An Application to Home Improvement Hell

My new thing in August and September has been a real pain in the butt. I'm in the early stages of home improvement hell, and if things go as planned, my agony will be year-long. My fingers are crossed that it will also be pretty great in the end, though.

Last month, I got three estimates from roofing companies for a full tear-down and reroofing, gutters and downspouts included. I knew when I bought the house, fourteen years ago this month, that I'd need a new roof. It only started leaking this year, though, so I shouldn't complain. What I can complain about is the cost: two layers of old shingles, combined with a very steep pitch equals a pricey job. That's where my new thing comes in: a home improvement loan. My county has a program that offers low interest loans for permanent home improvements (in other words, no appliances or pools allowed). At 1.57%, the time seemed right, so I've been spending my free time completing paperwork, making phone calls, and requesting estimates for weeks now. Along with the roof, I plan to have a water damaged walk-in closet redone, have my attic insulated, get a few new doors on the house, and, if there's any money left, start updating my kitchen.

The county mandates that with a "HIP" loan, all of the work must be completed in a year, so I'll be living in a construction zone for a while. My 1935 house deserves some sprucing up. Here's hoping I can survive this act of good stewardship.



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