Forgive me for my frustration. Forgive me for my attitude. Forgive me if I break down and cry for ten minutes out of sheer and utter angst.
We are useless, absolutely useless when it comes to home improvement. It's a truth we cannot escape and trying to get this house ready for sale is only reinforcing the fact. Tomorrow two very qualified floor refinishers are coming to our house to make our living room all shiney and new. It's a big expense, but one we can't avoid.
I was very, very excited about this prospect until I heard back from the carpenter concerning his estimate for the installation of quarter round, a threshold and some hearth work we needed to complete the room. I completely respect the cost of such labor and expertise as all of the men in my family make their living this way. However, it just keeps adding up and we just can't keep pouring money into these projects that in reality we should be able to tackle ourselves.
And then there's the assistance of our fathers. Cynical's dad is so kind and willing to help, but we hate to continually call on him for some of this stuff. My father is resistent and honestly much too overwhelmed with his own projects.
What frustrates me to the point of wanting to take the hammer to all of our windows is that whenever we get this one room done, we have a whole host of other "small" projects ahead of us including finishing out our bathroom, laying some tile and painting. The painting we can tackle, but seems unecessary in light of all of the other that is left to be done.
I know these issues plague most homeowners, but most homeowners have more than a basket of girlie tools and a drill. Most know where to start and what they need to get the job done. Past slapping some paint on, we are lost and confused.
Ok, I am through crying now. I gotta dry my tears and start calling for some estimates, so I can cry some more.
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
I want to be a carpenter when I grow up
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3 comments:
Oh, Ragged, I'm with you. And I mean that! I haven't posted to my blog much about my frustrations with prep to sell my house, but I feel your pain. I have a list of dear people to whom I email updates on my progress, while using my blog for different purposes. But every estimate I get for something that I can't do myself just makes me want to cry. I've had wonderful support and physical labor from family members or friends, but the bottom line is that I'm alone in my work, in the responsibility, in the decision making, etc. I'm at a cross roads now and trying to decide whether to sell now and take some loss but salvage my sanity and health, or to keep slogging through the fix-it, clean-it, update-it swamp.
I wish you the best in your plight. It is, indeed, a challenge.
You have to remember when selling a house. Is the repairs/ renovation/ fix ups a deal breaker in selling the home? In your case I have seen your home and I don't think so. Also very rarely does someone purchase a home and not change a thing. You might very well paint every room and the person that buys the home repaint it again to what they like and want. I think your home is fine the way it is and would sell quickly. That is my 2 cents worth, which is not worth that but anyway there it is.
Other people see your home much differently than you do. They can look at it with a different perspective. Pilot is giving you that kind of advice. You may not need to do so many renovations. If it will add to the sell-price, however, it's money well invested.
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