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I bought a house!

Scarlett
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Scarlett

Scarlett

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Xhusband is buying me out and I made an offer on a smaller place which was accepted yesterday! I am very excited. It sort of fell into my lap at the last minute and I was able to get the offer accepted in time to claim the $6500 tax credit.

 

It will be bittersweet to leave the home I thought I would die in, but life moves on.

 

It is a house that is mid flip.....I got it in time to do my own painting and appliances and they reduced the price. They are going to put a new roof on and do some exterior painting....and put on a new door on the back patio...but basically it just needs wall paper ripped down, popcorn ceilings stripped, paint and new carpet. And appliances. I'm so happy to have such a tidy little place that will have new stuff...all for a price I can easily afford.

 

Just thought I'd share my joy since you've all endured my trials this past year.

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Scarlett

Scarlett

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great news! Is your son taking the change in stride?

 

He is excited. The lot is 1/4 the size of our lot now, but the new place has lots of good trees...trees for climbing. :)

 

He will get to come back to his old house for visitation with his dad...as much as that pains me (for X to get our house) I guess it is good for ds.

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Scarlett

Scarlett

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And saves you the hassle of fixing it up and selling...

 

It was sold. Someone made us a great offer. In writing. So I had already done all that work. I listed it and kept it in show condition and stripped wall paper in the half bath and kept the lawn perfect looking (well as perfect as I could)...so it bums me out XH gets to move back in to our house that I've taken care of for a year...but hey...life goes on.

 

I will not however, be handling the details of the new roof this house needs due to storm damage...I had the adjuster lined up and the contractor lined up...I cancelled those appts when XH agreed to buy me out. And I doubt I worry much about the yard either now. :tongue_smilie:

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Scarlett

Scarlett

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The seller of my new house (he bought it to flip) has let me have a key and is letting me do limited work to it. I stripped wall paper for 8 hours this weekend. Next I am going to sand down the popcorn ceilings....Then I have to have the ceilings and some of the walls re-textured.....then paint the entire house inside. And have new carpet installed. I'm so excited.

 

XH has STILL not given me a written contract but did forward me an email from the loan officer that he has been approved to buy me out.

 

Got another call from the realtor today asking me if my XH is for sure buying me out because he client REALLY wants the house. Full price. 10K more than I agreed to sell to XH. :tongue_smilie: Oh well.

 

I have my new appliances all picked out. Going with black. After I get moved in I am painting my kitchen cabinets and replacing my counter tops. Any ideas?

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Harriet Vane

Harriet Vane

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The seller of my new house (he bought it to flip) has let me have a key and is letting me do limited work to it. I stripped wall paper for 8 hours this weekend. Next I am going to sand down the popcorn ceilings....Then I have to have the ceilings and some of the walls re-textured.....then paint the entire house inside. And have new carpet installed. I'm so excited.

 

XH has STILL not given me a written contract but did forward me an email from the loan officer that he has been approved to buy me out.

 

Got another call from the realtor today asking me if my XH is for sure buying me out because he client REALLY wants the house. Full price. 10K more than I agreed to sell to XH. :tongue_smilie: Oh well.

 

I have my new appliances all picked out. Going with black. After I get moved in I am painting my kitchen cabinets and replacing my counter tops. Any ideas?

 

Scarlett I am so happy about your new home.

 

Just a word of caution--some popcorn ceilings contain asbestos. Please don't take any chances on breathing that stuff. You can get it tested for $25 per sample. Just look in the yellow pages. If it does contain asbestos, it's actually pretty easy taking it down as long as you know what you're doing. I can advise on that if it will help you.

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Scarlett

Scarlett

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Scarlett I am so happy about your new home.

 

Just a word of caution--some popcorn ceilings contain asbestos. Please don't take any chances on breathing that stuff. You can get it tested for $25 per sample. Just look in the yellow pages. If it does contain asbestos, it's actually pretty easy taking it down as long as you know what you're doing. I can advise on that if it will help you.

 

Thanks Strider....this house was built in 1996 so no worries there--at least that is what my mom told me!

 

I thought it would be thicker than it is. I guess sometimes it is. I just used a 4 1/2 wide scraper and once I got under it it just came right off. Very messy...but not very difficult so far. Much easier than stupid wall paper.

 

How do you recommend it be removed?

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Jean in Newcastle

Jean in Newcastle

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Thanks Strider....this house was built in 1996 so no worries there--at least that is what my mom told me!

 

I thought it would be thicker than it is. I guess sometimes it is. I just used a 4 1/2 wide scraper and it once I got under it it just came right off. Very messy...but not very difficult so far. Much easier than stupid wall paper.

 

How do you recommend it be removed?

 

Are you taking it down to the drywall? (Wasn't sure because you said you were sanding it down).

 

Make sure you cover the floors and even the walls with plastic (there is a fine dust that can go everywhere). Wet it down - a mister or even a clean sprayer that the pesticide people use does this well. Then use the scraper and it will come off like peanut butter on a wide butter knife.

 

We then found that you had to put a light skimcoat of mud on the ceiling (to hide the seams and any divots that might be there). Then sand until it is as smooth as a baby's bottom (this is the hard part for me).

