House - Timeline
xxxx-xx-xx: Placed offer on house
xxxx-xx-xx: Offer accepted
xxxx-xx-xx: Got official mortgage commitment letter
xxxx-xx-xx: Inspection found several issues: cut roof trusses in
order to allow for passage of ductwork, carpenter ants, and
code/leakage issues ith HVAC. All other issues were minor.
xxxx-xx-xx: A/C ductwork removed in preparation for missing truss
framing replacement - Seller did it
xxxx-xx-xx: Missing truss framing replaced - Stan - Seller expense
$1,200
xxxx-xx-xx: Safety valve added to boiler, oil leak near burner
sealed, barometric damper added to burner, AC intake next to old
furnace sealed, old furnace disconnected, ductwork re-routed under
new truss framing - Seller did it
2016-12-21: Closed on house - $470,000
xxxx-xx-xx: Installed Verizon FiOS
xxxx-xx-xx: Signed up for Republic garbage service and got trash can
delivered
2016-12-28: Previous owners officially moved out. They were pack
rats, so took them a lot longer than expected. The shed was
especially problematic. Made them deconstruct and remove a dangerous
trampoline as well.
xxxx-xx-xx: Replaced all locks bolts and knobs (internal & external)
and added Schlage Connect smart-screen lock to front door ~$650
xxxx-xx-xx: Chose paint colors with professional consultant. -
Trish - $100
xxxx-xx-xx: Painting - Kitchen, pub room, Dan's office, Robyn's
office (removed wicker panels and painted), guest room, guest bath,
master bath, master, removal of guest bath mirror and wall patching.
(Nick - painter) - $2,500
xxxx-xx-xx: x2 California closets in master $2,400
xxxx-xx-xx: Fans and lighting - Fan in guest room, high-hats and fan
in one office, fan in other office, fan in bedroom, light in master
closet, outlet in coat closet for alarm panel, new LED dimmers in
kitchen, electronic timers for front lights and back motion lights
xxxx-xx-xx: All switches accounted for except far right switch in
foyer, external outlet near doorbell dead, likely related, also
appliance outlet in garage dead. Attic fan should turn on
automatically based upon temperature. Will need to see if that
works. - Milan (electrician) - $2,000
xxxx-xx-xx: Guest room carpet removal and installation of new
underlay - $50
xxxx-xx-xx: Discovery of ant nest in office closet baseboard and
re-treatment by Arkadia under warranty, found sawdust around entire
closet baseboard. Need to seal exterior cracks by Dan's office
closet and Great Groom. Need to move logs away from house and get a
tree person for remove trees touching house, trim back bushes, and
remove dead stumps and logs
2017-01-28: Moved in
2017-02-02: Changed location of bathroom outlet to allow for larger
mirror - $100 (Milan)
xxxx-xx-xx: Found out kitchen hood is not working, fridge damper
motor malfunctioning, oven not closing properly - placed home
warranty claims
xxxx-xx-xx: Oven fixed by Sears (no fee, trays were in backwards and
convection only kicks in after a certain temp is reached)
xxxx-xx-xx: Fridge damper motor replaced by Mr. Appliance - $100
xxxx-xx-xx: Replaced all lights except in the Great Room with
LED's, master bathroom needs and LED dimmer - $60
xxxx-xx-xx: Replaced Robyn's office blinds, installed blinds in
master bath, and corrected blinds in Dan's office - Cashed in loose
change - $80
xxxx-xx-xx: Repainting of office and touch up throughout - $145
xxxx-xx-xx: Hauled away old plastic bin of construction material,
breakfront glass top, and Formica armoire - $450 (Junk-a-holics)
xxxx-xx-xx: Installed FrontPoint $350 parts, $50/month 36 month
contract then month-over-month.
xxxx-xx-xx: Replaced most interior door knobs and light switch
plates - $400
xxxx-xx-xx: Purchased x2 U-line industrial workbenches for shed.
