A Dramatic…And Unexpected…Change Of Plans
From my very first blog post:
Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans — John Lennon
And this week life hit me in the head.
The city of Emporia notified me that somebody complained about the exterior condition of the carriage house. The city has no choice but to then issue a VIOLATION NOTICE.
Well…fuck.
I have 30 days to address the various violations. In talking with the city I stated that 30 days was an impossible deadline considering the amount of work required. The city was gracious and indicated that the deadline is not absolute. So…whew. However, getting the work done STAT is serious.
At 66 I am really too old for this kind of shock.
To address the various violations the Ross Way™ would take, at best, 6-9 months. The city is sooooooo not gonna go for that. And I sooooooo do not have 6-9 months to devote to such work.
My brain, thus, has been furiously trying to figure out a comfortable middle-ground between a rock and a hard place.
THE NW CORNER.
The large piece of Tyvek is covering a large hole where a window was. This window will be relocated to where the entry door is now. Eventually.
The small piece of Tyvek is covering a small hole where a window was. This window will be relocated to where the large piece of Tyvek is.
The entry door will be relocated to where the small piece of Tyvek is. Eventually
And the porch deck will be moved to the NW corner. Eventually
Got it?
THE NW CORNER EMERGENCY PLAN: The wall with the large Tyvek will be done the Ross Way™. I will install all new lap siding, re-install the small window after restoration, and paint the wall in the historic colors of the Cross House. On the wall with the small Tyvek I will…oh, the horror…slap this together. I will scrape the peeling paint, infill the window opening (and upper section) with siding from the adjacent wall and, using a paint roller, slap on cheap white paint. Yes, I really did write the preceding.
THE WEST FACADE EMERGENCY PLAN: I will scrape the peeling paint, and properly infill the missing section of siding up top. Then, using a paint roller, I will slap on cheap white paint. Yes, I really did write the preceding.
THE NORTH FACADE EMERGENCY PLAN: I will scrape the peeling paint and, using a paint roller, slap on cheap white paint. Yes, I really did write the preceding.
THE NORTH KITCHEN FACADE EMERGENCY PLAN: There are two halves here. The left half is mostly intact. I will scrape the peeling paint and, using a paint roller, slap on cheap white paint. Yes, I really did write the preceding. On the right half the window and its trim have already been restored, as so with the door frame. I will install siding the Ross Way™ and paint this section in the historic Cross House colors. (I installed the deck at Cody’s request. It will…eventually…be vastly enlarged to infill the entire courtyard.)
THE EAST WALL (right) EMERGENCY PLAN: I will properly install new siding but will slap white paint on the wall.
This is not ideal. That said, I am not unhappy at this dramatic and unexpected development. I hate hate hate having the carriage house look so bad all these years, and feel for the patience of my neighbors.
While it might seem odd that most of the house will be white, with two small sections in the historic Cross House colors, my thought is that when people drive by they will think: Oh! This house will eventually match the big house! They will connect the dots.
Well, I hope.
While the letter was alarming to the extreme the conversation with the city was quite nice.
I have no idea of how long the work will take but the plan I have developed will:
- vastly reduce the time frame,
- while satisfying the city.
And, while sooooooo not the Ross Way™ the carriage house will look VASTLY better and this will make Ross (and the neighbors) very happy.
NOTE: I think I can do this work and still move in this year.
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My first “professional” job was in the Community Development department of a smallish town in the Pacific Northwest. That the City of Emporia is extending grace to you, someone who is improving the community, is not surprising. The last thing they want is to be punitive when their true goal is compliance. Sorry someone is shaking your monkey tree over this.
I know you won’t like this suggestion because it’s definitely not the Ross way, but spray painting the carriage house after you do your scraping and filling (rather than rolling) will be a lot easier on yourself. This concession will help get you in the house. (The preceding suggestion was made with good intentions. You know that I’m a super fan of the Ross way!)
I would suggest investing in a sprayer for the paint since this is just a temporary fix until it can be done properly. it would go faster than a roller. I have a similar siding on my house and my painters would use a spray in their left hand and a brush in the right and brush after they sprayed. Went really fast and the finish is nice.
I would also write up your plans in a step by step order to let the city know what you plan to do and with a timeline. While your timeline won’t meet their deadline, no matter how gracious or fluid, it will show intent and the quick fix paint will help to show you are willing to comply at least partially.
Yeah, it sucks up time and pulls you away from the Cross House. But you do what you have to do. Perhaps you can have a paint party when the time comes to recruit some volunteers to get it done.
My house was inside of a baby diaper yellow and brown when I bought it. After a few years and peeling paint I finally had saved enough to have it painted. Then there was a delay with the painters. Two weeks before they were scheduled to begin, some local paper ran an article on neighborhood blight and my house was the photo they ran.
Fuck.
After it was painted all of the neighbors just loved it.
http://www.laiuppa.com/mary/house/frontyard.html
Dear Mary,
In talking with the city today I offered to do what I can during the next 30 days. Then, I will return to the city and show images of the completed work. If the city thinks I have made a good-faith effort it seems likely they might extend the deadline.
Note: City Hall is a block away. It will be easy for the city to monitor my progress.
I feel no sense of doom about all this. I feel that all will be OK in the end.
Hello everybody!
There have already been two suggestions about spraying.
I discussed this with Dr. Doug earlier today and he offered to do the spraying.
It’s not though actually this easy.
