weekly reno recap | new roof, new range & more

by | Oct 28, 2022 | 1970 home renovation, My House | 38 comments

This post may contain affiliate links.

Someone asked where the weekly reno recap went…

Ummm.  Yeah.  So…you see, when you’re in the process of moving in and major renovations are happening as well as normal life stuff, well, things just slip through the cracks.  Hence, no recap. The inquiry didn’t feel like an admonishment at all but like an encouragement.  We want to hear what’s going on and be a part of it!  So, here is a recap of things that have been happening in the house over the past couple of weeks.  (You can read my first reno recap HERE.)

The wood floors were finished, which meant we could move into the studio, family room, and primary bedroom.  That was an awesome day. Several people have asked how we moved our things in so fast.  We opted for a water-based finish, so the dry time was just a couple of hours and we could move things in after 24 hours.  As with most paints and finishes, the clear coat will fully cure after 30 days and then we can put down rugs.

finished golden oak wood floors | miss mustard seed

We still need to install quarter-round, but we were anxious to move our furniture in and we can get to that one room at a time.  We could’ve had it finished by the installers, but we chose to do it ourselves since it’s an easy DIY.

The biggest thing that happened to the house was a new roof.  Trust me when I say that we didn’t want to spend the money on a new roof.  It was painful and we didn’t think we would have to spend that money for a few years, but we had a roofer (a trusted one that came highly recommended) out to look at the roof and check on some of the patches that had been done due to leaks and he showed us the concerns.  It’s not that the roof was old, but it was poorly installed.  I didn’t get up on the roof, but Jeff did and he could pull shingles out with his bare hands.  There were places where shingles were slipping out and the flashing around the chimneys was original to the house (over 50 years old.)

The roof literally covers everything we are doing to the house and all of our stuff in it.  We have to suck it up and do it.  So, our bathroom renovation money went to replace the roof.  The 1970s bathrooms will have to last a while longer.

new roof installation | miss mustard seed

As practical and unexciting as a new roof is, it does look really good.  You can see the new roof on the left and the old roof on the right in the photo below…

new roof installation | miss mustard seed

The old roof was placed over the original 1970 roof, which is not a good roofing practice.  As a note, if a roofer doesn’t remove the old roof as a part of installing a new roof, do not hire that roofer.  It’s sloppy work and you (or the next homeowner) will pay more for it later.  What was nice about seeing the original roof, though, is that we could see that the original roof color was pretty close to the one we chose – a dark gray.  (The latest roof was brown.)

We went with the Landmark Pro roof in Moire Black.  It looks a lot like slate to me, which I like.  Even though it’s called black, it’s more of a variated charcoal gray.

Replacing the roof also meant we could address the venting issues in the attic.  The main issue is that the only venting was in the gable vents (you can see one on the gable on the left side of the house) and that’s just not enough to provide adequate ventilation.  Now, there are soffit vents and ridge vents.  The new roof is under a 50-year warranty, so we won’t have to worry about it in our lifetime.  It makes me very excited about working on the outside of the house this spring…painting, power washing, thinning out the landscaping, and more.  It’s going to look so sharp.

new roof installation | fall maples | miss mustard seed

Getting a roof on was so messy and noisy, though!  Poor Sebastian was right by my side the entire time which means he ended up with paint on his side and in his tail as I was painting the bedroom trim.  The crew who worked on our roof did a great job with minimizing the mess as much as possible and cleaning up the yard thoroughly.  (They raked the yard, garden beds, and went around the house with a strong magnet on wheels to pick up stray nails.

new roof installation | miss mustard seed

Fall has been putting on quite a show as our yard is undergoing its own transformation.  This one, though, is free.

maples in the fall | miss mustard seed

My Ilve range was delivered, which is so exciting, but the kitchen renovation is just at the very beginning.  Basically, it’s appliances in boxes, drawings on paper, and a couple of brief meetings with a contractor as he worked on putting in a dryer vent and measuring for the pool cover.  It’s a way out, but I hope to meet with the cabinet makers next week.  I am going to peek at my range because I just can’t help myself.  (I made it clear that the range is not a drink holder!)

ilve 48" range | miss mustard seed

Inside, I installed closet shelving in one of the sewing room closets and in Jeff’s closet…

closet shelving installation in the sewing room | miss mustard seed

I painted the trim and doors in our bedroom and painted some chunky birch knobs to install…

painted birch knobs | miss mustard seed

I bought THESE knobs to use on the closet doors.

And I spent lots of time in my studio getting and I’ll share more about that next week.  Of course, I still have some painting to do in this room, but sometimes you just have to focus on getting settled and the painting can come later.

miss mustard seed art studio

I also did a ton of unpacking, putting together wire shelves for my books (until we can build a library), and I did some creative play.  I can’t wait to share details in future posts…

Receive a Daily Dose of Encouragement and Inspiration!