Seller delivered! - $340 (Craigslist)
xxxx-xx-xx: Purchased miter saw and guest room Pergo flooring (Home
Depot) - $550
xxxx-xx-xx: Found and removed mouse nest from shed
xxxx-xx-xx: Installed mirror and shower curtain in guest bath. Got
plungers and toilet brushes - $60
xxxx-xx-xx: Installed liner in kitchen cabinets and under sink -
$30
xxxx-xx-xx: Removed shelves from Dan's office closet in
anticipation of work to re-insulate, expand, and finish the closet
2017-02-26: Labeled most breakers on electrical panel
2017-02-26: Front lamp post failed
2017-02-27: Installed SkyBell - Include with FrontPoint
2017-02-27: Dan's office/pub room/foyer/front lights breaker
tripped and shorting. Front lamp post causing short when its
electronic timer in on position
2017-02-27: Found that the outlet under the door lamp was on the
same circuit controlled by the timer. Outlet was badly rusted, so
was replaced. The electric then runs underground to a lamp by the
walkway, which was broken, but had a good connection from the
source. From that lamp, there looks to be a short to the lamp post.
Need to dig there and find the box (or lack thereof) and have Milan
replace it with a special tubed box that is to code, then will
provide a new walkway lamp and lamp post/top since the old one is
falling apart. Will also replace the door lamp as well in order to
match. Added a USB charge receptacle to kitchen, replaced old creepy
hanging light with outlet in the workshop in order to hang shop LED
fixture. Kitchen cabinet underlighting needs electronic dimmer in
order to get rid of flickering. - $120 (Milan), $40 parts
2017-02-28: Office LED light in wall lamp started malfunctioning.
Replaced bulb and works fine.
2017-03-10: Clothes washing machine water stopped working. Is
running dry. Created new home warranty claim.
2017-03-11: Technician repaired washing machine by replacing
drainage motor. - $100 (Appliance Science)
2017-03-11: Removed outdoor log holder and logs from house and moved
into woods until it could be dumped. Also had to remove a large
leave pile around it. Underneath the pile was a pile of
miscellaneous bricks and a cinder block, which were stacked next to
the wood pile in the woods awaiting full removal. Researching
cheaper ways to dispose of large junk.
2017-03-11: Did taxes and discussed benefits of home equity loans
with accountant. Will need it in order to pay for gas conversion.
That will provide the greatest tax advantage, if I role student loan
debt into it. - $250 (Jeorge)
2017-03-14: Major blizzard. Only issue was icing on walkway next
day.
2017-03-15: Neighbor's kid's friend accidentally backed into
mailbox, snapping it in half, then drove off. Was able to repair in
the workshop and then spend a very long time shoveling. Need a
better approach to clearing the driveway.
2017-03-16: Fridge water dispenser started leaking heavily. Home
warranty claim in motion.
xxxx-xx-xx: Sears came out the next day and we found the shutoff
valved for the fridge water in a door panel above the baseboard in
the pub room. The water is hard and sediment built up throughout the
fridge's water system. The leakage was from both ice buildup and
sediment.
xxxx-xx-xx: Sears came back and replaced the reservoir and piece
that directs the flow of water. Had to immediately change the filter
in order to get rid of the cloudy water and not contaminate the new
parts. After about two weeks, the water is almost as clear as the
sink. - $100
xxxx-xx-xx: Tested water levels. Negative for bacteria, lead,
pesticides, and chlorine. Water is hard at 120ppm. Ph is higher end
of normal at ~8ppm. Nitrate/Nitrite is .5 ppm and Nitrite is 0. So
0..
2017-03-27: We are officially getting a dog on April 17th!
2017-04-03: Jamie (tree guy) came by to assess the tree situation.
