by Beks
About a year and a half ago, my husband said, ‘The shower pan is cracked and water is leaking. If we leave it, we will destroy our bathroom and mold will grow. I’m going to take out the bottom row of tiles, replace the shower pan, and replace the bottom row of tiles.’
I left to housesit for a co-worker and came home to …
My husband explained that he had discovered mold under the floor and in the walls and decided to replace everything to be safe.
So why… why… why… did I assume that when we intended to insulate the separation closet wall in a 50 year old house, that we would simply be able to insulate the closet wall?
This is our spare bedroom as of today…
A few days ago, my husband asked if he could insulate all four walls. We both agreed that as long as we had one wall down, we should take down the remaining three walls, fix the electrical, and fix the phone line. Total tab so far? $142. I am so very thankful to be married to a talented construction man.
When making decisions like these, it’s hard not to want to put it off until later or take the easy way out. What we constantly have to consider is: Is this going to cost more later if avoided?
My nearly $200 electric bill tells me… I should have done this two years ago.
The good news? Energy improvements, including insulation, are tax deductable. Yes!
Want more info? Go to: energystar.gov/taxcredits
you can get in touch with swipenclean.com if you need help with revamping your home space
Beks is a full-time government employee who enjoys blogging late into the night after her four kids have gone to sleep. She’s been married to Chris, her college sweetheart, for 15 years. In 2017, after 3 long years working the Dave Ramsey Baby Steps, they paid off more than $70K and became debt free. When she’s not working or blogging, she’s exploring the great outdoors.
It will pay off in the long run. Wanna share a pic of the finished bathroom?
I so need to do that! We did that in our bathroom before we moved in and I wish we had done it in the rest of the house. Can’t wait to see the finished product:)
That’s GREAT! I think we all need a “Jack-of-all-trades” in our lives, it would have saved me a fortune this year! Leaky roof $750, broken water pipe $300, damaged ceiling/electrical fixture/tiled floor $1400. Total in the last few months $3,452.17 and most of that went to labor. Yeah for home repairs! Good luck in your endeavors.
We’re insulating our attic this fall and I’m going to make window coverings for the bedrooms and then the main level using an insulating product called Warm Windows. I’m hoping to not only cut down on our heating and colling bills, but to eliminate some draftiness and make our home more comfortable.
Want some even better news than saving money? You’re still alive! That mold growing in your shower, behind the walls and under the floors can actually cause some serious health problems and kill little ones, including small pets! But, it sounds like your hubby already knows it!!!! 🙂
Well, I suppose I better learn more about home improvement! When I get my first house I want to be like your husband – doing the repairs and improvements myself. I bet it would have cost well in excess of $1,000 to have some contractor do it.
You will save money on energy bills, but you already have saved a ton of money on the improvements!
PCH – Yup, home repairs are PAINFULLY expensive when you have to hire a contractor. Ouch!!
David – We laugh because my husband always tells me I couldn’t afford him if we weren’t married. The sad part is… he’s right! Glad I landed him.
Joy – My husband and I learned this the hard way. We lived in an apartment with a mold problem and we both had breathing problems until the day we moved out. I’m hoping nothing was permanent!!
OUch, my shower pan cracked in my rental and dripped to my neighbor downstairs. What a pain!
The bathroom was done in the 70’s, so I spent about $6,000 remodeling the whole thing. Hope my tenants like it.
What a great money & energy saving project. The latest improvements in insulation have the potential to cut energy needs by a third