@CalledToArms you've pretty much killed it.

Out of curiosity, and only if you're willing to share, how much did you pay for your house and how much have you put into it? is it a forever home?

My wife is an architect and we have done some work bu nowhere near the extent you have. In part we aren't sure if it is a forever home and, connected to that, do we want to pay all that money.

6/17/2019 2:22:40 PM

thank you!

I don't mind sharing the details.

The house is 999ft2 per the final survey. Actual sale price on the home was $290k, including the owner's getting the roof replaced prior to us closing. 20% down.

The intent is definitely that this is a forever home. As in, sure I'm only 34 and who knows what curves life will bring, but unless a major life chance took us away from Dallas, we could live here for a very long time. The house is in an established neighborhood, less than a mile from the big lake here, still close to a train station for me to take downtown to work, only about 8 miles to the heart of downtown Dallas, etc. It was one of our top realistic locations, and on the low end of our possible budget, largely because of the size and the fact is is a 2/1 home. The lot is 0.25 which is plenty and, if needed, the house is very well situated on the lot for an addition if I wanted to make it a 3/2 or even just add a 2nd bathroom an extend the living area.

This bathroom ended up being a little more than I had intended to pay: ~$17k. No major hiccups, partly it was expensive material choice on my part and just a little higher bids than I was hoping. But I've been happy with the contractor I chose. On/ahead of schedule, professional, fixed any error I pointed out, no change orders. About $5500 in my furnished finishing materials (tile, tub, toilet, vanity, all plumbing fixtures, lights, switches & plates, exhaust fan+heater etc.) and about $11,500 for the GC (all labor plus constructions materials & consumables). That includes installing an exhaust fan, adding a new breaker for the fan, pulling new wires for all electrical in the bathroom, ducting the exhaust fan, plus the typical bathroom work.

The kitchen, entry glass, and new laundry room was finished by the previous owners (husband was an architect).

I put about $400 into the window film and design on the glass at the front of the house (paid a commercial window film company).

$2500 for the replacement front porch post that I am working on with some friends who are local artists/craftspeople. Fab, welding, powdercoat.

Another $1500 on miscellaneous lighting changes in the house, adding some exterior lights, and then adding 5 Ring security devices around the house.

Then of course probably another $1000 on misc. things like a new mailbox, planters & plants, some paint, materials for building the extra built in closet storage we put in, etc.

I have postponed getting a new garage door and smart lift until next year probably just because some of the other costs added up to more than I planned (as they always do). I also think I am waiting until the fall to get a new HVAC system installed. The current one is 19 years old and is still R-22. However, it has still been functioning well and been keeping the house cool on 95F days. If I can get through the summer in Dallas, hopefully I can get some more competitive pricing this fall. If it goes out sooner, then oh well, I'll just have to get it replaced. I had budgeted for it regardless.

It's not cheap, however, when all is said and done, we will pretty much have our 'realistic dream house' as I call it. And for a 1949 house, between us and the previous owners, it has almost entirely all new wiring from within the last 10 years, almost entirely new plumbing, 3 year old gas fired tankless water heater, <1 year old kitchen and kitchen appliances, new stackable laundry, brand new bathroom, mostly all new LED lighting, brand new architectural roof, and pending new garage door and HVAC.

6/17/2019 4:40:08 PM

They have a handful of things on my punchlist including some final plumbing work, hanging the mirror, finishing the door hardware, etc. But it's looking great. The walnut drawer fronts came out fantastic.

6/20/2019 9:25:21 PM

Contractors have been done with their portion of the bathroom install for a couple weeks, but I haven't taken more pictures really since I still need to get the shelves up and get the commissioned art so I can frame it etc. But I've been working on the finishing touches and furnishing of the rest of the house and it's really coming along. Luckily, the majority of the furniture, art, etc. are pieces I have had for a long time (a lot of them vintage) and they fit like a glove into the new space.

The bar stools are new from Blu Dot though. Continuous steel tube frame and molded plywood seat, all powder coated the same grey-green/sage color.












And then the pieces for the new steel porch post before being assembled (and soon powder coated). Going with a matte dark grey powder coat.







[Edited on July 11, 2019 at 10:23 AM. Reason : ]

7/11/2019 10:22:35 AM

A++

10/10.

7/11/2019 1:34:58 PM

Thanks This has been one of my favorite personal projects to work on ever. I would love to design a house from the ground up, but this has been a lot of fun too. And, without razing an old house to build new, a brand new build wouldn't happen for me in the areas I want to live so this has been the next best thing. I've got other minor plans for the home down the road, but I'm happy with where things ended up for now.

7/12/2019 3:00:48 PM

Well the other thing is that you've taken decent photos, both in quality and in framing. That doesn't happen a lot.

this one is my favorite, for many of those reasons. Lighting is dead on.

7/12/2019 4:04:13 PM

Hey, I really appreciate that. I have tried to put a lot of thought into the lighting and framing of the pictures. My goal is to get back into doing some interior design consultation on the side. So, while I've been using these pictures just to post to social media to document our projects, I'm hoping to use some of these pictures in a new portfolio to support that effort.

7/14/2019 10:25:22 PM

7/15/2019 7:31:23 AM

Finally finished the last major project that was in the plan for this year's budget. The front porch post replacement that I came up with the idea for and commissioned via some local craftpeople.

BEFORE



AFTER

8/13/2019 10:55:15 AM

nice

8/13/2019 4:16:44 PM

I hope you kept that old iron piece

8/13/2019 4:27:52 PM

I still have it at the moment but I think I'm going to give it to a friend for a project they are doing in their backyard.

8/13/2019 4:29:03 PM