What have you done to your house today

I ran some 5/4x6 boards across my porch roof so I could clean out the gutter between the porch and pool screen. The pool screen is 36' across and the aluminum porch roof is too light to walk on without reinforcement, but the boards spread out the load so I can walk on them.

Then I spent an hour digging 30 years of crud out of the middle section of the gutter where I wasn't able to reach before.

extend the plumbing from the laundry room out to the garage (about 6 ft through a wall) so i could have a sink out there. Hadn't done copper before, so my dad had to teach me. All the new piping is neatly hidden behind the washer/drier

That's really cool, having a sink in the garage ... I have lines already running through the garage, and never thought of doing this, lol ...


A few days ago I built a rolling cart. Since I took the pic I added some plywood pieces on the bottom, effectively adding another shelf there:




A couple days ago I cut up a piece of PVC pipe that I had since the house renovation and made this out of it, right by the toolbox, in easy reach, to hold all kinds of things that used to be in the screwdriver drawer:





And re-organized the area above the toolbox a bit, adding a shelf for my most-commonly used screw boxes, and adding a shelf that I could keep the tool batteries under, along with my safety glasses:

Gabe said:

That's really cool, having a sink in the garage ... I have lines already running through the garage, and never thought of doing this, lol ...


A few days ago I built a rolling cart. Since I took the pic I added some plywood pieces on the bottom, effectively adding another shelf there:



A couple days ago I cut up a piece of PVC pipe that I had since the house renovation and made this out of it, right by the toolbox, in easy reach, to hold all kinds of things that used to be in the screwdriver drawer:





And re-organized the area above the toolbox a bit, adding a shelf for my most-commonly used screw boxes, and adding a shelf that I could keep the tool batteries under, along with my safety glasses:

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Great stuff, you are the PVC 2x4 King !!

AndrewNagle said:

Great stuff, you are the PVC 2x4 King !!

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Ha! Thanks. I love that I'm using up all kinds of old scrap to make something cool out of.

Scheduled some paint touch up work this week and hoping to get it photographed and the sale listing up soon.

Looked at 10 houses on Sunday and narrowed that search down to 3 and will see where that goes when we take another look next weekend.

What area(s) are you looking at Cam?

Trying to stay in Leesburg, but Purcellville has had some nice properties we've been looking and the price difference is quite big. 3 years ago I wouldn't have considered it but recently they've added a lot to it.

GallopingFord said:

Trying to stay in Leesburg, but Purcellville has had some nice properties we've been looking and the price difference is quite big. 3 years ago I wouldn't have considered it but recently they've added a lot to it.

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I'm in Lovettsville, about 10 minutes from Purcellville. Have you looked around the area as well (Lovettsville, Round Hill, Hamilton, etc)? Are you looking for a newly built house or are you OK with something a few years old?

They're finishing building 17 houses behind me on anywhere from .13 acres to 30 acres currently. The community is called Patent House Farm Hamlet in the event you've already looked. If not and you do, stop by and say hi! I'd be the white house with the red roof on your right side when you first turn onto the street.

We have had our eye on one property in Hamilton, right off the highway, and it is a big contender since it is a 1/2 acre with a detached garage that we'd like to expand on. Built in '70 and recently renovated. But I'm struggling with the sq footage since it is like 2000~ and our current town home is 2600. We'd like to get 10 years out of our next house.

My current town home was a near new build when I bought it and I had my issues with it because these builders just throw them up like jenga blocks, so I am not sure if I want to take the chance with a new built house... but older houses pose issues too and I'd probably want to upgrade this, tear down that, etc. Basically, I'm 50/50.

I've looked a little at Lovettsville, and we can stretch our money a little more in that direction. My only reserve is I got spoiled living 2 minutes from work... it has come in hand way too many times.

