Remodeling a Home

My adventures with remodeling are extensive. I  lived in 22 houses as they are being remodeled. The first remodel and flip house was in Great Falls Montana without an indoor bathroom. I remember the outhouse, - I accidentally opened the door and walked in on a man (guess what he was doing). Oh my, the embarrassment was tremendous even at three. Mom refused to move into the house until the indoor bathroom was finished. She was definitely not an outhouse person. The new bathroom didn't rival the bathroom of today, but never the less, it was modern and up to date for 1936, the year my brother was born.


Kitchens became my Dad's specialties. He could build kitchens with a place for everything. I suspect this passion started with this first house. Grandpa, an accomplished carpenter in his own right and a kitchen specialist, built Mom the kitchen. It was up to code for the time. I believe it had 36" base cabinets from floor to counter top, and 17" between the counter top and the upper cabinets. These might have been the code for the time, but my mother at 4'11 was very upset about these cabinets. My Dad spent most of that night removing the cabinets which was much harder to do than the boxes we have now. These cabinets were built directly on the wall. He shortened the bottom cabinets to fit my mother and cut the space between bottom and top cabinets to 14" making an ideal kitchen for Mom. Dad and Grandpa fought over Dad removing and changing the cabinets. The loud shouting from two alpha males in German while gestating vigorously stuck with me.Grandpa didn't speak English well, so this confrontation made an impression on me.

My parents sold this house shortly after finishing the living-room hardwood floor. I had the opportunity 25 years later to visit this house when it was up for rent. It was the same as I remembered. The kitchen was the same, and the Servel Gas refrigerator was still there and being used. The kitchen, way ahead of its time when it was built, with the triangle from sink to stove to refrigerator very evident, was still in good shape.

My second home kitchen Dad remodeled was in Twin Falls, ID. We didn't stay there very long, my mother was a Montanan through and through. We lived in Idaho less than a year and at Christmas time we moved  to Butte Montana.

The third remodeled home was in Butte Montana and was extensive. He removed the entire roof and changed its direction. Butte was a fun place to live and grow up. Butte is a city of diverse cultures where you could be yourself and no one cares. The house was very comfortable and when finished was the nicest house in the neighborhood. But, he sold that and we moved to Townsend, Mt. where he again remodeled the house while we lived in it. Mom was cooking on a heat stove while Dad remodeled and rebuilt the kitchen to her specifications and design.

Later, after I was married, we purchased a house in Newark, California. Dad and Mom came for a visit. Dad took one look at the kitchen and said "you know this kitchen would be better if the stove and refrigerator were side by side. I came prepared to remodel this kitchen for your Christmas present. Of course I was pleased. I had almost no counter space. He rearranged the existing cupboards, adding what was needed and I had a new kitchen with a beautiful Formica counter top and least 10feet long.The stove and refrigerator were side by side with a cabinet in between. The eat in area across the room from the sink was by a big picture window. It was a beautiful kitchen, at least I thought so.Years later I also had the opportunity to go visit this home.I was in the same area for our first Grandson's birth. It was for sale so my daughter and I went to see the house, and the kitchen was just as beautiful as it was when I was there. This was a tract house we purchased for $5000, and it was now up for sale at $70,000. It commanded a better price that the other houses in the tract because of the kitchen. Quite an increase due to time and some smart remodeling.

I'm writing this personal adventure to inspire my readers to tell their adventures with remodeling a home. Every house I have ever lived in either Dad and later my husband remodeled the home. Remodeling a home was a passion of  Dad's, he was a mechanic by trade, but loved carpentry.

I still have remodeling ideas for our current home. We added on to the back of the house, and made an apartment in the front, to improve our retirement income. We share a combination kitchen and living room with one bedroom and bath. I want to remodel to make it more in keeping with our advanced age needs.

The first rule of remodeling - find a need and fill it. Make the home better, more comfortable, and cheaper to heat and cool. I was taught this by Dad.

I'd love to have my readers tell me their own remodeling stories in the comments section. If you have a web site you'd like to advertise on this blog, please contact me at rgkadsmzk.gmail.com. I am looking for links and ads.