Brian has been working non-stop on our basement since last Thursday and last night, he finished Ian's bedroom.
Much of the work had already been done -- large window cut and installed, walls framed, walls and ceiling drywalled, mudded and sanded. This past week, he finished the wiring and installing the lights, hung the trim, completed the installation of the built in bookshelf, had the carpet re-installed and painted everything. Ian chose a nice green called relish.
Part of the deal for finishing the basement is that I had to move everything out. There is nothing like a vast home improvement project to help with going through stuff and getting organized. It turns out, a family of six can accumulate quite a bit of unnecessary junk when there is a giant unused basement to stash everything instead of actually deciding what to do with it.
It's been a tremendously busy week for me. Every time I think I'm about to get the upstairs halfway presentable, I bring another load of things upstairs that needs to be sorted and organized. We have gotten rid of a lot -- and, that feels good.
Last night, Brian and I hunkered down in the basement and we wouldn't quit until every last thing was cleared out. Every last thing from the main area that is. He still wants me to (gasp!) empty the storage room so he can tear into that as well. It's going to be tricky trying to assimilate everything into our upstairs living space until the work is complete (the garage is already full).
Ian's room is finished and I couldn't be happier with the way it turned out. He is ecstatic! He loves finally having his own space for the first time in his 12-year life. He and Isaac get along surprisingly well given their complete opposite personalities (I'm so thankful -- I always hope and pray for my children to be close to each other). But, this is a much deserved perk. He has put up with a lot.
Last night, Brian ripped out all of the walls, so aside from the storage room, Ian's bedroom and the furnace room, everything else is wide open where there use to be a bedroom, playroom, mud room and common area. It looks awesome. We kind of wish we could leave it open like that forever. Mostly, it will stay open, except that he's going to frame the bedroom back in for Sophie's new room.
Sophie is unbelievably specific in her requirements for her new room. Brian has already agreed to lay hardwood flooring, build her a custom bed and paint two of the four walls in multi-color neon stripes to her specifications. Yet--this does not meet all of her requirements and her lamentations on the subject are endless . . . It's very frustrating.
Last night, Brian realized he has to re-wire the upstairs of the house before he goes to town on the basement (while all of the basement ceilings are ripped out and he has access to the wiring). Maybe this will give Sophie the adequate amount of time to see how very reasonable and accommodating her parents are. Or, as she thinks will happen, maybe this will give her parents enough time to see reason. Ha!
When the downstairs is complete, we will have two bedrooms (Ian's and Sophie's), a bathroom (it's going in where the storage room is currently) and a large game room/family room. We want to have a couch and TV with gaming console and an assortment of games, like foosball and air hockey. We pretty much want to be the house where our kids and all of their friends hang out. This is a wonderful thing. However, I am learning that one unintended consequence is a sharp upswing in the grocery bill.
Behind our furnace room, we have a large unfinished area of our house with a dirt floor. We decided that we are going to pour cement about 18-feet back and frame it in to make a giant storage room. I am SO excited!!!
I am thankful for Brian, his handyman skills and his willingness to work harder than anyone I've ever known to make our dreams for our home come true. Happy Thanksgiving!
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