Sunday 4 November 2018

THE BEACH HOUSE RENO "So far"

This is the beach house we purchased in August of 2016.  Where we live in the early spring, prior to the launch of Thunderbird and in the late fall prior to heading for Texas.  


It is located about 10 blocks from Boundary Creek Marina, where we dock "Thunderbird".  



It is about 1/2 a block from the lake.  


We sold our little downtown Winnipeg Condo, with the idea of eventually turning this into our retirement home.  It will be a work in progress for the next couple of years, as we spend our summers living on the boat and working on the house to turn it into our eventual full time home . 



It's a real house with proper cinder block foundation, insulation etc.  But needs upgrading to today's standards.  Year one - was plumbing and bathroom.  This is what we started with.  


With a tiny bathtub that you can only stand up in to shower with a hand held shower head and a hot water tank in there behind the bathroom door.  



 In the summer of 2017, Dan tore out all the plumbing and put in all new lines from the water pump all the way to the sewer.


Needless to say the house became unlivable that summer, as we gutted and rebuilt a completely updated bathroom.  




With two entry doors.  One off of the kitchen and another entry from our bedroom. 





And a nice large shower stall.  Then it was off to Texas for the winter. 

Then when we returned in the spring of 2018 our list was formidable.  Complete new kitchen and a new gas furnace.  


So where do you start?  Apply for gas lines to be run to the house.  And like so many other things that happen in reno projects it's hurry up, get that done then wait.  So while we wait for the gas fitters, we installed a nice big fire pit, because after all, whats the beach without a fire pit. 

  
Then there was the design process, the shopping for cabinets and hardware.  My fridge I had already  purchased in the "year of the bathroom".  But I still needed a stove, counter tops, paint, trims, etc., etc., etc.   This is the kitchen I started with: 



Fortunately the new kitchen was going into a different room, that the back door entered into, so that we could keep this one functioning while we created the new kitchen.  So, this is what we ended up with.  


I still need some small trim around the windows etc.  But I am very pleased with the results. 



So it is time to head for the Texas sunshine and some rest, while we make our lists for next years projects.  




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