He said that it would be way too expensive for me to clean up
everything in one go. Instead he recommended taking down a large
tree that was overhanging the house and had a hole through it at the
base, he was able to put his hand into the hole and pull out sawdust
and show light through. He said that it was a matter of time before
the tree came down and caused some major damage. There was another
that had a very aggressive lean over the bedroom. He recommended
taking these down and the one in front that was touching the roof
and electrical line and was where the ant problem was found.
2017-04-04: Mr. Appliance came back to install the range exhaust
hood and claimed that they could not because it was hard-wired and
the new one required an outlet. Additionally, the duct was smaller
than the new one, lastly, the grout would be torn up and tile damage
may result. Considering my options.
2017-04-05: Jamie came back with a large crew that trimmed up the
two large trees in front (more light to rid front lawn of moss), got
rid of the pile of wood covered in thorn bushes by the shed/workshop
and cut down the three trees that needed to go. They ground out the
stumps of two out of the three trees (one stump was in rocks) as
well as another stump in front by the walkway, one in back by the
great room (from tree that fell on the porch during either Irene or
Sandy resulting in the previous owner enclosing the porch) and
another in the far back. $2,400
2017-04-08: Milan stopped by could not figure out where the box
connecting the lamps was. It looks like the line from the front door
straddles the house, leading up to the driveway. I think that they
put the line under the driveway. I'm going to dig at the corner in
order to find the box as time permits. He installed an LED dimmer in
the master bath and then showed me that there was not enough room
inside the exhaust hood duct cover for an outlet. Calling the
manufacturer to discuss options. - $25
2017-04-09: Jeff (landscaper) came and cleaned up the leaves in the
front and back, trimmed all the shrubs and bushes, did something
with a blower machine to the front lawn, and chopped down the ugly
tall grass around the mailbox. $450, will be $50 a mowing 1-3
times/mo in summer.
2017-04-10: Exterminator came and sprayed the backyard for ticks,
fleas, mosquitos, ants, etc.. Sprayed the inside for everything
else. Very nice people. After spraying, many spiders, etc came out,
but now the flow of insects has tapered off significantly. All
products used were natural and non-toxic. - (Arkardia) ~$1150/yr
2017-04-17: We picked up our 11 week old AusieDoodle F1b (Poodle)
puppy, Layla from the airport. Brought here out in a crate that said
live cargo. Just like picking up baggage, but left with a new member
of the family. She came from a reputable breeder in Kentucky.
(Sunset Hill Farms) - $1500 one-time cost, (Trupanion pet
insurance) $65/month. Many more monthly costs it seems.
2017-04-26: Almost done with flooring in guest room. Got nail gun
and compressor and put back baseboards. Need to caulk and install
quarter-round molding to hide expansion gap in Pergo. - $150
2017-04-30: Next door neighbor got burglarized. Need to install
surveillance cameras.
xxxx-xx-xx: Bought memory foam mattress for guest room on Prime Day
for ~$180
xxxx-xx-xx: Also got an umbrella and base on amazon for ~$75
xxxx-xx-xx: Installed attic drop-down latter in hall to give
sufficient access in order to raise/mount new A/C unit into attic.
~$800.
xxxx-xx-xx: Found exhaust fans are likely malfunctioning due to
attic temperature. Got estimate for office closet re-insulation,
tiling, and second attic access latter for the other half of the
house. ~$1300
xxxx-xx-xx: Carpenter ants are back in the office. Wasps and other
bees are being harbored by rose/flower tree up against the house,
which is letting them in when we open the Great Room door.
Identified a wasp in the kitchen as a Spider Wasp. We have these
because there is a spider problem. The spiders are here because of
other bugs. Having Arkadia re-treat since we have unlimited.
2017-07-29: Found bird nest in oil input box, which the previous
owner made look like a bird house.
