NewlyWoodwards

an unconventional home

Renovation progress report – week 34

by

This week was a big one in reno-land.

Come to my window
Remember these horrible windows? The ones that let more cold (or hot) air into the house than if we’d have the front door open?

There’s just no words. I mean, someone bought screens that were too short and then filled the gaps with exposed boards. What in the world? Do you think that Boozie Susie from Russet Street Reno stopped by?

The strangest part is that it is probably worse than it would have been with the original windows. Why even bother replacing them?

This dining room shot is the stuff that nightmares are made of.

Well, no more craziness. Those windows are GONE!

We actually bought our new windows in the fall, but it snowed before we put them in. I’m not sure Ryan couldn’t get them in. I mean, he was only building a garage and installing a fence. Sheesh!

So, they’ve been hanging out in the garage.

(As a side note: When the windows arrived, I made my normally-very-calm husband very upset by exclaiming that they look really chintzy. After all the time he spent measuring and shopping around and choosing and ordering and loading and unloading. Yeah… and these puppies weren’t cheap. I don’t know what I thought they looked chintzy at first, but I don’t think so anymore. They are really nice Anderson windows. Sometimes I need to learn to shut my pie hole. You probably don’t know what that’s like.)

Anyhow, all winter we just dealt with the old windows (and the high heating bills). But this week, Ryan got all the old windows out and the new ones installed in record time.

17 new windows.

And in the process, he only shattered one old window. And no one was hurt, so it was all good.

It’s so much better.

Especially when you remember this ‘before.’

We still need to trim outside and inside the windows, but they already make such a huge difference. Ryan’s going to focus on the interior and work on the exterior as it gets warmer. (It’s apparently still winter in Illinois.)

There aren’t drafts in the house anymore. We don’t have to use towels and coats to block the ice cold air from getting into our home. And it’s brighter and cleaner. And I really like the pane-look.

All-in-all, we are thrilled. And the Rand-dawg (who took our old garage and kitchen cabinets and all the old radiators) is also taking the old windows off our hands. It’s amazing how this Craigslist contact worked out for us. So we don’t even have to figure out how to dump them.

Now, if only the trim would put itself up.



So, that’s the week in review.

For you eagle eyes, yes, I did work on the bathroom painting, too. But, unfortunately someone (who most certainly wasn’t me… okay, maybe it was me), spilled a gallon of trim paint INSIDE the new vanity. So, that derailed my momentum. The good news – it didn’t get through to the new floor and hopefully the vanity is salvageable. The bad news – I had a melt down. But, what’s new, right?

What do you think?

Comments

  2. Yeah for windows! They look great! And yeah for Ryan installing them all! We did this at our old house and it was amazing what a difference they made in the draftiness.

  4. They look great and I’m sure you guys are beyond thrilled that they are done, done, DONE! I love the new bathroom paint, it’s lovely. Totally worth a paint-related meltdown.

  6. The windows look great!! I enjoyed the Boozie Susie reference. I think that is hilarious!!

  7. Yeah. That Ryan. Man, he’s such a slacker. I don’t know why you keep him around. 😉

    Aren’t new windows fabulous!! When we moved into our house, there were no screens, the large front window was literally one giant pane of glass… (no frame, nuthin’!) and all of them were so painted shut it was so not funny in the middle of August. Your new windows look terrific and I’m sure they will make a huge difference in quality of life this spring!

    I hope the vanity is salvageable. I’m always so paranoid about spilling paint. I spilled a whole bunch of stain on our floors two summers ago while staining the kitchen cabinets. So I completely sympathize with the melt down.

    Keep up the good work!

  9. I love those long gorgeous windows!! And I, too, am a big fan of the pane look!
    Is it starting to feel like a *REAL* house? Installing new windows really made our house feel like “ours”.
    I’m sorry about the paint fiasco. It happens. You’re allowed to have a minor meltdown. 🙂
    I love these updates!

  10. Wooo, Boozie!!! That is certainly something she would do…crazy bitch! Anyhooo, your windows are fab. I wish we could get better ones, but I’m a purist when it comes to the house and can’t bear to rip out the originals. Now, if only we could OPEN all of them! haha

  12. yay! Way to go Ryan! Those look great. New windows are on my long-term to-do list. John thinks (after installing 1 door) he can do the windows….I’m not sure I trust it. You should posta tutorial on window installation!

  14. agh… spilled paint is the worst. sorry about that. 🙁 yuck.

    but.. your windows do look amazing! i always think it’s amazing how one thing can make such a huge difference.

    do you know when you’ll be moving in yet?

  15. what a coincidence! I just had some windows installed last week! I’ve been in this house 11 years and none of the old windows could open. Now, I only have half the windows left to change out. And yes, looking forward to a draftless bathroom.
    I just found your blog last night, so I will catch up on your story now that I have seen this post.

  16. Windows look great!

    Meltdowns are part of the process…My parents bought their first house after 25 years of marriage and the day we closed on it, my 13 year-old brother spilled a gallon of yellow paint on their brand new white carpeting.

    A few years later he spilled a gallon of deck stain over the entire kitchen (it fell off the top of the fridge where he left it without the lid while he fixed himself a sandwich and when he shut the fridge door too hard off feel the stain all over everything in their white kitchen).

    You can imagine the meltdowns…

  20. The windows look great! New windows are so nice. Especially if they are the kind that can open and tilt inward so you can clean them from inside. Are all windows like that now? Lower heating bills are nice too. 🙂

  22. I admire you guys so much!! I love that you’re making this home so fabulous and I loved the pane windows.

  23. The new windows look great! I would have had like 50 meltdowns by now, just from pure exhaustion from everything you’re doing, so you’re like 49 steps ahead of me. 🙂 And I can’t keep my mouth shut either. And there’s suddenly snow in our forecast again? What?

  24. Hummm not being able to shut my mouth – check.

    Spilling paint – check

    I’m pretty sure we’ve had the same week but you ended up with new shiny windows at the end so your the big winner this week dear :+)

    Soooo glad the paint didn’t get on the floor I would have cried with you. After all that is the bathroom that I plan to live in one day ha ha.

  25. Ahh, I’m so jealous over your new windows! They look great and the mere thought of no drafts sounds like a dream. We would like to renovate ours (with new glaze, ropes, etc) but we’ve been here for almost three years and they haven’t made the list yet.

    I’m so sorry you spilled a gallon of paint–that’s totally meltdown worthy. I hope clean up isn’t a total nightmare.

  26. Awwww, all of us have break downs at some point. I’m sure it will all work out. Love the new windows by the way and as ususal super impressed with the DIY skills.