Not only did we spend 2019 on structural work (if you missed it, check this out)
we accomplished some rather exciting things too!
Windows…
We removed three of the four remaining original windows and put in 10 new ones!
Yes, really 10 and they’re gorgeous!
We love our Marvin Elevate Collection windows (previously knows as Integrity Wood Ultrex). They are ideal for our humid climate with a black fiberglass exterior (no rot!) and a pine interior which will be finished black.
We started in the new kitchen by removing two original windows (I’ve got a shed full of these 80 year old windows, not sure what I’ll do with them all??) …
and after framing, five new windows were added.
Check out these beauties…
This bank of windows will provide light for wall to wall counter tops which will be the main prep space in the new kitchen.
Next we moved onto the new living room and this proved to be a much bigger job!
The only window (from the original bathroom) in this space was removed…
and then we put in 3 large (30 inch wide by 60 inch tall) Marvin Elevate Collection windows in the east wall. Framing for them required us to remove the exterior wall!
And there they are!
Last but not least, we needed some windows facing south so that exterior wall was removed too…
(Yes, that is a huge portion of the exterior wall cut away from the house resting on the porch. It was surreal!)
Check out how it looked from the inside…
Let there be light…
This was a huge change to the space and gives us a hint of what’s to come!
Doors…
We also installed two exterior doors, one off the kitchen to a small back porch and another off the living room out to our existing deck. The front door will come later!
I waffled a while about the kind of front door I wanted. I couldn’t decide between a steel door (that I could paint a fun color), a solid wood door and a wrought iron door. My only requirements were beveled glass and true divided lites (each glass pane is individual).
When I design a space, or in this case an entire home, I need a statement piece or two (or ten!!). I decided that the doors would be one of them and only one door fit that tall order.
Meet Alexandria, of the Signature Collection, from DSA Doors made locally here in North Carolina…
She’s solid mahogany, in a deep chestnut finish, with 4 true divided lights and the most beautifully grand beveled glass.
I waffled again, this time about door hardware, so we ordered the doors without any holes cut.
So…
they had to be cut on site!
Enter my amazingly talented husband and once again he did not disappoint!
Do you see the beautiful bevels!
You know the old adage measure twice and cut once, Steve admittedly measured about 6 times before finally cutting and the handset was in!
I chose a very simple and understated matte black handset and deadbolt from the Century Collection by Schlage. They compliment the door but don’t upstage it.
Absolute perfection!
Crawl space encapsulation…
We, Midwestern transplants, are used to basements so a dirt floor crawlspace through us a little. Our kids and I have asthma and allergies so adding a barrier to the underside of the house screamed essential.
Enter Drypro!
Ha! Did you think I was going to say Steve did it!!
Not this time! There are certain projects we decided long ago to sub out and this was one of them.
A thick plastic sheathing covers the entire dirt floor and wraps up and attaches to the foundation wall just below the first floor.
Our 80 year old foundation didn’t cooperate with their attempts to secure the insulation along the inside of the foundation walls so they went with plan B and put the insulation on the underside of our first floor.
A dehumidifier was placed in the crawl space as well as a drain pipe that carries the water out and away from the foundation.
Improved air quality and improved energy efficiency, a win win and money well spent!
Heating/Cooling…
The house was originally heated with a fireplace & wood burning stove and later with a single oil burning heater so there was never any duct work/floor vents.
When we moved in (summer of 2015), we removed the oil heater and donated it, along with the full tank of oil, to a local organization. We also took down the fireplaces due to disrepair.
So for heating we used space heaters and for cooling we used a window air conditioner and many fans. It was tolerable but not efficient.
When the new roof and second floor were completed in August of 2016, we added mini-splits for heating and cooling the upstairs. We finally had a place to retreat to during temperature extremes. If you don’t remember you can read more here.
It wasn’t until we got the first floor opened up and sub-floors leveled and repaired that we could even think of something more permanent.
On October 28, 2019 everything changed!
We began a week long process of adding central heating and cooling on the first floor! A heat pump is a great energy efficient choice when electricity is the only energy source available and you live in a predominately warm climate.
We needed duct work and floor vents…
Thank you Griffin Heating and Air Conditioning!
Finally the hard working space heaters have been retired!
Walking into the house and having the temperature be comfortable is something we took for granted our whole lives and only after this humbling experience, did we realize it.
It’s moments like these that remind us, we are blessed!
As always keep it simple and do it with sass!
P.S. It’s motorcycle season once again so look twice and save a life!
As usual you did an outstanding job of writing your blog. Your pictures are great. I hadn’t even seen them. They look gorgeous. You both will be the next Chip and Jo Gaines. You might even have your own TV show. Keep up the good work.
You are kind! Hope to share it in person with you both soon!
Love Kimberly
Your windows and door are beautiful!! Nice job installing them.
Your house has come a long way, you both are doing an amazing job.
Thanks for sharing the transformation with us along the way. Ive really enjoyed watching all the changes.
Thank you! It is a labor of love and cannot wait to share it with you all. You’ll never believe it’s the same house!
Kimberly
I can believe how much ya’ll have accomplished yourselves. You definitely needed to use sub contractors to help. It is beautiful and not even finished as yet. Hope when this virus situation is over we are still able to travel and see this marvelous house.
We have learned a lot! We often discuss whether to just “give up” more of the rehab to a sub contractor but it goes against everything we are about and why we are doing this. Yes it would go a lot quicker but then we wouldn’t be able to say that we did it!
We look forward to a visit-
The B’s