Tiffany’s parents had owned a triplex for over 20 years.“We lived in the bottom portion of the home. The top is split into two apartments. Some years ago, my parents rented to a couple with a young daughter. She and I grew up together and are still great friends.
Unfortunately, her parents were mild hoarders with a love for cats. The apartment deteriorated over the years. In 2010, my parents finally decided to renovate. My friend had gone to college, her parents agreed to find a new place, and, with the help of my extremely handy boyfriend, we got to work.
This 100 year old home has plaster walls, but doesn’t have a single 90-degree angle or straight surface! With the many challenges that arose, the whole home makeover project took a year to complete.
We decided to sell the bathtub to a woman who wanted desperately to refinish it and restore it to its former beauty. We simply didn’t have the time to do it ourselves.
I did the tile floors myself. My advice about doing your own tile work is to invest in some VERY nice knee pads. My mother’s advice about buying discount tile is to buy a lot more than you think you’ll need, as discount tile often ends up getting discontinued. (We cut it really close!)
My mother and I selected the kitchen finishes, which were ordered and installed for us. This is the only thing that was professionally done. Unfortunately, installing the microwave ended up requiring an outlet to be moved. The light fixture and microwave were installed by a friend after I moved out last year to get it ready for the new tenant. I do not have pictures of it 100% complete, but you must trust me when I say it looks fantastic.”
Have you done a renovation worth bragging about? If so, send us a few of your Then and Now photos, with a brief description (200 words or less) of what you did. Click here (or email SubmitStory@eieihome.com). Watch for more Then and Now reno blogs.
Editor, Zoe Waller
Do you want a fantastic Then and Now reno but don’t have the time to do it yourself? Take a look at our directory of general contractors.
