Today, Wade and I signed a contract to have The Maple House completely re-sided!

It’s a relief because the siding is in terrible condition and having new siding is something that can’t wait, but seeing the cost felt like a punch in the stomach. Our first choice would be to restore the wood siding and cedar shake that we have now and repaint, but while our hearts say yes, our budget and timeline say no. The silver lining is that there will be a 2-inch layer of insulation under the vinyl, giving our future tenants some energy savings and making the siding more resistant to impact.

We are also realizing the massiveness of our house (realizing by how over-budget all the bids are coming back). This house is 2,400 square feet, not counting the basement and walk-up, unfinished attic. It’s a give and take, I guess. The size makes every job a big job, but the size is also what made the price on this house such a steal. Re-siding starts in 6-8 weeks.

We had a gutter company give us a quote for all new gutters. The quote is very reasonable, but we have dry rot in most of our fascia and our tongue and groove soffit needs significant repairs. I never thought I would have so much trouble finding people to do the work. Some people say it’s too small of a job; some say it’s too big; some only want to cover it with aluminum soffit; and some quotes are so high they take my breath away. We’ll just keep looking.

Prepping the kitchen floor for refinishing has been more difficult than anticipated. The plywood had been stapled to the hardwood using overlayment staples, which are incredibly long. Much of the past week and a half have been spent watching YouTube videos and purchasing the tools in those videos. Most don’t work; the staples just snap off in the wood, leaving a jagged shard of metal poking up. So frustrating!

I’ve also been removing paint from the trim. When we did our initial showing, I had planned to leave the trim painted, thinking it wasn’t worth my time to strip, but upon closer examination when we moved in, there are so many layers of paint on the wood that it is flaking, cracking, peeling, bumpy, and gross. So I must strip.

This week, I found some beautiful wooden shutters on Facebook Marketplace for a great price. I went to pick them up and met a couple about the age of Wade and me. They just completed a renovation on their own duplex. They were kind enough to show me the inside and the work they’ve done; it was amazing! It’s so encouraging to see that it can be done! I got their number and plan to meet up with them soon to pick their brain. My first Milwaukee friends! And the shutters fit my windows like a glove. They’re going to be the window treatments for the living room in the upstairs unit. They are gorgeous.