The Condo...
Seven years ago, I started working for a company that was 40 miles from my home. Nearly all highway miles, I've tolerated bad drivers and never ending road construction. With no traffic and obeying the speed limit, it's around 50 minutes one way, door to door. On a bad day it's more than 90 minutes to reach the office.Except for the crazy drivers, I actually enjoy driving. Unless I were a professional driver getting paid to be on the road, it shouldn't be part of my career. I try to optimize my travels and visit projects before I get to the office, but that's not always possible. Sometimes, I have meetings at office first, then I travel out on appointments.
When I started this job, I owned an old Toyota Celica and after 220,000 miles I bought a new Hyundai Veloster in 2014 that's past 125,000 miles and the 4th set of tires.
My first choice was to purchase a house near the office, but that was totally out of my price range. Then I considered renting an apartment, but I didn't want to walk away with nothing to show for my efforts. That got me to condo shopping as that is the least expense to make things work. My wife had an apartment in China and was fine with that lifestyle. While there are lots of freedoms with a house (and no Homeowners Association) that would be traded for someone else maintaining the place but I would have to accept a list of 'cannot do' this or that, typical with condo living.
Shopping on and off for two years got accelerated in the last 6 months. Although house prices are rising, I found that the units I viewed usually were sold and quickly taken off the market. The last agent I dealt with has more sales than all the others combined and I decided to go with her. She was very helpful in making a purchase.
What I got was someone who already printed reports for the units we planned to visit and actually knew something about each one and not reading details from their cellphone like the other agents I met. Mentioned in previous blogs, the last one I saw was matched more of the conditions for a purchase. For example:
Price range, less work needed to be able to move in, no one had died in the unit, bedroom was on the east side and away from the heat of the afternoon sun, easy access from the entrance gate, laundry in the unit and not community coin laundry.
I made an offer, negotiated a bit, placed a deposit. Approved by the mortgage company and the homeowners association, I was cleared to move ahead. The home inspection showed no leaking roof and no trouble with the appliances. That said, I coughed up the money and met with a cashier's check for the closing.
The sellers had all their furniture and belongings removed the day before the closing. I arranged to have utilities turned on in my name. They left me a bar of soap in one bathroom and a bottle of water in the refrigerator!
The purpose of this blog is to track my progress with the renovation and document the pitfalls as well as the successful moments.
Comments (85)
Both bathrooms are painted.
Home Depot stocks (inexpensive) replacement medicine cabinets but they don't come with a box or plastic wrap. I checked a stack of 8 and all of them have scratched mirrors.
I'll try going to a different store.
They do have an upgrade medicine cabinet that comes in a cardboard box, but it's twice the price and has beveled mirror.
If I change that, I'll have to upgrade the mirror to beveled... for $20 more than the one with flat polished edges.
Chat,
My daughter-in-law is fixing up a mini mansion (looks like it in the pics). She took a video of her tearing up a tile floor. What a horrendous job. I can see the open studs without drywall. At least she isn't going to hang her own drywall - she contracted it out.
Having second thoughts about Condo living? Your committed to at least a year and that flies by.
Harder.
She painted the kitchen, two walls of the living room and touched up the dining room walls today.
I applied a second and third coat of ceiling patch. In between waiting for the plaster to dry, I installed a medicine cabinet, vanity mirror and the light fixtures.
The move-in date is pushed back another week. It rained nearly all day so we were unable to get the plywood material for the platform bed.
There is missing baseboard where the wall of mirror was removed. It's a common moulding called 'clamshell' but the one at Home Depot is a little thicker than the base I have, so I need to scribe a line and sand the edge (or cut with a jigsaw) so I can tuck it in between the wall and gap in the tile floor. No time today, that will happen during the week.
At first, we brought only what was needed for the weekends. Now we are planning longer stays so we have laundry soap, toilet tissue, paper towels, cleaning supplies, paper cups, bowls, cutlery, etc.
Both the house in Miami and the condo in Delray will be stocked. Food in the pantry and refrigerators at both places. Pots, pans... Ahh... we need to buy another toaster oven.
I figure within a week we will have clothing enough at each place for several days at a time.
