For Sale AGAIN!

I might as well open a store . . . teehee.

We have a Serta Perfect Sleeper Cushion Firm Eurotop, Fairmont, queen mattress and box springs for sale. It's only about 3 years old. When we moved back into our house, we purchased a new bedroom suite so we don't need this mattress set anymore. We're asking $200 OBO.

JHF Construction

Forever and ever (well, as long as the hubs and I are alive), 2012 will always be remembered as (drum roll, please) the year of the remodel.

From January when the architect plans were delivered to the move out in June until December when we moved back, there was nary a moment when our minds--heck, our lives--weren't consumed with the remodel. We added a second story, gutted the kitchen, changed so much. There wasn't a room in the house that didn't succumb to the hammer or paint brush. Pick this. Choose that. Rethink. Redo. Renovate.

Now, you might expect this to be the part where I whine about how long it took or explain the depths of insanity I experienced. But that is not the case, my friends.

Honestly, we have our architects (more on those delightful gents in another post) and the wonderful crew from JHF Construction to thank for the smooth process. People have asked and asked about our contractor, so here's a blog post for the curious.

Why do we ADORE JHF Construction? It's like this:

• Attention to detail. From the first meeting, Mark Hickman (the on-site supervisor) provided a professional, thorough bid for our project. This detail-oriented focus carried on during the length of the project.
• On-site supervision. Many of the other companies who bid our project did not provide an on-site supervisor. This was a big deal to us. Mark was there day in, day out overseeing all the sub-contractors and the progress. That kept the project on track and kept mistakes to a minimum.
• Integrity. Never once did we feel slighted or cheated or overcharged. And never once did we feel the quality of work was less than excellent, detailed, and thoughtful of our wishes and vision. Y'all that's worth every penny we paid.
• On time. On budget. Do I need to say anything else?
• Experienced. Becky Hickman (the owner) and Mark know their stuff. They are not just administrators; they know how to do the work so that makes them above-par bosses. They know when something isn't done correctly. They can instruct others on the best way to approach something. Over and over again, I saw Mark redirect the subs to a better, more sound, more efficient way to tackle a problem. Friends, that made us feel so confident in the work being done. (Not to mention, Mark does the trim and tile work himself--and a few other jobs. His resume of management, higher degrees, and lumber training in Alaska [yes, you read that right] and carpentry training in New England impressed us soooo much.)
• Available. As stated before, Mark was on-site, meaning he was here when we had questions or needed something. He and Becky searched and searched for the best deals on many fixtures and materials. Becky traveled with me all over the metroplex picking out tiles and counters and tubs. Both quickly returned calls and emails. And both were gracious and forgiving when I had a "small" breakdown over the crown molding and baseboards (completely my fault. so embarrassing).
• Genuine. Mark and Becky are genuine and kind-hearted. 
• Rangers. The both cheer for the Texas Rangers. I mean, what else could you ask for in a contractor?

When we dove into the process, I totally expected to hate it. I'd heard all the horror stories; in fact, I have a few of my own from previous, smaller construction jobs we've done. I was so surprised--and pleasantly so--to find a group of people committed to making our house a home as much as we were. 

So, if you are itching to tear up your house--whether one wall, one room, or the whole dern thing--call JHF. (They do projects of all sizes.) You will not be sorry. I can't recommend them enough.

Here's the number for JHF Construction: 817-366-5518. 

Timber! Tree Service (Fort Worth)

Grand ol' 2013 will include tips garnered from the remodel of 2012. These may not be the most popular or most fun posts, but--hey--when a tree falls in your yard, you'll thank me.

And that's where our relationship began with Timber! Tree Service LCC (Urban Forestry and Land Management).

Back in . . . oh, I don't even remember. Maybe 2008, a tree tumbled from heavy winds. Our neighbors hired Nathan, the owner at Timber!, to take care of the tree. We were so impressed.

When tree trimming needs cropped up, we called Timber! When a tree had to be removed for the remodel, we called Timber! When we needed to nurture and older tree through the strain of the digging and sawing of the remodel, we called Timber! And when we plant a new tree in the fall, we are calling Timber!

Here's why:

• Nathan knows his stuff. He's been loving trees since childhood. And he has all the certificates and arborist credentials to impress. 
• Nathan cares about the environment. Anything he does--trimming, pruning, removal--he does with utmost care for the tree and its surrounding environment. He's not the hack it and whack it guy. Any tree items removed from your land are taken to a recycling center for compost and mulch. Your tree lives on. :-)
• Nathan is professional. Period. So nice with a great work ethic. His whole team is courteous.
• Nathan cares about safety--yours, his, and his staff. He takes great precautions to keep everyone and everything safe.
• Timber! charges a fair price. And who doesn't love that?

