Weekend Two

Removed corner of front bedroom carpeting around the bedroom door. I thought the carpet was glued down, but it is not! The padding sticks to the hardwood floors underneath in certain areas, but it's only tacked down around the perimeter of the room (tacked directly to the floors, not to carpet tack strips), it wont be as hard to remove the carpeting though still a lot of work to remove all the staples from the edges (will need to do before floors can be refinished). The floors look to be in pretty good shape, they've been covered for last 30 years and appear to have never been refinished after they were installed in the early 1920s. The bedroom floors are wider plank wood, I think all the floors are oak though the bedrooms may be a pine wood.

Started removing the plaid wallpaper from the kitchen wall (luckily just on one wall), also removed the accompanying border as well. Also started removing the dolphin border from the back bedroom (which has wallpaper on lower portion of wall as well), under the dolphin border is POWER RANGERS border! Installed burglar bars on both bedroom windows (with locks to open).

Installed security bars on the two basement windows on the south wall. The north wall has 3 windows total, one newer 34"x22" window and two smaller original wooden ones (one of which is covered by the drywall installation done by previous owner). The two uncovered windows on the north wall (which is also the wall needing repair) have a wood beam across them for now, I'll be either installing burglar bars or removing them completely.

The burglar bars on the front window I don't think will be enough. A determined intruder can still break the storm window and the lower sash window glass and then reach through the bars to reach the door lever & deadbolt ... not sure if they can reach even further once door is unlocked to also unlock deadbolt on security screen door, but not going to risk it. I am going to install a metal grill/screen over the lower portion of the window (maybe eventually remove it if I put in larger front door). I think I've seen them at the hardware store for use on sliding patio doors.

Also plan on removing the small window next to the back door. This will allow for more flexibility & cupboard space in the kitchen when remodeled.

Saturday I took a few minutes to check the exterior walls for insulation with an exploratory hole in the exterior wall in the bathroom ... as I thought, no insulation ... I did however find some great powder blue marbled plastic tiles (vintage 40s maybe?) under parts of the bathroom walls that are covered with the 1980s fake tile paneling. The tiles are in great shape & I am going to try to salvage as many as I can either to reuse in the remodeled bathroom or sell. Hopefully there will be enough to retile a small portion of the bath walls, or maybe I can use them in the kitchen as backsplash.

Sunday morning Corin the handyman/best friend of realtors husband came by and installed the two security screen doors on the front & back doors. Took 2.5 hours time for him (I didn't have all the tools to install myself). I will keep him in mind if I need help in the future. Finished the screen doors off with their deadbolts and handles.

Sunday afternoon was in upper 40s outside, so I took the opportunity to work on the exterior of the house & remove some of the furring strips that remained after the previous owner stripped the aluminum siding. In an hours time I was able to remove about 1/2 of all the strips on the north side of the house (all that I could reach without a ladder) on the lower portion. It will probably be a days work total to remove all the strips from the entire house and then another day to scrape the paint to prepare for primer and paint (maybe later this year).

While I was outside working, a couple was in the driveway of Kelly's home to the south waiting for him to show them the property. I introduced myself and then later talked to Kelly & gave him my contact info to reach me. Kelly mentioned the guy across the street (Mike) is an electrician during our conversation about my work on the house (and need thereof an electrician), so he went over & brought Mike by to meet me. I will keep him in mind when time comes for the electrical work.

Monday morning the NIPSCO gas guy came by around 8.30am to turn on my service. was going to wait until Spring, but running two space heaters was having minimal effect, other than running up my electric bill. Fortunately the furnace works fine and doesn't need repair (though I'll probably call in for check-up in the Fall).

Hardware store needs for the week: More burglar bars (at least 2 more), a 28"x28" security panel for window next to front door (something used on sliding doors might work), air filter for furnace, crowbar, safety goggles, paint scraper, 22"x34" storm window for small front bedroom window overlooking porch, 3'x3' wood panel to cover back window in kitchen next to back door.