It started with a need to replace a woefully inadequate cheap toilet – with an installation job to match – the bank had put in place in a bid to “modernize” the foreclosure I bought nearly three years ago.
I figured while I was at it I should replace the equally unimpressive pseudo Formica kitchen counter top the bank also had installed as it was already showing signs of wear. Given the only cooking I do is nuking two Boca burgers a day – the gas range the bank installed has never been used - the fact it is wearing at all underscores the high quality of the counter top.
The peeling paint thanks to the bank’s contractor painting over oil based enamel with latex paint on the cabinets and drawers in the kitchen, bathroom, and hallway linen storage was also bugging me.
One thing led to another so on Monday morning a contractor is arriving to help me with what has to be either a mid-life crisis or a desire to do a one-man act to stimulate the economy. Karl Luther, who already replaced all my flooring, is just one of a series of folks who will be coming through my house in the next few weeks ranging from an electrician to a guy specializing in granite counter tops. They will take the result of my imagination that includes a custom bathroom vanity being fashioned by John Perez & Son to a host of items gleamed from Manteca Lighting, the Tile Outlet, Home Depot, and Lowe’s and transform my house into my home.
I say that because if one more person says to me anything along the line of “gee-that-won’t-help-you-when-you-go-to-sell-the-house” I’m going to scream. I bought the house to live in and not as an investment.
Some think my idea of taking a shower-tub out and replacing it with an enlarged shower only is nuts since I have only one bathroom. They warn me it would mean less people would want to buy the house. (Hint, two bedroom, one bathroom homes aren’t big sellers in the first place.)
The same folks believe I’m crazy for opting to leave off the doors on my kitchen cabinets above the counter as well as the ones on the linen closet. I’m also going without all other interior doors – including closet doors – save the bathroom door. The same goes for the decision to take out a bathroom vanity with plenty of storage space and replacing it with one that essentially has little if any storage space plus is about 10 inches higher than normal. To them, it makes me seem absolutely mad.
I figure I won’t collect junk if I can see it.
They’d flip out at what I did Friday at Home Depot when ordering my entry doors as well a black toilet that is higher than your average bowl and that supposedly can flush a bucket of golf balls at one time. I dropped my plans to order a traditional solid two panel door for the bathroom and went with one with reed glass. I did order a blind, though, just in case I have a guest who wants to use the bathroom.
I’m not total gone. At one point I was seriously contemplating tearing down the fairly new garage. I have a car port which is exactly what I wanted and have no use for a garage and wanted to make sure I’m never tempted to turn it into a de facto mini-storage unit. As far as I’m concerned it is taking up perfectly good space where I could plant more trees, roses, and other bushes.
I like open space that is clean, uncluttered and functional. And, I might add, at 995 square feet I believe the house is still too big. Obviously I couldn’t make a living designing subdivision housing.
The experience so far has helped soften my attitude toward big box home improvement stores. My bias stems from the fact my dad and his family owned hardware stores for 75 years. You can go into almost any hardware store and get service that is both personable and knowledgeable.
Home Depot isn’t far off that mark. The gentleman who patiently answered my questions – of which more than a few were lame – and explained things thoroughly was Herbert at the Manteca Home Depot. I have been thinking about – and researching – what I wanted for the past six months. I wasn’t too sure whether it would work given some specific issues with my house or exactly how I needed to order it. Twice I had to go back and re-measure things I’d measured 14 times before. Each time he was waiting patiently for my return. He called around to search out possible options for me just to make sure that I was getting exactly what I had in mind.
What make this all bizarre, though, is when I bought the hous I thought it was about as close to perfect as I could get.
In a way it was since I am comfortable spending what a NFL quarterback makes in less than two minutes of game time to make my house my home.
I figured while I was at it I should replace the equally unimpressive pseudo Formica kitchen counter top the bank also had installed as it was already showing signs of wear. Given the only cooking I do is nuking two Boca burgers a day – the gas range the bank installed has never been used - the fact it is wearing at all underscores the high quality of the counter top.
The peeling paint thanks to the bank’s contractor painting over oil based enamel with latex paint on the cabinets and drawers in the kitchen, bathroom, and hallway linen storage was also bugging me.
One thing led to another so on Monday morning a contractor is arriving to help me with what has to be either a mid-life crisis or a desire to do a one-man act to stimulate the economy. Karl Luther, who already replaced all my flooring, is just one of a series of folks who will be coming through my house in the next few weeks ranging from an electrician to a guy specializing in granite counter tops. They will take the result of my imagination that includes a custom bathroom vanity being fashioned by John Perez & Son to a host of items gleamed from Manteca Lighting, the Tile Outlet, Home Depot, and Lowe’s and transform my house into my home.
I say that because if one more person says to me anything along the line of “gee-that-won’t-help-you-when-you-go-to-sell-the-house” I’m going to scream. I bought the house to live in and not as an investment.
Some think my idea of taking a shower-tub out and replacing it with an enlarged shower only is nuts since I have only one bathroom. They warn me it would mean less people would want to buy the house. (Hint, two bedroom, one bathroom homes aren’t big sellers in the first place.)
The same folks believe I’m crazy for opting to leave off the doors on my kitchen cabinets above the counter as well as the ones on the linen closet. I’m also going without all other interior doors – including closet doors – save the bathroom door. The same goes for the decision to take out a bathroom vanity with plenty of storage space and replacing it with one that essentially has little if any storage space plus is about 10 inches higher than normal. To them, it makes me seem absolutely mad.
I figure I won’t collect junk if I can see it.
They’d flip out at what I did Friday at Home Depot when ordering my entry doors as well a black toilet that is higher than your average bowl and that supposedly can flush a bucket of golf balls at one time. I dropped my plans to order a traditional solid two panel door for the bathroom and went with one with reed glass. I did order a blind, though, just in case I have a guest who wants to use the bathroom.
I’m not total gone. At one point I was seriously contemplating tearing down the fairly new garage. I have a car port which is exactly what I wanted and have no use for a garage and wanted to make sure I’m never tempted to turn it into a de facto mini-storage unit. As far as I’m concerned it is taking up perfectly good space where I could plant more trees, roses, and other bushes.
I like open space that is clean, uncluttered and functional. And, I might add, at 995 square feet I believe the house is still too big. Obviously I couldn’t make a living designing subdivision housing.
The experience so far has helped soften my attitude toward big box home improvement stores. My bias stems from the fact my dad and his family owned hardware stores for 75 years. You can go into almost any hardware store and get service that is both personable and knowledgeable.
Home Depot isn’t far off that mark. The gentleman who patiently answered my questions – of which more than a few were lame – and explained things thoroughly was Herbert at the Manteca Home Depot. I have been thinking about – and researching – what I wanted for the past six months. I wasn’t too sure whether it would work given some specific issues with my house or exactly how I needed to order it. Twice I had to go back and re-measure things I’d measured 14 times before. Each time he was waiting patiently for my return. He called around to search out possible options for me just to make sure that I was getting exactly what I had in mind.
What make this all bizarre, though, is when I bought the hous I thought it was about as close to perfect as I could get.
In a way it was since I am comfortable spending what a NFL quarterback makes in less than two minutes of game time to make my house my home.
