NEWS FLASH: We have launched into an epic remodel of our 100+ year old house! One that’s been in the planning stages for over a year now. One that’s got so many details it could drive a seasoned project manager mad. One that has me both excited and crazed at the same time.
Now that we have a huge hole in our roof, I’m thinking it’s official. For better or worse, this project has begun! I’ll be doing some updates along the way to highlight some of the eco-friendly features of our remodel and also talk about some of the compromises we’re making along the way.
No, our house won’t be LEED-certified green but we’re doing the best we can with our limited time, money and resources.
For starters my husband has taken on the not-so-glamorous job of demolition. It’s saving us some bucks and also allowing him to tackle some extra repairs and fixes that he’s wanted to take care of for a long time. Check out John and the boys peeking out of our 3rd floor!
What exactly are we doing?
- A completely new exterior using James Hardie fiber cement siding
- Spray foam insulation for the entire house (major eco-points for this!)
- A brand new roof
- New windows on the 2nd floor (we’ve already replaced the 1st floor windows)
- A new front porch – similar to what was originally on the house.
- Totally remodeled 3rd floor bedroom – complete with a new bathroom created in a brand new dormer off the back of the house!!
Here’s a peek at our 3rd floor bedroom after demolition. Apparently, this room was a playroom once which explains the brightly colored striped floors that were underneath the carpet.
And look – footprints!
Have you done any remodeling lately? If so, were there any eco-friendly aspects to it? Any recommendations for specific products or things that worked for you?
Julie says
You could save that cute striped floor with the footprints!
Green Bean says
Good luck!! Sounds like a big job. Thankfully our house was remodeled before we moved in – all but one really really old bathroom. I found a giant slug crawling on the wall of that bathroom. It’s my son’s room but every time I go in there, I want to remodel! It is hard to find a sweet spot between being green and being affordable. Look forward to seeing how your remodel goes.
Condo Blues says
I remodeled our 1/2 bathroom. I installed the new sink, water saving faucet, and vanity BY MYSELF. It was my first plumbing project.
Micaela says
@CondoBlues Way to go Lisa! You are such a DIY rock star!
@GreenBean I know what you mean about finding the balance between being green and being affordable. We can’t afford to do everything we want by far!
@Julie Unfortunatly those cute footprint floorboards are in too rough of shape to be worth saving…although I’m secretly hoping someone will salvage them out of our dumpster!
Lori Popkewitz Alper says
Looks like a big project Micaela-how exciting! I love the picture of your husband and boys poking out of the roof. We are about to do some remodeling-but certainly not to the same extent as your project. Can’t wait to see the final product…and hopefully some updates along the way.
Micaela says
Thanks Lori! Yes – it is an exciting project but a bit nerve wracking as well. 🙂 Looking forward to completion!
Sierra Nordgren says
That sounds like a handful, so good luck to you! But the boys sure look like they’re having a blast. I even think your man is just having fun tearing the walls down! It’s been a month since you posted this, how’s it coming along?
Lavenia Mannan says
That house must have lots of stories to tell because of how long it survived. Anyway I praise your husband for being DIY man of the month. 🙂 His roofing ideas are innovative. He was able to craft a successful building plan using a tight budget.
Bathroom Remodeling Seattle says
Cool. Love the when it’s remodeling time.
Shania Fargo says
Good luck to ya! It seems like a very big job, considering the size and age of your home. It’s pretty hectic, but it’s satisfying once you get some work done.
Rita says
We put our 3rd floor remodel on hold, but hope to get to it again. Your house is an inspiration! Can you add links for any companies you recommend, especially for putting in the dormer which is one thing we want to do. Or, maybe you did all the work yourselves? Thanks!
Micaela says
Hi Rita – We are using David Kolcinski for our new dormer and bathroom. He is great to work with! http://www.kolcinski.com/index.html
Good luck with your remodel – whenever you get to it!
bathroom vanities says
Thank you for sharing your remodeling experience. It’s great that you are trying to implement Eco-friendly features into your home. More people should do that. Remodeling your home is a very daunting task can be extremely rewarding at the same time. Good luck!
Miley Waterman says
Your house is over a hundred years old? Wow, that’s just awesome! And yeah, it seems like it’s just the right time to do those repair and remodeling projects. How’s everything coming along now? I assume you’ve done quite a lot by now, considering almost two years have passed. Any tips on green home building that you can share? I’m planning to do some DIY renovations on our home in the near future, and I would appreciate suggestions from those who’ve already had experience in eco-friendly home building.