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So I moved to Louisiana in May and I've been house hunting ever since. Finally found one that I love, but it's gonna be a huge renovation project. I've done smaller renovations but never one this large. In my head the final project looks amazing but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared.

Just tell me I'm awesome and that my house is gonna be awesome and that my life will not be the money pit 😂

EllieKMAS, of course you're awesome, and if you can stand living in an unfinished project, possibly for years, your house will be awesome. I know because every house I have loved since 1994 has been a major work in process. This place has been getting renovated since 2002 okay? I think I will never be done. But new houses don't appeal to me. Something about the lived-in, quality designs or materials always lures me to tackle it.

But yes it will be a money suck, I ain't gonna lie. Go to the big box building material stores, price everything and make a rough materials estimate. Then get quotes from contractors - and double them. Allow triple the time anybody tells you it will take, because of starting, stopping, weather, delivery schedules, etc.

If you still love this house after getting all that calculated, go for it, with your eyes wide open. But be prepared to live with unfinished things for a while if you do the work on a budget. The people who get their houses fixed up quick are paying somebody major money to get it done quick. I have always wondered what that would feel like.

Congratulations! And you will do an amazing renovation!

It’s going to be fabulous!!!

Congrats!

Congratulations! I live in Louisiana, between Shreveport and Alexandria! If you ever want to do a meet up, let me know.

Congratulations!!! check out the Handy Women group on facebook. awesome women doing awesome things, like renovating homes, all themselves. many of them following terrible divorces. Incredible support, sharing of knowledge and resources. They've all "been there, done that."

T/J I love that group on Facebook! I’m one of the not-as-handy-as-I want-to-be members! End of T/J

Yay!

Yay!! Keep us posted. I love posts like this. Betrayeds moving forward and being themselves, better than ever!

[This message edited by WhoTheBleep at 3:01 PM, Monday, October 2nd]

Thanks all!

I am in a relatively unique position in that I made a nice chunk of change from the sale of my CO house so a reno like this is even feasible. Of course me being me, I have been sketching ideas all weekend and thinking of faucets and light fixtures and drywall and windows and flooring and and and

All my hours spent building sims houses is finally coming in handy... See mom? It wasn't "wasted time" LOL

Officially went under contract on Saturday, so one step at a time. Inspection will be a week from today, then we will worry about the next step.

As a retired building inspector and construction estimator, the reason I recommend being prepared to gauge how much of your nest egg to devote to this is, 1. to address your anxiety and 2. to spare you the sticker shock of a larger square foot project.

I started this project by drawing up a cost sheet to calculate the quantities of things I wanted to put in this old farmhouse. I did not want to borrow money to do it, and planned to do it myself, so I knew time would drag out and I had to get a feel for the entire scale of what it needed for me to complete the job. Had no real idea, as I went from my tiny renovated bungalow to tackling this hotel-size wooden 2 story, which needed new windows, doors, floors, insulation, drywall, electric system, heating and plumbing systems installed....at least the roof was sound!

I found that even with us doing ALL the work, the quantity of materials we needed proved staggering. It added up fast since we didn't want to buy a few windows at a time for a house that needed over 30; products can get discontinued. (But 2 of those windows are still in the barn new in their boxes, 16 years later!)

Have fun and keep us posted!

Awesome EllieKMAS... I like the sound of that! It's a huge undertaking I'm sure you are equal to. (Superior to??)

Excited for you!!

I just finished a massive renovation of my house out west - I rent it out and my very long term tenants moved so it was time to get my hands dirty. We gutted the kitchen to the studs, moved walls, and also gutted the master bath (thank goodness for small bathrooms in the 50s when this thing was built). And by saying we did the renovations - I mean we did it all - every last bit of it was done by me and/or my ex. It took us 9 months and so much work - but it really turned out great and was a bit of a money pit! lol

I also moved to the south and had a decent chunk of change for the place I bought 2 years ago - renovations were planned and stalled due to said renovation out west...but you can do it. Maybe we should have a housewarming party when your and my place are done (as it sounds like yours will be done before mine lol)!

It's exciting stuff - enjoy!

Next step down, inspection was yesterday and went pretty well. There's a few issues that I'm asking for fixes from the seller but nothing major.

I'm still scared shitless but I'm'a do it anyways. I have a vision in my head of how this place looks once it's all fixed up and I want that vision to be reality so BAD.

I'm sure you'll all hear my meltdowns over the next 9ish months or so, but I'm just gonna keep faith in myself and in my creative vision and say what I always do... it's gonna turn out just fine.

Rooting for you!!

You go girl!!

Can’t wait to read updates.

UPDATE!!

Soooo, apparently in Louisiana given that property values are way lower, they will agree to a lower sale price if the appraisal comes in lower than your offer. That doesn't often happen in CO - usually there if appraisal comes in lower the buyer pays the difference in cash.

Anyways, my appraisal came in THIRTY TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS less than my offer so I am paying that amount less for my new property whaaaaaaat??? Literally paying less than half what I bought my last house for in CO. Hugging self

If I needed any more signs from the universe that this move was the best choice for me, and that buying this property was a good decision... honestly I don't know what other signs I could get. And going even further back cus I am coming up on dday1 antiversary next week, that divorcing my useless xwh was the right call... NONE of this amazingness would have happened if he was still in the picture.

I am so grateful for this stroke of luck and I am so excited for my future and creating this new space for myself. Life is very very sweet indeed.

So dang happy for you Ellie

Couldn't happen to a nicer person.

And it will totally be a money pit because that's what houses are, but a much less expensive money pit that you will make yours.

Edit: Because the r on nicer was doing a lot of work

[This message edited by emergent8 at 11:38 PM, Monday, October 30th]

(((EllieKMAS!!!))) I've been waiting to see how the whole inspection process went and wow, this is great news! It's like they've already funded part of your remodel, which is soooo sweet. Maybe I need to move to Louisiana, too. 🙂