DIY in Our Future

in House

Still reeling from the weekend!  Normally, weekends are for relaxation, but Saturday was super stressful because… we went under contract on a house and will close on July 22!  And it only took three rounds of negotiations and endless number crunching.  Heh.

 

Closing on a house is a very interesting process indeed.  We have to finalize financing, get an inspection, set up homeowners insurance, get a property survey, transfer the utilities, and – of course – actually move.  I have to say that this all lights a major fire under my butt to get the first draft of the Healthy Tipping Point book finished!  

 

I haven’t posted a house tour, but here’s a sneak peak.  We have lots of DIY projects ahead of us.  Young House Love has convinced me that we’re entirely capable – at least when it comes to the small stuff.  Someone else should probably gut the master bath.

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Here’s a list of things we want to do to the house, both short-term and long-term:

 

  • Every single room needs to be painted. 
  • Almost all the fixtures need to be updated… I have a personal hatred for fans.  Fans must go.
  • Sand and stain the hardwood floors darker
  • Lay stone patio in backyard under the second-story deck
  • Paint kitchen cabinet cream, add tile backsplash, lay new flooring
  • Sand and stain the deck
  • Remove popcorn ceilings (maybe)
  • Put in a backyard fence (leaving this one to professionals)
  • Landscaping gut in the front of the house
  • Paint exterior
  • Tear up carpets in the den and replace with new flooring
  • New master bath + walk-in closet (this will not happen for years)
  • Remove glass enclosure in the guest bath
  • Renovate fireplace

 

Whoa.  That sounds like a lot of work!  But the house is in an incredible neighborhood – the best school district we could afford to buy in and close to shops.  So hopefully, it will all be worth it in the end.  I hope!  Ask me again when I’m knee-deep in DIY projects.

 

Aaaand, after closing on Saturday, I ran a sprint triathlon on Sunday.  Whew!  What a whirlwind.  I’m hellua sore, especially in my arms and back, but my knee feels pretty good – just tight. 

 

Breakfast time:

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Chilled sweet potato taste FABULOUS with Greek yogurt – trust me!  To make it quickly in the morning, I just put it in the microwave for 5 – 7 minutes, slice, and then pop in the freezer for another few minutes.  Tada!  Chilled sweet potato.

 

With vanilla Greek yogurt, banana, cashews, and chia seeds for a little Omega-3s.

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Fellow homeowners:  What’s the biggest DIY project you’ve successfully tackled?  What did you call in the professionals for?

{ 155 comments }

 

  • Cyndi @ Weightless Life June 13, 2011, 10:23 am

    The husband and I completely redid our yard. It was a massive undertaking, but totally worth the effort. I think we’d call in professionals for stuff like redoing the upstairs bathroom, just because I have a feeling it could get really complicated really fast.

    Congratulations on the house!

  • Rachel @ The Perseverance Diaries June 13, 2011, 10:25 am

    Wow that house is beautiful! No doubt in my mind you will be able to apply Young House Love inspiration in your new place 🙂 That must be so exciting!!!

  • Lauren @ Lettuce Eat Cake June 13, 2011, 10:27 am

    That’s so exciting, Caitlin! I have to admit I was nervously checking your Twitter feed for updates on Friday! So glad things worked out for you! I can’t wait to read about your adventures. YHL is definitely one of my very favorite blogs.

  • Jennifer Cook June 13, 2011, 10:32 am

    Our house was a foreclosure- the bones were good but aesthetically, it was in rough shape. We removed 3 rooms of wallpaper, painted every single paintable surface (walls, trim, doors, ceiling), installed new flooring in every rooms(laid down wood floors in kitchen and living room, carpets in bedroom), tore down a small wall to open up the space, installed new kitchen counters, put in a 6 ft privacy fence, put in a new patio in the back yard, and did lots of landscaping work. The only thing we let the professionals do was lay the carpet down. And if we could have figured out a way to do that, we would have!

    We have saved tons of money in the process, and have really enjoyed doing it all ourselves ( though there were some tough times). The space is really ours now, and my husband and I have learned a lot!

    • CaitlinHTP June 13, 2011, 5:20 pm

      This comment gives me hope!

  • Michelle June 13, 2011, 10:36 am

    Holy moly. That kitchen is like SO nice! Congrats!

  • Beth (Well I'll Be) June 13, 2011, 10:37 am

    So pretty! I love the wood detail over the windows in the kitchen, so charming! We haven’t had too many DIY projects, but we had professionals put a bathroom in the upstairs of our house.

  • Cindy June 13, 2011, 10:38 am

    Congrats! I am excited for you!

    The most I have ever done is painted a room and put up a border. I’ve only rented, so I haven’t had a chance for any DIY. Before we move out of the flat we are in (whether to move to a bigger place or to come back home) I need to do some minor repairs and cleaning and painting, nothing like you have to do!)

  • Johanna B June 13, 2011, 10:39 am

    We bought new construction so didn’t do too many projects. I was lucky enough to get to choose whatever I wanted while it was being built. It was a lot cheaper then. I did put up wallpaper and paint the kitchen after a few years though. I got tired of white walls.

  • Rachel @ Fit Fun and Fabulous June 13, 2011, 10:40 am

    Congrats on your new home!!! SO so so so exciting.

    We closed on our first home a couple of weeks ago and are moving in at the end of this month. Our only reno plans are to brick off the bottom edge of the backyard so our puppy has a safe place to party. Other than that, the sellers kept meticulous care for the house and I already love the paint colors on the walls, the flooring, and the fixtures. SCORE!

  • Mac June 13, 2011, 10:41 am

    That is funny you say you have a hatred for fans, because I LOVE ceiling fans. They are a savior on the energy bill! Good luck with the projects!

    • Alice June 13, 2011, 10:53 am

      I thought the same thing about the comment about ceiling fans! They might not be the prettiest thing and the add a surface to be dusted but man are they an energy bill lifesaver. Love ceiling fans!

      Anyway, congrats and good luck

    • Amy June 13, 2011, 11:04 am

      I know, and they feel SO nice falling asleep at night!

    • Melissa June 13, 2011, 11:07 am

      I think just update the fan. I’m not a huge fan of fans (ha!), but they have some pretty nice, modern ones that are fairly inexpensive. We put them in our house, my husband insisted, and I’m so glad we did. Makes a huge difference.

    • Kara June 13, 2011, 12:30 pm

      Ditto to this. It’s not just for the summer, in the winter you can flip the direction of the fans and help keep the heat costs down too. I’d just update the fans, but not get rid of them. The next buyers will want fans!

