6 posts tagged “home”

The trencher used to dig up the route for the new Propane lines.

The trencher teeth cutting the route.

I am writing this because I want to help others to understand the complex way Liquid Propane (LP) is discussed. In my personal experience it has to do with the installation of a new Pool Heater. I believe, however that it will also help with other appliances that use propane. Lets just say that it isn’t as clear cut as Gasoline where you pay by the gallon and you know what you are getting. Fuel Oil is pretty straight forward as well. You get a liquid at a price per gallon. That simple.....

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What initially seemed to be a simple task of having a new pool heater installed to replace a broken one is turning out to be quite the homeowner's challenge. To be honest, it is almost a full time job to get anything done for a home that you supposedly "own." First of all a decision needs to be made around what type of heater you want to install.

The choices are Natural Gas, Propane or Electric. We opted to go with what we visually saw. An old Propane heater with a line off to the corner of the fence line. As expected, the Pool Guy doesn't get involved with the fuel source, only the hardware of the heater and the connection to the pool system.

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Almost a year ago a decision was made after moving back from Tokyo and selling our apartment there that life renting on Manhattan was not in the best financial interest of our long term reasons for moving back to the U.S..

The result was the decision to buy a house.  A real house.  After weeks of searching a suitable home was found and the paperwork was done.  A nice old home built in 1924.  The location was great, 30 minutes commute from Manhattan, plenty of greenery around the home and a community that has decent schooling and potential for growth and improvement over time.  

One problem however, the house had been the home for the same family for over 47 years.  Despite the fact that children had been raised here, memories has been formed here, the house had pretty much been as is for quite a while.  O.K., in my book, I never wanted a new home.  I value the architecture of old colonials and the solid way they were made.  I viewed this home as one to take, and partake in some serious upgrading and therefore increase the value.

The first major project occurred last August ~ October.  The BIG kitchen renovation.  It was a huge project.  Not just a renovation, but a complete redesign and gut of the Kitchen, Breakfast Nook and Dining room. 

All new appliances, the works.  When the dust settled and all was said and done I wold say it all turned out quite well and served the family well during the holidays.

So life has been pretty much involved little projects here and there to take care of the small D.I.Y. projects.  That is until we decided that the Master Bedroom Bathroom and its newly discovered leaking pipe into the 1st Floor, called for some serious action, which meant, time to remodel that bathroom.  

First of all the bathroom is horrendous!  Can you say retro 50's Pink?  OMG what was the deal with Pink bathrooms?  Also leading from the bedroom into the bathroom was a hallway that was lined with closets.  Those were MY closets, a true point of contention in any consideration for removal in favor of expanding the new bathroom.

So the call went into the contractor who did our kitchen.  He came, did some measurements, provided a design that was acceptable, but the one thing that always was a pain was the size of the bathroom.  It was still small.  So small, due to the fact that the roof slanted and limited the overall area so out went the ideas for medicine cabinets with mirrors.  Ugh.  A new bathroom with limitations.  Oh well, it had to be done.

Mind you at the same time, this project would also require the ceiling of the playroom on the 1st floor to be removed to work on the plumbing.  That was also a necessary evil that proved to be a benefit because we could then put in some recessed lighting in that room when they put it back together again.

So we were all set, demo is set for tomorrow.  However, a strange thing occurred this past weekend over a bowl of Smart Start cereal.  The Mrs. posed the question "What if we moved the bathroom into Tyler's room?"  HUH?!?  3 days before Demo and this question is posed?  It was also a general idea I had proposed months ago that got shot down.  Oh well.

So Tyler's bedroom is next to the master bedroom.  It is a smaller bedroom with its own toilet, sink and shower stall.  So it was feasible that a bathroom could be supported.  I began to think about it.  An actual big bathroom!  Well that changes everything.  The idea began to flourish and creative juices began flowing.  I liked it.  More so because the once closet hallway/bathroom would become my full blown walk in closet.  A call needed to be made to the contractor ASAP!  

That afternoon he was back at the house to hear the idea first hand.  Even he liked it.  He went away and tonight he provided new drawings with the new idea.  In a flash, all was agreed on including pricing, which doubled by the way, but it was done.  That meant that I have just spent the past few hours moving everything out of the Master Bedroom and into the guest room for who knows how long.  Poor Tyler meanwhile, we have to figure out where he and all his furniture is going.  That will have to wait until tomorrow.

As if a strange twist of fate, with the demo starting tomorrow, the Mrs. is off on a business trip to Tokyo for a week and by the time I get home, the demolition will have commenced.  Oh boy.....  Where the original plan called for one month of being without a bedroom/bathroom, now we are looking outwards to almost 2 months. This is going to be fun.... NOT.

For those of you who have been with me for a while, you remember me discussing my kitchen situation and the hell we were putting our selves through living in a temporary situation while it was "re-done." 

Well it is done.  Finally!  Here are some of the before and after pictures!  Enjoy!