Is this house in that community?
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/38495-Iroquois-Ln-Lovettsville-VA-20180/2100451521_zpid/

Cam, you will know when you find the right place. No offense, but your current house is more like an apartment than a house. For me the biggest issue is having a little privacy and space to be away from others. My own personal escape from the burdens of dealing with others. Your only escape now is inside your house, as you have a half dozen windows from neighbors looking down on your back yard.

Most houses are slapped together, but shortcomings will show themselves in time. I think buying an older home has advantages because the shortcomings have had time to expose themselves and hopefully the previous owner addressed them. If you find a home with good 'bones' then you can do with it whatever you like.

I think a half acre is a good start. Does it back up to other houses?

GallopingFord said:

We have had our eye on one property in Hamilton, right off the highway, and it is a big contender since it is a 1/2 acre with a detached garage that we'd like to expand on. Built in '70 and recently renovated. But I'm struggling with the sq footage since it is like 2000~ and our current town home is 2600. We'd like to get 10 years out of our next house.

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Hamilton is a really nice area and has some great restaurants as well. If you feel like you're outgrowing your current place losing that much space could definitely be an issue you shouldn't ignore. You can always add-on an addition to get that space back, but that might be an expense that puts the house out of your budget.

GallopingFord said:

My current town home was a near new build when I bought it and I had my issues with it because these builders just throw them up like jenga blocks, so I am not sure if I want to take the chance with a new built house... but older houses pose issues too and I'd probably want to upgrade this, tear down that, etc. Basically, I'm 50/50.

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Yeah unfortunately a majority of the new houses that are going up in the area are modular; very few are custom built anymore. The ones I mentioned that are being built behind me are modular. I've walked through a couple of them during the build process and they at least seem to be put together well and they do some custom treatments like the porches and such. If you weren't in a hurry to move you could find some land (ton in the area) and build exactly what you want.

GallopingFord said:

I've looked a little at Lovettsville, and we can stretch our money a little more in that direction. My only reserve is I got spoiled living 2 minutes from work... it has come in hand way too many times.

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I work in Sterling, so my commute is anywhere from 40 minutes to an hour each way. I can get to your dealership in Leesburg in about 20 to 25 minutes usually. Did you have a black 2017 Raptor out front this morning by chance? I think I saw one but I was busy passing some jackass on their cell phone and didn't see it on my way home.

GallopingFord said:

Is this house in that community?
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/38495-Iroquois-Ln-Lovettsville-VA-20180/2100451521_zpid/

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Yep, that was the first house they built. Pic from a few months ago:

I'd actually hate to live in that community ^^^
Wide-open, no privacy from the neighbors, and the houses so close together ... no thanks.

GallopingFord said:

My current town home was a near new build when I bought it and I had my issues with it because these builders just throw them up like jenga blocks, so I am not sure if I want to take the chance with a new built house... but older houses pose issues too and I'd probably want to upgrade this, tear down that, etc. Basically, I'm 50/50.

I've looked a little at Lovettsville, and we can stretch our money a little more in that direction. My only reserve is I got spoiled living 2 minutes from work... it has come in hand way too many times.

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You know what we did; went with an older house in the location we wanted. Location, location, location.

New builds around here had a tendency to all be the same. All of them were on small lots, with a 3-car garage that really only had room for a Camry and a golf cart -- but you couldn't open the trunk lid on the Camry with the garage door down. Most builders we talked to could remedy that, but then the price went up accordingly.

Any available lots were too far out for me. I wanted to be 20 minutes or less from the airport.

skwerl said:

Cam, you will know when you find the right place. No offense, but your current house is more like an apartment than a house. For me the biggest issue is having a little privacy and space to be away from others. My own personal escape from the burdens of dealing with others. Your only escape now is inside your house, as you have a half dozen windows from neighbors looking down on your back yard.

Most houses are slapped together, but shortcomings will show themselves in time. I think buying an older home has advantages because the shortcomings have had time to expose themselves and hopefully the previous owner addressed them. If you find a home with good 'bones' then you can do with it whatever you like.

I think a half acre is a good start. Does it back up to other houses?

