Renovations

[Nicole New Lowell]

A totally random topic but since I've seen other non fish related photo threads I thought I would make one of my own

3.5 years ago my boyfriend and I bought our first house. We were told by the house inspector that it was about 80 years old but later found out it was actually built in 1980. It was an old tobacco farmhouse, and for reasons unknown faces the train tracks (no longer in use) instead of the road.

We knew the house would need cosmetic renos but when we started, oh boy! Four layers of walls, including the old lathe and plaster (with horse hair!), which now meant a big gap around the flooring. Old un-grounded wiring, and virtually no insulation! We started in the living room, got the purple spray foam insulation, started putting up drywall and then the roof started leaking....right through the new drywall! The problem was that with the spray foam all the heat was now rising up through the walls, and apparently the soffit outside was jam packed with vermiculite insulation and ice, which was now melting into the house. So instead of finishing the livingroom, we had to begin gutting the upstairs.
Originally there were 3 bedrooms upstairs; the master and 2 other very small rooms. We decided to remove the wall between the 2 spare rooms to make one really large master bedroom. We also moved the central staircase to the back room, allowing us to put in a huge walk in closet.
We have been sleeping in the unfinished livingroom beside the woodstove for a very long time now. Finally after 3.5 years, we almost have the master bedroom finished. I am so very excited and since I don't really have any real life friends lol I want to share the photos with you!
The floor boards we found under a couple of other layers of flooring. They were rough cut red pine, likely felled and milled right on this property. My boyfriend painstakingly planed them all down, cut them square and re-laid them, then I oiled them with tung oil. we are trying to keep the house old and rustic looking.
My favourite part though is the orchid wall my dad built for me. Isn't it amazing!
Sorry for the long post lol but I felt it needed some explanation. Enjoy! More pics to come I'm sure. PS we still have to put in baseboard and window trim

 

[noobwithatank]

Ya I hear that. We have already replaced all the windows, front doors, sliding door, garage door. We also put in a second gas fireplace. We are getting quotes for a furnace and ac plus duct work. Its looking close to 15k. After that's done I have permission to spend time on the tank. The laundry room is ripped apart... found out the only used strapping om it so no insulation etc. Total gut job. Renos are only awesome if you don't have to live there while doing the work.

 

[noobwithatank]

Also is there no way to run duct work for a furnace. . Even if it's oil or gas ? Be alot cheaper then baseboards..

 

[jroovers]

Love the orchid wall and the flooring, incredibly beautiful

 

[sunnykita]

very nice, love the floors and orchid wall, I've uncovered wide plank flooring in my sunroom and plan to refinish it as well. Love the look of plank flooring ! Congrats on a job well done !

 

[Poseidon]

i just finished an entire house reno in jan 2016,
living in it now and there is still so much to do .... its mentally tolling... lol
Good job with what you've accomplished so far! just remember your never truly done

 

[Ducati283]

Very nice...looks very inviting and cozy.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[nathan]

Old houses are so cool and full of character but for obvious reasons can be pain in the ass...lol.... love the floors and the idea keeping in rustic.

 

[Nicole New Lowell]

Ya I hear that. We have already replaced all the windows, front doors, sliding door, garage door. We also put in a second gas fireplace. We are getting quotes for a furnace and ac plus duct work. Its looking close to 15k. After that's done I have permission to spend time on the tank. The laundry room is ripped apart... found out the only used strapping om it so no insulation etc. Total gut job. Renos are only awesome if you don't have to live there while doing the work.

Yes living in this house while renovating has been a challenge at best

 

[Nicole New Lowell]

Also is there no way to run duct work for a furnace. . Even if it's oil or gas ? Be alot cheaper then baseboards..

Our furnace duct work only runs into the kitchen, livingroom and main floor bathroom :s, not into the upstairs bedroom or the 'back room' that used to be a garage. I'm not sure if I me tioned this above but ehen we first moved in and didn't realise the extent of renos we would be doing my boyfriend promptly installed a tank in the wall of the old garage so I could finally get a saltwater tank up and going. He always promised I could have one as soon as we owned a house. We moved in during the summer, installed the tank and then realized how incredibly cold the poorly insulated room gets in the winter. I run 700 watts in heaters as well as a space heater in the room the back of the tank is in and still struggle to keep the temp up. On the plus side the room stays cool in the summer so I will never need a chiller!

Thanks everyone for the nice comments .

 

[noobwithatank]

That's gross.. we are still waiting for our final quote for full duct work ,furnace install and ac. But it's all good. I have the okay to setup the tank.

