The Fixer Upper is Fixed!!!

We are calling the fixer upper finished.  We put a fork in it, and it’s done.  The interior, that is.  The exterior hasn’t had a thing done to it yet other than a new roof and windows, but coming up will be new siding, grass seed, fence, and a vegetable garden Bobo wants to plant in his back yard.  I’ll keep you posted on that as it happens.  And I should clarify that there are still some things to be done on the fixer upper, but they are small tasks like hanging hardware in the bathrooms, hanging the bathroom lights, installing the kitchen counter tops, and finishing up the HVAC, which has been a total nightmare.

The living room is to the right as you enter the front door.  Bobo is painting the electrical box today.  I just used an automatic setting on my camera, and the photos aren’t as bright as they could have been if I had taken more time.

 

 

The entry has a vinyl landing so Bobo and his children can stop there and remove their shoes.  We had orginally planned to do laminate wood flooring, but the fact that this house is over 100 years old prevented that.  Even though we practically built a new house from top to bottom, the floor still isn’t completely level in a few spots.  So, we went with a dark carpet that won’t show dirt.

As I said, there are still small tasks to be completed, but Bobo will be moving in this week.  I mentioned before that he has six children.  Three of them are in college on scholarships, and three are still at home.  His youngest is 9.  They live with their mother, but she works from 4 till 11 each day, and so she is not there when they need evening supervision.  Now they will be able to walk to Bobo’s after school, and he can make sure the homework is done, etc.  This hallway leads to the baths, laundry room, and bedrooms.

This is the main bathroom, and it is really large with a double sink, linen closet, tub, and potty.  The hardware is there waiting to be hung.

Debra Hupman, who did the kitchen and baths for us, chose maple for all of the cabinets.

I’m standing at the back entry for this shot.  There are two bedrooms and a linen closet on the left, and the laundry room, which is also a nice size, is straight ahead.

 

This is the back entry.  We are going to hang hooks on the wall for their coats, and we will put a bench there.  A deck is being built outside, and Bobo thinks they will usually come and go from this door.  We are going to paint both the front and back doors a dark brown.  The white just isn’t practical for the kids, we don’t think.

This is one of four bedrooms.  They are pretty much look the same.

The upstairs bedroom is a lot bigger than the others.  However, there isn’t a bathroom up there, so that’s the trade off.  The railing still has to go up.

Each bedroom has a nice closet, and there’s a linen closet right out in the hallway.  The carpet is a dark brown, but it looks pink in this shot.

I know you want a full shot of the kitchen, but the appliances were still in the middle of the floor, and they are just waiting for the counter tops.  The kitchen cabinets and appliances are in, but the new counter tops won’t be ready till Thursday.  They always have to wait till the cabinets are in so they can accurately measure for the tops.  This photo shows where the stove will be, and the microwave will be over it.

We bought the fridge, stove, and microwave at a discount place that sells appliances with dings and scratches.  We were able to get new appliances, but they have a scratch here and there.  Bobo was fine with that.  We gave him our old washer and dryer and we will buy new ones for our new place.

The same vinyl from the entry is also in the kitchen, laundry room, bathrooms, and back entry.  It’s just a practical tile-like look that will wear well over time, and not show wear and tear.

If you are new to all of this or want to see the before pictures, please go to this post.  I think you will be amazed.

This house has made quite the transformation, and if you have been following along, I am sure you agree.  This man and his family lived in a refugee camp for years, and they are thrilled with their new palace.  We picked good but basic things for the house so that everything is affordable for Bobo.

 

He has just a few things to move in with, along with what we and some of our friends have given him.  Little by little, he will buy what he needs to complete his home.

 

Take care.