DIY Whole House Renovation Update - August 2013

Well it has been a long struggle to make some progress, but I think we are almost finally done destroying stuff in the house and ready to put stuff back together. Currently I am working with a company to get some HVAC installed....yes the house was without central air for about 3 months......but it will finally be back in very soon! This whole process has been incredibly challenging for me and my significant other....but we are keeping out heads up and working forward to get back into the house.
Lucky for us we found some friends that would let us live with them for a few months...otherwise this project would have been much, much more difficult.

July is here and we still have a lot of DIY home renovation to get done

Well Friends, Family and Acquaintances it is the 7th month of the year and we all know what that means! My birthday is coming up!
Now I know birthday gifts are fun and I really appreciate all the funny cards and t-shirts and stuff but really this year I just don't need anything like that.
As you can see by the video below...
Please rescue our renovation.




I don't need sock or underwear I need 2000 square feet of insulation and 2000 feet of electrical wire and about a dozen led lights for new can lights and 2000 square feet of drywall etc etc
So if you could please find it in your hearts to donate to the house below you will find a link to my paypal account.

I would prefer to not waste money on a card or even postage for the card....and remember even 5$ will help bring us closer to our goal.

Thank you very much and I hope you enjoy the video.

Bathroom Renovation - Progress is a slow process

Here is some more progress on our first house renovation....currently we will be removing all the existing mess that is the current bathroom and replacing it with something magnificent. I highly recommend that you hire a plumbing contractor and electrical contractor to do the work, but if you are like me and need to same some money be sure to ask around before you settle for anyone to do the work.
If you think you are handy and have the time to do the research try and find a contractor that will check your work when you are done so you will pass the home inspector from the city....also be aware of all current city codes because you will regret the whole project if you do not know what you are up against.

Whole House Renovation - DIY projects

When it comes to buying an old house there is just no way around renovations. Especially when you start one small project and realize your house is not exactly as advertised. Now you have to call over the city inspector to check out the damage.....we had a bad experience with a home inspector. My advise is have them look at only the one section you are changing and then do not argue with what they say....just do it because if you hurt their feelings your project will be put on hold forever.
If you are a Do It Yourself -er I highly recommend doing your homework. Just because you saw it once of television doesn't mean you know what you are doing.
Do not make the problem worse by cutting corners.
We are taking the whole house down to the studs to re-wire and re-plumb everything correctly....also we are making the main floor layout more open.

Here is an update on our project.

Home improvement tip will save energy and save money

Alright so you have taken the time to get your attic insulated and you are feeling pretty good about your 500-ish dollar investment...but what if that just isnt enough? There are almost more home improvement projects to be done.








New Windows! The home improvement tip for the month is to replace old double hung windows with new efficient windows. Don't worry if you cannot replace every window in your house at once because I sure cannot afford that, but I have been replacing them a few at a time as money permits.
It might feel like a large expense up front, but trust me when I tell you those windows will make all the difference in the world.

There are some myths out there so do your homework and don't be fooled.
For instance there is this idea that covering windows with aftermarket film will reduce damaging UV rays....this is not the case....in fact some window companies wont ensure any of their windows that you have covered with a film because that film causes the windows to crack or break.

Another myth is about sealing old windows shut in order to save money...this may be a good idea a the time, but in all reality it is not helpful. Sealing windows is a safety hazard and should be avoided at all costs. Windows are in place to ventilation and possible emergency exits.

And the list goes on...

USA climate zones

Here is an image describing some factors that determine how much energy your windows allow to flow through the house.

Window U Factor Table