So, if you need trimming, stump grinding, tree removal, CALL TIMBER! Here's the contact info: 817-637-5715 or e-mail at timbertexas@gmail.com

Property Tax Joke, i.e. not Practical

Horror crossed his face. With an emphatic smack, Bryan set the envelope's contents on the counter. The bad news? Our property tax assessment came in 10 percent higher than last year--a year in which it increased 6 percent from 2009.

Oh the drama.

Bryan spent the next 30 minutes surfing tax records online only to find that most of our neighbors' property taxes actually went down, not up. A few simply stayed the same. Yeah, we did replace a rotting chimney last year, and we've remodeled one bathroom . . . . but folks on our block have added a master bedroom suite, extra square footage, and so forth. And our house is probably one in more need of improvements compared to the rest of the block. So, how in the world does our house cost so much more per square foot????

We've heard horrible stories of those who've gone before us to protest the property tax assessment . . . . in essence, "don't waste your time." Thus, Bryan collected a lot of information, well-organized and succinct.

He called on Monday. After briefly explaining the situation, Bryan was hoping for some explanation as to how the assessor's office came to such a conclusion on our property. What he received was a casual, "Yeah, that looks like a problem. So, what would you like your tax to be?"

Really?

Really.

While we did negotiate lower property taxes with little resistance from the city, this is not a comforting response from the assessor's office. We are not trying to evade paying any reasonable taxes; we'd really like to know HOW our property taxes are determined.

We shall see what next year holds . . . . .

Back by Popular Demand

Family and friends say we can't post pictures fast enough. I'm trying! I'm trying!

Anna fell asleep during her playtime.

Meeting her friends for playtime.

Um, she was a little fussy today. :-)

Morning cuddle time with daddy.

Mmm . . . prune juice and formula. Surprisingly, she gobbled it up!

Checking for poop. She mostly likes to have her diaper changes. Sometimes when she's really hungry, it doesn't go so well.

Her first day home.

Oh yeah, we are remodeling a bathroom this week too! The tile's been laid, and is looking so good. We are beyond blessed that our contractors are working so hard to get it wrapped up.

Let There Be Light!

Here's today's remodel recap . . . .

We now have lights in the bathroom. I should clarify--we've had lights for a few days now, but they weren't live. The electrician came this morning to set up the switches. So it turns on like a charm! Oh, and notice . . . no more holes in the floor! Yay!

New plumbing WITH the infamous scald guard!

Switches!

On a side note, our neighbors to the back are wanting their new fence to be on the official property lines. Thus, we must move two sprinkler heads, and at least one tree. They also took an ax to this tree, really sunning up my garden. My plants better enjoy this.

Here's the trail that fixed our water bib problem in the back yard. We now have access for our water hoses. Thank the Lord!

Construction

With our "rain delay" yesterday, the boys started their work again today. The plumbers laid the water lines outside the house today. Now, if our grass will just grow back quickly . . . .

The electrician also started his work today. You can see where our new LED lights will be, and our beautiful, new-looking heater/vent! YAY!

Our kitchen sink bit the dust too while we've been working on the bathroom. Below is the new one that works like a charm. We aren't going to know what to do with strong water pressure and immediate hot water!

The only problem yet to be resolved is our now dead water bib in the backyard. Seems like our only water source in the back was connected directly to the galvanized pipes in the front of the house. Hopefully, next week all involved can find a create, inexpensive way to remedy this!

'Plumb Craziness'

Today is plumbing day! Everything has gone fairly well. The only mishaps include a new hole in our utility closet . . . made necessary to get to shower/tub pipes and the broken pipe at the end of day, which means we now have a temporary red water line from the main to the house resting on top the yard.

Let the Remodel Begin!

Tuesday is THE day! Demolition will begin, and the remodel will commence. After a couple weeks of searching for bids, we'd decided on a new contractor this go around--Glendarroch Homes. One of the owners actually attends our church. They are a fairly new company, but do exceptional work from what we've seen.

We spent about 4o minutes tonight removing everything from the bathroom and on the hall walls.

Let's pray these four weeks go by quickly! :-)

The before pics . . . .

New Year Starts and Ice, Ice Baby

What have the Yourees been up to thus far in 2011? Well, here goes . . . .

After suffering sticker shock from our first bid for the bathroom remodel, we opted for a "second opinion." This week the second contractor came for a look. Hopefully, we will have the bid by the beginning of next. Then, it's decision time! The pic below shows the wall and floor tile we've chosen, even the grout color. :-)

Bryan's parents also came for a visit in January. We always enjoy them so much. We took these pics before a great dinner at Ellerbe. It's one of my favorite FW restaurants. Mmmm . . . let's go now!

And then, there's been the weather. Certainly, we haven't forgotten it's winter! Last week, we were doused with ice and snow. It essentially crippled the metroplex for four days. . . . and just in time for that little thing called the Super Bowl. We do have some winter weather today, but mostly just a dusting. Nothing like the precip or temps of last week. (Notice the water barrel hit the dust because it froze through and through. I'm waiting for the deluge when it thaws.)