remodel | where the green things grow

One of the first things I noticed about our fixer from the perspective of a new mother, was the stairs. Staircases can be a source of concern to any mother with a child that is still developing walking skills, but this stairway was special. Part of the railing midway was torn down, prematurely exposing the walker to the first floor. Additionally, the railing that remained intact was spaced wide enough for our newly toddling firstborn to fit through.

The stairway peril became a situation that required scrutiny as projects piled up, and time was not available to immediately remedy the condition of the steps. Once the buildup of boxes and furniture found homes, I had to discover a method of sectioning off this hazard. I tried various arrangements, but the most effective was positioning our daughter’s play yard over the opening. The wheels allowed us to move it as we needed to ascend to the second level.

Almost a year after we purchased our fixer, time allowed my husband to begin tackling the stairs. He wanted to build a new base to allow more vertically developed individuals to avoid harm to their cranium on the sloped ceiling. The venture commenced while my daughter and I were on a trip visiting family. We were able to come home to a partially constructed stairway. Eventually, the project was finished, and even painted. It was a sturdy work of art. The railing at the landing was crafted to be demountable for easier move-in/move-out capability.

Keep reading!

Part One the beginning

Part Two jobless, but not homeless

Part Three buckets and bugs

Part Four kitchen remodel

Part Five the floors

Part Six the stairway

More coming soon…

Epilogue life after a fixer

A little over a week after we moved into the house Brian got a phone call that brought him back to work – at least part time. We had only experienced unemployment for about two months. Renewed income was definitely important and needed, although now progress on our fixer slowed significantly. It seemed that as soon as we started development on one area, a new project would arise that we weren’t expecting. Such is the life of home ownership – at least with our circumstances.

By April we were able to begin our kitchen remodel. This was our biggest adventure yet. As always, things took longer than expected. We had to live without a kitchen for several weeks. The toaster oven was moved into the living room and we bought disposable plates and cutlery for the first time in our married lives.

Thankfully, my parents came to visit about this time and rented a truck at the airport, which allowed us to pick up our new cabinets from Ikea. Brian entirely gutted the existing kitchen. Fragments of the cabinetry and countertop were everywhere. It was an exciting day! No more disgusting and smelly shelves and storage! This was a big step in the progress of our fixer.