The Lake and Lagoon/Canal

Since week three has been slow, I've decided to include some pictures of the Lake and Lagoon/Canal.

This is the view from my backyard of the Lagoon/Canal.  I'm not sure what really to call it yet.  Canal is pretty common Michigan term for areas of water off of an inland lake, but it's not really a waterway which the word Canal implies.  Note the little stump of a dock...that apparently is mine.  If anyone has any dock building experience, please let me know.

View from the bridge looking out to the lake.

The bridge that connects the two sides of the neighborhood.  I assure you it is safe to walk across!

Opposite side of the bridge looking back into the Lagoon/Canal

This and the next few pictures of the lake are taken from where the neighborhood dock gets put in. 

Week Three, kind of slow!

The third week of work has passed on the Ugly Lake House and worked has slowed a little bit.  The building permits have finally been approved by the township and county and windows are finally in and ready for install. Week four should be much better in terms of progress.

 However some plumbing and electrical work was completed.

The two upstairs bathroom surrounds were gutted in preparation for new shower surrounds.

New valves were installed in the shower and new faucets and trim pieces will be installed once the new surrounds are installed.

The plumbing and electrical has been completed for the island and is just waiting to be inspected.  When completed the island partition wall be drywalled and the trench filled in.

More Destruction and Some Construction

The previous entries I made all occurred within the first week of close.  The second week has already passed and Tom and his crew are moving like gang busters.
                                                                                   

The whole kitchen was gutted about a week ago

Early this week a nice big hole was added to the kitchen along with the removal of some drywall.  

This will allow for plumbing and electrical to be supplied to the island.  The sink and dishwasher were originally on the left side of the kitchen and will be moved to the island.  

The drywall was removed to run some new wiring.  This will allow a light switch to be relocated, a new counter outlet installed, and wiring for under cabinet lighting.  

On Wednesday and Thursday, framing was installed for the island.  When it's completed it will be around 12 feet long with a two tiered counter top and a cookbook shelf on one end.

I'm super pumped at the size of the island.  It should be able to seat five or six people allowing for easy distribution of my famous "Smasheries".
And no, they aren't alcohol related.

Also this week, the drop ceiling in the Laundry/Mudroom was removed and framing for an "actual" ceiling was completed.  Recessed lighting was installed and wired.  The old fluorescent lights are going to make for some great shop lights in the garage.

I forgot to add this picture of the first floor bathroom.  The vanity will be replace with a pedestal sink.  The gross toilet will be replace and the drop ceiling is also going to become a real ceiling.

I forgot to mention that this house has well water and was also winterized when I bought it.  I took a little bit of a gamble since the well couldn't be tested during the home inspection.  Everything worked out and early in the week they were able to get water flowing from the well.

It's going to take a little bit of getting used to the well water but the trade off is zero water bill.  When you come to visit feel free to double or even triple flush!  

Note:  That's not what you think it is in the toilet.  Just some gross well water.

Destruction Continues

Three days after close, Tom the Contractor and his crew came in for some demo.  By noon that day the kitchen was removed.

Construction Begins!

Or rather destruction....

I closed on The Ugly Lake House on March 28, 2011 around noon.  After a quick lunch and a change of clothes I headed over to the house to tackle the first project, removing the carpet.

I'm estimating that there was about 1400-1600 square feet of it and I'm still trying to figure out why carpet in a kitchen is a good idea.

I'm pretty sure this color is the same as my 1995 Ford Thunderbird airport car.  Was Forest Green  hot in the mid-90's?

With the carpet out it's already looking a little better.  You can also get a glimpse of the original floor plan.  It appears that where the kitchen is currently was once a utility room.

I managed to remove the first floor carpet the end of the first day I was homeowner.  The staircase and second floor carpet was removed on the next day.

My dad came out on the second day for a few hours to help pull some staples out of the floor. 

Would anyone like some free carpet remnants?

It's going to be a long time before I take on this project again.  I was sore for the next three days.

The Plan...

I'm guessing if you looked at the "Before Pictures" you are wondering why I would ever buy such a place.  Well, after some self-convincing and thought, I decided it does have potential, the price was right, and the location is pretty nice too!

The Ugly Lake House is located just below and to the left of the thumb tack.

The loan I got for the house allows for money to put towards a renovation or rehab project.  It's called a FHA 203k and mainly used for houses that are foreclosed and neglected just as The Ugly Lake House has been. 

The plan of action is as follows:

• Kitchen renovation including a massive island with a bar counter top
• New first floor windows
• New boiler, water heater, and water softner
• New flooring through out
• Closing off the Den Area with a wall and french doors.
• Bathroom renovations with a new shower, tub, and vanities.
• Addition of gutters for the roof 
• Remove the chain link fence
• Update the landscaping
• Build a Patio
• And a few more projects that I'm sure will come up

The Before...

Apparently The Ugly Lake House was once a one story cottage.  At sometime a second story addition was added giving it that signature Mushroom shape.  An uninviting front porch was also added.  I can only assume it was an afterthought.

The back of the house with another great looking porch. 

View of the Kitchen from the front door.  What does 191 E. Lane (house I lived in during college) and this place have common?  Yep, that's right, a carpeted kitchen!!!

View of Den Area and Kitchen

View of Kitchen from Dining Area

View of Sitting Area and Kitchen from Dining Area

View of Dining Area from Sitting Area

Staircase and Mudroom/Laundry Room

Mudroom/Laundry Room.  Note the awesome drop ceiling!!!

Hallway leading to Den.  First floor bathroom is the door on the right.

Go up the stairs and turn right and this is what you get.  I'm not even sure what to call this.  We'll go with... Upstairs Landing.

Upstairs Landing

Second Floor Bathroom

Clean shower?!

Second Floor Hallway/Upstairs Landing

Second Floor Hallway

First Bedroom

Second Bedroom

Third Bedroom

Master Bedroom

Master Bathroom

Master Bathroom.  And, yes that is Duct Tape in my shower.

Closed on the Ugly Lake House

A little history of The Ugly Lake House.  I decided that if I wanted to stay in Michigan that I would have to live on lake and this lake must be attached to other lakes.  I may or may not have a short attention span. 

The fall of 2010, my sister Amy began showing me houses around the Portage Chain of Lakes.  For those not familiar it's north of Ann Arbor in Hamburg.  Yes I did say, "Ham"burg.

After looking at a few other places, Amy showed me The Ugly Lake House.  After a brief tour we walked out and I laughed at the mushroom shaped structure.  She tried to point out all the "potential" the place had but I just wasn't seeing it.  As you will soon see it’s a little bit of train wreck.   

A few days passed and I had given it some more thought.  I decided to take a couple of my friends to the house and get some feedback.  Bryan and Roy both said it "may have some potential and would need a ton a work".  

After much internal debate I decided to put an extremely low offer in.  Apparently someone else had the same thought and I was out bid.  The Ugly Lake House was out of my life.  So I thought…

Signing my life away!

In January of 2011 the house came back on the market, my offer was accepted, inspections were completed, and I finally closed on March 28th, 2011!  Hopefully the "potential' is there.