The other day, my wife and I received a letter from my son’s university advising us of the school’s plans during graduation weekend, coming up in May. I can’t even put into words the excitement we felt as we talked about this momentous occasion. Then, we discussed the graduation party we’ll be hosting to celebrate our son’s achievement. We had a ball making our guest list and talking invitations, decorations, food, drinks and music. And then, of course, we talked about all the home improvement projects that need to be completed in time for graduation.
Our house looks pretty great as it is, but we’ve been meaning to spruce it up for a while. We took a look around the house and decided to paint the family room and kitchen, power wash the patio, clean the windows, give the finished basement a makeover and change out the faucets in our main entertainment area (in our house, that’s the kitchen and family room). We decided that we’d better start moving forward right away to make sure everything is completed in time for the big party. As you know, I’m pretty handy, so I’ll be doing some of the work myself. My wife will wash all the windows and give the place a good scrubdown, and we’ll hire other professionals to do the rest.
Originally, we finished the basement when my children were little and haven’t touched it ever since. Consequently, my wife and I never entertain in the basement. When we decided we’d host a graduation party, we realized we would be silly to miss out on updating such a spacious area where our guests can chat and mingle. Now, there’s nothing wrong with the basement: It’s just outdated, and celebrating my son’s transition into adult life seems like the perfect time for a grown-up makeover. I envision a new pool table over to the right, a sleek bar area (complete with an ice cube dispenser), a small dishwasher and a new bar sink. And, I think I’m going to give myself a little present: A big TV monitor. (After all, soon, I won’t be paying tuition!)
The bathroom in the basement needs some work, too. The toilet is too low, there’s a Jacuzzi tub that nobody ever uses anymore and the bathroom sink and fixtures look dowdy. Since I’m a licensed plumber, I’ll tackle all the plumbing work in the basement bathroom. First, I’m going to replace the toilet with a new, comfort height model, and I’m going to tear out the tub and replace it with a big shower with lots of jets. Then, I’ll finish the remodel by replacing the sink and faucets. My wife loves the look and function of brushed nickel, so we’ll take a ride to our Cooper Mechanical showroom and choose some updated models that will give the bathroom some style. While there, we’ll select new faucets for the kitchen and bar area upstairs.
What are you planning this spring? Do you have a child graduating from high school or college? Maybe you’re just looking forward to spring and all the good times associated with warm weather. Whatever you’ve got in the works, take a moment to look around your home and garden. Now is the time to plan the remodel, sink repair in Easton or boiler replacement in Doylestown you’ve been dreaming about – before you start entertaining. You’ll be glad you did!
