Fun with Asbestos Abatement

No really, it's fun! There is such joy in paying $5,000 . . . no wait! Make that $10,000, in asbestos removal. For an added bonus, you should try making sure that when your new home is first inspected for the presence of asbestos, all your electricity is off and the windows are boarded up. It really adds a hide-and-go-seek air to the whole party. And the element of surprise is, well, something you'll be remembering for years to come.

It really does look ET

Those that know me, know that I'm always finding a silver lining. Even though this carcinogenic storm cloud blew our money out the door, it did give us immediate motivation to prepare the space for the abatement crew. This meant we had our first experience removing a few things from the house. Like the kitchen. And this kitchen was nasty.

Night time work

"You guys are nuts"

After the long time resident Mary Pierce had died, the house was vacant for a few years. During that time, it appears it was broken into and used as a drug den. The kitchen was so gross: carpet tile that was encrusted with who knows what, a sink that was stained with who knows what, rotted wood cabinets from a leak who knows when, and the general feeling that mold and maybe more asbestos awaited us beneath those carpet tiles. So we took extra precaution, and we rocked that look. Hard. Core.

Removing the kitchen was, of course, very therapeutic. It felt good to FINALLY get things moving, even if it was only to prep for work that others would do. John and I have been committed to deconstructing the house, keeping materials for reuse as we can, and generally approaching things with an air of respect. I've actually felt myself honoring the history of this house, this structure that was home to families for almost 100 years, as I've helped to take it down. 

The kitchen removal opened my eyes to the history of this house and all the treasures that can still be found. Apparently the 1960's were a good time for this house, resulting in a kitchen remodel with what must have been the rage: the Lady Kenmore series. Along with the calendar, penny, and green stamps that we found under and behind cabinets, the Lady Kenmore series appliances gave us a good glimpse into the past of Lazy Fox. These things were gems, and would have warranted recondition had they not been in such a state of decay. I salvaged two pieces that I felt where the most iconic, and have hopes of turning them both into light fixtures at some point.

The top rack of the Lady Kenmore dishwasher

Even a garbage disposal has style!

All of this was done in November of 2012. We're closing in on a year since this first moment of deconstruction . . . and the house still stands very much the same way it did then. BUT, we are moving along at a good clip now and I have faith we'll be breaking ground soon.