Sub-contracting 101 in 100 Days

Twenty years is a long time to neglect basic maintenance of any home and yard. Add in the effects of 350 days of sunshine each year plus a couple decades of style changes equals a bunch of work to have done. Or in this case do myself. My first 100 have included everything from clearing away countless overgrown trees and brush, trimming around cacti, building up the rock yard, patching sun/heat worn holes, seemingly endless exterior painting. There’s probably more but that’s most of the heavy exterior stuff. On the upside the time outdoors is great; much more up my alley to spend my days out in the fresh air vs. inside. The scenery and views from the neighborhood are great.

 

In addition to maintenance there’s been plenty of work on exterior improvements. Screening the wrought iron entryway door  has been a top-notch idea. It’s a small entry yet large enough for 2-3 pups to sit or lay and look outside through the new screen. Nothing better than fresh air and light streaming through the front door. 

Another big win was installing new doors and hardware; replacing the bland leftovers with some fresh colors has had the typical biggest impact.   By quick estimation in 100 Days I’ve worked through 9-12 months of work if done on a more typical weekend and long evening schedule. In fact I often plead for a rainy or cold day to send me indoors to pay more attention to indoor work. Enough work still remains to keep me self-employed on my own house for at least the next 12 months. To date this has made up the largest amount of the ” + ” of AMPS+. I’ve learned a ton, some about myself and a bunch about taking care of a home in the desert. Final grade for First 100 Days of home-contracting work: A-.   Very close to an A given some big wins; but a few stumbles right out of the gate as well as the occasional bump are holding it down.