Thayer Reno
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During the pandemic, we dreamt of finding a house that checked all of our boxes; something that would become our "forever home".
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We had absolutely no intention of leaving this home for several decades; that's why we invested so much in high-quality finishings and doing a COMPLETE "to the studs" remodel
(vs. just a shallow cosmetic / "flipping" reno, which is what the previous owners had done to fool us into buying it)
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tons of work to the exterior as well
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construction of a brand-new 1 bedroom / 1 bath ADU
Life had other plans for us, so we had to leave our beloved Westwood (an AMAZING place to live), but we're hoping another family can benefit from our labor of love!
My dream spa-like master bathroom: tub with adjacent fireplace... it was amazing.
List of all of the renovations:
Interior: Overall
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Removal of crumbling plaster walls (literally to the studs); replaced with drywall
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Completely new flooring (hardwood throughout; tile in bathroom)
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Replaced original cloth (!!!) wiring​ + CAT-5 wiring to upgrade for internet
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- New HVAC system
- Added central heating
- Brand new A/C unit​
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- Brand new tankless water heater (unlimited hot water, if that's your thing) replacing two old-fashioned water heaters
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Whole-house water filtration system
Exterior: Overall
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Expansion from just 1 parking space to 2: we widened it and replaced the old cheesy stamped concrete with a more modern look​
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All new windows​
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All new doors (both interior and exterior)
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Completely new roof
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Including reinforcing the roof over the breakfast nook to protect against potential leaks​​
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Overhaul of side yard : creation of a drainage system to whisk water away from the house via pipes and angled concrete on side of house​
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Establishment of fruit garden in the front yard (a long-time dream of mine​)
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Removal of diseased trees in the back :( which posed a hazard
Bathrooms:
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Master Bath: Conversion of previous small master bath that received absolutely no natural light + had a weird closet into a larger, spa-like bathroom​:
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Dual-sided fireplace can be enjoyed in bedroom or in bathroom
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Jetted tub
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Towel warmer
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Vanity / medicine cabinets with 2 types of lighting for make-up application
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Moen "Smart Shower" controlled via app​
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First floor bathroom: combined with a small linen closet for an expanded footprint (plus almost everything new in the bathroom)​​
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Renovation of second bathroom on the second floor: previous owner had put low-quality tile to "flip" the home... we got rid of that and put in real, sturdy tile :) + of course new tub, cabinet, mirrors, toilet
Kitchen
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Knocked down a wall to expand footprint of kitchen
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Completely new hardwood cabinets
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Island: replacement and expansion of kitchen island to larger, more functional size
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Completely new Thermador appliances: fridge, range, oven, microwave, dishwasher
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Reverse-osmosis drinking water system under sink (in addition to the new whole-house filtration system we added)
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ADU
We knocked down a wall to extend the size of the kitchen, we added a much larger island, and of course the cabinets, island, flooring, walls, and appliances are all brand-new!
ADU:
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Original garage conversion was unpermitted, and the cosmetic "flipping" improvements made did not reveal what we later discovered: the garage never had a moisture-barrier installed, so under the quick paint job and staging furniture, the structure was a mold-ridden, completely uninhabitable mess. :(
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EVEN without that though, the original structure just had a small powder room that didn't seem to get any hot water? So it wouldn't have been significantly usable anyway!
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We demolished the unsafe structure, hired a licensed architect & contractor to design and build a brand-new, FULL one bedroom, one bathroom unit, which ALSO has a FULL kitchen + laundry washer / dryer. We designed it with an eye towards my elderly parents eventually moving in so that they could age alongside us, while still maintaining privacy / independence.
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