    • Liz June 13, 2011, 12:53 pm

      gotta reply on this too: In my opinion, ceiling fans are wonderful. If you want energy savings and a more environmentally-friendly home, they are indispensable. Moving the air around via fans is sometimes all you need to keep comfortable (ie. air-conditioners off!) Modern fans are quiet and attractive as well.
      But…to each his own, eh?
      Oh, and Congrats!

      • krista June 13, 2011, 1:25 pm

        I get so upset when a room DOESN’T have a fan! I love them!

        • Reenie June 13, 2011, 1:59 pm

          ITA ceiling fans help so much with the cooling and heating in your home. If you don’t like the color ~ you can always take them down and repaint the hardware and the fans. =) Love your new home.

    • elaine! June 13, 2011, 2:15 pm

      Heck yeah! Popcorn ceilings gotta go, but ceiling fans are a must. As long as they’re not totally fugly.

    • Kate June 13, 2011, 4:29 pm

      I thought the same thing on the fans, too. I can’t stand an ugly fan, but I would much rather have ugly fans in my home than none at all! Last summer we replaced a fan and there was a hookup for a fan in our master bathroom — SCORE. The bathroom ceiling fan is one I *never* would have thought of, but probably my favorite, now!

      • Macrae June 13, 2011, 5:08 pm

        Haha- the fan comment literally made me cringe, fans are a MUST for me! I hope you find a happy medium because when you sell having fans will be a huge plus. What makes you dislike them?

    • CaitlinHTP June 13, 2011, 5:21 pm

      Haha okay this is why I hate fans:

      In Chinese medicine, it is really really bad for you to sleep under a breeze. It screws up your qi. So, I don’t like fans because I just picture my qi being fucked with.

      The end! LOL

  • Lisa Fine June 13, 2011, 10:41 am

    Congratulations! I know this is something the two of you have been looking for, and I’m so glad you found something in a neighborhood you want, even if it’s a fixer-upper.

    I have never owned a house, but love learning the process through you, since I’d love to buy one day. Thanks!

  • Hannah Hawley June 13, 2011, 10:41 am

    Congrats! YHL is a major inspiriation and motivator for sure. The most I have ever done is to refinish a very basic chest.

  • Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat June 13, 2011, 10:43 am

    Congrats Caitlin!! I haven’t done a whole lot of big DIY in my house, but I’d recommend talking to Angela @ Oh She Glows because she and Eric are DIY superstars!

  • Laurie June 13, 2011, 10:43 am

    Congrats! Looks like a great house! The hardest project me and my husband did was sanding and refinishing our hardwood floors,(downstairs and upstairs!) ugh, took forever and my poor aching back! BUT it saved us money not to hire someone to do it!

  • Amber from Girl with the Red Hair June 13, 2011, 10:44 am

    I’m so excited for you guys Caitlin!! Home projects can be super exhausting. But I just always remind myself it doesn’t all have to be done RIGHT NOW and you have LOTS of time.

    The wood floors look really nice and your new kitchen looks gorgeous and spacious! EXCITING!!

  • Halley (Blunder Construction) June 13, 2011, 10:45 am

    Congrats on closing, I really love the new kitchen! Getting the house is a great achievement, the painting and flooring only come second, so don’t drive yourself crazy too quickly. You have the rest of your life to enjoy your new home!

  • Courtney @ The Granola Chronicles June 13, 2011, 10:45 am

    CONGRATS! I love the kitchen – nice and bright! 🙂

  • Holly @ The Runny Egg June 13, 2011, 10:45 am

    Good luck with the DIY stuff! Jason and I live in a newer town home (it was built 8 years ago I think?) and as much as I love projects, I’m glad we haven’t had to do any major work (besides painting). Home projects can be so overwhelming! I remember my parents redoing their kitchen and basement and the house seemed like pure chaos!

  • Angela (Oh She Glows) June 13, 2011, 10:46 am

    So excited for you!

    Oh DIY fun…we’ve tackled pretty much everything except the gutting of the guest bathroom so far. Not looking forward to that one (it’s straight out of the 70’s with wall to wall retro tile and a strange raised bathrub)!

    At first we started too many projects at once and it was overwhelimg…now we do room by room and it is much better. You will learn SO much though and always have those skills for future houses!

  • Morgan @ Life After Bagels June 13, 2011, 10:46 am

    my bf would be in love with that list … but he’s so NON HANDY! He has this big plan that after we have a baby that he’s going to stay at home and raise the kids while I work (and I’m fine with this btw!) and do paintings (he’s an artist, like it’s his actual job) while also putting brickwork paths in the back yard and back splash in the kitchen … OY!

  • erin June 13, 2011, 10:48 am

    yay! it’s so pretty! the wood floors look great. my biggest DIY project is probably re-tiling the fireplace hearth (well, two of them). but i’ve painted more rooms than i can count, hung tons of light fixtures and other odds and ends. we aren’t super handy (my husband is definitely NOT, i’m a little better) so we tend to follow the “when in doubt- hire a professional”. if it has to do with plumbing or electrical, i’m calling someone.

    young house love is an AWESOME blog. but i have to remind myself that that is their *job*. working full time doesn’t leave a whole lot of time for major DIY projects. (but i try!)

    i’ll keep my fingers crossed for your inspection- that can be a deal breaker! congrats again!

    • CaitlinHTP June 13, 2011, 5:25 pm

      Haha I have to remind myself that about YHL too! They definitely have the time to do projects.

  • Victoria (District Chocoholic) June 13, 2011, 10:48 am

    I only own a condo, so most stuff isn’t a big deal. I totally painted my WHOLE PLACE, but that’s harder than it sounds because the previous owner painted RIGHT OVER the outlets – covers, receptacles and all. It took like half an hour to pry each one off. Then I needed to replace the outlet covers.

    Oh and she had painted it BROWN. With one north-facing window in each room. Moron. Now I have brown outlet receptacles. Against light blue/light purple and white. I hate her. I totally hate her.

  • Marissa June 13, 2011, 10:49 am

    The house looks beautiful, love the hardwood floors! Friendly tip: learn to live with the popcorn ceiling. Fixing it is a ton of work and makes a huge mess!

  • Keri June 13, 2011, 10:49 am

    My most difficult DIY house project was to rip out the living/dining carpet and put in hardwood floors. They were oak, tongue and groove, and I had to use a handsaw to cut the wood o the ends to the right size. I don’t think I have ever been so sore–not even post-marathon. But I did it! And so can you–and I bet, like me, you will feel so good about it after it’s finished. There’s nothing like DIY house projects!

