In April 2013, Robert and I decided to buy the duplex I had been living in. It was one of three sets owned by my parents. We had a great plan to take the time to invest in a couple of properties before eventually building a home in Selah on some property owned by Robert's dad. BEAUTIFUL and LARGE property I might add, perfect for our big family! We figured we would update the side I was already living in, then do the same next door and be out within two years. Being that I was expecting Emilia at this time, we started with her room. Tore out the carpet, took down popcorn ceilings, laid gorgeous hardwood floors, added trim, painted... the works. It turned out beautiful! We moved on to the hallway and the girls rooms, and also took on the huge project of adding on a whole new bedroom for Jace. When Emilia was about 3 months old, the tenents next door up and left. Just like that. No notice, just packed up their stuff and were gone. When we surveyed the space to see what needed to be cleaned up, we were horrified. It was trashed! Broken doors, torn carpet, holes in walls... just awful. We immediately had to put our own projects on hold, completely revovate this one and get it rented. While that was going on we had to swallow a couple months of what renters would have been paying. Crappy deal but that's life. It was a hefty amount for renovations and we've been slugging along slowly getting things done to our side ever since. We finished up the main bathroom, installed recessed lighting throughout and were just about to start on the living and dining rooms this next month. New hardwood floors, no more popcorn ceiling, new paint, etc. I should also add that we have been buying all new appliances over the last year including refridgerator, dishwasher, washer/dryer and most recently as of last week my new oven and overhead microwave. So over this past weekend I threw a load of clothes into the washer and started it up. Some time through the cycle I heard water pouring out behind the washer, run in to see my kitchen flooding and absolutely lose my shit. We stop the cycle, pull out the washer and find that as it's draining into the wall pipes, it's backing up. We are using buckets to collect the water pouring out and dumping it into the kitchen sink as quick as we can and I shit you not, as I dump a bucket in, the pipe under the sink backs up, and starts pouring out underneath. At this moment I'm ready to burn the place down and never look back. Once all the water stops coming, and we get the main turned off Robert sets to work to see just how much damage has been done. We end up having to tear out the wall behind the washer and dryer, insulation is soaked, the floors underneath are soaked, and the best part? When we pull out the dryer we discover the dryer vent is disconnected (for who knows how long) and is venting straight into the wall itself... and not outside. $700+ later... we might have the WATER part of this problem fixed. My kitchen is a GD clusterfuck, and if you know me well at all you know I'm high strung about clutter and organization. I've cried, stomped my feet and swore all weekend and into today over this landlord disaster and I'm exhausted. Needless to say, my living and dining room is currently on hold. Enjoy these photos of what used to be my nice organzed kitchen.
No comments:
Post a Comment