HOME IMPROVEMENT'S BEST KEPT SECRET!
EXTRA Building Materials
Don DID it!!
Welcome to EXTRA'S! "Don DID it" page.
Don is responsible for the organization of all the stuff at EXTRAS! and does a fine job of it given the amount of product that comes through the dock door. Last month, after months and months of effort Don closed on his house which is quickly becoming his home.
The reason for this page is to document Don's progress as he turns this house into his home, illustrating how EXTRA'S! can supply much of the product needed to "fix" a home, and how there IS funding available for those folks that want to purchase, those homeowners that want to remodel, and those that want to invest.
This page will be much more personal, "off topic" and "cutsie" than the rest of EXTRA'S! website because EXTRA'S! owners and employees are more family than most families and all contribute to operating the business. We're all very proud of and excited for Don and are smart enough to recognize this as a great marketing tool. So when you see a Don DID it ad, link or whatever I come up with, check it out because it's my intent to make it informative and educational in spite of the cutsie.
I'm Cheryl and I do the website. If you're a 'regular' of EXTRA'S! you probably know me, I'm the "leetle gray haired lady" bossing the guys around, though they rarely listen. In an attempt to keep up with the times, we've set some goals with the "Don DID it" project that will become evident in the following months.
I say months because purchasing and remodeling a home takes planning, time and money all of which are at a premium for most all of us, and though Don has ready access to products by virtue of his job at EXTRA'S!, he is no different. Too, Don sees the product as soon as it hits the door and is able to translate it as to where it would work and in what situation, (for his home, your home and where it will land in the warehouse) and of course he gets deep discounts. Still, EXTRA'S! is based on discounts and we can help turn your house into a home at an absolute minimum.
"I believe this program is critical to our economic recovery. We need a healthy mix of investors and owner occupants purchasing the current foreclosure and distressed sale homes. Right now mostly investors are buying up these low cost homes to be used as rental properties. Rental properties are typically not maintained as an owner occupant would maintain their home. The other future issue I am concerned with is the vast supply of rental properties created by investors affording distressed home purchases. Very soon this supply is going to exceed the demand of renters. This could cause another round of foreclosures and distressed home sales where it’s the investors who now can not afford to make their mortgage payments."
In order to make your house your home, you first NEED a home, which is a seemingly daunting task what with the economic climate, but it can be done and done right with a knowledgeable broker working for you. I personally recommend Intelligent Investments, Inc or I-3. Though Don didn't use I-3 for his purchase, I did and am comfortable recommending Heidi Martin, President of I-3. I found her professionalism and integrity far beyond that of most folks in business these days. I had some credit issues and a medical bankruptcy to contend with but Heidi went to bat for me and after a relatively painless process, I've been a homeowner since 2005.
There were complications with closing on the house due to the roof on the front of the house which frustrated Don big time. Roof issues are not unusual when purchasing a home. Its is one of insurance company's worst nightmares and they are most uncooperative when it comes to roofing.
EXTRAS! can help you resolve those issues.
Those of you that are regulars, know Don.
In this picture he poses a question!
Heidi has put together a program that allows folks to:
* Purchase or Refinance
* Up to $35,000 or $31,500 (minus 10% contingency) for renovation costs.
* Used for any non-structural improvement: New kitchen, windows, paint, flooring, appliances, lighting, electrical, plumbing, fixtures, etc.
*It's OK to have little equity in your home; Loan amount is based upon the improved value and not current value.
* Primary residence only.
* Safe low 30 year fixed interest rates.
* No prepay penalties.
* Government Program
I quote Heidi below because it illustrates her integrity...for Heidi it's not "all about" her, rather it's the big picture...our communities, cities and our country.
Visit her website: www.mortgageanswer.biz or stop into EXTRAS! for her brochure.
Now back to DON!
The "front" door (actually the side door) had a bit of a gap! Nice for a summer breeze but not very cost effective in the winter. Don got a 3.o x 6.8 pre-hung exterior door from EXTRAS! and eliminated the breeze.
The garage was on Don's "fix" list but landed down the list of priorities until the insurance company threatened to cancel his mortgage insurance due to the boarded windows. Fortunately we had everything he needed here at EXTRAS! and he was able to replace windows, trim and the door on his days off. There is still plenty to do on the garage but this kept the insurance folks happy not to mention the neighbors! There will be more on the garage in further updates...the interior needs some help.