Stay Inspired with Marian's Daily Blog Posts

Sign up to receive uplifting blog posts directly in your inbox! Join our community of like-minded individuals and start your day with a burst of creativity, motivation, and positivity. Whether you’re seeking decorating tips, DIY projects, or simply a dose of inspiration, Marian’s daily posts are sure to brighten your day and ignite your creativity. Don’t miss out on your daily dose of encouragement – subscribe now!

    38 Comments

    1. Nancy

      Thanks for sharing what’s going on with your new-to-you home. It’s fun and exciting to watch.
      I have a question. How do you find and choose contractors? We’re not doing any home remodeling or making major changes right now but our home is old enough that some things are required to keep it going (new outside drains, for instance). I look at the google ratings…. But there must be a better way! Thanks for sharing (if you do).

      • Marian Parsons

        Yes, I always ask for referrals. I got most of the referrals from our realtor (who also flips houses) and have gotten more referrals from people I’ve worked with.

    2. Amber T.

      It’s funny your shingles are gray, as the name is literally Black ( Noir=black in French) Black.

      • Marian Parsons

        I know! And it’s called Noir Black, which is redundant. We thought the same thing.

        • Therese

          Is is possible the shingle color is Moire Black and not Noire Black? We recently just had the same shingle color installed on our roof but the color is Moire Black.

          • Marian Parsons

            Yes, you are correct! I thought I had it wrong, but I looked it up and thought I found the right name. It is, indeed, Moire Black.

    3. Patricia Kasparian

      Everything is looking great, Marian. I love the new counter piece in your studio, it’s so handsome! I’m curious why you’d chose to have the appliances delivered at this stage of a renovation if the specs are available online?

      • Marian Parsons

        Good question! It really is about having the appliances in hand for the reno, which normally wouldn’t be a concern except for all of the supply chain issues. Our contractor doesn’t start on a kitchen renovation until everything is on the premises, so a big piece of the puzzle is in our garage!

        • Babs

          You have a very wise contractor. We ordered an oven/microwave combination to replace one that had gone bad in February and found out in May that it had been discontinued. No one told us. We had to order a newer model which was going to be another $1,000 or so and they couldn’t tell us when we would get it. We changed our order to another manufacturer with a Christmas delivery. Needless to say we are very frustrated with the whole scenario. If we were in the middle of a kitchen remodel it would be even worse.

          • Susan

            Marion, I’m curious how you decided on the Ilve range. I’m shopping for a range now and this brand is one I’ve considered. I haven’t seen many reviews online, though. Thanks for your input.

            • Marian Parsons

              I will do a full post on it, but I have two trusted friends who have Ilve ranges and have loved them. Also, when comparing prices on European-style ranges, these had the features I wanted, the quality, and a better price. They are also gorgeous!!

      • Cari

        I will also chime in on this and say when I was building my home, I bought appliances when I found them at a big discount even though some of them were not installed for a long time. I had a place to store them and most of them were half-price or less. This was back when you could actually find bargains on eBay! Now I do a lot of auction shopping and look at the big box stores for scratch and dent and wrong orders that are on discount. You can save a lot for things that are not exactly perfect, and unless you have your heart set on something specific, I find that a random find makes the overall plan even better.

    4. Elizabeth

      Nice curb appeal! Very charming! And when you spruce it up, it will be even better.

    5. KathieB

      Thank you for the recap. It’s great to follow along with the progress. I love the brick and roof colours. I think it’s a classic, timeless look. Everything is coming together beautifully.

    6. IEL

      Wow that sure is one amazing tree on the corner and with such spectacular fall color! Your new home is already so lovely and it looks like it has such good bones. I admire your moving in progress and your desire to get settled first among looming projects. In my experience, as you live in a new home ideas take shape as you see how you actually “live” in it and how you want the various rooms to feel and function. The new black/gray roof def added to your curb appeal and even though it was an unplanned expense, and a big one at that, the peace of mind that comes with a new roof can be priceless IMHO. I love watching your new home evolve:) thank you for sharing it with us!

    7. Barbara Snyder

      Thank you for the update. I love that you take time and go slow and show us inside AND outside. Thank you so much!

    8. Linda

      Thanks for sharing your updates with us! Your new roof looks great and the security of knowing that you won’t endure leaks with winter snow is worth the cost!

    9. Kim

      Oh, I am so happy to see the outside front of the house! It looks like a nice corner lot in a lovely neighborhood. To be able to enjoy those gorgeous large maple trees putting on their fall colors, planted by someone long ago, is just an extra dose of happiness now that you are moved in and projects are underway. I think that moving during the fall is the best time to move overall.

