Thoughts from the rear-view mirror [part I]

so, we've reached the end of the line with the contractor....his work is done [save for some odds and ends that will pop up in the the first year]  and he's been paid.  we definitely got the most value for the dollar in the deal....we worked closely with the crew to upgrade a bunch of things along the way [bathrooms, kitchens, lighting] and used every nook and cranny inside of this 110yr old house to create 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, a hi-end kitchen, rear deck, a good amount of storage, and a fully separate basement rental unit.  We're really pleased with how it all turned out.

in the end, though the process took about 40% longer than expected [thanks to the bank, the city, and to a lesser extent, the contractor],

and cost about 20% more than quoted [thanks also to the city and in a large part US]

but it was 100% worth it.

the real estate junkies around here can tell you what a victorian rowhouse goes for in DC in ANY condition....its not cheap, and depending on where its located, could sink your budget before any work is done.

but if you DO find a good deal on the "shell" [or similar] you'll need to get a plan together for fixing it up and making it yours.  in our case, we were able to live in a comfortable spot away from the construction mess the entire time and visit the site daily to check on progress...and we didnt move-in until everything was [almost] all done...this is called a "civilized renovation" [and its what keeps relationships intact]

other circumstances dont allow for that.  some people have different timelines and budgets that force the issue of the move-in date.  so you'll need to live amongst the dust/debris/disarry.  an extreme example:  our neighbor across the street has been in the middle of a renovation for 2.5 years and has spent cold winters with only a small space heater to keep him from freezing.

overall, renovating a house from tip to tail in 9 months is actually very fast for a first-timer, residential homeowner who doesn't have a frikkin clue as to what they are doing.  And now that the smoke has finally cleared and we're actually living there FOR REALZ--- I'm just starting to realize that.

would I recommend this to anybody else?  yes.  but with a KAJILLION caveats.
[perhaps i'll list them in a later post]

and perhaps a mental health evaluation.  you gotta have your mind right.  its not for the faint of heart.

beer helps too.

but if you get through it, it'll be a good feeling...a damn good feeling. to have a place to truly call your own.