My plan is to do what I can while standing on the ground (prepping and painting). Then, I will need to erect scaffolding to get higher. It will make sense to do all the work in in each vertical ‘section’ before moving the scaffolding to the adjacent vertical section. Note: after the prep work is done the actual painting (one coat) will be very quick. I will roll the paint on using a super thick roller and then quickly go over everything with a brush. Easy and quick.
Thus, it will not make sense to do all the prep work, move the scaffolding all around, and then rent a bucket lift ($$$) so Doug can spray.
Regarding the two areas I will Do Right, spraying will not work. These sections will require priming and two top coats, and in two different colors.
In the past I have spray painted. It is fast. But I don’t think it’s the ideal option here.
2 steps forward, one back, but in typical Ross fashion, you devise a plan! Hurray! Rooting for you!
Hi Ross, I was thinking the same about a sprayer. It seems that would be faster, and easier. I would just paint the whole first floor white for now. This way it will all match, until your ready to paint the whole place.
I actually like the window’s the way they were originally. The entry door on the side is not as welcoming….just my opinion.
And a set of shutters would dress up the secret bedroom window.
Hi, Scott!
As I wrote, spraying may not prove easier.
I also love the idea that two sections will be painted to match the Cross House. As I wrote, this will reveal to the public that the house will match the big house, eventually. I think this is important.
Regarding the relocated entry door. In 1894 there WAS a porch in the NW corner. I will be recreating that. It will be highly inviting and one will, no doubt, be drawn up its steps.
The configuration of the door/windows as I found them in 2014 were all part of the circa-1921 renovation, and their locations were obscured by the HUGE L-shaped porch installed at the time. With the porch gone, the door/windows looked, well, odd. The door, for example, wasn’t even centered on the dramatic turret, something the huge porch obscured.
The house never had shutters.
Ah even if the rushed manner is to be done, it is still in better standard. Way to go Ross. Thank you, Dr. Doug.
A temporary stopgap to appease the neighbors and the city.. the go about things the Ross Way™️ section by section.
I think once this work is done you could rent out the Carriage house? Why is it still empty? How is the basement in the cross house; you needed that done to move your lighting business?
That was my first thought also, this could now be an income creator??
Dan, the interior of the carriage house is far far far from finished.
I’ve been pondering if I could nonetheless find a tenant AS IS or do it up as a funky airbnb. But, at the moment I don’t have the time or money to proceed as such.
I’m torn between two avenues:
1) Finish the new emergency work. Then resume work on the big house: cat fence, and getting the house cat-proof as these are the two most vital things. Then move in.
2) Finish the new emergency work. Then fix up the interior of the carriage house enough to get in rented either with a tenant or as an airbnb. This would mean that moving into the big house would become a 2024 project. But at least the carriage house would be producing income. If I knew then what I know now I wish that I had continued working on the carriage house after Cody left, finishing the interior in 2022, and having it earning money now. Sigh.
I will ponder which direction to take while doing the emergency work.
Honestly, I would give the exterior a quick fix and throw some paint on. Then I’d give the interior a lick and a promise and get it rented asap so you have some income. Then, you can focus on cat fence and closing up the ceilings in the Cross house. And for the love of old houses please ask for HELP Ross. There are plenty of people that will volunteer. That’s my 2 cents.
With the carriage house livable, ever think of having volunteers stay and help with the grunt work? A lot of the chateaus in France do this.
Well at least you are cooperating and have every intention of making it look nice. Even if it rushes your careful restoration. Our town has two famous examples of people rebelling against compliance. #1 was the fellow who, when forced to paint his house, went and bought up all of the rejected colors at the local paint store and painted each wall a different primary color. And #2 the fellow who, when forced to mow his lawn, did so wearing nothing but his girlfriend’s thong panties and cowboy boots.
Wow! That would have sent my blood pressure through the roof. It sounds like you have a solid plan in place, though. I’m glad the city is working with you to give you the time you need.
Dearest Ross, you have to do what you have to do. I think your neighbors and the City have been very patient. At least these stopgaps will buy you some time and get the Carriage House spruced up slap dash style. So sorry they’re putting such pressure on you.
Maybe you will have a renter soon? That would help immensely.
Seems odd and cruel that anyone would complain considering that you’re activly engaged in improving the property. Do I note strong envy or prejudice in the cimmunity?
This. It makes my blood boil that someone could watch all the work he’s done, then complain. The city should have told them to pound sand.
Thank you, Tiffany. It’s OK. Please see my reply to Geisha, below.
Exactly.
Instead of cheap white paint, can you use good primer?
Hi, Jenine! I purchased a 5 gallon bucket of primer/paint. It was not actually cheap at $240!
I’m very disappointed that anyone would complain!!!
You have made such a huge difference in the look of your neighborhood, and I would think neighbors would be happy!
Hi, Geisha! I’m actually surprised this is the first complaint. While the big house looks vastly better since I purchased it, the carriage house looks vastly worse.
Still! What a small-minded or vengeful energy.
Well poo, I can’t believe anyone would complain after all of the exterior work you have done on the Cross House. They must have seen you week after week working on house. A person can only do so much without having a bank full of money. But you have a good plan that will show good faith to comply with the complaint. Glad that the city was gracious about it. Good luck to you Ross, you will get the carriage house done with Dr. Doug’s help. And then rent it out using some of the suggestions above.
I could regale you with the epic tale of my adventures with the Office of Central Inspection in Wichita, but the saga would almost surely annoy you more than amuse you.