  • Samantha Angela @ Bikini Birthday June 13, 2011, 10:50 am

    I call in the pros for pretty much everything especially if it involves electricity.

  • brandi June 13, 2011, 10:50 am

    Congrats!!! That’s so exciting!

    Thankfully, a lot of bigger jobs had already been done one our house when we bought it in December, but there are still TONS of smaller projects to do (removing/redoing tile, LOTS of wallpaper to take down, etc).

  • Stephanie @cookinfanatic June 13, 2011, 10:50 am

    congrats on the new place, it looks so cute! i bought my house as a foreclosure so we had some projects to do because of that including finishing a bathroom sink/counter downstairs, repairing a large hole in the ceiling and lotssssss of painting (warning: painting & any wood repairs to the exterior of your house is pricey, i’m having it done now phew!) good luck with all your projects, sounds like you’ll be busy but it’s really fulfilling once you are done 🙂

  • andrea @ a cake for a wife. June 13, 2011, 10:51 am

    Congratulations Caitlin! My boyfriend and I just bought our first house as well (closed on May 31.) It’s FUN being a homeowner!! We got lucky though, and the previous owners were super stylish and reno’ed the entire place in a way that works really well for us. I’d like to paint some day, but the way our place is laid out, certain areas of the stairwell have ceilings that are about 20 ft high — normally I’m fine to paint on my own, but there’s no way I’m tackling that!

  • Beth @ 990 Square June 13, 2011, 10:53 am

    When I saw the DIY title, I thought the house would be a mess…but it actually looks really good! The kitchen is beautiful!

    Like another poster said, you might want to rethink the ceiling fans. They really help A TON during a hot summer! And on sanding the floors, I wouldn’t rush in to it. My inlaws sanded and stained their kitchen floor dark, and had plans to do it to the rest of the house too. But they have two dogs, and the dogs paws/claws TORE UP that dark floor so fast, but it doesn’t show as much on the lighter floors in the rest of the house. So they’re leaving the other floors light.

  • Kelly @foodiefresh June 13, 2011, 10:54 am

    You guys have the exact same mindset we have about our house – purchase something old we can customize in the best school district we can afford. If we both stick around our kids will go to school together at some point. 🙂

    So excited for you guys!

    And the biggest DIY project Brad and I have done thus far is gutting our kitchen by ourselves (with a little help from some really nice friends)…which reminds me that I need to do a blog post on what’s going on with our house soon!

  • Katie June 13, 2011, 10:58 am

    We gutted (all the wy to the studs) our entire first home. We hired out the plumbing and electrical updates, but did the rest ourselves!

  • Melissa June 13, 2011, 10:58 am

    Congratulations!!

    Our house required some **serious** renovations since it had basically not been updated AT ALL since 1965…except to add some 1985-era mauve carpet in a few of the rooms 🙂

    We tackled many/most things ourselves, including laying hardwood floors in the entire house, repainting the cabinets and some wiring upgrades. I loved most of the demo…something very therapeutic about ripping away layers and layers of stuff. I also really enjoyed painting. (Washing away 50+ years of nicotine off the walls first? Not so much. But nothing some wall washing and 3 coats of kilz couldn’t take care of!)

    What we left to the professionals? Gutting and re-doing the entire master bath. Exterior painting (it’s multiple stories and would have been hazardous). Installing new countertops.

    I might recommend sanding and refinishing hardwoods being put in the professional realm as well for a whole host of reasons.

  • Khushboo June 13, 2011, 11:00 am

    Wow just reading that list exhausted me! I’m sure you 2 will do a fabulous job, you make quite the dynamic duo 🙂

  • Orla June 13, 2011, 11:01 am

    Amazing! this is going to be such an exciting time for you. I was lucky when I moved into my house that it was a brand new build so decorating was the only thing I really had to worry about. And that happened over the last 2 years since I moved in. One room every couple of months. I still have to do the kitchen/diner/sun room but that is the one that I am most scared to do.
    I have painted and wall papered 3 bedrooms,painted my bathroom, painted the main living room as well as chosing all the color schemes. My partner HATES painting. So do I but I love having the rooms completed.
    I am delighted for you both and wish you all the best in your new (forever) home. yay¬

  • Kristin June 13, 2011, 11:03 am

    Our first project was building a movie theater room. The basement was finished so in one room we bought a 100 inch framed screen, projector, subs, surround sound and a few other speakers. My husband hooked everything up and did the wiring himself, then we bought a sofa with reclining chairs and cup holders, love watchin sports and movies in that room

    • CaitlinHTP June 13, 2011, 5:28 pm

      That is awesome. I want a movie theatre room!

  • Amy June 13, 2011, 11:06 am

    Dream kitchen!!! Congratulations.

    Your DIY list sounds doable, but it’s pretty extensive. Be prepared for it to take YEARS to get it all done (for real!). A lot of those things (like sanding and refinishing the deck) will take a lot longer than you anticipate.

  • Amber June 13, 2011, 11:08 am

    Between the race and the house, sounds like you’re winning 🙂 Congrats!!!!!

  • Mary @ Bites and Bliss June 13, 2011, 11:09 am

    My mom is a TOTAL DIYer…but I’m definitely not. I know that these things have to get done but put it off forever. It’s probably be a heck of a lot easier if I had someone here to help, though.

  • Morgan @ Healthy Happy Place June 13, 2011, 11:11 am

    we gutted our entire house. all new flooring, completely remodeled kitchen, renovated bathrooms, painted every room, ripped down wood paneling…it can be done!

  • Laura June 13, 2011, 11:14 am

    My advice is to know everything will probably take twice as long as you plan. 🙂 A tip on the popcorn ceilings– a friend and her husband tried to scrape popcorn ceilings on their own and it was difficult and extremely messy. They ended up calling in a professional who used some type of scraper with a vacuum attached. They said it was well worth the money.

  • Sarah for Real June 13, 2011, 11:15 am

    I just redid my kitchen. I painted the cabinets, changed the hardware, painted the walls, installed baseboard trim and a tile backsplash all myself. I hired someone to install flooring and countertops.

    I’ve also painted every room in the house, changed draperies, light fixtures, security system, and light switches. We’ve done countless yard projects but left the irrigation system installation up to the professionals. We had attic insulation installed by professionals, but did a lot of sealing little air gaps ourselves.

    You two are going to have so much fun!!!

