My House Is 95% Complete

I finally was able to move into my house to day.

After 2 years of remodeling from the ground up.I am able to move in.

There is only a few things i need to dne is find out where i am going to put things.And two get internet and tv hooked up.Which will be here Monday.But for now i am using my straight talk wifi hot spot to connect.First time in two years i am able to use my desktop.Setting it up and every thing.

I had this place completely redone.When i first started working on it.It was a complete mess.It had no power no gas or water or heat.The basement was flooded a little because the house roof was not draining properly.

I added two additions one was a wash room up stairs.And the attic was converted into a secondary living space.It's tall enough for a person of 6 foot to stand up in.

I will post up pictures later.

I love that my gas and electric bill are lower than the average house hold.Because i put all new insulation up stairs and down.I all so made the up stairs attic cooler with the new insulation.Not only does the furnace heat the basement and the first floor it all so heats the attic as well.

I keep the thermostat around 68 and if i go any higher it acts like it's 90 even though its at 70.

Oh i will wait next year to put the back porch on.Not going to do it this year.

Every thing was completely redone roof siding basement walls to fix the water problem.

 

I did some of the stuff but stuff like the roof and siding i had some one else do it.

I did most of the trim and drywall and painted.Some of the stuff i could not do on my own.Or had the time with work and all.

 

It is really great when a plan comes together
Congratulations on reaching the milestone of being able to move in after all the renovations
You must be pleased......but........I am a home owner too and let me say that once you start remodeling, there is always something you still want to fix up
Enjoy being able to use a real sized computer

 

Nice! Very happy to hear that your place is coming together. Congratulations!

 

I am also finishing up a home - beware that last inspection. Our inspector is NUTS!
We have to have a self closing 1/2 hour rated fire door from the house to the garage, insulate the pull down attic access ladder, re-route electric wires away from attic access ladder (even the end that pulls down) and have "100% tamper proof LED" lighting - no screw in bulbs.

 

Well done! Nothing like doing renos then enjoying the fruits of your labour. I found work never stops with your place...I just finished painting one of my rooms - stylised 100yr old ceilings are fiddly to paint, but the finished product always looks good. Bedroom next - after a breather...so given what you've done, you must be heaving a huge sigh of relief after so much work while keeping your own job going!

Enjoy!

Cheers

LS

 

I am making a hard foam box around it in the attic, you have to lift the box top to get up there.

 

lol

 

When we built our house and did as much of the construction work as we could and all the finish work inside. We contracted out the brick, plumbing, electrical, and roof. By doing this we were able to save thousands of dollars. It is a lot of hard work but so rewarding.

 

I basically did the same.

The Guy i hired did a great job.Most of the work he did,He did him self.The only time he needed extra help was when he.Was doing the roof and the one part of the basement wall.


This is one guy i hired that did a half ass job.

Let me say this.Be for you redo your foundation wall make sure you find some one that will do it properly.Especially if your paying out 13,000 dollars for it.

 

I left out that we contracted out the basement, it is solid poured concrete walls so that is our foundation for the house.

 

My foundation guys got the right placement, but forgot to allow for sewage line and earthquake requirements. Took me two days drilling to get things right. They knocked off $400 so not all that bad.

 

In California, right? How could earthquake requirements be missed?

 

Warning, these pics are 2 years of struggle with bad contractors. Silicon Valley has had a HUGE growth spurt and only commercial contractors are getting good help. Notice the necked down sewage line, the sewage vents outside the wall (use copper water pipes as wall center reference), top of sliding glass door does not reach header and I have many more. Eventually all were corrected - but at a huge time loss.

 

Terrible that you had to put up with bad contractors - they really have no excuse - as a consumer, you have the right for a proper job done and fair payment on agreed work. If you're not satisfied with outcome of agreed work for agreed payment, then you should complain and have the work done to your satisfaction.

Here we have government departments as part of a process to enforce actions e.g. Dept of Fair Trading as a first step of complaint. If unsatisfied with the outcome, then proceed to next step (another dept for complaint). If other party given an order and that order not complied by that party, then that order can be lodged with a court to have the order enforced - and it really can't be ignored because it will cost the other party if they don't come to the party.

Here, in some cases, a Garnishee Order can be enforced - e.g. if other party doesn't do as ordered and pay up if monies owed, then the Sheriff can go to their place, remove items that can be auctioned and monies paid to the Plaintiff as compensation.

I expect you should have the same legal procedures within your area should you wish to take action - thing to consider is the Statute of Limitation (i.e. the time within which you can lodge a complaint which varies depending on complaint type and which govt dept it is lodged with - so important to check this out).

You must have the patience of Job.

 

There is an old saying patience is a virtue.

 

Doctors want patients, the rest of us want instant gratification! Oops, wrong patience.
I am working with the FBI on one contractor, another went POOF and authorities cannot find anything, the rest made things right.

 

That is a lot of stress!! Hope when it is all over and done with you can enjoy your home.