I'll continue to update and add to Don DID it, as he progresses.
We're all very proud of Don's progress with his home and are glad we have a guy the likes of him, around us!
This page was last updated: February 8, 2010
In a house this small, storage space is limited so Don had to come up with some quick solutions.
One of the first things to go was the standard door to the bathroom. With the door open, there was NO space in the bathroom for storage so Don removed the standard door and installed an accordian door (10 bucks at EXTRAS!), which allowed space for 2-21x36x 12DP wall cabinets stacked on a toe kick creating a linen closet. In small spaces, wall cabinets, because they are only 12" deep, can be used to create storage.
Bath before and after cabinets installed.
Hallway with accordian door closed. Don has since installed an accordian door on the laundry closet as well.
New lights coming soon!
THE PINK ROOM!
The next project is the
PINK ROOM.
There was a border above the candy stripes that has caused Don to have issues.
Not only was the color way wrong, the border had been glued on with construction glue or the likes. The border and glue had to be removed with a wall paper knife.
The trim was tucked down into the carpet so Don pulled the carpet and will eventually replace it with laminate flooring (or hardwood if we get any!)
Click here to go to most recent Don DID it updates.
Don opted to re-mud the entire room to smooth out the areas where the border and glue had been as the wall could never have an even finish. The walls soaked up the mud in a big way so the project has taken longer and was a bit frustrating to Don for a while.
But check out pics with the Knotty Alder Door (from EXTRA'S). It gives you the idea of how nice this room will look when its completed. This is roughly the color Don is after for this room even though its just drywall mud. He's got a couple gallons of paint from EXTRA'S and will mix a light yellow with a cream color to get a sunny color.
Don's weekend is coming up (3/18 & 3/19) so we'll see what he gets done!
HARD WORK--YARD WORK
Don took advantage of the WARM weather!
With a LOT of elbow grease, Don's ready for sod!
THE PINK ROOM!
The Sunshine Room
becomes....
Painting is done, and the door is in place. Don had the door hung (jambs built) by Elmer's, one of the most depenable businesses in the city. Extras is in no way affiliated with Elmer's but we've ALWAYS had good reports from customers.
Installing the base and casing is on the list but Don is vacillating...to stain or not to stain. Eventually he will remodel the kitchen in Knotty Alder and is leaning toward the harvest stain for those. He may opt to go with the same stain in the sunshine room.
BACK OUTSIDE!!
DON ripped out the front fence in preparation for sod. He hopes to get that done this week.
july 13
Don has been at it!!
Retaining wall stones installed, Sod is in, flowers are blooming, veggies are growing and its now a home with some landscape, color and food!
Early October 2009
Long Time - No Don
Don shared tomoatoes and peppers from his gardens all season and though we've no pictures, the veggie garden was a huge success, (unlike mine!).
No, Don hasn't been hiding in the cellar, summer is done and its time to prepare for the winter months. Insulating the crawl space and the cellar were on the list and what with the hard freeze and much cooler temps, he opted to do it last week.
Entrance to the crawl space, tucked in a closet in the back bedroom.
Like many older residences, Don's house had additions so there's a crawl space and a cellar and never the twain shall meet.
Entrance to the cellar in the hallway.
The crawl space is way too small for full sheets of Poly-iso so Don and his neighbor cut the pieces to fit and lined the walls with them.
By addding 2" of poly-iso Don has added 'R' 15 to his interior cellar and crawl space walls.
Cozy Kitchen
as of 1/20/2010 a picture belongs here because Don has done a lot to this room. Soon, very soon!
FINAllY, DON DID IT IS UPDATED!!!
Joe Navickas, a regular customer and friend of Extras helped Don with finishing off the Sunshine Room, aka Dawn's (not Don's ) Room...see below! Various stages of the laminate flooring, no, unfortunately we don't have any flooring, Don had to get this elsewhere.
Floor in, Doors almost done!
Trim, doors and window DONE! Lower pic isn't so great light wise but its occupied!!
Don staining the Knotty Alder trim for base, casing and window trim. This is just a clear coat (min-wax). The picture on the left reflects the beauty of the Alder.
Thanks Joe Navickas! Joe is a competent guy that does amazing things with wood but is capable of a lot of other work (Installed the flooring, hung the door, installed all the trim, etc.
And THIS is the Dawn that's really happy with the new room!
