Before & After? idk – Around Here It Seems Like a Perpetual State of During

jb bartkowiak

12 years ago

testing paint samples in new master bath

Living with Remodeling: It’s Hard to Make a Home, When There is Nothing But House

This post starts as a “annual” follow up to this post >> State of the Union; Address . . . but let’s see.

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… and some may ask, “If you haven’t been blogging jb, what have you been doing with yourself?” Oh! you didn’t? Hmmmm – well . . . gonna tell you anyway, and in nutshell:

I had a lovely holiday with my family; thanks for asking. I went to New York City; (what? What?! and did I mention that GE has invited Building Moxie to visit Kentucky in June? – ahYeah! — What-what?!) I finished studying for, and have finally scheduled my Maryland Home Improvement Contractor licensing exam (that’s MHIC for short); yep, and probably more on this in a future post.

* Oh, and Mrs Moxie and I did some Remodeling . . .

In studying myself, too, though – I found I have become ultra self-conscious about the work around my house. Yes, and at times, this causes apprehension even (thanks HGTV & others). And I know – there’s no room for this.

Trepidation has no place in home improvement this hizouss, and you know what do they say about fashion, models, and the feminine image? I mean – I am amazed by just how difficult it has become to accomplish near anything around my house.

And this, in fact, is almost exactly why I never jump in on the Before & After groove that so many folks have so much fun with. I mean – a whole house renovation is a little different. Progress must be more simply, what you strive for. Either that or, well, Go Insane.

* On Our Old House

My house when purchased was far from “move-in condition.” And to me, it feels more that I am still working on the “house” rather than individual projects within this house. I don’t know if that makes sense, but by consequence, I almost never completely finish a (post-worthy) project.

I mean – “After.” ha! and I’ll let you know when I get there. Historically, that’s (knowing how my wife and I work) – right around the time that we have a contract to sell. Sad but true, and remind me to tell you about the HVAC upgrade in my first house … sometime.

Before & After :: That and I am almost never on top of it quick enough to take pics when a space is still clean, organized, and presentable

Just about this point, I’ll mention – our hall bath project is finally under way and, yes, the Other Man is still with us. He did a decent job in both the kitchen and the “master” bath >> that project clocking in right around 14K – not bad considering considerable plumbing changes and $2800 in plumbing expense.

*Remodeling Decisions Can Be Dictated by Property Value

Our priorities have been changing rather rapidly recently. I won’t say that we are bleeding, but Zillow has our property value free fallin’ (and not that you (general) should pay too much attention to that), and it is time now to just. get. it. done. And me, relegated to little things (well, some big things too), I do what I can do – but my weekend feels like it is slowly disappearing.

Those of you with children and a wife, who works in real estate … know what I mean. It seems difficult at times to have a fruitful convo with my wife about anything, let alone – things project-related. (But I’ll save commentary on that till another time.)

And anyway . . . I guess, for now . . .