 

[skittles]

A totally random topic but since I've seen other non fish related photo threads I thought I would make one of my own

3.5 years ago my boyfriend and I bought our first house. We were told by the house inspector that it was about 80 years old but later found out it was actually built in 1980. It was an old tobacco farmhouse, and for reasons unknown faces the train tracks (no longer in use) instead of the road.

We knew the house would need cosmetic renos but when we started, oh boy! Four layers of walls, including the old lathe and plaster (with horse hair!), which now meant a big gap around the flooring. Old un-grounded wiring, and virtually no insulation! We started in the living room, got the purple spray foam insulation, started putting up drywall and then the roof started leaking....right through the new drywall! The problem was that with the spray foam all the heat was now rising up through the walls, and apparently the soffit outside was jam packed with vermiculite insulation and ice, which was now melting into the house. So instead of finishing the livingroom, we had to begin gutting the upstairs.
Originally there were 3 bedrooms upstairs; the master and 2 other very small rooms. We decided to remove the wall between the 2 spare rooms to make one really large master bedroom. We also moved the central staircase to the back room, allowing us to put in a huge walk in closet.
We have been sleeping in the unfinished livingroom beside the woodstove for a very long time now. Finally after 3.5 years, we almost have the master bedroom finished. I am so very excited and since I don't really have any real life friends lol I want to share the photos with you!
The floor boards we found under a couple of other layers of flooring. They were rough cut red pine, likely felled and milled right on this property. My boyfriend painstakingly planed them all down, cut them square and re-laid them, then I oiled them with tung oil. we are trying to keep the house old and rustic looking.
My favourite part though is the orchid wall my dad built for me. Isn't it amazing!
Sorry for the long post lol but I felt it needed some explanation. Enjoy! More pics to come I'm sure. PS we still have to put in baseboard and window trimView attachment 12100 View attachment 12101 View attachment 12102 View attachment 12103[/QUO

Have you thought of hot water heating - easy easy to install (you can do it yourself), just need a hot water tank (oil works) to heat the pipes you put in. We had one in Everett, closed system going through heat exchanger unit, 3 different zones (bedrooms, living room, family room/office) -- it was VERY efficient!! You run pipes from the unit (like PEX tubing) through the walls into 1x6" "rads" (more for show than use). Loved it!!!!!! A lot cheaper than running ductwork - you never know what you'll run into with that - this is a lot less intrusive.

 

[Nicole New Lowell]

We had thought about heated floors but I didn't realise you could do this. It's a little late for our master bedroom but maybe for other parts of the house. Luckily the upstairs stays very warm since the heat from the furnace and woodstove travels up there, even with the doors closed. The purple spray foam insulation has made a world of difference in this house

 

[Eddie McVay]

Our furnace duct work only runs into the kitchen, livingroom and main floor bathroom :s, not into the upstairs bedroom or the 'back room' that used to be a garage. I'm not sure if I me tioned this above but ehen we first moved in and didn't realise the extent of renos we would be doing my boyfriend promptly installed a tank in the wall of the old garage so I could finally get a saltwater tank up and going. He always promised I could have one as soon as we owned a house. We moved in during the summer, installed the tank and then realized how incredibly cold the poorly insulated room gets in the winter. I run 700 watts in heaters as well as a space heater in the room the back of the tank is in and still struggle to keep the temp up. On the plus side the room stays cool in the summer so I will never need a chiller!
Thanks everyone for the nice comments .

Regarding the duct, first remove the existing and attach the second air duct, put the new vent in place. Create a wooden frame and seal vent with adhesive cement. Fill the gaps with insulated duct board.

noobwithatank said: ↑
Also is there no way to run duct work for a furnace. . Even if it's oil or gas ? Be alot cheaper then baseboards..

Heated flooring system is a very innovative heating method which works in an unusual way. The efficient heat distribution of this method is what makes it attractive. Other than ceramic and stone tile as floor choices, there are radiant electric floor heating pads which can be installed under laminate and other floating floors like the engineered hardwood.

I am planning of patio renovation. Thinking of a long and narrow patio which looks nicer and spacious without much structural changes or alterations? Would love to go for a patio renovation design something of this sort I found with a windows and doors company madison.

Meanwhile, I forgot to mention that heated flooring has its limitations too, like the upfront cost, leaks in hydronic systems or the risk of fire in electric systems. Another drawback is that they are difficult to access for repairs.