rosalicious

So the latest house saga is the kitchen wall we’re trying to take out.

We had a structural engineer come in last week and check it out because it’s a load-bearing wall and is also an original external wall made of brick. (While he was here he inspected our foundation too and thankfully, our 1923 house isn’t falling down! woot!) He drew up some design plans and gave us a recommendation for a contractor who specializes in restoration of older homes.

We had the contractor come out and give a looksee. When we got his bid several days later we about keeled over:

Guess how much. Seriously. Guess how much he bid to take out less than 6 feet of brick wall.

THIRTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS.

I know, right? Let’s all have a deep-bellied laugh together.

And NINE HUNDRED of that was to re-tile less than 2 square feet of slate tile, slate tile that WE are even providing.

‘Kay, let’s laugh some more.

Needless to say, we decided to get other bids.

God, y’all would not believe the character who just left our house tonight after giving us our next bid. We got his entire life story: why his wife left him, how his nephew is a coke head (but works for him), how one of his clients is allergic to teak and broke out in a rash on her assfrom sitting on something he built, how he demolished half of downtown Denver in the 80s, how he’s “a Christian man and ain’t passing the pearly gates knowing he ripped us off.”

Dude, you could be satan’s beer-gutted spawn for all we care: YOU BID TEN GRAND LOWER!

Still - we are getting more bids. If you guys know of anyone good, let me know! ;)

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I put some “during” pictures of the house up on Flickr. Look at the set, not my photostream, as I positioned the “during” and/or “after” pics so you can better see the progress.