Upstairs Renovation

 In May, we had some renovations done to make the upstairs apartment more tenant ready.  Above is a photo of the completed shower.  I think it worked out well.  Kevin did a decent job.  He even re-installed the same flooring, so we didn't have that expense and we kept the tub in, so that didn't cost any money.  And from what I can tell, that tub has been there for 75-80 years at least, so it's nice it didn't have to go.  Below is a shot of the bathroom from the door.  The front side of the tub and the toilet area.  Look closely and you can see the ventilation fan that the rental inspector has kind of been insisting on.  Kevin was hanging from the side of the house to get that in.  He said he had to cut through several layers of beams and some oddly placed insulation.  Love the old houses.

 And here's the sink area to the right of the door.  The water flow was low and we anticipated some repair work.  Until Kevin cleaned out the faucet screen in two seconds.  Yeah, it works now.

 He had to go through the wall into the kitchen to create an updated grounded electrical system for the ventilation.  So there's the fancy outlet he put in.

 This is the back room off the kitchen.  This sucker was unfinished when Todd moved in years ago and he insulated it and put up walls.  He did a good job because it doesn't get as hot or cold as the rest of the upstairs.  For the kids, this was their "blocks room" in the winter.  It's a third bedroom for tenants.  Kevin replaced an exposed light bulb and electrical box with a light fixture and also covered the whole area around the door which was exposed.  He did a decent job.

 As a rental for decades, the house is a mismatch of years and styles with cool details here and there.  This crystal doorknob was on the door to this room and I always loved it.  Kevin replaced it with a new one so I could have this one.  He had to replace the plate and the knob, so it was defnetely unnecessary, but I really wanted to take this with me to where ever we move and use it.

 This is the ceiling in the living room that he had to replace.  I can't stand these ceiling tiles, but they are in half the upstairs and in Adam's room.  They were water damaged.  You can see the old chimney pipe  there that has since been removed and plastered over.  And see the wallpaper border on the one side?  It had started to fall off when I took this photo.  We ended up taking it down.  I never loved it, but it was still weird to see it go.  When Kevin was up there, a bunch of old bricks fell on him and I saved one...from the original chimney.

 And here's a porcelain knob, which I think is older than the crystal one.   Love them both.  He took that one out for me, too. So where ever we live, I'll have a piece of this first home with my family, only the second place I've ever really felt at home.  I wasn't really ready before now to leave.  I am ready now...as we really decide which road to take in this fork, I can leave this house and start the next chapter.  I will miss the high ceilings, tin ceilings, the work my father did in our bedroom and the rooms we created for our kids.  And my bathrooms, of course.  But a home with a yard and a kitchen that my kids will love and grow in their whole lives.