New Siding Project – Part 15 – DONE!

At long last, here we are: Done with the new siding project! ย Before we stand back now and admire our “new” house, let’s take a quick look back to where we started over two years ago in early August 2013:

Here’s our house as it looked back then:

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New siding was our ultimate goal, but our house is about 100 years old and needed some other things done to it along with the siding.

The front sidewalk needed to be replaced:

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The small patio needed to be ripped out and replaced, and an old basement entrance on the east side needed to be eliminated. The main electric line coming into the house needed to be buried.

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First, the front sidewalk, patio, and old basement entrance were jack-hammered out.

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Next, the electric line was removed from the house, and buried in a conduit several feet underground:

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Next, Harland replaced the electric box inside the house:

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Boy was I thrilled to come home after work that day to see what Harland had been up to.

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Concrete forms were put up for the new patio and sidewalk:

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and the concrete poured:

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While we were at it, we poured a new sidewalk that led to the garden shed:

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All this took place in August and September of 2013.

In 2014, illness, death, and other issues prevented us from working on the house.

Fast forward to August 2015:

We ripped the siding off the house:

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put up 1 inch thick foamboard insulation, six new windows, and a new front door:

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All the new windows are casement windows. They are considered to be more efficient than double hung windows. They open and close with a handcrank, which has taken some getting used to:

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Next, we put a vapor barrier all around the house:

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And then we finally started on the siding:

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Not too long after our new storm door was installed, the wind grabbed hold of it and trashed it. So we ordered a new one, and it was installed last week:

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It has a little screened vent at the bottom, perfect for kitties, and it has not one, but two door closures and a chain:

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Take that you dastardly Kansas wind!

And finally – finally – I came home from work last Thursday to find Gerald and Ramona (brother and sister in law) packing up. I asked, “Are we done?” and they replied, “We are done.”

So without further adieu, I bring you our “new” snug, quiet, energy efficient house:

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We love everything about our “new” house. The siding looks so much better. The windows are snug and energy efficient and much easier to clean. But what we love most of all is the money we are going to save on our heating and cooling bills.

We’re finally done and so excited!

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If you would like see all of our siding project posts from start to finish, click HERE.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Suzanne

Cattle, corn, wheat, beans, mud, snow, ice, and drought. Plenty of fresh air and quiet. Our life is sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes joyous, but never boring.

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20 Responses

  1. Julie says:

    Thirty-one pics and not one of them include Muffin. His feelings are hurt! Congrats on completing the project!

  2. Mary Hoopes says:

    Congratulations! I love reading your posts.

  3. Glenda says:

    Congratulations All! Now enjoy!

  4. Pam says:

    Great plans take their time in coming to fruition! It’s done, and it looks great ๐Ÿ™‚ So, will your heating savings be put toward a wonderful walk around somewhere you haven’t been yet? !!! ๐Ÿ™‚

    Pam

  5. Amy C. from NC says:

    Everything looks great!

  6. Haven says:

    Just in time for cool weather, perfect! Even though the changes were made with energy efficiency in mind, it also really prettied things up! Nice job!

  7. Linda says:

    It looks wonderful. Even better, it looks solid, dependable, and warm. Cozy-warm, too. It’s going to be great this winter!

  8. Mary in Idaho says:

    Congratulations on a big job finished! Looks cozy and snug. We had hand crank windows in our first home and I loved them.

  9. Rebecca says:

    Everything looks fantastic!
    Love the windows. That screen door is fabulous.
    I’ve never seen one like it.
    The new siding makes your house look lovely.
    Looking forward to hearing how well things are doing when you get your first big dose of cold weather. By the way….I noticed you all kept the iron railing out front.

    • Suzanne says:

      Thanks Rebecca. We’re planning ahead with the iron railing. As we’re both approaching 50 years old, we figure it won’t be too long before we need the railing. ๐Ÿ˜‰

  10. Jeanne L says:

    AWW Suzanne!! It’s just beautiful! I’m so happy for you! It’s been a fun time going through this with you. I can hardly wait till the cold weather comes, too find out how much you’re going to save on your hearing bills!

    Thanx for the quick run through with the pictures.

    Jeanne in Oregon

  11. Suzanne in Louisiana says:

    Great job! Your persistence paid off. I’m always happy to see someone appreciate an old house and give it some TLC to make it new again.

  12. Victoria says:

    Suzanne, are screens used with casement windows? Won’t the kitties escape? Just curious about how that works. The house looks wonderful. And, what great advertising for Gerald and Ramona, with all the before and after photos. I’d certainly hire them.

    • Suzanne says:

      The screen is on the inside of the house, the glass facing outside. The window opens out leaving the screen within the window frame. I know – it’s the opposite of the screens being on the outside on a double hung window. I was puzzled by this at first too.

  13. Very well done. It looks great. I just marvel going through the pictures of all the many hats Harland put on to get this job done. Not only will you save on your energy bills but, his ability to do so much of it himself saved a ton of money too.
    Dianne

    • Suzanne says:

      Very true, he’s my jack of all trades. He learned a lot from his father, and quite a bit from Gerald too. He also has an electrician friend he’s learned from.

  14. Christine says:

    Congratulations! Nothing lifts the spirits like a renovated house. Enjoy!

  15. Tina says:

    congrats! It looks great!

  16. Pam says:

    I haven’t had time to keep up with your blog for probably 5 years, but decided to check in today. I am the person who originally told you to come to Nebraska and check out the Sandhill cranes, and it looks like you have kept up that tradition! I am so impressed with your siding project. The house looks great, and I’m sure is much warmer and cozier! I am currently adding a new front porch to my house, which is small potatoes compared to yours project, but still entails a lot of work. I’m very pleased with the project, though, and will enjoy having a nice place to sit outside when the weather is warm enough! Congratulations on your beautiful “new” house!

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