“With destruction comes renovation.” – Wally Lamb
“Living through a home renovation is like living in the wild. You do whatever it takes to survive.” – Anonymous
“It will all be worth it when it’s finished.” – Just about every person who’s ever gone through a renovation
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LESLIE CRISS
A week before Christmas and with much help from two fine friends, we demolished our kitchen.
The heart pine cabinets and walls had been in the house since it was built in the ‘50s and they’d been put up to never come down.
Finally, though, the stubborn old nails gave up and our kitchen was stripped down to the studs.
The three layers of flooring came up much easier, and beneath we discovered the original hardwood floors.
Two days after Christmas, a crew came in to rebuild the walls, install a French door, tile the floor and take care of other tasks on our list.
Of course, by this time, our refrigerator and microwave were in our living room, boxes containing all kitchen paraphernalia filled up the dining area, the oven was out in the garage and our patience was beginning to wane.
We’d farmed out the pug to my sister in Alabama, fearing the pup with Hoover DNA would likely suck up screws, wood scraps and other refuse during all the construction. My father was kind enough to keep the remaining canine trio away from the workers during the day while also providing adequate supervision of the project.
All along we were being told by those who’ve survived home renovation projects, “it will all be worth it.” Some told us horror stories of being without a kitchen for many months. They told us our project was going along swimmingly.
So, we worked hard to believe them – even though our living space seemed to grow smaller and smaller with the placement of things from the kitchen and library into other parts of the house.
A week ago, our cabinets were installed, and on Thursday they returned with our countertops and new sink. Except for a few lingering small tasks to be completed by our carpenter, we have made it through the renovation tunnel and have lived to tell about it.
We’ve learned a lot. And I’d like to share some of this knowledge with those who might be considering home renovation projects in the future.
• Not all contractors/carpenters/other workmen clean up their messes after they make them. I have spoken to a few who believe cleaning up is part of the job. However, that is not the norm. So, if that’s important to you, ask before you hire.
My friend Cheryl and I decided we could start our own business: CUACF – Cleaning Up After Construction Folks. We believe it would be practical and profitable.
• If it’s a kitchen you are renovating, get ready to spend money eating out or picking up food to eat in. It’s fine at first, but it gets old.
• Renovations require patience aplenty. The more you have, the easier the process will be.
• If you suffer from OCD as I do, the clutter can clearly push you toward the precipice. But hang on.
After you clean up, buy groceries, unpack boxes and reload cabinets and drawers, you’ll discover the wait was worth it.
leslie.criss@journalinc.com