Renovations - What and when? (pool, railing, bathtub, install)

[dcfas]

Originally Posted by gentlearts

I’m hoping for a show without an “open concept kitchen”. I’d watch that. We could start a drinking game with the constant regurgitated same phrases in every show.
Price point.
Open concept.
Main suite.
LVF
Banquette
Kitchen Island

Yeah, the kitchen will likely be our final remodel. We want a design that will be modern, yet classic. By the time the house becomes nearly perfect, we’ll probably have to move out. Lol.

[MikeJaquish]

What happens in 21 years when you buy a tired house, and have no kids to spend on....
I don't count redecorating such as light fixtures, faucets, replacing a worn out appliance, or painting one room.
Sort of in order, but not really accurate:

• Hardwood floors downstairs, replacing most carpet.
• Replaced master bath floor.
• Replaced worthless 1st generation low volume flush toilets with working low volume flush toilets.
• Thinned out trees behind house to allow some sun through the canopy. Added some shrubs.
• Replaced rear door to deck with quality slider door.
• Painted most of main level including removing popcorn ceiling.
• Built screen porch over deck.
• Replaced front door.
• Removed all old Masonite siding, wrapped house with Tyvek and installed high end vinyl siding.
• Installed new gutters and downspouts.
• Removed Bradford Pear trees in yard.
• Renovated master bath with cabinets, removed tub to enlarge shower.
• Renovated ½ bath with cabinet and flooring.
• Replaced concrete driveway, including widening to allow 3rd car parking.
• Sodded front yard with Zoysia.
• Sealed crawlspace and added dehumidifier.
• Added drainage around the exterior.
• Built front porch.
• Renovated kitchen. Down to the studs. New cabinets. Built pantry in dead space under the stairs to 2nd level. Added cooktop and double wall oven, along with new DW, fridge, disposal, subway tile backsplash, venting range hood to exterior, and adding under and over cabinet lighting.
• Split electrical circuitry so lights don't blink when switching the vacuum cleaner on.
• Replaced kitchen flooring. Twice.
• Replaced all old wood windows with vinyl windows and aluminum wraps on wood trim.
• Replaced concrete slab in garage and had the garage interior painted.
• Sodded back yard with Raleigh St. Augustine’s.
• Replaced cheap shaky stair rail to the second level.
  
  Next on the agenda:
• Landscaping. 2023 was to be the year, but it got away from us.
• Repaint the entire interior.
• Replace MBR carpet.

[Riley.]

Not sure my order is correct but here goes....We've been here 20 years so all this has occurred over time, some right when we moved in. Not all qualify as renovations but this is an exercise to remind me of all we've done around here (ok, WE being mostly my husband )
*
Basement:
Fenced in the yard for the 4 dogs (we only have on now)
Removed huge DIY shelving unit from the basement to the garage - was here when we bought the house (only one room in the basement was finished at the time)
Replaced ancient woodstove with a Jotel and DIYd a hearth for it. Tiled in a wood stacking nook. Hearth needs to be upgraded IMO
Installed laminate flooring over concrete
Framed out basement windows
Drywalled the unfinished area of basement
Installed basic shelving unit across one wall for all the books!
Built in a long workspace counter along another wall
Framed out some ugly pipes
Installed a drop ceiling (I'd like to replace this)
DIYd hidey doors for the electrical panel and central vacuum system (never used and want gone at some point)
Replaced carpet in finished room and on staircase coming upstairs (want to replace staircase carpet with wood, I think)
Painted all trim off-white
Had entire basement repainted (this gentleman patched dings and repaired 'cracks' where walls meet the ceilings - this house moves)

Dug a pond
Replaced garage doors
Replaced entry/exit doors with security doors

When I kept bees, purchased and installed a new shed (graded and laid stone foundation for that)

