Replacement Basement Windows

We had to do something about replacement basement windows in this house. After looking at the neighbourhood, we realized other houses had trouble finding replacements too. The main windows and doors had all been replaced, but we needed to find these 30 x 11.5 inch windows.

They were in an aluminum frame, that was load bearing, so could not be removed. Every window company we contacted said they "don't make them anymore" They would try and get us interested in bigger ones, which would require huge expense and window wells, which was just plain stupid.

Finally, after an exhaustive search, we were going to have to create our own storm windows to cover these basement windows and stop the cold drafts. We had gone to a lot of trouble to add more insulation and replace the furnace, but the basement was freezing! These windows had huge gaps. Then while we were in Home Depot, for another reason, I thought I would whine to the window guy there, and he frowned and took me to a shelf FILLED with these replacement basement windows! The label even says, to replace aluminum framed basement windows. The size was perfect, they might as well of had our name on them. They were also on sale for $102.00 each, and Adair installed them very quickly. So, much for the window companies!

Renew The Hardwood Floor

The hardwood floors in this house, were not in the best shape, especially upstairs. Many stains and just not good colour. We decided to clean the upstairs the best we could and then had it all carpeted.

But the living room, we wanted to save. Our budget could not justify the $3.00 per square foot we had been quoted to have it sanded, stained and varathaned. So, we decided to try this product from Home Depot, that "renews hardwood floors". For $79.00 the kit contained a slightly abraisive cleaner, that takes off the old varathane and any dirt. You then wash the floor with a conditioner, then after it dries, you put on two coats of the varathane. All of this included the mop head were included in this kit.

We were very impressed on how it turned out. This floor is not A1 to begin with, as it has gouges and dents here and there, but I feel Adair brought this 1972 hardwood floor back to life. Plus the coat of paint on the wall helps tone everything down a bit! Just need to get the trim around the window and the baseboard on. But I will save that for another picture!

Repairing Stucco Ceiling

Adair and Hailey replaced the drywall in the living room ceiling after making sure the plumbing did not leak.

This hole was here when we took over the house.

But we then had the issue of trying to match the stucco on the ceiling. We had many suggestions for the ceiling. From just adding another layer of drywall, as it was a tall ceiling, to scraping off the existing stucco. All of them were very labour intensive. We even got a quote from a ceiling repair place that does this for a living. But we were quoted $680.00! We decided to do the best we could ourselves.

I purchased some stucco for ceilings and I sponged it over the area, I then painted the whole ceiling with a large stucco roller. It took two coats. I didn't realize how yellow the ceiling was, until I started painting with ceiling paint. It is not a perfect repair, but it look better, and the whole room looks brighter for the ceiling paint.

Upstairs Hallway

Here is a before and after picture of the upstairs hallway. This shows how far that railing went around. Painting the twisted and fancy shaped pieces, was a bit tedious, but gave it some life again on the cheap!

The carpet looks great, and we got a good deal for it, and had it installed, in all 4 bedrooms as well as this upstairs hallway and runner down the stairs. But you can see by the after picture, how much better the walls were looking.

There had been a wallpaper border (this house had wallpaper everywhere!) I got creative with a sponge mop. After wetting it down, from the upper hallway standing at the railing, I then taped a wallpaper scraper to a broom handle and scraped off the wallpaper without any scaffolding! I thought that was creative! Then painted with a roller on a long stick, and used a ceiling edger on the stick as well.

Staircase upgrade on the Cheap

Here is a before and after picture of the staircase. It was too expensive to replace the wrought iron 1970's railing, so I lightly sanded it, and used black tremclad. It cleaned it right up and looks much better.

I also sanded and varathaned the exposed 6 inches or so of stair tread on each side, and painted the riser with the trim colour we are using around the house.

We felt for safety and to finish it off, that we would continue with the same carpet that was installed upstairs, as a runner down the center of these stairs. The railing goes not only up the stairs, but along the hall as well, so there was a lot of tremclad to do!.

Kitchen Cabinets

Today, it felt like everything was starting to come together. It has been over two months, on wallpaper stripping, demolition, bathrooms, flooring and more, but today we saw very fast progress. It gave us all a "ahhhh" moment!

I have included a BEFORE picture, I am sure you can guess which one it is. The Home Depot team installed the kitchen cabinets, and we now need to do a back splash, and install the appliances, which are sitting in the living room. The electrics have been upgraded, and Adair is getting quite good at plumbing. Hailey was helping and putting up mirrors and towel racks in the bathrooms, plus today they spent out and about purchasing 300 feet of trim, mostly baseboard, plus closet bi fold door kits.

