Free estimates for remodeling, home repair in Hampton... -
[Cached Version]
Published on: 3/18/2007
Last Visited: 9/25/2007
18 March 2007: Sean Meyers and Elizabeth Homan's 1622 North Main St. renovation Photo By: Susan Shinn
...
Sean Meyers doesn't have any trouble sleeping these days.
In addition to his work as a freelance photographer, he's putting in 12-hour days renovating the house next door to his North Main Street home.
Meyers, 42, and wife Elizabeth Homan, 38, a theatre arts professor at Catawba College, originally planned to redo the new house and sell it, a process called flipping.
...
"Ultimately, we want to buy some land, and either move an old house or build an ecohouse," Meyers says.
They'll look to buy property when they sell their existing house.
The couple is putting their knack for recycling in to the current house, using salvaged materials whenever possible.
The work comes easily for Meyers.
"I was in construction as a younger guy," Meyers says."My dad was a roofing contractor for 30 years."
BEFORE: This is the outside of the home before it was painted olive and cream.Photo by Sean Meyers, for the Salisbury Post.
At 14, Meyers followed in his dad's footsteps and worked as a roofer for the next seven years.
"Then I got smart and went to school," he says.
Meyers helped his family build several houses, so he felt confident in taking on the renovation next door.
The house had sat empty for three years.The owner had been transferred out of town, and agreed to sell the couple the home in December.
Meyers started working on the house in mid-January.
"Structurally, it was in fantastic condition," Meyers says of the two-story house, which was built in 1922 in the Arts and Crafts style.
...
Meyers kept the house's wood siding.
"I had to replace a fair amount of siding," he says.
He estimates that he went through 50 tubes of caulking.
SEARCHING FOR SALVAGED MATERIALS: Meyers used salvaged hardwoods for the upstairs bathroom.Photo by Sean Meyers, for the Salisbury Post.
...
Meyers will receive a $2,500 historic preservation grant to put on gray-black shingles, which will cover half the cost of the job.
...
Meyers feels he's on track.
He's hired Catawba students to help paint and do other minor tasks.
...
Lewis has done the plumbing and electrical work, while Meyers has done most of the demolition.
...
Meyers has been replacing strips of red oak hardwood in the living room.
"I'm getting good at that," Meyers says.
...
Meyers did most of the demolition work himself.Photo by Sean Meyers, for the Salisbury Post.
Most all the other rooms will have heart-pine floors.
Meyers installed salvaged heart-pine wood for the upstairs bathroom.It has a 1920s-era sink and clawfoot tub.
Like the upstairs bath, the downstairs bath had a "jack-and-jill" entrance , doors from both rooms.
Meyers reconfigured this bathroom, closing off one entrance and turning the extra space into a half-bath for the rest of the downstairs.
"That's a good selling point," Meyers says."You can't have too many bathrooms."
He and his wife decided to keep the 1950s-era pink sink, tub and commode , although they'll paint the tub white to be used in the master bath.
Meyers gutted this bathroom completely for the renovation.
He did the work himself, he says, "because it's just a lot of time and time is money."
He had Lewis do the framing work, however, since he didn't have that experience.
"We moved or put in nine doors," Meyers notes.
Meyers thinks the master bedroom is a little small, but it will suffice.
There are no closets in the house, so the couple will use an armoire in their room.
Upstairs, however, Meyers has made closets from the adjoining space beside the two bedrooms.
One bedroom will become Meyers' office.The back bedroom will be the guest bedroom.
The house has a surprisingly large back yard.
"The hot tub will be coming from next door," Meyers says."It's a good spot.It's like our own park."
The kitchen looks out into the back yard and will have a farm sink Meyers bought at a salvage place for $20.
Meyers will find a used refrigerator and stove.
...
The experience has been a good one for Meyers.
"I'm ready to buy another house," he says.
16 online sources [ view sources ]
Profile is not claimed [ claim profile ]