  • Ashley @ the fit academic June 13, 2011, 11:19 am

    Congrats!!! The house looks cute! I love the wood floors & I bet they’ll look amazing stained darker (I LOOOOVE dark wood)! Have you ever seen House of Hepworths? (http://www.houseofhepworths.com/) She has talked about removing the popcorn ceilings & gives some great advice!! Can’t wait to hear more about the DIY projects and everything once you guys move!!

    • CaitlinHTP June 13, 2011, 5:28 pm

      Oh thanks for that link! That sounds awesome.

  • kelly June 13, 2011, 11:22 am

    Congrats! July 22 is the day we close on our house 3 years ago! 🙂 I’d say it’s a lucky house closing day, hehe 🙂 Have fun w/the processes, ours was a total fixer-uper too!

  • Cait @ Beyond Bananas June 13, 2011, 11:23 am

    So many fun things (but at times stressful) are on the way!

    When we bought last year – we did a lot of DIY! We are in a condo — and plan on staying for 5 or so years.. and didn’t want to do renos that wouldn’t get return. So I took out all the carpets.. my boyfriend and his dad laid new laminte floors.. we painted everything..

    And I also plan on painting kitchen cabinets this summer! If you find any good pointers or tips on painting them, I’d love to hear/see a post on it! 🙂

  • Laura June 13, 2011, 11:24 am

    Congratulations! It looks really pretty!

    That’s a long list of improvements though–the more things you can either “wait and see” on once you’ve moved in the better, moving always takes more time than you think it will (and it’s going to take a lot of money to have some of that done). My husband and I had about half that stuff to do and it was expensive and hard to do our part of it and get what we needed to get done for work.

    My advice is to wait on whatever can (landscaping?) and maybe leave things like popcorn ceilings and the current hardwood stain (it looks good in the picture, and with dogs you’re probably going to need to have the sanding/restaining done later anyway), and concentrate on the things you can’t live with. Fans, carpet, wall-colors, etc.

    Home ownership is a lot of work but it’s worth it :).

    • Susan June 13, 2011, 1:32 pm

      Congrats on being under contract!

      I’m with Laura. That’s an ambitious list. We bought our place last year and while we had a list of things we wanted to get done, the only things we did before we moved in was paint and get the carpets cleaned. We really didn’t have the time or money to do much more. After a year, we finally have our backyard done. We ripped up all the grass and put down gravel. We do what time & money allow. We want the bathrooms and kitchen re-done, but those are going to be expensive projects so they’re on the schedule a few years down the road.

      We have popcorn ceiling, too. I really wanted it removed, but there’s asbestos in it and it would have cost at least $10k to get it done so we just left it. We could have had it painted, but we decided to leave it as is. I’d prefer we didn’t have it, but I don’t spend that much time looking at the ceiling. 🙂

      Home projects are going to take more time and money than you initially think.

      • CaitlinHTP June 13, 2011, 5:29 pm

        Oh, I think this will take YEARS! And tons of money!

  • Megan June 13, 2011, 11:25 am

    We have an older home that we have done a lot of work too! Our largest project was our kitchen. We completely gutted it and renovated it. New flooring, insulation, drywall, molding, cabinets, counters, electrical, lighting, etc. We had the professionals install the counters and cabinets but the rest has been all us. We washed dishes the bathtub for 3 months. It was quite an experience.

    Other things we’ve done…rip up carpets, install hardwood flooring, install tile, paint every room, put up crown molding, replace fixtures, remove wallpaper, lots and lots of sanding,spackling and fixing drywall, and I’m sure a few things I am forgetting. We still need to tackle the yard and install a privacy fence. It has been a lot of work, but very rewarding. Now I’m just hoping when we sell someone else will appreciate all that work!

    We left the exterior paint(our old paint was lead based), the new roof, and sanding and staining the hardwoods to the professionals. My advice: realize that while you can do everything, your sanity is worth paying a professional here and there.

    • Megan June 13, 2011, 11:26 am

      Oh and I try and document as much of it as I can on my blog, but we’re no where near as good as young house love 🙂

  • Layne June 13, 2011, 11:25 am

    Congrats! We are actually buying our first house as well (we close on July 20). Buying a home is NO JOKE – it’s probably the most overwhelming thing we’ve ever done. And that says a lot because we have a tween daughter and have moved across country twice.

    As far as renovations go, we are planning to go slowly and update things as we have extra money. We want to live in the house for a little while before going crazy. Both of us are pretty handy, but we will be calling in the professionals for any electrical/gas work and anything more than basic plumbing. For the rest, we will probably rely on Home Depot youtube videos! That, and we’ll probably be inviting my father-in-law to come “visit” us so he can help with some of the bigger projects. 🙂

    This process is proving to be pretty overwhelming, but as our mortgage guys has been telling us, “it will all be totally worth it in XX days!”

  • Kristy@RunTheLongRoad June 13, 2011, 11:28 am

    Congrats! I love the hardwoods and countertops in the kitchen. My husband did most of the work in our house but our 2 bathrooms need re-doing and that is being left for the experts!

  • Jessica @ Dairy Free Betty June 13, 2011, 11:32 am

    YAY congrats!!!
    We bought an older house that needed tons of work (hello pumpkin orange kitchen) and it’s still a work in progress, but it’s home now and totally us!! 🙂

    You’ll have so much fun1! 🙂

  • marian June 13, 2011, 11:32 am

    congratulations, Caitlin! you must be so excited. the kitchen and the living room are GORGEOUS 🙂

  • Kristen @ The Concrete Runner June 13, 2011, 11:32 am

    My husband is entirely too cheap to ever call ANYONE in to fix anything (even if he doesn’t know how to fix it – but somehow he does). We’ve painted all but one room of our house (pretty much the easiest DIY) except for one – the nursery, but will be finished in a few weeks. The hubs is currently fixing up our landscaping in front and painting the outside trim that just didn’t seem to get done last summer. We move slowly with our projects because we really don’t have the time or money to work on the house except for in the summer since we both teach + coach throughout the year. Don’t get discouraged if it takes awhile. Your new HOME looks beautiful just how it is (I must say I’m a bit jealous of your hardwood floors and marble countertops). Prioritize what you absolutely have to get done because you hate the way it is now and get that done first. We still have a lot of work to do on our house, but it’s stuff we can definitely live with for the time being.

  • Gabriela @ Une Vie Saine June 13, 2011, 11:33 am

    Woooo congratulations!! The house looks SO nice- I love how open and light it is!! I can’t wait to see what you do with it!

