Two members of the architect’s team came to our house on Thursday morning and spent two and a half hours measuring. This is one of the first steps in the process, and will result in a detailed scale drawing of the current layout. In a couple weeks, when the drawings are done, we will sit down with the architect and discuss our wish list. From that point, he will work his magic.
Structural issues (but then, I already knew that)
I now have professional confirmation that the previous owner did indeed compromise the structure of this house with his butchery. Anything that I thought was a structural issue really is a structural issue and needs to be addressed. With much of damage having been done on the main floor, that work may need to be expedited before we finish the bedrooms upstairs. Looks like there will be a healthy dose of chaos in our future.
My plan was to finish upstairs first, so we would have a place to live while the main floor renovations were being done. If the main floor is being done first, we may be forced to stay in a hotel for a while since there are no relatives in the area off of whom we can freeload.
Not a job for a do-it-yourselfer (at least not this do-it-yourselfer)
The more I uncovered over the past few years, the more I was overwhelmed. The more overwhelmed I got, the more depressed I became. As it turns out, I had every right to be. It was oddly comforting to be told today that I definitely needed professional help. We have so many issues going on with the structure that it will take an expert to develop a plan of attack to get the issues resolved and make our house liveable.
I hereby defer to the experts
I know there are a lot of people out there who, like me, fancy themselves as do-it-yourselfers who, given the right tools, can tackle just about any construction or renovation job in the home without having to hire anyone. However, the house I live in now is a testament to the fact that some self-styled do-it-yourselfers have no right picking up a hammer. Over the past five years, I have familiarized myself with the building code. I am already well-versed in the electrical code as it pertains to basic household circuitry. I arm myself with as much knowledge as I can before I attempt any kind of DIY project. But I know my limitations. I only wish our house’s previous owner knew his.