Gotta have a plan!

When I decided to rehab "The House" I thought it would be best to do one room at a time starting with something that would give me a pretty big bang for the buck.  Like a lot of people that live in an older home, my laundry room is clear down in the basement and I say it like that because we all act like walking down 13 steps is going to kill us. Actually it is not walking down that is the killer it is the walking up that will do you in. Since I live on a farm I have a really cool contraption called a solar dryer (clothes line) that I religiously use during favorable weather. That means I am walking up the stairs with a clothes basket, that you can not see over, full of wet laundry and can be quite heavy. I mean it is not like you are heading down to the creek with a rock and a washboard but it is still a pain in the.......

I am moving the laundry facilities to a little sun room that sits right off the kitchen. The room has 3 windows that measure 30x58. When I was searching on line for windows I could not find and exact fit so I thought I will replace the 3 windows with 2 windows that measure 36x54 and just do a little reframing. I did not want to pay for custom windows. There is a 32" door plus a screen door that needs to be replaced. I will have to run plumbing and 220 electric to the area which should not be too bad since the basement laundry room is almost directly below the new laundry area. A new washer and dryer is also going to happen even if I have to sell plasma to make it so.

Yesterday I head off to Menards to order the windows. I printed off the info sheet that I got online so there would be no questions about what I needed then I preceded to leave it set on my desk and go to Menards without it. Not one of my brighter moments. I get to the mill works desk and tell Raymeo (no really, that is his name) what I am looking for but I forgot the all important info sheet. Raymeo tells me not to worry he will find it on the computer. I am being really nice to Raymeo (who has a faux-hawk) because I think I will be seeing alot of Raymeo in the future. He ask me a few key questions, size, color, and hard wear choice then tells me it will be $468.00 a window.

WHOA RAYMEO! WT?? NO! NO! NO!  Wait just a minute Raymeo you need to back up the bus!  I seen those windows online and the were $255.00 + Uncle Sam!


Well Raymeo, who now very scared of the crazy lady sitting across from him, gets online and finds my $ 255.00 windows that will not be here until Nov 18. He helps me pick out a nice exterior door and screen door and was fine again.  Did not get the doors because I wanted to double check the measurements.

I am sure Raymeo is referring to me as that "crazy bipolar lady"

Total cost for 2 windows- $548.25  *and no residual shopping! The ONLY thing I bought was the windows.

Decisions, decisions.

You know, somebody doesn't wake up one day and decide to do a full remodel on their house. It just don't happen like that. What happens is you live in a house and little by little there are things that you want to change. I could be something as little as the color of the wall. May be it is putting down new carpeting because, as close as your '70's shag looks like the new age frieze carpeting, it is not. It could be something as large as putting up a room addition. Nope it probably something you have thought about for a while.

Since I have been thinking about this for a while (like 3 years worth of thinking) one of the things that I have decided is I am going to try to use as much MADE IN THE USA as feasible. We all talk about how we should buy MADE IN THE USA but usually the decision boils down to money. But I believe that there are comparable products for about the same money and it just takes time to do the research. This decision also goes for tools, so my beloved Kobalt brand from Lowes may be on the chopping block for future purchases. Not sure how that is going to play out yet. Do I believe that ONE person can make a difference? Yes. Everybody in America is ONE person. Everybody, ONE person at a time, can make a difference. Just my thoughts.

Here is the windows I have decided to put in and will be ordering from Menards tomorrow:

And here is the description. Pay close attention to the last line. (I put it in bold so you can't miss it!)

36" x 54" Acclaim White Fiberglass Double Hung Window with Zo-E Insulated Glass & Pine Interior

• 500 times more efficient than aluminum
• Eight times stronger than vinyl
• Stable in temperature changes
• Clear pine interior
• Tan Finish Hardware
• UNIT FRAME SIZE = Rough Opening Width -1/2" & Height - 1/2"
• Unit Size = 35.5"W x 53.5"H
• Lifetime Warranty
• Made in USA

I have decided to go with the fiberglass/wood window because they are a better product than vinyl. Plus, I like the way the look and they are on sale at Menards this week! They are normally $329.99 and they are now $255.00 for a savings of $74.99!!  I am going to take out three windows and replace them with two windows. Pictures to come!

Also, my buddy turned me on to a really cool site. Check this out: http://www.diydiva.com/ Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!