All Forum Posts by: Caroline Hedin

Hi @Jon Heaton and welcome to BP.  I see you're an electrical contractor...something we've personally been looking for :-).  I'm sure you'll find yourself very useful around here!  I'll shoot you a message for a bit more information from you.  Cheers to your future!

Slowly. 

Finally was able to install the kitchen cabinet doors and hardware along with putting some trim up on the soffit.  We'll be using the sliding panels for all of the closet doors in the house...I like the smooth touch it adds against the softness of the curtains.  Those walls are actually a light gray.

It's starting to look like we might actually be done in the next couple of weeks.  A wom

an can dream right?

@Brian Kehoe I had the privilege of working in NY for a couple of years on multi-family projects.  They were 4 unit projects to 20+ story towers.  @Matt Lane is spot on.  It's a complicated and long process getting a permit.  The firm I worked for was Kutnicki Bernstein Architects if you're looking for a lead.  You can call and see if they'll meet with you to discuss a bit further.  FYI - I have not been in contact with them for years but wanted to give you at least one firm name to get started on your process when you're ready.

Good luck!

Ah process, it's pretty unattractive isn't it?  Any way.  Here are some interior shots of where we're at.  The gray (it's pretty light) is coming through sort of dirty looking in these shots.

I keep forgetting to take photos but here is a progress shot of the paint.  We decided to go with Benjamin Moore "Aura", which is a "lifetime" paint.  It's not cheap but since this is a buy and hold and the paint that WAS there was a single coat of the cheap stuff and not well applied, we figured we'd try to save our investment.

For anyone looking at building or looking at painting a structure they've purchased.  If you use T1-11 (please don't, but if you do) or the home has T1-11 siding, you WILL use significantly more paint.  Additionally, because the stuff is so low quality, make sure you use high quality paint otherwise the wood isn't protected from the weather and will split, crack and peal.

Another tip.  Don't apply caulk between the bottom of the siding and the top of your flashing.  I see people do this all the time and it goes against the exact reason the flashing is there.  You want any water that gets behind that siding to drain.  Not sit against the back of the siding and rot it out.  This house had that in a couple of places and the people next door were applying caulk in the same location on their house yesterday.

We have just a couple of items left to touch up in the areas of the new "body" colors then paint the trim and that's done! We'll finish the landscape over the next week. The kitchen should be done this week. The bathroom at the end of this next weekend. Then we'll finally be ready to put it up - I hope.

@Tim Holmes stop and say hi next time you see us there if you'd like :-).  So close to being done I can taste it. 

In process (the trim will be painted a cream color):

Before:

@Joshua Berube right, I'm talking about the drawings. Is he giving you drawings that are just to the level of detail that you need to show investors and get initial estimates (design documents at this stage) or is his final product to you a set of drawings that you can get a permit from and the contractor can use to construct the building from. There is a big difference between these two types of "deliverables."

@Joshua Berube keep going!  You've got this!  No shame in sleeping in your truck to save money.  Absolutely no shame in that. 

I'll be following too!  And btw - that's a steal of a deal for the price of the architect.  Is he just giving you design drawings for that price or are you getting permit/construction documents? 

We're learning, learning, learning.

@Cesar Brito thank you for the words of encouragement.

@Jeff Hamel we're STILL not done remodeling.  We find that having an infant is quite the hindrance when attempting to get work done!  We have high hopes for the neighborhood though and are in negotiations with the bank for another house a couple of blocks away and are looking for a third house.  We understand the neighborhood has cleaned up very well and we figure between base and PLU, there's always going to be a rental market here.  The problem is, prices have skyrocketed in the last year and we're having a hard time making things pencil like we want lately.

Honestly, if we hadn't put so much time and money in to the house we're in now, I'd try to convince my husband to move to this one.  We have an incredible view of Mt Rainier, open fields in front of us, a couple of k-12 schools immediately next door, and living so close to a college campus means there's always a nice place to walk and decent cafe's/coffee shops.  The only thing I feel like the neighborhood is missing is a grocery store within walking distance.

We'll be putting ours up for $1,250.  Fully newly renovated plus washer and dryer.  It seems to be about where the neighborhood is at.  It's either a 2/1 with two large living spaces or a 3/1 with one large bedroom, two decent size bedrooms, and one living space.  Tenant will get to make that choice.  College students are our target market so that puts the rent at $420/person, plus utilities.  It's what my husband and I each paid for our places in college a decade ago so we feel like it's fair.  Which also tells me you might be a little on the low side?

I'm going to take some photos today and will load them tonight. 

@Yinan Q. I keep meaning to take photos and post an update. We're starting to paint the exterior today so I'll take some new ones and post an update this weekend! Thank you for asking :).

@Tim Holmes @Kevin C. I was really looking forward to this meeting as we're about to put our first purchase up for rent (four months later than we wanted, one week later than critical).  Unfortunately, it seems my husband must attend the grand opening of a project he worked on and we don't have a sitter, so I'll miss the meeting.  Please DO keep me informed of any meetup (I'll go change my availability on the Meetup page) as I would really like to get to know others in the area!  Again, thank you for putting this together and making sure people knew about it!