83/100 = Very Walkable

Find out your home's Walk Score:

Happy to learn that our home has 'walkscore' of 83/100. Not bad. It's nice to be within walking distance of a library, movie theater, and several shops. Definitely a nice selling point if we ever decide to sell.

Glass Block Windows

Finally getting around to replacing the four older single pane windows in the basement with vented glass block windows. Aside from enhanced aesthetic value, they also provide greater home security, are easier to maintain, and allow fresh air to circulate throughout the basement.

BEFORE...

& AFTER....

Tree Removal via Craigslist

One problem we're finally getting around to resolving is a large broken oak tree located in our backyard. We're looking to prevent the remainder of the tree from falling on us or damaging our garage. Also considering the possibility of building a deck in the backyard once the tree is gone. The job involves taking down the tree, cutting it up, and grinding the stump. Initial recommendations for tree removal ranged from $925 to $2200. I couldn't believe someone actually wanted to charge $2200 for removal of 1/2 a tree. Posted on craigslist seeking additional quotes and received at least 15 offers for tree removal priced from $400 to $1600. If all goes well, the tree will be cut down by tomorrow. Might recoup some of the cost by selling pieces of the oak tree as firewood.

Keeping Bugs Out

Window screens. Two were completely missing, another five required re-screening due to tears from the previous owner's dog or cat. Can't say for sure who or what caused the tears, but they needed to be fixed since spring was rapidly approaching and it looked like an eyesore to see missing screens. Maybe it's because of the time I spent in the military that sparked a desire to impose window screen uniformity. I don't know. Two frame kits ($10) and 25' black screen roll ($13) from Home Depot along with a box cutter ($1) and a rolling tool ($2) helped me to fix these issues within two short hours.

Refinishing Floors via Craigslist

One thing that originally motivated us to place a bid on this house was that it had some nice hardwood floors. Looking through so many home renovation books with shiny refinished wood floors, I was motivated to skip carpeting the floors and refinish them instead. It was a surprise to find so many wood floor refinishing companies in the area charge around $3 per square ft for a basic sanding, cleaning, and a couple coats of polyurethane. I couldn't believe it would cost around as much to refinish as it would to just buy new hardwood flooring from Lumber Liquidators. My search for someone to work on our floor led me to craigslist. There, I found someone who charged $1 per square ft for their basic package which made it easily affordable and cost us around $400. The job turned out really good. But with area rugs, the floors ended up looking great.

Winter Heat?

Before we closed on the house, we had an inspection that revealed several issues including gas valve leaks, a disconnected cold air return on an ancient 'Cleveland' furnace, no heat vent in the bathroom, a damp basement, and pockets of mildew. Because of the gas valve leaks and disconnected cold air return, the gas company wouldn't turn on the gas until those issues were fixed. This was back in early December and the entire house was freezing. 

The first problem we tackled after closing was to replace the older 'Cleveland' furnace (60% efficiency) with a Rheem furnace (95% efficiency), replace the old water boiler, connect the cold air return, and repair the gas pipes and valves. Spent around $3K, took about a week, but we had heat by Christmas. At this point, we called up the water company to turn on our water, but soon discovered we had another problem - no running water.

One of the pipes was clogged and after several unsuccessful attempts to use a snake to unclog the pipes, we decided to replace the pipes and valves altogether. Took about six hours with help from my father-in-law, but once we were finished, we slowly turned on the water to insure none of the winterized pipes would bust and it worked like a dream. No clogs, no leaks, and no need to re-solder any of the copper piping. This was good news because now we could use the bathroom inside the house and move on to the next step - cleaning. 

Stars and Stripes

First thing I did after we closed on the house was install a brand new 3'x5' nylon American flag as a sign of patriotic good will to our neighbors. It also served as notice to those passing by that this old house was once again occupied. I made sure to quickly research proper flag etiquette before deciding where to place the flag. Considered also installing a US Navy flag or Ohio flag on the opposite side of the front door, but reconsidered since it might look like too much. One flag is definitely enough. God Bless America!

First Post!

My wife and I just bought our first home here in Parma, OH, the "Garden City"... Great home, great neighborhood, great location. We're excited to have a chance to renovate such a charming old house, mixing old with new.