Upstairs:
Tore out all old carpet
Tore up kitchen/dining room linoleum
Replaced ceiling lighting (want to redo these soon)
Installed Brazilian cherry flooring - still love these floors to this day!
Replaced all doors with solid
Painted all trim (was raw pine) off-white - what a difference!
Installed 2-inch wood blinds
Purchased all new appliances (except dishwasher)
Replaced some windows (a couple more to go)
Renovated main bathroom and 1/2 bath in the bedroom. worth every penny - added cabinets, replaced all fixtures, toilets, etc etc - luxury vinyl flooring, new paint, replaced lighting and add sconce lighting in main bath
Had entire upstairs repainted (same time as basement) probably due for another paint job all around

Built a raised garden bed (one - 10x2x4)

This year:
Replaced washing machine and got a new dishwasher (finally!!!!)
Had a new deck built - worth every penny
Had a new shingle roof put on - also money well spent

2024:

landscaping around the deck, maybe privacy lattice on the bottom (thinking this through)
some additional finishing work on the deck itself (if our guy is available)
cleaning up landscaping and simplifying front of the house 'appeal'
repaint trim and floor on small front screen porch - replace porch door
probably replace two sets of windows

[Wile E. Coyote]

Bought a "new fixer" in 2002

-Landscaping of back yard starting with a hedge
-Dry wall guy returns at one year mark and fixes so much the entire place needs to be repainted (on me)
-Repaint entire interior (naively I did not prime and used a somewhat thin paint).
-Install a/c they told me I wouldn't need here (along with overhead fans in two rooms).
-Replace gravel sidewalk on side of house with concrete
-Add additional concrete pad out back and massive concrete stairs (house on a small slope).
-Repaint entire interior again using high end Benjamin Moore paint (took 3 years of 3-day weekends)
-Have additional insulation blown into the attic
-Install new 50-gallon water heater
-Install new high efficiency furnace (get tax credit).
-Renovate 2.5 bathrooms and the kitchen
-Replace carpet with nail down hardwoods
-High end French drain connected to rain drain
-Interior French drains in the crawl space
-Trench drain off driveway to the clean water service in street

Next up:
-Roof
-New a/c
-Warranty work on windows
-Reset flagstone path out back
-Replace front door and garage door

[davebarnes]

We bought a new build duplex side in 2011 for $482K.
Since then, we have spent $99,464 on improvements.
Half on a major kitchen renovation. Got the Sub-Zero fridges I wanted.
40% on landscaping front and back.

We spent to make our lives better and happier.

[Riley.]

Hubs said I forgot to mention that we cleared about 3 acres of wooded area around the house when Mr. Sweet dug the pond.
Moved a tree house to the side of the garage and use it to house the wood splitter.

Planted 10 apple trees.

Next year I would also like to move the flush mount lights in the kitchen. Move the electrical boxes (?) and install pendant lights over the kitchen counter. The lights are behind me when I work there and I never have enough light.

It's always something!!!

[gentlearts]

I’m wondering about all the shows that are putting in huge telescoping patio doors, so they can “bring the outdoors in”. Do people really do this? I’d be afraid the house would be full of bugs and birds, and other critters.

[K'ledgeBldr]

Originally Posted by gentlearts

I’m wondering about all the shows that are putting in huge telescoping patio doors, so they can “bring the outdoors in”. Do people really do this? I’d be afraid the house would be full of bugs and birds, and other critters.

Folding/sliding panel walls- “NanaWall” are one of the hottest trends right now.
I think it has more to do with clear-sight, not so much about actually opening the panels to have “indoor/outdoor” living. But, it’s certainly nice to have that option versus just fixed panels.

I would certainly be “open” to the idea in say San Diego or SW during mild weather- here in Jawja, maybe October!

[Threestep2]

Originally Posted by gentlearts

I’m wondering about all the shows that are putting in huge telescoping patio doors, so they can “bring the outdoors in”. Do people really do this? I’d be afraid the house would be full of bugs and birds, and other critters.

We had them from master bedroom to patio. It was like sleeping outdoors. You just add the appropriate screens.

[gentlearts]

Originally Posted by Threestep2

We had them from master bedroom to patio. It was like sleeping outdoors. You just add the appropriate screens.

Yes, but on tv they never have screens.