Whole home low budget slow refresh

[BoeingFan]

Home Sweet Home!So I'm about to take on a little cottage in the middle of nowhere to be near family, and I'm beside myself with excitement about all the stuff we can do to freshen her up. I've never done any reno stuff before, but a lick of paint is always a great place to start. Bunnings, here I come!

P.S. I'm still trying to work out how to add an image to this post!

[BoeingFan]

Hi Everyone!

I've been a bit quiet on here over the last week or so; it's been interesting getting into the little old house and working out how to get by without a bathroom, a dishwasher, and aircon 😂 Also, the flyscreens are decades old and mosquito's are waltzing in during the evening when the lights are on, so I've resorted to the old school coils which I think smokes the dogs and I out more than the mozzies! Anyway, it's a ride, and we're on it now. The old place has no insulation, and so during the hot summer days you bake, and at night if there's a cold front you freeze. Feels like I'm in Melbourne 🤣

So, this teething time has meant that I'm doing more stuff to get the place functional than pretty, and one of the first things has been eliminating the weak spots in the fences where the dogs have found a way to get out. As you can see in the photo, I've had to put some Bunnings palings of various lengths onto one of the old front gates as the old existing wire was past its use by date.

It looks like glitter on a Richard the Third (rhyming slang, think about it) but it's functional. I'll pretty it up when I can. I'm also stumped re the doggy door but I'll come back with some pictures and predicament in another post later.

I hope everyone is well.

Cheers,

JasonJust look at the detail!

[EricL]

Hello @BoeingFan

Thank you very much for the update. That gate looks very functional and the repair looks good. If it stops the doggies from getting out then it's a job well done. 

We look forward to seeing the next update.

Happy Holidays!

Eric

[Jewelleryrescue]

Hi @BoeingFan 

You are going to be a  Farm reno pro  at the end of this journey .    That gate looks good is  that your property main entry gate for future mental reference?  You dont need to say.  Dogs have a skill at finding those fence weak spots I suspect they will get craftier nothing you can do until it happens again.  I had a boxer dog that could scale 1800mm timber fences it would jump our fence and jump 3 to 4 houses down, I was building new fence panels weekly higher up to 2100mm

Well you mentioned mosquitos and the old burning  coil  wow that takes me back. 

 Do you know where they coming from like still water around you ?  the real trick to mosquitos is trying to interupt there bredding cycle  by killing them  early so they dont re breed.

I bought mosquito traps  that seam to work well I was getting mossies now  non.  Some food for thought.

But There is a good company Pestrol  they stock solutions to just about any thing that is a pest ie snake too Many options I cant vouch  for most of  them let the reviews guide you i guess

I own Hybrid Mosquito Trap

It seams to be doing its job indoors the trick is to place in corridor( Darker location so uv light  attracts them  if you have it in same room your room light may reduce effectivness) between you and mosquito entry point.  Or bedroom if you dont mind  blue light.  They  have more powerful outdoor lights too may distrupt local  breeding cycle.  low power consumption 10W,   I also own for outdoor defence and population control

I own Outdoor Exterminator: Mosquito Trap

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[BoeingFan]

G'day @Jewelleryrescue,

Yep those are the main driveway gates. I'm unsure what they're made of but the sawdust was a dark ochre or burgundy when I drilled into them. They're original to the property, so I enlisted the help of some WD40 to loosen up the old screws, got Dad's car jack out and lifted the gate up, and re-tightened everything as best as I could. The good news is that the right hand gate now sits about 4" proud of the ground instead of digging into it. I originally bought Dad about 6 palings from Bunnings to fix a fence, but as he hasn't gotten to that yet I commandeered the palings for my job.

I also fell through my back stairs a couple of weeks ago; there are 4 old thick timber steps which have seen better days, and as I'm not exactly Jenny Craig, I fell through the second to last at the bottom. No injuries thankfully, just the initial shock, but the good news is that I've now repurposed that failed step into a doggy door ramp for my dachshunds, and it works beautifully 😁

Dad, it's about the back steps...?My lowriders appreciate the ramp!

As for the mozzies, yes it takes me back to, to a prehistoric time that I never thought I'd see the likes of again, but here we are 😂 I'll have to slip into Bunnings and grab some screw in screen holders to make sure all the screens are flush to the wall, this is where some of them are getting in. I can see with the various old windows in the place that manufacturers have tried many varied ways of clipping the screens into place and the internal clips have always failed somehow, and the only ones that really seem to last are the external screw in type. Thanks for the info re the mozzie exterminator, I appreciate that!

Onwards and upwards,

Jason

[KatieC]

Hi @BoeingFan,

It is wonderful watching your progress on your home! It looks like your sweet little dachshund is already enjoying your resourcefulness with the ramp but probably not as happy with you covering up their freedom past the gate. 

Katie

[Jewelleryrescue]

Hi  @BoeingFan  and all 

Nice dog you have there. I bet he is a great little mate and  was right there well you fell.

