A New Project.

Well we've been here just over 2 months now and the upstairs looks good, but the kitchen needs some more cabinets. I built and installed a cabinet for the kitchen sink, but it still needs some shelves and doors and we need another L-shaped cabinet and a wall shelf as well. We're planning on buying a convection oven to hang on the wall and for now, we'll probably just use a 2 burner electric stove top. We may buy a full stove top in the future, but it's not a priority.

So with a kitchen sink installed, Cyndi wanted to shift our focus to the downstairs studio so that we can have it completed before the tourist season starts so we can rent it out on a weekly basis. I cleared out the cabinet that was down there, it was infested with rat droppings and scrubbed the floors and walls, took out the bathroom sink and toilet and shower curtain rods. Last week, we patched a few cracks from previous water damage and primered and painted. I also installed a new toilet (not fun), and poured a new concrete floor for the shower.

I also started building a cabinet for the kitchen downstairs. We bought a small sink and refrigerator, when it's done, there will also be a microwave. This week we need to get the shower tiled and then I'll build a glass block wall to take the place of the shower curtain. After that a new sink and vanity and a bed, tv and some furniture and we'll be done. I think we budgeted about $2,500 to redo the downstairs and even with the cost of professional electrical work, we should make it.

When we're done we'll have a 400 sq. ft studio with a kitchenette, queen size bed and a foldout sleeper, probably space to sleep 3 comfortably. After inquiring with our friends who own guest houses in the area, we figure we can get anywhere from $45-$55/night during the tourist season, November to May. We don't plan to rent it out all the time, we have family and friends who will come visit, but if we can rent it out for even 1/3 of the time we will more than make our remodel investment back in the first year.

Or so we hope. I think we really are working so hard to complete the space so our friends and families will visit. We feel so lucky to have found and settled in such a beautiful place and want to share it with those we love. So let us know when you can come!