    10. Linda

      I love following along while you settle in and make the home your own. We are probably at the back end of that process with our house, and it’s bring back memories — some better than others — as well as a sense of accomplishment. And I can totally relate to that whole idea of having to spend money on improvements that aren’t as exciting as others –like a new roof, instead of new kitchen. We had several decisions like that as we got acquainted with our home.

      Right now, our “not exciting” project is some kind of deer fencing in the back and a more attractive fence on the sides so that we can actually have a garden instead of having deer destroy everything. Looks like you won’t have that in your lovely neighborhood!

    11. Mayanna

      Love the studio. Almost as much as I loved the Minnesota one.

    12. DianeH

      The new roof really enhances your home,which is beautifully classic ranch already. And that tree! It’s so fun to find out what really is in your garden when the different seasons reveal their beauty. It’s all turning out so wonderfully already.

    13. Patricia

      I just want to lie down underneath that Tree ! Everything looks just wonderful.

      • Addie

        me too!!!

    14. Addie

      Oh!!! WOW!!!! To your gorgeous trees. That one huge one is glorious! Oh boy, that is going to be a lot of leaves to rake. I think we know of a couple of boys that could do the job!!

      Are there kids in the neighborhood that the boys have connected to?

      I was wondering, are you enjoying a single story home more? Not just because of your foot injury. You always decorated the staircases so beautifully with the family pictures. Of course, you still can do this down the long hallway.

      I think the roof needing to be redone is a blessing in disguise . The new color is more suitable and as you say you are covered for your lifetime….you might be cutting it close though!

      Thanks for the update!!!

    15. Laura

      I was wondering how you are protecting your newly installed floor from furniture scrapes before you put down rugs? Are you using pads of some sort?
      I have delighted in your blog for the past 8 years or so and am so impressed with all of your accomplishments. You are truly an inspiration!

      • Marian Parsons

        Thank you! We are using felt furniture pads and sliders under everything.

    16. Diane

      The progress you are making looks great. I love the new floors. I live in my grandparents house and I refinished all of our hardwood floors several years ago. I do not ever want carpet. I can’t wait to see what your kitchen looks like. Thanks for sharing your progress.

    17. Teresa

      Just curious, did you not have a home inspection done when you put a contract on the house? I would have thought the home inspector would have seen the condition of the existing roof and you would have negotiated that in the offer. Your maple trees are just gorgeous and its nice you are getting to enjoy all the beautiful Fall foliage in your new home.

      • Marian Parsons

        Yes, we had multiple home inspections done for the pool, the structure of the house, termites, lead, etc. The structural inspector said the roof would need to be replaced within about five years, but it “passed” inspection. He did say some repairs were done and we might want to have them looked at by a roofer. We had that done our first week in the house and got the news that the roof was not likely to last five years and had multiple issues. We knew the roof would need to be replaced, but we just thought we had more time.

        Any issues with the house could not be negotiated since it was an as-is sale and was priced accordingly.

        • Carswell

          Roof repairs are really something you can’t put off. As you say – that roof is protecting the rest of your investment.

    18. Kristine

      I love me a cozy little ranch, and your house totally fits the bill! Your comment about the roofers wheeling a magnet around the house to pick up nails really hit home. This was my second year of cutting back the peonies, and yesterday while doing so I found a nail! I can’t wait to see how the outside of your home changes when you start working on the landscaping. It looks like a beautiful neighborhood filled with all those trees. Our fall here in NE Indiana has been magnificent; my camera and phone are both loaded with pictures I’ve been taking. It was one of the main reasons we moved from Southern California to NE Indiana.

    19. Sue

      I am loving watching the progress! You guys are workhorses, I wish I could be as productive. This house has great bones and I love what you have done so far.

    20. Donna G.

      Are the cats home yet?

    21. Carswell

      It’s amazing how much better a charcoal or black roof looks with yellow brick. It is so much cleaner and more neutral looking than the brown roofs that are almost ubiquitous with that colour of brick.

      There are areas here in southern Ontario where brick homes are almost exclusively yellow and the predominant colours for roofing are either that awful reddish brown or a dark green. Ugh. The homes that have moved to a deep charcoal or black really stand out and they look wonderful.

      The charcoal shingles you’ve chosen are a good choice – although I would expect nothing less from you Marian.

      • Marian Parsons

        Yeah, I am not a fan of brown roofs. I think there are times when they are the right choice, but they seem to not age as well.

    22. Mary S

      Your new roof looks excellent on the house. Hopefully you are planning to remove the overgrown shrubbery and large tree so you can actually SEE the house. I’m sure you have some plans for the front exterior. Something like you did at your last house! It was a great addition.

      • Marian Parsons

        Yes, we are! All of those bushes will either be removed or trimmed way back so they serve the aesthetics of the house.

    23. Jill

      Everything is looking wonderful! I’m curious about what color you chose for the Ilve range? I really like the idea of a European look in the kitchen.

    Pin It on Pinterest

    Share This