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We have been updating our house slowly for three years, and kept putting off the expense of changing out the shiny brass fixtures because we had bigger priorities. So it was nice to finally get started on the light fixtures. We still have some to replace but this is a good start. Sorry for the darkness of the photos but we live in East Texas and it's raining and will be raining for the next week! (We are expecting drenching rain but not serious wind since we are 200 miles inland.)
Right now we are working on rebuilding concrete steps up to our house, one a day. There are 40 steps and we are on step 11. We are hoping to be finished by the time the weather gets cold. We are also working on cutting, chopping, splitting the rest of our firewood [5 cords off of 2 HUGE trees] We had some old window frames in the yard and we are painting them and putting in some mirrors which we will hang on the walls. I also just finished making some rusted wall vases, also from stuff left in the yard when we purchased the place. Last week I made succulent planters out of old hardback books and some friends asked me to make them some. Been working forever on a no-sew rag rug, but all of this is going by the wayside as of tomorrow morning as my grand daughter is getting married next Saturday and I am making all of the food.
Not really working on it now, but yesterday, I replaced my broken door bell. I ended up having to replace the chime box and the transformer. Nice having it working again. No clue what my next project will be.
We are having all our windows and double front door/arch replaced with impact resistant hurricane windows along with a roll down Kevlar screen covering the lanai opening. It was raining torrentially at times today, but we got a call they were coming to start the install. The door is under a portico and the rain kept the outside temp down so we could shut off the AC. It will be a long week.
Doing this in the dry season would have been a better choice, but it took a long time to finally decide to go with replacement windows. They should be done before another tropical storm/hurricane forms in the Gulf.
We are having all our windows and double front door/arch replaced with impact resistant hurricane windows along with a roll down Kevlar screen covering the lanai opening. It was raining torrentially at times today, but we got a call they were coming to start the install. The door is under a portico and the rain kept the outside temp down so we could shut off the AC. It will be a long week.
Doing this in the dry season would have been a better choice, but it took a long time to finally decide to go with replacement windows. They should be done before another tropical storm/hurricane forms in the Gulf.
Wow, that's a big one. It will be so nice to have the security against the weather.
Wow, that's a big one. It will be so nice to have the security against the weather.
It is a big one and not as messy as I expected. Some touch up paint and a strip of floor tile needs to be put in a gap, so not bad. They kept the work areas protected and cleaned well at the end of each day,
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A nice bonus is the energy savings we'll see, it's amazing how much heat is blocked along with UV. It's also quieter inside with noise filtered. The security against bad weather turns out to be security against break-ins, since the doors can't be kicked in or the windows broken as easily. They are not impervious, but it would take more effort than wanted for a break-in.
We knew they would be better than the builder grade windows we had, but we didn't expect such a difference.
It is a big one and not as messy as I expected. Some touch up paint and a strip of floor tile needs to be put in a gap, so not bad. They kept the work areas protected and cleaned well at the end of each day,
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A nice bonus is the energy savings we'll see, it's amazing how much heat is blocked along with UV. It's also quieter inside with noise filtered. The security against bad weather turns out to be security against break-ins, since the doors can't be kicked in or the windows broken as easily. They are not impervious, but it would take more effort than wanted for a break-in.
We knew they would be better than the builder grade windows we had, but we didn't expect such a difference.
We are in GA and replaced our windows a few years ago....not for security, but for efficiency, and it really made a big difference. We have shutters that close if a hurricane is coming.
We are in GA and replaced our windows a few years ago....not for security, but for efficiency, and it really made a big difference. We have shutters that close if a hurricane is coming.
Ah, so that's how you know it's a big project, you've lived through it too! There were no shutters when we bought this house, so we have waffled for a year about deciding what to do.
We have an house in NY built in 1875 and had looked into replacement windows for energy effieciency. Replacing old wavy glass double hung wood windows for aluminum/vinyl windows that would have lost us 15-20% of light and looking out of character was a no-go. The cost of energy efficient replacement wood windows was prohibitive for the overall value of the house. We did nothing and will leave it for the next owners to do.
Replacing windows on a newer house was fairly easy and even more so with the concrete block construction used in FL. The anchoring required to fasten and install the windows/door does require an inspection from the county to ensure the installation meets code. There are holes along the track for the inspector to see before plugs are put in to cover them.
We have three triple sliders on three sides of our lanai. They are good quality and we decided not to replace them. Instead, we are having a Kevlar hurricane resistant roller shade installed over the lanai opening. The lanai is under our roof and that design may allow hurricane strength wind coming in the lanai to potentially take the roof off according to some theories. So the price of the roller shade, while costly, is much less than replacing the sliders and keeps the wind out of the lanai while protecting the sliders.
I've learned much while researching this over the past year. Last night during a thunderstorm, not a rattle was heard from the windows. This has been one of our better home improvements with many more benefits than the primary reason we got them.
This past weekend I finally got a new bed frame. No need for a box spring, and will have much needed storage space under the bed. Ok, sounds good, not.....
Got the frame all together, and was easy enough, put the mattress back and OMG !!! No !!!!, the night tables are tooooooo low.
So I cursed in Greek for about an hour. That always makes me feel somewhat better.
So I had to think, OK, Lets see if I can make the night tables higher.
2 x 4's should do the trick. Get out the measuring tape, remember measure twice, cut once....( Norm Abram) Off to Home depot I go....Got home....
Glued and nailed the 2 x 4's to the bottom of the night tables, added a fancy molding to make it look somewhat nicer, color is a little off, but to the naked eye it is fine, plus no one ever goes in my bedroom. The black at the very bottom I think I will paint bronze as to take away the blackness of it.
I also spray painted the handles bronze, as opposed to having the tarnished gold ones. The furniture is old, as it was my MIL when she first got married back in the stone age. I had granite tops made a while ago, but I still like the furniture.
Now I ordered black crinkled vinyl and a braided trim to make a bed skirt so as to not see under the bed. (pictures will follow when it comes in)
I will get some plastic storage bins that I can store stuff under the bed now.
In a city apartment, space is crucial, to not waste any of it.
We spent the weekend taking in all the patio furniture, a few flower pots, and anything else that might fly around in the hurricane. Now we get to put it all back.
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