But the kitchen, made everything seem worthwhile today...

Finishing Wood Stairs

Finishing wood stairs, can be difficult, especially if they are not really in very good condition.

With the staircase in this house, the stairs were natural wood with varathane, and were worn down and dirty. We made the decision to get a carpet runner down the middle, so we had to sand and finish the 6 or 7 inches on either side, including painting the stair risers.

It took a lot of sanding, especially since you can't get power tools inbetween the railings, so sanded it the best I could, then used a tack cloth to get rid of debris, and varathaned it in a satin finish.

There are lots of dents and knicks and gouges, but they just looked "rustic" when I was finished. This left a opening in the center of the stairs where we could all still run up and down. I painted the riser, which was wood, the same off cream that all our trim was. I then lightly sanded the iron railing, and then painted it with tremclad black. Painting the railing took over 3 hours. It was also upstairs in the hallway.. Lots of it! But looks much better.

Still looks messy, with the center not refinished, but once that carpet runner is installed it will look great!

Kitchen Laminate Floor

Adair has been preparing the kitchen floor for the new ALURE laminate floor. While Hailey finishes the grouting in the bathroom, he prepared and cleaned the floor area, after filling in any gaps in the subfloor.

The Kitchen is due to arrive on the 6th of February, along with the appliances, so we need to get the floor down, at least in the kitchen. This new laminate "tile look" floor, glues to each other, rather than the floor itself. It is a sealed joint and is waterproof, perfect for the kitchen and hallway where we are putting it down.

Bathroom Floor Tiles

Adair and Hailey have finished tiling around the tub, and are now working on the bathroom floor tiles. They have done a good job, and Hailey is getting ready for grout.

Everyone is working hard on this renovation, as we start putting everything back together, it is looking much better.

Adair has started on the laminate floor in the kitchen, while Hailey does the grouting in the bathroom.

Bathroom renovation

Hailey and Adair were continuing today with installing tiles around the new bathtub. They are doing a great job, and the tiles they picked are awesome! As per usual, older houses, have "not so perfect" lines, so they have had their hands full, trying to make everything perfect.

But they have, with lots of measuring and tile cutting, this bathroom will be one of the best rooms in the house. Pretty good for "first time renovators".

They had a budget, and picked out everything for this room, including the new vanity, and floor tiles.. can't wait to see it all together.

I have been painting. I have now put primer on three bedrooms and the hallway. Also, two coats of ceiling paint on all rooms. The fourth small bedroom, needs some wall prep before we can continue, but with the primer tinted close to the finished colour, it is already looking better. Jeremy was "materials manager" today, getting us all the things we needed. It is handy to be working on a house right in town, stores are not far.

Tomorrow, I will prime all the doors and window trim. Some are presently bright pink, or purple or green. Zinsser primer works best on all of this. Once that last bedroom is primed, then it will be time to put on a coat of finish colour.

Creative Renovating

The upstairs hallway had a wallpaper border all around the top, including the area over the stairwell.

There is no landing in this stairwell, making the ceiling two storeys high. The border was dry strippable, meaning the pattern part ripped off easily, but it leaves behind the brown backing paper. You then wet this and scrape it off. Sounds easy enough, but unless we can rent some serious scaffolding, this job has been left for now.

Until I got creative! I pulled a completely redneck move. I took a long handled mop and soaked the paper border over the stairwell, from the second floor hallway. I then took the wallpaper scrapper blade and "duct taped" it to a pole (used for painting ceilings etc) and proceeded to scrape off the paper. This actually worked! It fell all over the place, and took a lot of mopping to get it really wet, but it worked.

Did the same trick when it came to painting the primer on the wall. I "duct taped" the trim paint brush to the pole, and carefully edged the paint. Not too bad at all! No one could believe how I did this when they came in to do work on the house today. I promised Jeremy, that not once was I in danger. I did not go anywhere near a ladder, just got creative with the extension pole!

Repairing Drywall

One of the small bedrooms in this house, was dark blue wallpaper, and the opposite walls, at one time, had stick on cork tiles. They were stuck on quite well, and at some point the previous owner must have tried to remove them, taking the drywall surface paper with it. So, now we are faced with the fuzzy insides of the drywall board.

We were trying to avoid tearing down the drywall, as this would damage the ceiling, and it looks like they had already put another thin sheet of drywall on as a second layer. (who knows what happened to the first layer!).

I took off as much loose paper as I could, and the remainder of the cork, and am trying my hand at "mudding". I have already used two small pails of spackle, and will sand it tomorrow, and see what it looks like. Worse case scenario, this room will have a "plaster look"! (That is the before picture you see)