  • Brittany June 13, 2011, 11:33 am

    Obsessed with DIY. I’ve been painting and designing my parents house since we bought it when I was 9… seriously. My mom left all the design decisions up to me. Really, who trusts a 9-year-old with these things?? I’m currently moving into a rental for my senior year of college and the house is beyond gorgeous. I’m working on decorating now so it can live up to its 1920’s french provincial possibilities. My dad and I bought a $10 (hideous) side table that I’m painting/cushioning to serve as an ottoman for my “closet”. Sounds like you’ve got a lot of work cut out for you! Hopefully the hus is better at painting than my boyfriend….

    • CaitlinHTP June 13, 2011, 5:30 pm

      Hahah my mom let me paint my room bright red when I was like 15… fail.

  • Erin June 13, 2011, 11:34 am

    Man, based on those photos I wouldn’t have to do anything! Maybe you just take really good photos 🙂

    Congrats on the house. It’s a big step but an amazing one. When we owned our home we stripped all the wallpaper and painted almost every room, replaced several of the light fixtures, and laid wood laminate flooring in two rooms and tile in the bathroom. We called in the professionals to do anything involving drywall and to install a new patio door. Otherwise we tackled most everything ourselves!

  • Steph @ A Life Without Ice Cream June 13, 2011, 11:37 am

    In my last home ( a condo apt ) I did a full kitchen reno. We kept the cuboards but refaced them. So all in all it was new sink, taps, cuboard and drawer doors and handles, counter top, and kitchen lighting. My dad came down to help me and we did it over a long weekend. It was so much work but was so nice to know we’d done it.

    The one thing we called a professional for (and by that I mean an electrician friend of my dads) was doing all the switches and dimmers in the apt to update them. We thought it best not to play with the power 🙂

  • Gina @ Running to the Kitchen June 13, 2011, 11:43 am

    Congrats again!
    Our first house in FL had nasty original berber carpet throughout and stained from many pet accidents (the house was only 5 yrs old, but the carpet was NASTY). My husband and I ripped up the entire thing and installed tile throughout the downstairs (on the diagonal nonetheless ;)) and pergot upstairs. Looked great. Thankfully, we’ve never had to do bathroom or kitchens renos as all our houses have been fairly new. I can’t imagine tackling those ourselves.

    Good luck in all the DIY-ing!

  • Natalia - a side of simple June 13, 2011, 11:45 am

    My dad is a homebuilder and my mom is a real estate agent, as well as both being landlords, so I know how intesive the whole “experience” can be. Congratulations on a succesful weekend and especially on your tri!!

  • Christine June 13, 2011, 11:48 am

    I live in an apartment, so DIY projects aren’t necessary. If you are able and plan on it, I suggest removing the popcorn ceiling before moving in. My in-laws did it last summer and the dust was insane.

  • Laura @ MyReasontoRun June 13, 2011, 11:48 am

    congrats on the house!!! my husband and i are DIY pros!!! our house is a never ending project. we have been in our house for almost 7 years and still have projects lined up. we’ve done everything from finishing our room over (complete with wiring, hanging sheetrock and ceiling), building an inground a pool, building a small pool house and outdoor fireplace, tiling floors, you name it and we have probably done it. its amazing what you can learn to do you youtube or just asking someone who has done it before.

  • Cindy K June 13, 2011, 11:55 am

    Congrats on the house!! You will come to feel that it’s nice to have a place that yours and you can do whatever you like to it. I’ve also found that DIY projects can be tough, but are ultimately really rewarding in the end because you know you did it!

    We bought an old (1930’s) home and completely gutted the bathroom and kitchen (including moving a load bearing wall and replacing part of the roof). But my husband, who is an engineer and in the construction industry really spearheaded most of the projects. I was just the ready, willing and able helper 🙂 We are really happy that our home now matches what we envisioned when we bought it! The only thing we left to the professionals was hardwood floor refinishing. We knew they’d be able to do it quicker – and since we had to move out of our home for it to be completed, it made more sense for us to have them do it. Plus at $2 a square foot it was worth every penny!

    Good luck and happy homeownership and DIY-ing!!

  • Annette @ EnjoyYourHealthyLife June 13, 2011, 11:59 am

    wahooo! SO excited for you all 🙂

  • Laura O. June 13, 2011, 12:03 pm

    Congrats on the house! Best of luck w/ next steps leading to closing, too!
    We were lucky in that our house didn’t need much work at all. Did need to be painted to our own liking, which we did ourselves though not fun (our living room has high ceilings/walls). Had professionals install our fence around our yard. We’d like to finish our basement eventually but that’s down the road some. One step at a time 😉

  • Laura June 13, 2011, 12:06 pm

    We powerwashed our whole house and the driveway sidewalks. It was an awful day and we would probably hire someone next time.

    We hired out to have our fence built as well.

    Congrats on the house!

  • jen @ taste life June 13, 2011, 12:06 pm

    That kitchen looks so nice! And big. We had to have part of our house lifted and the supports re-poured last year. Obviously we left that to the professionals 🙂

    I personally cannot stand house work stuff, so I make the manfriend do it all…he’s painted the exterior, restained the decks, painted all of the interior rooms, replaced screen doors, replaced missing tile, etc. I make hummus and fold laundry, that’s about it :0

  • Charlotte June 13, 2011, 12:08 pm

    Congratulations on the house! Such an exciting time! My husband and I bought our house last year and spent 2 months working on it before we moved in! We painted the inside and outside, took off the popcorn ceiling, torn out all the UGLY blue carpet and grind and finished the concrete and took out a load baring wall to make the dinner room/kitchen and living room one big room! We also just finished 3 big veggie beds and are planning to flagstone a back porch next weekend! It seems like never ending projects around here, but man does it feel like home! We did everything ourselves except getting the engineering info for the wall demo! Good luck!!

    • CaitlinHTP June 13, 2011, 5:31 pm

      I want veggie beds! So fun.

  • Aundra | Fit for Life June 13, 2011, 12:08 pm

    Congratulations!! My best advice? Make a priority list and do what you can to tackle the big stuff in the first year. And, a fresh coat of paint does wonders to transform a room. We’ve re-painted twice in four years!

    We’ve tackled some major projects ourselves. Most recently, a new backyard fence! My favorite part is the backyard, definitely plant a garden, you’ll love it! Yay for you guys, you’re in for a fabulous adventure!!

