Right on Track!

I think if I ever retire I'm going to go work at Home Depot.  I frickin love that place.  It seems like the whole store is rooting for me.  Every time I go in at least 3 staff members ask me how the house is coming along.  When I went on Monday it was contractor day, meaning 5% off, plus I was using my contractor credit card for the first time so that meant another 10% off (even though I already got my 10% off last time I went in...) so I decided to buy all my appliances that day.  I saved at least $500.

I would say the house is about 1/2 done as of today.  Maybe even more.  The big things left to do are sand and re-finish the floors, install kitchen cabinets, install windows and paint.  That's pretty much it.  My neighbor has been working hard tearing down my second floor sun room which was more of a dilapidated shack at this point.  When the demolition is complete I will build a small second floor porch/deck instead.  The view from up there is great.  You get a good look out over Little Italy and, this time of year, all the gardens that are growing. 

Yesterday I took home a pile of hardwood that we had to rip up.  I sat outside in my backyard with my 3 year old son ripping the nails out of it so we can re-use it.  My 3 year old now knows how to swing a hammer and understands the concept that when removing nails you have to hammer it out  the same direction it went in.  It was a less tedious job than I expected.  It didn't take long at all and not a single board split when removing the old hardwood nails.  Today my son and I brought the wood back to the "rip house" (that's what he calls it) before heading off to summer camp.

At this point the house has completely new electrical and plumbing.  All of the drywall has been patched, repaired and replaced where necessary.  All of the flooring has been ripped up so that we are down to the original hardwood throughout the entire house.  The new bathroom will have the fixtures installed next week and the ceilings have been painted.  Next week the upstairs may be completed :) 

I am mentally preparing myself and my kids to move into the house for the winter because in the past week I have received at least half a dozen listings where the price on previous listings has been reduced.  The spring rush is over now and things really aren't moving very well.  I can honestly say one of the benefits of being single is that I can very easily pick up and move anytime I want.  I would have made a nice amount of money on my last flip had I been able to move my family into it for the winter and list it first thing in the spring but the logistics of moving a whole family - a blended one - gets complicated.  This time I can easily pick up and move.  I love that feeling of freedom.  I have been described by many as a "free bird".  I need to be left to soar freely.  I always return to the nest but I function best when I am left to fly free with my passions and ideas and I have a lot more fire and creativity in my soul when I am liberated.

I decided to see where I am budget wise on Wednesday.  My plan was to renovate the house for $50,000.  The bank would only give me $40,000 for renovations.  Many said I was crazy and that there was no way in hell I could renovate that place for $50,000 but I am proud to say I will make it pretty darn close to that.  To date I have spent $10,796 on supplies and that includes all stainless steel appliances (fridge, stove, washer, dryer, microwave, hood fan, dishwasher).  I have spent $12,750 on labour and that includes all new electrical and plumbing.  I have spent $1149 on garbage bins and removal of demolition materials, $1000 on asbestos removal and $9,000 for all new windows including installation.  That puts me at a total of $34,695.

The only thing left to buy really is my IKEA kitchen cabinets, baseboards and the lumber for my new porch/deck and about 3 more weeks worth of labour I figure.   Oh ya and I need to pay the guys that will sand and finish my floors.  So I might end up a little over budget but not much.  I have to personally do some work outside next week.  I need to clean up the shed/garage.  It's a small job.  And I need to rip out a fence and the so called garden.  I'm not sure what I will do with that space yet but I'm sure a creative vision will come to me when I am in the weeds.

Huge shout out to my dream team - Rob, Mel, Dan, and my favorite (just because of his name) Derl!  This is all so fun for me!