Plumbing Woes

Ay yi yi!!!  More plumbing woes!  The cast iron pipes?  Need to be replaced…the water heater was installed today.  He checked out the cast iron pipes because Chris pointed them out to him.  It’s a good thing that I did NOT try to fill the tub/kitchen sink and then drain it.  If I had?  I’d have flooded my entire house!  They’re all backed up and disintegrating.  I told him I noticed that when I ran the water in the kitchen sink.  It wasn’t draining right.  So the plumber is going to have to replace those now too with PVC pipes on Monday.  Installation of water heater was going to be $500.00, don’t know about this new piping issue but thank god the plumber is a good friend of my brother’s and likes me.  He said he’d work with me and he wasn’t going to charge me full price for the installation today.  He will get back to me later with the, hopefully, final bill for plumbing.  Right now the original cost to replace the pipes he did was $2700.00.  Add $1376.00 for the water heater alone and I am at $4076.00.  I imagine the next estimate to be about $1,000.00?  So over $5,000.00 for plumbing. 

Next comes the landscaper, who finally called me back.  He’s going to cost me $1900.00.  I am meeting with just a tree dude tonight right after work.  If his estimate is lower to cut the trees down, I will use him.  I also scheduled a meeting and estimate with a different landscaper for Saturday.  So we shall see if I can possibly save any money there.  Now remember, NONE of these estimates include rebuilding the retaining wall.  Chris said he can do that, and he and my brother can repair the existing fence. 

Next big ticket item is the heating/air conditioning.  That’s going to cost me $9,000.00.

Please pray to god that Chris’s brother steps the fuck up and does the electrical work…he said he would because he owes Chris $5,000.00 and wants it taken off his tab.  I gave Chris the $5,000.00 that his brother owes him anticipating that his brother the master electrician would do the work in the house.  (I know, don’t look at me that way…).

I tallied up all the money I’ve spent so far at Home Depot and for renovations…this includes the plumbing so far and I am at $9,300.00.   
 
I’ve already decided, if I wind up having to spend all my money fixing this house, at least it’s done and I am okay with it.  At least I am not wasting it or blowing it frivilously.  Right?  At first I was starting to panic.  I’ve never had any real money, you see.  So seeing my bank account at a HIGH 5 figures was exciting and for the first time in my life I felt safe.  But as everyone keeps pointing out to me?  I am investing this money now…"consider it an investment".  So that’s the way I am retraining myself to look at all of this.

I hope to god I at least have money to get my new living room set, tv stand and dining room set.  COME ON!!!!

Yes, just agree with me.  I am hoping against hope, however, that I can at least sock away $5,000.00 in an emergency fund in case any repairs are needed down the road.  To either the house or my car.
 
I have to laugh…everyone told me this was the joy of being a homeowner and "welcome to the poor house".  I have to laugh, hell, I was born in the poor house, lived my entire life so far in the poor house.  It was nice to be semi-rich for the few months I was. 

At least if this is ALL done I won’t have to (HOPEFULLY) worry about this shit for many years to come.

*bangs head on desk while laughing*
Tell me this eventually ends?  Even if you have to lie to me.