A mountain community home needing protection from the elements
The community of Darrington can be hit hard by the rain & snow of typical mountain inclement weather. Homes sitting vacant and / or uncared for are vulnerable to degradation from water intrusion. Work began on this home in October and the challenge was to replace the roof and paint the exterior with precious few weather windows to do so. The rainfall at first was incessant allowing for only the interior work to get rolling.
A brief break in the rain with a sucker window of blue…..exterior painting would have to wait. The siding was in decent shape as the projecting roof eaves made all the difference. The roof was actively leaking and would be the first priority to accomplish once exterior work began.
Usually the former owner or tenant takes a wood burning stove to use elsewhere or sell on Craig’s List. This stove was operational and the duct work met code.
An existing bedroom of blue walls and green carpet made our eyes hurt. It can be a temptation to mock other’s aesthetic choices - what were they thinking?
Over time we’ve learned that aesthetics can be the least of a former owner’s concerns. People may be living at a level of constant financial & domestic stress. In this home, we found hasp type hardware on the outside of the bedroom doors - meant for locking, we assume, the children in the bedrooms. Having cleaned up after a former owner committed suicide we’ve learned to make every effort to approach each project with a deeper level of respect for people’s life struggles. In the home is the evidence of lives where shi…. just went wrong. Sometimes people get what they deserve, other times they become helpless facing circumstances way beyond their control.
The carpet was replaced with a more neutral toned color. The existing faux wood trim was carefully masked & the walls & ceilings painted off white. Windows & exterior doors were in good condition and remained unaltered.
A typical bedroom after painting. The faux wood trim has a lesser quality look but since it cannot be painted over, needed to remain. Replacing all trim would have been overkill & wasteful. We felt a buyer would find the aesthetic acceptable.
The existing kitchen cabinets & counter tops could remain as they were in good shape. They were given a gentle polishing of wood oil to give them a fresh look. Not replacing a kitchen is a big plus for saving money but also for not adding to the local landfill.
out in the cold rain snow…..
High quality paint with fast drying additives combined with tarps & heaters were used to achieve an attractive and durable finish with great curb appeal.` We got a long enough break in the rain to remove the old, leaking roof, replaced sheathing and installed a new one. The guys worked fast, out in the cold rain & snow, and finished the job quickly and with quality workmanship. We have the greatest respect for roofers & carpenters who work all year round outdoors. Buying a home at auction can be a thrill and the spread between purchase price & fair market value can seem like easy money before the work begins. It’s a long road to the finish line and our workers doing the heavy lifting are essential. Mutual respect, fair pay, patience & tempered emotions are equally if not more important than making the big bucks.