Rehabber’s Rehab

The men in my life have a problem, an addiction more like, and unfortunately the only cure seems to be knocking down walls and looking at paint samples. Fortunately salvation is at hand because we are getting ready to close on a new home in only 2 short weeks.

I first knew we had trouble when about a year ago, after things had been quiet and drywall dust-free for about six months, Thor and Matt (my husband and brother-in-law respectively) started getting…antsy. Suddenly all they can talk about is doing something new, what was left to do around the house (we’ll call Rice Street from here on out), and the answer they came up with was nothing. Now, let me add that this is not entirely true. There were still walls to be touched up with paint and knobs to be put on cabinets, but in the mind of a Martin these little things are completely ignorable (probably why nothing has been done) and definitely not enough to feed the rehabbing beast.

About this time Thor and I were getting married and the ideal solution to their problem became that Thor and I would get a place of our own, one that needed a lot of work, that they could play in to their heart’s content, I might even find a project or two, and Thor and I would get to live alone for the first time ever after 9 years together.

With the wedding and finishing school, and saving money, we decided to wait until the following fall to start looking, especially since the market is usually better for buyers after the summer. Winter came, and I could see that antsy feeling beginning to hit. Thor bought a ton of power tools to help him get his fix. The tools only seemed to make his problem worse, though. To have them and not having any thing to use them on…. Thor and Matt got a temporary fix by putting in a new closet at Rice Street, but their high could only last so long.

And so this spring, six months before we were supposed to begin our search, the house hunt ensued. I think they dragged me through every wreck in Oak Park. I learned to come prepared to house hunts with not only the usual pen, paper, and camera, but also heavy soled shoes and a flashlight. The things we were looking for were a good location and potential. We only saw one house that was still lived in the whole time, and at times it felt like the dumpier it was, they more they liked it. After all that meant more work to do! The main project we were thinking of was adding a second story, but every place we saw needed a new kitchen and bathroom as well. The main thing we were wary of was buying someone else’s rehab. We definitely could not stand to live with someone else’s mediocre and usually not quite right work after having this experience on Rice Street. The Martin’s don’t scrimp.

Now, after a few false starts we have finally found the place. It is a one story stucco ranch house in Oak Park, IL. Work will begin with a kitchen and bath redo, and then we’ll reassess. We are going to GC the project our selves–Thor and Matt’s dad Randy is a professional mason/contractor, and Thor grew up working for him, Matt is an architect, and Janis (my mother-in-law) has had to live with them all. Now the tension is starting to ease with a new goal in sight. We are all excited to start work. Matt is busy drawing up plans, and Thor is dusting off his tools. Randy and Janis are ready to come down and help.

So, with that introduction, welcome to our blog about all things home related plus whatever we might feel like writing about that day. As with the house, the blog is a work in progress. This is the story of an addition without a cure. The only fix for lifetime rehabbers is another rehab.

Ugliest House on The Block