2017-07-29: Got back to the Guest Room project. Bought more caulk,
paint, and tools. Cleaned up previous caulking attempt after
learning how to use a water bucket, finger, and sponge which allows
for the removal of excess caulk from the wall without damaging the
paint. There were not enough YouTube videos explaining this. Figured
that the water would ruin the paint, but that is not the case at
all. Needed to see it from a professional. Used 20 minute drying
caulk. Don't buy the caulk tool kit from Home Deport. Was a waste
of money. ~$100
2017: gas line installed. ~8k
2017: Hidden fence installed. ~1k
2017: Office closet false wall removed floor tiled, several beams
sistered with new ones due to carpenter ant damage, new insulation
added to all external walls including garage, light, and attic
ladder access added. Met $1300 estimate Plus $200 tip.
Oct 2017- May 2018: Laundry / boiler room and existing HVAC system,
ductwork, furnace, boiler, condenser, and air handlers and oil tank
removed. Extension of baseboard in office. New baseboard in office
supply closet. New A/C vent in supply closet. I ripped up the tile
in the laundry room and waterproofed the floors, re-tiled. New gas
instant-hot modulating boiler installed, wall and door built between
laundry and boiler area, new washer, dryer, and vent installed. New
A/C systems and fresh ductwork installed with new thermostats. $22k
HVAC, $1k electrical, $2.5k laundry renovation, $3.5k new
machines. $29k
2018-02: Winter storm caused large branches to come down in front
and back. Bought gas mulch chipper, $600 and chainsaw $150.
~$750
2018-03: Stink bugs are back
2018-04: Sugar ants are back. Exterminator performed seasonal indoor
treatment and first round of outdoor. $100/month. Gardener did
seasonal cleanup $400.
2018-05: Millipedes, spiders, and flies are back. Gardener started
mowing lawns again. ~$55 after tax per mow. 3-4 times a month.
2018-05: Boiler has not been working properly. Troubleshooting by
pressure testing each loop.
2018-05: Starting specing out backyard projects, which include a
French drain and basin for the mud problem on the side of the house
(and pavers), pathway through the wooded area in the center of the
yard, and fence.
2018-06: Found the the loop with the leak. Was a badly rusted joint.
Repair made boiler work properly after cleaning flow sensor.
2018-07: Tore down storage loft in garage. Mounted garage opening to
ceiling.
2018-08: Cleaned up attic wiring, created a channel, crawlspaces,
wired new garage switches, lights, outlets, and door sensors.
2018-10: Installed new recessed light in master bedroom
2019-02: Installed new shower kit in guest bathroom and extended gas
line into fireplace. $600 labor, $160 parts
2019-02: Sugar ants are back. Found their nest in the wall near the
tub in the guest bathroom.
2019-02: Spackeled garage walls and patched foundation. Ran
electrical to fireplace. Installed outdoor and guest room outlets on
same circuit. Removed fireplace mantel and surrounding marble
panels.
2019-xx-xx: Installed gas fireplace insert. $6000
2019-xx-xx: Installed garage ladder to attic. $350
2019-xx-xx: Fixed leaking pipe in boiler room and added magnetic
iron deposit catcher to boiler configuration. $1250
2019-xx-xx: Installed patio sliding door. $2k
2020-xx-xx: Wired Great Room with ethernet to TV and all exterior
points plus two romex runs. $550
2020-xx-xx: Added backyard flood light at roof crown and Ethernet
surveillance cameras. $250
2020-07-17: Installed new patio sliding door panel after old one
shattered from weed wacker kicking up a rock. $550 (neighbor did
free install)
2020-08-19: Removed three large trees in middle of yard and filled
in the giant ditch that they formed with fill, then top soil, and
seeded with grass. $6k
2021-03-24: Water filter housing exploded due to too much pressure
from city water. Added smart whole house flood shutoff ball valve,
spin down sediment filter, moved big blue filters to after softener,
added a third, added UV water filter, added filter system bypass,
pressure gauge, and added pathogen killing device to A/C. $6k
- 2023-05-xx: Master shower packing had to be rebuilt. Plumber saved us from a larger job by dealing with the components instead of a full replace. $250
- 2023-10-27: Both toilet gaskets needed to be replaced due to leakage. $400