Chimney and other jobs...What a summer it was...the final chapter

Close up view of our ugly chimney with
festive holly growing on top. 

I think the biggest expense on our home has been the chimney, which was in very poor shape when we purchased the house. I've mentioned it in blogs several times, notably here and here, and I'm hoping this will be final major repair to the chimney and the flue. The final contractor repair involved capping the chimney including removing the vegetation, and resurfacing. It was the same contractors we used for past work, Chimney Solutions and I can't recommend them enough. They are friendly, efficient, and do good work for a reasonable price.  The work was split over two days as they needed for the concrete to dry before completing the second day. The finished job was remarkable and it was really shocking how much the new chimney improved the look of the house.

I took it upon my self to repair and repaint the chimney below overhang. First, I had to repair some  cracks, chips, and then caulk the entire joint between the chimney and the house. However, the biggest hurdle on this job was attempting to match the color of the house. After several trips to the Home Depot paint center, I finally brought a chip from the stucco and the paint expert managed to match the paint, even adding some "dirt" account for differences across the home surface. The final result was an incredible match. You can't hardly tell the difference, even up close.

Your favorite blogger well
 up a ladder.

A couple of the neighbors came up to me after the job was done and remarked how nice it looked. Their comments reinforce my belief that the old chimney was really an eyesore and probably the number one thing that was detracting from the look of the house. Both Cindy and I are very pleased with the way it looks and how it improves the home.

We are so pleased, in fact, that when it came time to begin to place the Christmas lights this year, I decided to shine to spotlights on that north side of the house. With the leaves off the trees, that side of the house is easily visible through the park from Grand Boulevard and it looks nice.

Finally finished.

In other news, the struggle continues as we try to find a color for our sun room/bar/breakfast nook. We are trying to find a bright yet relaxing aquamarine that will help brighten the room. I plan to put a wood stained wainscoting on three of the four walls so I want a nice bright color for contrast, and hopefully it will also brighten the mood of anyone in there. We are up to about a dozen or so paint samples so far and are still looking. Oof.

Finally, the tub started leaking again and did a bit of damage to the kitchen ceiling. It turned out water was leaking through the floor next to the tub so I repaired the area next to the tub and caulked the seam. At the request of Cindy, I ripped out much of the caulk in the tub and replaced that as well, No leaks were coming from within the tub itself, it was more of an aesthetic thing as my caulking skills continue to improve.

That's it for now. Everyone have a wonderful and peaceful holiday. Hug someone close to you and keep them nearer to your heart.