Some off the mossies at my place are big and they work as a team one pulls the flyscreen frame back while the other slips under. (Furphy )

Nice improvation with car jack it  we got to work smarter not stronger.  Sounds  like the external fly screens are a good value.

That tumble  must of hurt even though it luckly wasnt top step sorry about that I know the surprise of that fall and that splat feeling.

Sadly it that timber failed the rest is probably not to far behind. That step is going to hinder your every day projects making that big step up. But you have the other door too.

Sorry Jason  I am a ideas  guy if I see a way to help  I will.  So just accept or  reject ideas  as fits your plans I certainly talked to friends and family not all ideas suit  every one I am  used to that  but sometimes that inspires them to find there own solution and that is great too.

You know I am older too so my body aches all over to get  started on  projects  I use a cream Like decorub but much better as it reduces inflamation  too   (FISIOCREAM),  And  certainly after a tumble its a game changer returning some tempary mobility of projects.   

If you wish  buy your self a  new stair stringer  from  bunnings  so cheap and steel.  I would rubber /bitumun coat the steel  as an additional rust layer add another 20 years  life span to the steel.

Peak Black 5 Tread Steel Stair Stringer I/N: 0083614  $77.80  EACH Buy x2  

And you are going to need  treads.

Hi Bunning Team what wood is a good  strong outdoor  Step ie pest and weather resistant etc  I  Might use H4 treated pine but  there are  some stair dimention rules that need to be followed so I cant advise here.

[BoeingFan]

Good morning @Jewelleryrescue

Rusty is my boy, he's 13, and I have Lulu and she is 12, both by my side always, they're my kids. Rusty was at the top of the steps when I fell through and I'm sure I heard him say, "How embarassing, Dad!" 🤣

The mozzies must be doing a tag team between our places, I swear you've hit the nail on the head with their method, it's as though they can get through anything. Maybe they have nutri-grain for breakfast hahaha. I've taken to closing the house up earlier in the evening now, and bought a couple of table lamps to use instead of overhead lights, and it seems to have made a bit of a difference.

Thanks so much for the Fisiocream info too, I will have to get some to help with my aches, I've got too much work to do! And as for the Peak Stair Stringer, well I never knew such a thing existed!!! What a boon, I will get 2 of those and have a go at installing them myself, thank you so much! Stay tuned on that one 😎

Have a great day,

Jason

[BoeingFan]

Hello all,

Well, it's official, I'm already over Summer, and we're only a third of the way through it! Heat and humidity are not my friends. I hope everyone is enjoying the time of year, and all the best for 2023.

I'm very happy to say that I've started painting, and it's looking a treat so far. I've done half of one wall for now, and I'll keep going when the weather isn't as hideous. Pics are below.

Cheers,

Jason

[Jewelleryrescue]

Nice work @BoeingFan  

I like the  gray  wall   color  with the white window as a distinctive contrast  and the dark grey trim at the under bit.   Really starting to look a treat Jason

I have being hiding indoors re the humidity not  tough like you.  Can we get a sneek mental preview   ?  What roof  color you thinking ?

 I am just looking at your flower pot of flower color and it brings a window box of several mosquito repelling but nice plants to mind.  Mosquito s I notice you  external fly screens there ace.

I am back on the renos after new years I thought  I deserve a small holiday.  Mind you i am looking at  water computers valves and bits  online to try stave of a possible hot jan and feb.

But great start to the painting. 

[BoeingFan]

@Jewelleryrescue 

Hahahaha, I too have been hiding indoors! The reason that this wall has been my starting point is that it doesn't get direct sun until mid arvo, so it made sense to cut my teeth on it first. Glad you like the colour scheme, I am very pleased with it too. I've just this evening painted the bottom skirting board in the dark grey as well to give it more oomph. With bright coloured plants around the place it may be have been blocked from view but now will have it's share of time in the sun.

The marigold has a story behind it :D:D When I started painting I found a snake skin hanging out of the roof, so being the type that would launch out of the nearest window in the even I lock eyes with a snake, I started to look for deterrents, and read somewhere that they don't care for the scent of marigolds, so that being true, this little one will be the first of many!

Re the roof, well I'm thinking a colourbond roof fairly close to the standard silver or light grey look, so as not to absorb heat, and to fit nicely into the colour scheme. What do you think? I'd be completely happy with an uncoloured colourbond roof in fact.

The fly screens are a life saver; after living in Sydney for the last 4 years in a rental with no screens at all, it is nice to be able to open the windows here, but as we've touched on before, the mozzies are doing tag team between your place and mine. I burn a coil out on the deck every night, and shut up shop around 8pm to really hinder their plans.

I'm looking forward to seeing your reno's in the new year, this community is great, and I really dig being able to connect with others like yourself to get ideas and inspiration. And yes, I agree re the small holiday, in fact I'm very much in favour of many long holidays 😁 Water computer valves and bits sounds intriguing!

Thanks as always,

Jason