  • Dynamics June 13, 2011, 12:12 pm

    Let me know if you decide to remove the cottage cheese (popcorn) ceiling. It is sooooooo easy and you can do your whole house in one weekend. Your arms will get a great workout. I have some secret weapons that make the removal so much easier. It looks fantastic!!! I wish I had taken a before and after picture to show you the results. Congrats on the house.

    • Charise June 13, 2011, 2:27 pm

      Please share your secret weapons! There is a good chance I will be removing popcorn ceiling soon, as a lot of the houses we are looking at have them.

      • CaitlinHTP June 13, 2011, 5:31 pm

        Make sure they don’t have asbestos in it!

  • Amber K June 13, 2011, 12:14 pm

    How funny, I actually can’t wait to get a house with ceiling fans! I haven’t had any since the house I lived in when I was 14 and younger. I miss them! Especially in the summer. But I have an extreme hatred for popcorn covered ceilings. SUCH a mess!

  • Lisa @ lisa letting go June 13, 2011, 12:18 pm

    Congrats on the house, that’s so exciting!!!! 🙂

  • Lauren June 13, 2011, 12:25 pm

    Just remember, this house is 100% YOURS! You have all the time in the world to get all of the to-do list accomplished. 🙂

  • Lee June 13, 2011, 12:26 pm

    We removed wallpaper, painted and installed a new kitchen sink. Well, I personally didn’t install the sink. We want more cabinets but I think we’re going to leave that one to the professionals.

  • Juli D. June 13, 2011, 12:29 pm

    We installed a new deck! It was a lot of fun – we did everything too – the research, planning, post digging and building. We were very happy with the results!

  • Liv @ The Salty n' Sweet June 13, 2011, 12:31 pm

    I’m not at that homeowning age yet, so no projects for me. My mom and I are the only ones in the house, so it’s so much easier for a couple of girls to call the construction guys! So far we’ve gutted our kitchen and baths! And there’s still so much to do.

    I’m sure you and Christien can handle it, though!

  • Paula @ Eat: Watch: Run June 13, 2011, 12:39 pm

    I’ve owned 2 houses. The first one, I painted the interior completely with my husband. After the first room, I decided I hated painting (I did all the corners because I have the steady hand) and wanted a contractor to do the next house.

    Next house came along – and we painted that one on our own too. We didn’t have the money to hire someone. But we DID hire someone to do all the laminate and tile flooring, because there is no way I’d take that on myself.

    Next up for us = new fence and we need a new A/C unit. Ugh.

    Owning a house is hard.

  • Sarah @ See Sarah Eat June 13, 2011, 12:46 pm

    You are so lucky to have a closing date! I hope everything works out great for you guys 🙂 Our home-buying process has been a nightmare. We couldn’t get the first place because the seller was totally unreasonable (he was just flipping the place and wanted to make money) and we almost had the second place only to get a week away from closing and find out the condo association did not accept FHA loans! It was so heart-breaking and we thought it was over. But we are in the process of getting a different loan for the same place, hopefully this time it works out! I have been on an emotional roller coaster these past few months, but I know eventually it will all be worth it 🙂 I just want to get it so I can start painting and decorating already!

    • CaitlinHTP June 13, 2011, 5:32 pm

      Oh man, the loan process was the worst. Good luck!

  • Kelly June 13, 2011, 12:48 pm

    We ripped up our kitchen tile and retiled it. It was difficult but it was doable! You will appreciate everything so much more once you own sweat and tears goes into it!

  • melissa (fitnessnyc) June 13, 2011, 12:52 pm

    It looks gorgeous in the pics, but that’s a crazy list. I hope you plan to be there a long time 🙂 Congrats on the sprint tri

  • April June 13, 2011, 12:53 pm

    Your house will be great, congratulations!! I tiled my kitchen floor and backsplash on my own…somehow successfully! It was pretty stressful while I was doing it, but I was so happy when I was done with the amount of $$ I saved. The key for me was buying tile that isn’t supposed to be completely square, it looked beautiful and I could be off by a touch, but you couldn’t tell.

  • Jo @ Jo In the Kitchen June 13, 2011, 12:56 pm

    Congratulations on such a big weekend!! I can’t wait to see how everything works out 🙂

  • Lindsey@Yogi Bear June 13, 2011, 12:57 pm

    Congrats, that’s so exciting! The house looks beautiful. Also, great job on your tri!

  • Lauren June 13, 2011, 1:00 pm

    Your house looks BEAUTIFUL 😀 Congratulations!

  • Molly @ the F-spot June 13, 2011, 1:03 pm

    There’s ALWAYS something that can be done when you own your own home. It’s a blessing and a curse — welcome! 🙂

    We’ve done everything ourselves: painted every room, replaced all door hardware, re-tiled bathtub surround, installed a faux lawn (hardest work EVER), re-wired entire house from knob-and-tube, replaced kitchen sink, converted fireplace from wood-burning to gas, built a deck from scratch, replaced fence, all landscaping.

    My advice is to pick one project at a time so you aren’t living in a constant mess and the work is manageable. The home looks to be in great shape, so pick the projects that NEED to be done first rather than the “nice to have” ones.

    Good luck!

  • Mary June 13, 2011, 1:08 pm

    How exciting your first house!! I cant wait to read all about your DIY projects!

  • Shrinking mommy of 2 June 13, 2011, 1:09 pm

    Congrats on the house. I have lived in this one for almost 2 years and I have only painted the upstairs and done some landscaping. We have more to “update” it but paint does wonders! Good luck!

  • Ash @ Good Taste Healthy Me June 13, 2011, 1:10 pm

    yay! I know it seems like a lot but it will be a list that changes and grows. Our “to-do” list is sooooo long! There are always things that we’d like to change but the house is very livable and we’re able to tackle things slowly over time. The biggest reno we did was put in all new tile and hardwood floors. I mean my fiance did. 😉

  • Miranda June 13, 2011, 1:13 pm

    Congrats again on the contract!

    I’m not a big fan of DIY, but Adam can fix anything. That and my bestie is a GC. So they do a lot together around the house.

  • Brittany (A Healthy Slice of Life) June 13, 2011, 1:21 pm

    Love the sneak peak at the house! It looks awesome and it will become even more amazing when you get to put your own mark on it.

    Our current house was such a pain to move into- we tore up the old hard woods ourselves, along with a ton of carpet and tile (TILE IS THE WORST TO PULL UP!!), painted rooms, did window treatments, etc. It was exhausting, but I love it. It feels like us.