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Pretty much all the houses we are looking at/in our budget are going to be in close vicinity to others. Some have a nice array of trees/fencing to seperate with makes them better candidates, but I do agree about Townhouses. I'm not afraid to admit I'm an introvert, especially after a long week at work.

VA Raptor said:

Hamilton is a really nice area and has some great restaurants as well. If you feel like you're outgrowing your current place losing that much space could definitely be an issue you shouldn't ignore. You can always add-on an addition to get that space back, but that might be an expense that puts the house out of your budget.


Yeah unfortunately a majority of the new houses that are going up in the area are modular; very few are custom built anymore. The ones I mentioned that are being built behind me are modular. I've walked through a couple of them during the build process and they at least seem to be put together well and they do some custom treatments like the porches and such. If you weren't in a hurry to move you could find some land (ton in the area) and build exactly what you want.

I work in Sterling, so my commute is anywhere from 40 minutes to an hour each way. I can get to your dealership in Leesburg in about 20 to 25 minutes usually. Did you have a black 2017 Raptor out front this morning by chance? I think I saw one but I was busy passing some jackass on their cell phone and didn't see it on my way home.

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We did like Hamilton and it is close to Leesburg. I was not sure what to think when I passed the local Police station and they had a big sign saying "LOCK YOUR CARS AND HOUSES" though. Lol

Here is the one we are looking at there: http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/231-E-Colonial-Hwy-Hamilton-VA-20158/12419868_zpid/

Route 7 and jackasses is just a harmonious match. We do have that '17 Raptor out front.

Rasmus said:

You know what we did; went with an older house in the location we wanted. Location, location, location.

New builds around here had a tendency to all be the same. All of them were on small lots, with a 3-car garage that really only had room for a Camry and a golf cart -- but you couldn't open the trunk lid on the Camry with the garage door down. Most builders we talked to could remedy that, but then the price went up accordingly.

Any available lots were too far out for me. I wanted to be 20 minutes or less from the airport.

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Yeah, your place is nice.... garages is what I crave lol. One place we are looking at has a 3 car garage (tandem parking on one side) and has enough ceiling space for a 4 post lift.

GallopingFord said:

We did like Hamilton and it is close to Leesburg. I was not sure what to think when I passed the local Police station and they had a big sign saying "LOCK YOUR CARS AND HOUSES" though. Lol

Here is the one we are looking at there: http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/231-E-Colonial-Hwy-Hamilton-VA-20158/12419868_zpid/

Route 7 and jackasses is just a harmonious match. We do have that '17 Raptor out front.

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That's a nice looking remodel and really nice garage! I'll be in Hamilton this weekend for dinner with some friends, so I'll be sure to check out the sign at the police station haha!

I need to run by Costco this weekend, so if it's still there I may stop by and take a look at it.

Holy cow, Cam! That place is gorgeous!

VA Raptor said:

That's a nice looking remodel and really nice garage! I'll be in Hamilton this weekend for dinner with some friends, so I'll be sure to check out the sign at the police station haha!



I need to run by Costco this weekend, so if it's still there I may stop by and take a look at it.

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My agent said that house looked super bad when the previous owner bought it before the remodel, but they did some really nice finishes and I dig it.

I'll be over there on Saturday looking at it again.

I haven't even checked out a new Raptor up and close. Been at the Chevy store like 99% of the time but that black looks good.

skwerl said:

Holy cow, Cam! That place is gorgeous!

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I think so too. It's significantly below our budget too which allows for some "mods" lol. Would like to enlarge the garage, add a pavered driveway, and change the exterior color. But the pics don't disappoint, the curb appeal is really nice.

skwerl said:

Holy cow, Cam! That place is gorgeous!

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I concur nice looking house and lot and garage.

Not my house, but co worker and I have been remodeling our office which is located in a cinder block garage. Didn't take before pictures but walls were brown panel, old drop ceiling was sagging and falling down, and the floor was cheap white tile with 10yr old wet glue oozing out most of the seams.





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