Hooray! Finally, after about 3 1/2 weeks of redoing my other house – it is finally done, looking spiffy and is to be listed on the market this week. I can’t believe what a transformation it is with the new carpeting, electrical wiring/ face plates, fresh paint on the walls, light fixtures, kitchen countertop, and kitchen appliances. The smell of the fresh paint and carpeting just makes the house have that newness feeling to it.

I have learnt several things from this experience i.e. how to handle contractors, that contractors work in a different timezone and schedule (having their own 24 hr clock), are almost always tardy and remodeling budgets get thrown out the door. It makes me all the more wiser in dealing with contractors and when I want to do future remodeling. I am also happy that I did pickup some good tips on painting, dry walling and patching up big holes in the walls.

The amount of work I did in helping the contractors and cleaning just makes me thankful that I don’t do it as a profession and gives me a clear idea of how hard they work for their money. I really didn’t enjoy the cleaning up after the contractors. Though they did a sufficiently good job cleaning up after themselves, there was still a lot to do around the house with scuff marks from the carpet installation and overall cleaning – can’t remember the last time I was on my hands and knees cleaning the floor! Moving furniture in and out of the house was a nightmare too and it gave me an appreciation of those professional movers doing it everyday. Packing up stuff in boxes was a real chore, I dread the day that comes when we finally move to a new house and we have to pack all our stuff.

My back really can’t take much more of a weeks worth of cleaning/ scrubbing the floors, windows, walls and gardening. I am now feeling the after effects as I have been having trouble getting out of bed (and walking) for the past few days with tremendous back pain. If it wasn’t for my back, I’ll probably be fine. I couldn’t even do the happy dance when the house was done — maybe I’ll just leave it till later when my back is better and the house is sold.