I hope you enjoy these weekly updates as I learn to navigate through the business of flipping houses. This flip, Millie is the most challenging and most exciting yet! You can find more about this house and about my 3 previous flip houses here. Not sure if its evident to you guys, but I'm finally feeling the momentum of this flip! The momentum that makes me dance while I'm building something because I can see things happening. It took me so long to get here because I spent over half the past few months doing yard work and demo. Now I know what to hire out next time #amiright??
You may have seen on instagram yesterday: LIGHT! Only in one room because it's the only one that I've painted, but I can not express to you the excitement to have a light switch installed and one that actually WORKS! Yes, very minor win, but it's a huge step in the right direction!
No plumbing yet, sadly due to unforeseen circumstances on the plumbers end. He may get started today, but has assured me I will definitely be seeing him-and a functional toilet- Monday. But along with bathroom lights, and a fan (I just need to get the right bulbs), there's also a working power outlet! Up until now, the upstairs power has come from an extension cord from the kitchen.
I also sent my contractors up to the attic this week. Way back in the first weeks, I had to tear out the floor that was in there originally so that my electrician could get to all the wiring. It was a fun task....
And since the attic is a walk-up, it needed to be at least usable for storage since there's not enough head room for anything else. After I added some more insulation in the areas it was lacking (and subsequently itched for the next 3 days), my contractors installed a sturdy plywood floor.
I wish my own attic was this useful!
Ok, so now I've mentioned what the electrician and contractors did this week, but what occupied my time? A lot of little things and a few big. Little such as finishing the bathroom floor grout, scraping ancient yellowed window film off a few windows, the aforementioned attic insulation, and bringing loads of trash out to the dumpster. A few big things that I got started with are all in the kitchen. Ah, the kitchen. I've been waiting so long to dig my hands in there!!
When last we visited the kitchen....
and now, while it's not a drastic difference, a difference it is!
I salvaged beadboard from behind where the cabinets will go in order to patch here. I also installed a new 2 piece chair rail. A little patch and caulk and this puppy is ready for paint!
I also have been putting the puzzle pieces together of what will be the fridge enclosure. Here's a reminder of the past, right after demo started:
and after a bit more demo:
While I would have preferred not to muck with the original cabinets at all, having the fridge float out in the open like it was when I bought the place just wasn't going to cut it. Sacrificing this cabinet and modifying it was the logical option to make the kitchen look purposeful.
Using the doors removed from the front, more salvaged beadboard, and a new chair rail, with a coat (or 3) of paint, this build-out will look like it was always supposed to be here.
I'll admit to you, the inside is going to look a bit rough, but it did already. I used my kreg jig and salvaged wood from elsewhere in the house to support the extension. The fridge will be hanging out here, so no one will be looking at the inside anyway.
And since I love to over share, here's what it's currently looking like from the other side of the room, mess and all. The original cabinet doors will be going back on top of the fridge build-out. It made more sense to me just to build out the bottom and not the entire cabinet, but I'll spare you the long-winded thought process.
Today my little enclosure will get a top as well as front trim pieces that will perfectly frame out the fridge that I've ordered. Oh, she's going to be so pretty.
To the best of my knowledge, cabinets are still slated to be delivered a week from yesterday- fingers crossed! That means I'll be doin' the hustle in here so we can install them right away. Just think, by next week's update, I might have a working toilet, a painted kitchen, repaired cabinets, AND if I dare to dream, maybe even overhead lights!
Have a great weekend!