Our weekends are spent fixing up the condo and eventually, our free time will be spent finishing repairs at the house. Unsure if my nephew will stay there as he's got a few newly renovated houses ready to flip. Should they all sell, he and his wife could stay at my place and turn it into a win-win situation.
When I lived in Orlando it was awesome to decide to come to Tampa on a minute's notice and not have to pack anything. All I had to do is throw the little dog in my purse and drive, the Tampa home was good to go for the weekends. Loved it! Still feels a bit sur-real to finally be living in my Tampa home.
All the filling and sanding to the ceiling is done. No more cracks!
I applied primer before leaving and plan to paint tonight.
Applied baseboard that was missing where the mirror was removed.
We started cleaning up. Vacuuming enough drywall dust to fill a bucket. It was everywhere, all the way into the closets where I had some black pants on a hanger.
Good thing it's a week long celebration.
We've got new bedding, towels, watermelon in the refrigerator.
Who could ask for more?
Painted ceiling in living room. All looks good. No signs of cracking.
Clean up going on every night after work this week.
Repainted the living room/dining room ceiling in daylight. It's amazing how many spots I missed when painting at night!
Not all men have the ability to undertake a project, like you’re doing.
...and think of the $ you’re saving on tradesmen.
I'm not coming on to you.....
I've just been following your blog and am impressed with your handyman skills.
The condo must be nearing completion?
I gave her the wood last night. A little tight at first, but it went in after some pushing.
Not liking the bed slats from Ikea, I chose to replace them with a platform.
2 sheets of (furniture grade) plywood cut to size.
Almost there.
The dressers are in boxes and scheduled to be assembled later in the week. We're starting to bring clothes and some food is in the refrigerator.
What are we talking about here?
My mind needs cleansing....
Finished touchup paint in the living room.
Assembled the dining room table and chairs.
Unboxed the sofa grouping and cut the cardboard boxes into manageable sizes for trash.
We're in and out a few days a week. Food in both refrigerators. Doing laundry in Miami...
I lead a double life.
2-24-2019 Sunday, we went back to Miami to collect more things. Computer, silverware, toaster, clothing and towels.
Three months ago, I had asked the association president about flooding and was told no problem, drainage was good. BS as the entire main road between these units is now under water. The driveway rises a little at my assigned parking spot and my car was in at least 6" of water when I stepped out. The paved walkway to the stairs is sloped so access to the condo was good.
I was hoping for heavy rains like this (sideways at times) and opened the attic access into the crawlspace above. Using a 300 watt work light, searched the inside roof line around the trusses looking for any signs of leaks. None found. No signs of discolored wood that would would indicate any previous roof leaks.
No leaks. This is good news.
Arm, shoulder and back pains nearly gone.
We got most of the furniture assembled.
Another trip to Ikea is planned for tomorrow.
Currently sleeping 5 nights at the condo and 2 nights in Miami.
A friend with a Dodge Caravan offered to move some tables and shelving for me. They came from my home-office in Miami, so tonight I can set them up and return the bathroom door (that's been my desk for the past 6 weeks) and put away 2 small card tables that the door was sitting on!.
Yes, bathroom door. 30+ years ago it was standard practice in the engineering department to use flush, hollow core doors as drafting tables. Flat, strong and lightweight.
I finally got around to installing the towel bars.
We are moved in as much as possible.
The small washer & dryer actually does better than the new machines at my house!
Best Buy had a sale on TV's so we purchased a 55" Samsung. I mounted to a floating credenza, connected the cable box and an antenna for local channels that has a better picture than cable.
Tonight, I installed the smoke/carbon monoxide alarm that I purchased a month ago.
I'm gonna miss the cardboard and blue tape!
Mid 70's and works part-time at a retail store. Not that he needs the money, it's his way of not going crazy from boredom!
Replacing the wire shelving in the laundry room and ran into a snag with the wall anchors for the brackets unable to support any significant weight. This required another trip to Home Depot for different anchors.
7-21-2019
Installed the blades on the ceiling fans and grill on the a/c vents.
It's off-season so 1/3 of the residents are 'up north'