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Scarlett

Scarlett

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Are you taking it down to the drywall? (Wasn't sure because you said you were sanding it down).

 

Make sure you cover the floors and even the walls with plastic (there is a fine dust that can go everywhere). Wet it down - a mister or even a clean sprayer that the pesticide people use does this well. Then use the scraper and it will come off like peanut butter on a wide butter knife.

 

We then found that you had to put a light skimcoat of mud on the ceiling (to hide the seams and any divots that might be there). Then sand until it is as smooth as a baby's bottom (this is the hard part for me).

 

Why do you have to sand it down? Did you just not want a textured look at all? I sort of like the textured look you get from spraying the mud on it.

 

I am going to try wetting it again....I sprayed it but it didn't come off like peanut butter...maybe I did not wet it enough.

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Jean in Newcastle

Jean in Newcastle

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Why do you have to sand it down? Did you just not want a textured look at all? I sort of like the textured look you get from spraying the mud on it.

 

I am going to try wetting it again....I sprayed it but it didn't come off like peanut butter...maybe I did not wet it enough.

 

I wanted the smooth look. If you like textured, then that is much much easier!

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Harriet Vane

Harriet Vane

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Thanks Strider....this house was built in 1996 so no worries there--at least that is what my mom told me!

 

I thought it would be thicker than it is. I guess sometimes it is. I just used a 4 1/2 wide scraper and once I got under it it just came right off. Very messy...but not very difficult so far. Much easier than stupid wall paper.

 

How do you recommend it be removed?

 

My recommendations are for asbestos removal. I'm not much help on removing a popcorn ceiling that isn't toxic.

 

If it were asbestos, I would advise you to get an asbestos mask, latex gloves, and some plastic bags for your feet. Duck tape yourself into your rubber suit. Also wear protective clear glasses. Seal off the room completely with duck-taped, heavy plastic. Wet the asbestos material thoroughly. Peel or chunk off, raising as little dust as possible, making sure to keep materials saturated. Place asbestos directly into heavy duty black garbage bags. While working, also make sure you mist the air around you continually with a spray bottle of water to cause any airborne dust to fall. When removal is complete, duck tape bags shut. Double-bag all bags of waste and duck tape a second time. Carefully vacuum every square inch of the room using a special wet-vac. All vacuum waste disposal, plus your plastic sheeting sealing the room, must also be double-bagged. Finally, dispose of all waste at a hazardous waste disposal site and have the air quality of your home measured by a professional service.

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Jean in Newcastle

Jean in Newcastle

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My recommendations are for asbestos removal. I'm not much help on removing a popcorn ceiling that isn't toxic.

 

If it were asbestos, I would advise you to get an asbestos mask, latex gloves, and some plastic bags for your feet. Duck tape yourself into your rubber suit. Also wear protective clear glasses. Seal off the room completely with duck-taped, heavy plastic. Wet the asbestos material thoroughly. Peel or chunk off, raising as little dust as possible, making sure to keep materials saturated. Place asbestos directly into heavy duty black garbage bags. While working, also make sure you mist the air around you continually with a spray bottle of water to cause any airborne dust to fall. When removal is complete, duck tape bags shut. Double-bag all bags of waste and duck tape a second time. Carefully vacuum every square inch of the room using a special wet-vac. All vacuum waste disposal, plus your plastic sheeting sealing the room, must also be double-bagged. Finally, dispose of all waste at a hazardous waste disposal site and have the air quality of your home measured by a professional service.

 

Yea, we did this once. Fun times . . . not!

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Scarlett

Scarlett

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My recommendations are for asbestos removal. I'm not much help on removing a popcorn ceiling that isn't toxic.

 

If it were asbestos, I would advise you to get an asbestos mask, latex gloves, and some plastic bags for your feet. Duck tape yourself into your rubber suit. Also wear protective clear glasses. Seal off the room completely with duck-taped, heavy plastic. Wet the asbestos material thoroughly. Peel or chunk off, raising as little dust as possible, making sure to keep materials saturated. Place asbestos directly into heavy duty black garbage bags. While working, also make sure you mist the air around you continually with a spray bottle of water to cause any airborne dust to fall. When removal is complete, duck tape bags shut. Double-bag all bags of waste and duck tape a second time. Carefully vacuum every square inch of the room using a special wet-vac. All vacuum waste disposal, plus your plastic sheeting sealing the room, must also be double-bagged. Finally, dispose of all waste at a hazardous waste disposal site and have the air quality of your home measured by a professional service.

 

That sounds horrid. Do you know if my mom is right about it not being in newer houses? Guess I could go Google it....

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i.love.lucy

i.love.lucy

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Congrats Scarlett!!!!

 

I have white cabs and almost black counters. The white is hard to keep clean in a way because they show every speck. But they are a coating, not paint, so they do wipe off easily. The black counters show a lot of dirt too. I will say I like this combo better than the all white I had before. White cabs, white tile floor:001_huh:, white counters. It showed every.speck.of.dirt.

 

I love the combo of dark chocolate brown cabinets and a natural stone look counter (even if you go with formica). But would dark cabs make your kitchen look too dark? If so, still go with the white cabs but do a warmer stone-look counter instead of the cold gray granite they had in the pic.

 

So happy for you!!!

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