    Excited to hear about your home ownership journey 🙂

  • Allie @ Healthy Balance, Healthy Life June 13, 2011, 1:23 pm

    Don’t own a home but I’ve painted every wall in my mom’s house as well as the apartment I’m renting. I’m not sure what I would leave to the professionals…I’ll let you know in ten years when I own a house haha

  • Kristin June 13, 2011, 1:26 pm

    Aw, congrats on the house!!

  • Cindy @ The Flipping Couple June 13, 2011, 1:28 pm

    We’ve DIY’ed most of our house – kitchen, bathroom, plumbing, fence, tile, pulling up carpet, TONS OF PAINT, moving walls and (my least favorite) building a garage from the ground up. It’s a ton of work but it’s totally worth it! Can’t wait to see what you do with the house.

  • Marissa June 13, 2011, 1:33 pm

    Congrats on the house! We are currently wrapping up 4 years of renos in our house. My biggest suggestion is don’t spend tons of money doing renos unless you plan to be in the house for 10+ years. We’ve done sooo much, and may have to move in 2 years b/c of the husband’s job. I love our house, but wish we would have waited on some stuff. I would definitely call in a professional to re-do the wood floors and try to do this before you move in. It makes such a mess. Good luck with it all!!

  • Katie (Sweet Tater) June 13, 2011, 1:34 pm

    love it!

  • colleen June 13, 2011, 1:36 pm

    Congrats on being under contract!! It is awesome, nerve racking time though. After going through the process four times in the past 11 years, I have learned it isn’t over until those last forms are signed on closing day. Hopefully everything is smooth sailing for you. The hubby and I are big DIYers. We have repainted too many rooms to count, replaced and installed too much flooring, replaced light fixtures, replaced shelves and towel bars, replaced kitchen sinks and facets, landscaped too many yards, remodeled four bathrooms, installed two fences, reorganized closets, upgraded and installed too many appliances, installed new garage door openers, changed too many locks, scrapped popcorn ceilings – a dreadful task but looked 10x better afterwards, installed molding of all types, and installed a patio door. We let the professionals tackle the new roof, siding, gutters, replace a window pane, and remove and install major appliances – HVAC and water heater. Boy, just thinking about all we’ve done it’s no wonder I have no interest in tackling our major items on our current to-do list.

  • Hillary June 13, 2011, 1:44 pm

    Mmm sweet potato and Greek yogurt has been a breakfast staple in my house these past few weeks. Love it!

    Unfortunately, I am many years away from buying my first house. Just thinking of all the work that goes into it makes my head spin! Good luck to you guys!

  • Erin @ Big Girl Feats June 13, 2011, 2:04 pm

    So exciting! Congrats! We redid our apartment before moving in (boyfriend’s Dad owns the house so we were super spoiled) and it’s a HUGE time/energy drain for a while, but the end result is totally worth it. If you do hire someone, make sure you get recommendations and check with previous projects he/she has worked on. That makes a huge difference.

  • Dori June 13, 2011, 2:17 pm

    That kitchen is bigger than my entire apartment.

    • CaitlinHTP June 13, 2011, 5:33 pm

      Yea but you live in NYC!

  • Charise June 13, 2011, 2:25 pm

    We put in new cabinets, countertops, and flooring in the kitchen ourselves and definitely saved a few grand on labor costs. We are in the process of selling our condo and looking for a house, and we are looking at places that need cosmetic updates, but with no major problems. I think we can handle most projects ourselves, unless it involves scary things like removing walls, moving/adding plumbing and electrical. or the big exterior things like a new roof.

  • Julie (A Case of the Runs) June 13, 2011, 2:26 pm

    Congrats on the house (love the kitchen btw)!

    I’ve been wondering something about your breakfast bowls. Does eating all that (ungel-ed) chia seed upset your stomach??? I find they are much easier to digest when they are not still dry and grassy…

    • CaitlinHTP June 13, 2011, 5:33 pm

      Nope 😉 I have a stomach of steel.

  • Erin @ Naturally Addicted June 13, 2011, 2:38 pm

    You’re new house look so cute! I’m sure you definitely can tackle your list of DIY. That breakfast is amazing! I eat sweet potatoes every chance I get, but this is one way I haven’t had them yet. On the menu for breakfast tomorrow for sure! Congrats again!!

  • Kate (What Kate is Cooking) June 13, 2011, 2:41 pm

    I still live at home so DIY projects are faaaar in the future!

  • Lauren C. @ FocusedToBeFit June 13, 2011, 3:03 pm

    What an amazing weekend! Great race and now a house! How exciting – congrats!!!

  • Ashley June 13, 2011, 3:22 pm

    My husband and I completely renovated our entire house, inside and out…we basically only kept the exterior frame. It was a long process but well worth it!! We did most of it ourselves but subbed out the plumbing and electrical (and only because we were short on time). And when I say we I mean him. 🙂

  • Lindsay June 13, 2011, 3:24 pm

    Congrats on your new house, but the ONLY thing I would say is that you should focus all of your time and money on renovating bath rooms and the kichen if your feel like the cabinetry needs updating. Those changes will help the resale value so much! ALSO, do not get rid of the ceiling fans. Ceiling Fans are so helpful in keeping it cool in the house when you dont want to turn the air on. If you wouldnt mind, maybe you could explain why you dont like ceiling fans? I mean it could be simply that your current fans are outdated and need to be replaced! 😀

    • CaitlinHTP June 13, 2011, 5:34 pm

      See comment #10!

  • Allison @ Happy Tales June 13, 2011, 3:59 pm

    Ahhh I’m so excited for you!!!!! I want to buy a house *so* badly! All of those DIY projects sure will keep you guys busy! Which neighborhood will you guys be in?

  • erica June 13, 2011, 4:17 pm

    OMG! congrats!!!! so exciting!
    we re-did everything when we bought our condo. we didn’t DIY anything because our stupid condo has rules about only insured contractors allowed to do anything to your units (ridiculous!) which ended up costing A LOT. if you can DIY, i would. (at least painting and stuff like that!)
    can’t wait to see/read all about it!

  • Sonia (the Mexigarian) June 13, 2011, 4:53 pm

    I helped my sister paint her house, install the hardwood flooring and we completely gutted and tiled the guest bathroom. I overcame my fear of the wet saw but not my sister when she freaked out over the last tile at the top of the shower had a small hole it in. whoops.

  • Meghann @ Meghann on the Move June 13, 2011, 4:54 pm

    congratulations!

    my husband and I just had all of the popcorn ceilings removed in our apartment. it cost a LOT, but I know we couldn’t have done it on our own. and it looks AMAZING to have it down! everything is so much lighter and brighter. money well spent for sure 🙂

    good luck with everything!

