A few years ago we moved into our fixer upper. We have remodeled a lot of the inside (with bathrooms in the near future) but have decided to switch our focus to the outside... probably due to the warm weather. When we bought the house we didn't hate the yard but saw a small need for a change to better suit our young family. Since moving in, we have realized that the current 30yr old retaining wall and fence do not stand a chance against our 2yr old or 5 yr old, I am tired of patching them. I thought, "we can just build a new fence and retaining wall, lay some sod, build a deck and then we are good to go.. all for under $3k"!
I have to admit that my interest or talents are not in the yard, just ask Travis about the tree that I 'pruned' by the front door. He is still having nightmares about it. Travis has great taste/imagination and loves to think and plan what he would do if funds were unlimited, and I am the the one that brings him back to reality of a budget and the fact that he will be doing the work and we reach a compromise. We always start our projects by calling a professional or two and getting estimates, then realizing that we can do it better for less than a 1/3 of their price, but it will be very inconvenient for us for awhile.
Back to the yard. I have had 4 pros come in and look at my property. The 1st, basically told me to leave it and patch what is broken. The 2nd quoted only half the retaining wall and told me the rest wouldn't be worth the $... $7k for half the wall. The 3rd, just told me $12k for the retaining wall but I would need to do the excavating. The 4th is still coming in but it is not promising.
We are not staying in this house forever and we WILL sell this place for a large profit when we leave. I cannot justify $12k for a retaining wall, what about my deck, sod and fence? Does everyone think that just because I live in the South Hills I will roll over and just start throwing money around?
I am peeved. Screw the contractor, I can follow plans that my husband or friends draw on napkins. This can not be that complicated. I am freak'n 5 months pregnant with a cold that makes my head feel like it will explode, but if I need to move a thousand 72# blocks to fix my yard then we will find a way to do it, within our budget, and it will look better than any of the freak'n brochures or business cards that are on my desk.
Excuse me while I go measure my yard, call the local rental company about a Kubota, and look at airline tickets so I can get my nieces/nephews over here for a few weeks (I think am starting realize why my parents loved having a large family... more gorillas for projects). I believe that I am just a regular moron, so it can't be that difficult!
So the next time you see me, I will definitely have a large belly (hopefully only until the first week of January) but I might have some frigg'n huge quads and biceps to match, if I remain ticked off long enough.
9 comments:
I hope you feel better after your little rant. I just happened to have Twisted Sister buzzing in my earbuds when I read your appraisal of our landscaping quotes -- "We're not gonna take it" seemed like an appropriate sentiment.
So now that I've been brought back to our budgetary reality, I've updated my landscaping design.
Unfortunately, we'll have to divert some resources from our bathroom remodel.
Okay I can't stop laughing. I will admit it sounds like fun though. Do you need some help? Seriously, let me know. The kids and I could come this week if your getting started soon.
Thank you Travis we are going to that Twisted Sister song in our heads all week.
Around here, there's always dirt and rocks on Craig's List for free. I would get some dirt, have the kids help create a mud wall, and then throw some pebbles in it for aesthetics.
If you don't like that idea, wait until you have like 17 children and put them to work for a character building experience while you sip lemonade and shout out orders (because after birthing 17 children, let's face it, you deserve it!).
Well first of all, congratulations on your pregnancy! We are like you. We got our kitchen quoted and just to REFACE the stupid cabinets was like 20,000, ARE YOU KIDDING ME? That's not even appliances or flooring. Matt usually does all our remodel projects so I cannot justify that kind of cost EVER. We wouldn't even get our money back if we were to sell it. You are right, you can build a retaining wall, my friends in UT did it themselves. Have a ward party at the house, supply them with root beer floats and have them do the manual labor. I want to see your project from drawings to completion so keep it posted on your blog.
We will be your manual labor. Seriously. Call us and we'll come down and camp in your yard and move dirt around wherever you tell us to put it!
Yeah, just call us and Grandpa Dave will do ALL the manual labor. Grandma Shirlene will sip lemonade and shout out orders.
I will selflessly volunteer Tony's freakish strength for your wall.
First....congrats on your baby! I am having visions of pregnant you moving mass amounts of dirt and rock...sorry but it's making me laugh! If we lived closer we would totally help you. We don't believe in getting scammed either. Good luck with that project my friend!
OK. I think that sneaking the news of your pregnancy into a rant about manual labor is not only sneaky but very smart. You will have chivalrous men knocking down your door to do the heavy lifting, I hope. If only I lived closer. Congrats on #3 -- I look forward to prego pictures.
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