Before pictures, inside...

DEMO DAY 1
05/18/2007

Two days after I closed on the house, I had the power and city utilities turned on. I also obtained a Demolition Permit from the City, as well.

The next weekend, my brother-in-law and a good friend of mine helped me on Demo Day 1. First thing we found when we got out of the truck... the ground around my water meter was soaked through. Yes, a water leak! Since it was in-between my house and the meter, it was my problem. My brother-in-law cheerfully exclaimed, "Welcome to home ownership!", in jest of course. We decided that the leak didn't warrant our immediate attention and headed inside the house. I think we all had a strong testosterone-fueled urge to break things and tear down walls, anyhow.

First order of business, put up the Demo Permit. In my previous post you can spot my bro-in-law nailing it up on the front porch. I set off taking before pictures while the other two guys, given my blessings, began attacking the inside of the house.

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before pics

Apartment A

Men in action. This is the front room of Apartment A. The guys are trying to break through the wall so we have access to both sides without having to go outside through the other entrance.



Closed in, former side-porch hallway in Apartment A. Notice the exterior siding inside the house.



Down the hallway, we find what I believe was used as the bedroom in Apartment A.



Looking back up to the front of the house, you see the hall to your left and a wee closet on your right.



These are double windows in the bedroom in Apartment A. I love these windows, but they're too far gone to keep. I wrestled with the decision to keep them or get new ones, but in the end it came down to the matter of energy efficiency, since I plan on installing central heat and air.



Small kitchen, off of bedroom, in Apartment A, at the back of the house. Trust me, it's a lot filthier than the camera sees.



Apartment A's mini bathroom off of the kitchen. This was built out onto the back screened-in porch, which completely shut off all entrances to the porch from inside the house.



Bathroom's eye view of Apartment A's kitchen. I told you it was horrible. The sink cabinet is metal, and was so rusted that it collapsed when we removed it, completely folding in on itself.

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Apartment B

Back to the front of the house, this is Apartment B's front room. Note the dust in the air; you'll see why in the next picture.



By this time, the guys had completely busted through the closed in doorway between Apartment A's front room and Apartment B's front room.



This is looking back towards the front door of Apartment B's front room. The last people who lived here, back in '94 or so, left me those curtains as a housewarming gift. No thank you.



Apartment B's bedroom. Again, it has the beautiful but dilapidated double windows... with an extra small after thought window in the corner. Quirky house, I bought.




In Apartment B's bedroom, looking back towards the front room. Yes, that's a double fireplace, but sadly someone took the chimney down below the roof the last time the roof was replaced. Two non-working fireplaces... you'll see what's in store for them later in the blog.



This is another view in Apartment B's bedroom. The door to the left goes to the kitchen and the door to the right goes to the bathroom.



Apartment B's kitchen. Note how clean the room is and how well-matched the cabinets are. I especially found the grease stains near the stove to be highly appealing.



This doorway is in the Apartment B's kitchen, looking back towards the bedroom and the front of the house.



Apartment B's bathroom. Very large space, unwisely used. It's divided into this little sink area, and to the right...



...we find the toilet and shower. I didn't realize what this room fully looked like until the flash went off on my camera. I like the outdoor spigot knobs used in the shower stall, myself.

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My next entry will be Demo Day 1, three men working hard and 1 hour later.