  • Shari June 13, 2011, 5:00 pm

    Congratulations on the house!!

  • Laura June 13, 2011, 5:10 pm

    Congrats! 🙂 It must be so exciting to look at the house and think that it’s going to be your future children’s home.

  • Kim June 13, 2011, 5:29 pm

    The husband and I completely finished our basement, new bathroom, new carpet, new drywall and paint. What a project!! So worth it though.

    Good luck with all of the steps to closing, definitely a great feeling when it’s over.

  • Sarena (The Non Dairy Queen) June 13, 2011, 6:28 pm

    Congratulations on the house Caitlin! I’m so happy for you two! What an exciting time!

  • Emily @ Comfortable Home Life June 13, 2011, 6:45 pm

    I also detest ceiling fans. I live in an apartment so I really have no choice in the matter, but I never turn the two fans I have on! AC all the way. I hate sleeping with the fan on. I feel like it makes my eyes dry. Everyone thinks I’m stupid for saying that, because your eyes are obviously closed when you sleep, but I swear my eyes hurt more when the fan’s been on! The house looks adorable! I’m sure you know how the saying goes: location, location, location! You can change everything else about the house but you can’t pick it up and move it. Can’t wait to see what you do with it!

  • Jen June 13, 2011, 6:51 pm

    Ooooh, it looks lovely, Caitlin! I heart the kitchen…so much space to make delicious gluten free meals!

  • Evan June 13, 2011, 7:09 pm

    I am so late to the comment party, it’s not even fair.

    Congratulations on closing the deal! Trust me, now is the time in your life to do DIY projects like the ones you listed above. My ‘rents bought our first family house (an old fraternity house at Fairfield University) with stainless steel countertops, orange(!) paint in the kitchen, burn marks on the doors, and a forest full over overgrown trees in the backyard. And they totally refurbished that little house into a piece or paradise – and sold it for a nice chunk of change, too! I have no doubts that you’ll use your superwoman triathaloning power to make your house a home in no time 🙂

    Also, cold sweet potatoes + yogurt + almonds are my JAM. I love that breakfast and make it whenever I need a break from oats. Try it with Okinawan purple potato; it looks weird, but the texture is really tasty.

  • Lacey @ Lake Life June 13, 2011, 7:18 pm

    My fingers are crossed that the inspection goes well (when it happens)!

    I must say, I can’t believe you’re pulling out the fans! My kitchen fan has saved me one too many times from hearing the screech of my smoke detector!

  • Annie@stronghealthyfit June 13, 2011, 7:32 pm

    Congratulations! Buying a house is a pretty big deal 🙂

  • Jolene June 13, 2011, 7:44 pm

    My hus. and FIL tackled both hardwood floors (both hardwood and laminate flooring…will never again do *fake* wood floors…we love the handscraped real stuff with all the roughness on it already I’m not afraid of our 4+ children tearing it up!) and they’ve done tile in the bathroom. Decks, storage barns, electrical, plumbing….but I think because my hus. is an Engineer he’s a little bit gifted in the project area!

  • Christina June 13, 2011, 8:21 pm

    Speaking from experience, if you are going to refinish the floors, do it before you move in. That said, please be aware that dog nails can do a number on hardwood floors. In the photos the floors look like they are in already in good condition. Think about how much time and effort you want to put into refinishing the floors only to have them scratched up in short order. Again, I speak from experience 🙁

  • Kelly June 13, 2011, 8:26 pm

    Wahoo! Congratulations. I think it’s a darling house from just the two shots you’ve shown. I can’t wait to be a homeowner. I think the DIY projects would be the funnest part (and I suck big time at them – ha!). I’m so excited for you guys!!

  • E June 14, 2011, 3:58 am

    Congratulations again! From the two pics, it looks very cute already – esp. love the kitchen counters.

  • Sarah June 14, 2011, 9:40 am

    From the looks of it, your house is already beautiful! But I understand wanting/needing to renovate. When my husband and I bought our house, we painted all the walls (which included lots of wallpaper removal and sanding, ripped up the carpets, sanded and finished the wood floors, knocked out a wall between the kitchen and dining room to create more of an open floor plan, moved a door to give the kitchen more space, installed new toilets,and resized our counter. We still have more to do, but we did have help from my father-in-law; we haven’t called in any other experts.

  • lisa @ early morning run June 14, 2011, 11:56 am

    congrats on the house!! At least with the DIY projects, you can make the house your own!

    I love sweet potato for breakfast. I often take one with me to the airport when I have an early morning flight.

  • Katherina @ Zephyr Runs June 15, 2011, 10:34 am

    Congratulations on the house! I can’t wait to follow along with your renos. Your chilled sweet potato instructions just inspired me to look up a sweet potato smoothie – totally doin’ it.

  • Krista June 16, 2011, 11:15 am

    Congrats of the house, Caitlin!! From the photos you posted it looks beautiful…. 🙂

  • Sara @ OurDogBuffy June 16, 2011, 3:00 pm

    I am looking at those two photos you posted thinking WOW, it doesn’t need A THING! We should’ve taken before photos of our house–it needed MAJOR work. The carpet–disgusting. The walls–a mess. The paint? Horrible. We painted our ENTIRE house–even the ceilings, windows, doors, and trim all right before our wedding. It was so awful that we now hate painting and will NEVER do any large painting projects again! It took us two years to redo the paint in three rooms and large rooms? Honestly, we’ll never do it again. We’ll save up. Let someone else paint the outside and take the painting slow. That’s some advice from me! I hope you love DIY projects. They’re just not for me, apparently.

  • Jolene (www.everydayfoodie.ca) June 16, 2011, 8:08 pm

    The house looks gorgeous!!!! WOW – you guys did very well!!!

    I am confused by the school district thing … Can you not send your kids to any school you want? In my city, no matter which area they live in, kids/parents can choose any school in the city to go to (transportation to the school would be on the parents though).

    • Caitlin June 16, 2011, 9:02 pm

      Nope you are zoned for an elementary, middle, and high school and its grouped by neighborhoods, so the more $$ the home, the nicer the school district.

  • Sarah June 28, 2011, 10:18 pm

    We redid an entire 3000 square foot house–plumbing, electrical, laid floor leveler, flooring, took down wallpaper, repainted almost everything, drywall, moved the kitchen from one location to another including installing all new cabinets, an island and appliances, bolstered up the floor, insulated the entire basement, put up new gutters, refinished the decks…phew!!

    We must be crazy!!

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