Project Envy
While checking out some other house-blogs I noticed two things, both of which made me terribly envious. One, no one I saw yesterday had moved their house. Two, everyone seemed to be living in the house as they were working on it. Those two points hold the key as to why our project is eating us alive.
The problem with moving the Queen was that it forced our hand in a lot of ways. Whereas most people seem to tackle lots of small jobs, one at time, we were faced with a number a enormous jobs which needed to be finished NOW. If we had simply been able to move into the Queen and fix her up at our own pace, we could have put off a lot of things. A new roof and new central heat & air would have been musts, but everything could wait until we got to it. For instance, the wiring needed to be updated, but it worked. We could have put it off for years. The same was true of the plumbing. In preparing the Queen for the move, we had to gut the entire place.
Even if the plumbing and wiring were in dire need of replacement, at least the sewer lines, the water lines, and the electrical hook-ups would have been on site if you didn't have to move the house. We had to install all of these too. In short, what it comes down to is that we bit off way too much.
Second of all, we are paying for two houses: electricity, water, insurance, and mortgages (technically a construction loan and a mortgage). Until we can finish the Queen up enough to live in her, we will continue doing this. We are hoping to move in by this October or November, but there isn't any guarantee that the house we are in now will sell or be rented out. For all I know, I may be paying for both houses till they are paid off or I die.
I guess that is what I get for getting involved with an older, high-maintenance woman.
The problem with moving the Queen was that it forced our hand in a lot of ways. Whereas most people seem to tackle lots of small jobs, one at time, we were faced with a number a enormous jobs which needed to be finished NOW. If we had simply been able to move into the Queen and fix her up at our own pace, we could have put off a lot of things. A new roof and new central heat & air would have been musts, but everything could wait until we got to it. For instance, the wiring needed to be updated, but it worked. We could have put it off for years. The same was true of the plumbing. In preparing the Queen for the move, we had to gut the entire place.
Even if the plumbing and wiring were in dire need of replacement, at least the sewer lines, the water lines, and the electrical hook-ups would have been on site if you didn't have to move the house. We had to install all of these too. In short, what it comes down to is that we bit off way too much.
Second of all, we are paying for two houses: electricity, water, insurance, and mortgages (technically a construction loan and a mortgage). Until we can finish the Queen up enough to live in her, we will continue doing this. We are hoping to move in by this October or November, but there isn't any guarantee that the house we are in now will sell or be rented out. For all I know, I may be paying for both houses till they are paid off or I die.
I guess that is what I get for getting involved with an older, high-maintenance woman.
posted by John | 9:43 PM
4 Comments:
We started much the same way you did (we didn't move the house, but it was not inhabitable at time of purchase). We felt much the same way you did that first year too. If only we lived here and didn't have the 45 minuet drive to get any work done so much more would happen. Let me tell you it's not true! You accomplish much more when you come to the house to work, and there are not the distractions of everyday living around. Just wanted you to know you're not alone:)
Both ways of doing it have advantages and disadvantages. In short, there is no easy way. You don't have to live in a construction zone, that's a plus, but I do get a lot done. Sometimes, it is just the little things that really move a project along. For me those little things are easily done because I'm living here and can do them at any time I want.
You are not alone on the second point - We are comming up on three years since the purchase of our house and are still not living there yet - because of severe water damage we had to gut out the bathroom, kitchen and hallway down to the dirt, replace support beams, floor joists, pour a foundation under part of the house that didn't have one, THEN replace all the plumbing, wiring,install central heat and air, insulate, put up new walls before even thinking about making it livable...We finally have finished bath, and a 90% completed kitchen - Tehn we still have to deal with the wood floors in the rest of the rooms before we can move in- meanwhile, I have been paying rent on an apartment nearby, watching that money burn while the house sits, and people saying " You STILL havn't moved in??
Just keep telling yourself: I'll be able to retire early with two houses (if you sell them anyway).
Post a Comment
<< Home