H is for HOLE

To be more precise, H is for the gaping hole in the ceiling of our entryway for the past few years.  Years, people!!  A few years ago, during a rainy season, Jay and I heard a drip, drip, driiiipppp and discovered that the ceiling was leaking a tremendous amount of water.  We had to tear down some seriously damaged chunks of the ceiling to assess the damage inside and let it dry out.  Jay fixed the roof...except not really.  After we did a poor patch job on the ceiling, it leaked...again!!  Jay fixed the roof, again...but, fo reelz this time.  But, to be safe, we left the hole there to really let it dry out and make sure it was done leaking.

Here's the funny part of the story...probably 9 out 10 people that came into our home never even saw the hole as they walked in.  If we pointed it out, well then, how could you NOT see it...I mean, the insulation, the metal beam, crumbling drywall...gorgeous!!

Over time, the patch-the-ceiling project moved down our list of things to do.  After all, I think I was the only one bothered by it and we had more important things to tend to.  A few people had volunteered to fix it on their time and dime, but life gets busy and it just didn't happen.  We were really close to getting the job done with the last volunteer, but it just couldn't come together.  But now I had a vision in my mind of having this job done.  So, I decided I would do it myself.  My brother-in-law lovingly told me that I couldn't do it myself...not in a condescending, you're a girl, kinda way. But, more like in a realistic, you've never hung dry wall before kinda way.  He was right, of course, but telling me I can't do something is pretty much the same as telling me to run and do it immediately.

As with any project that I take on, I become like the pig in the story If You Give a Pig a Pancake...if I'm going to fix the ceiling, then I'm going to want a new light fixture.  If I want a new fixture, I'm going to want to move it 2 feet to the left (or right depending on where you're standing).  If I'm adding a new fixture, the walls should get a fresh coat of paint.  If I paint the walls, I'm going to have to paint the baseboards and doors, too.  While I'm painting the closet door, I should fix the latch that prevents it from closing the whole way...and so on....

With the helpful advice of my father-in-law, I finished the project!!!  Hip hop hooray!!!  I love it so much!  It's like breathing new life into our home!!!  And I learned a bunch of new skills...using a drywall bit, wiring, using a reciprocating saw!!!  I love it all!

I added molding to cover the seam of the new dry wall.

See how the closet door is a wee bit open? Made me crazy!!!

I was laying on the floor looking up for this view point.  The smaller hole is where the old light fixture hung.

It's so clean...and the closet door shuts!!

 This project cost less than $50, by the way.  All I had to purchase was a sheet of drywall and 3 8' lengths of molding.  I had the light fixture, (and I pat myself on the back for knowing that it would hang lower than the original, Miami Vice looking, brass and beveled glass fixture that had been there and opening the front door would be problematic).  I also had the joint compound, water putty, primer and paint.  Done and done!!  What's going to be my next project???