry & frustrated for good reason. ..... End of the job it is THANK YOU THANK YOU WE LOVE IT!  Were having a BBQ next weekend to celebrate ... Sorry mam I'm busy, maybe next time. ...... Just saying, as the worker, I want to get away also.

 

This house we added 2" foam insulation &  new stucco .... I'm just going around and installing the new lighting &  exterior doo dads ..... Their pet chicken (daughters 4-H project) Would always ride around with me while trying to work. .... Funny thing is, I'm the only person it ever did this with.

 

The wife Katie is out buying last minute  hardware for the house ...... Comes home .... Katie can you put this chicken in the coop where it belongs?

Sure Fred, I want a picture first so wipe that sour look off your face.

Grrrr, yes mam.

Working with a Contractor over a period of months in your home, there is a relationship born.

 

 

 

[Los_Control]

@keithb7 The tools your wife is using, yeah the stilts are cool. The Hawk & Trowel tells me The drywall is finished, now she is adding a custom texture finish before paint.

The average Drywaller will learn to finish drywall smooth.

Using a Hawk & Trowel to make drywall pretty is a different art all together. ..... Something the average person who finish drywall for a living is not good at.

 

I'm pretty good with a hawk & trowel myself, although drywall work for me rates right up there with roofing. I really love finish carpentry ...

Your wife certainly appears too be performing at a high professional level. ...... I would have no problem offering her a job if I was still working.

Just amusing she enjoys it as a hobby to relax after work.

 

@keithb7 You are no different .... I do not believe you are a professional mechanic, yet you make as a hobby some very educational & professional mechanical videos.

 

You both are extraordinary & belong together.

 

 

 

 

[keithb7]

Thank you very much Los. We met in high school and basically grew up together. Just kept reading. Learning. Trying. In beginning we were always trying to save a buck. We discovered that we were enhancing our lives. Now it's just fun.   Co-existing so close together I suppose we may have influenced each other along the way. I guess we sorta are alike in our ways. 

Edited October 1, 2022 by keithb7

[Los_Control]

I agree 100% @keithb7I like this 2nd grade  photo ..... I'm the little monkey holding the sign up for the photo. My wife I have been married to is  standing above my right shoulder .... I often get asked how long I have been married?

 

 

Sometimes I'm asked how long I have been married .... Fact is my whole life we have been together. Being married for 38 years, has no real truth.

[pflaming]

My wife and an interior decorator are remodeling the kitchen. Granite comes next week.  Married for 38 years, congratulations. We have been married for 62 years.  Young people do NOT identify.