Due to the crappy windows and water coming into the basement we are going to have to put off our debt snowball for a year as well as take out a small loan to get some home repairs done.

This summer we will need to:

Put in all new windows in the upstairs and two of the downstairs windows.

Take out the 55 year old windows from our garage (garage is over half glass and used to be a three season type room I guess) and board and insulate the areas so that we can make it look like a real garage that doesn't freeze and get moldy due to window condensation.

Put in a new garage door to replace our rotting cracked wood one.

Put more insulation in the attic.

Put in a ridge vent on our roof to aid in better circulation.

Put new doors in the garage since there are only 2 screen type doors now.

Rip up our rotting deck (water seeping into the basement issue is under the deck) and put up a new one.

Landscape the back of the house. We will need to do this asap because it will be part of changing the grade behind the house to keep the water out.

New gutters and new siding. This will need to be done because the garage will require new siding due to taking out all the windows and we already have 2 diff. colors of ugly siding and I don't want to add a third.

We will have to hire much of this out because dh is not handy but we will do the following on our own:

Tear out old deck

Take down siding

landscape back yard.

Not very frugal but it will make the house healthier for all of us.

:hug: It's worth it, Bobbi Jo. We're in a similar place. Coming to realize we have to do some improvements/repairs on the house now instead of later. Sigh. But investing in your house is so worth it.

sucks to have all that to do but your house will be much better off when you are done. good luck...hang in there.

Definitely worth it!! And really, you are going to be making your home more valuable so that is great!

You might be able to get rebates from your electric company for some of the energy-efficiency improvements you're making. Let them audit you and recommend the stuff you already have on your list if you have a rebate program. ;)

Well, it is a bummer but nature of the beast with homeownership I guess. man I hate that beast. lol.

You might be able to get rebates from your electric company for some of the energy-efficiency improvements you're making. Let them audit you and recommend the stuff you already have on your list if you have a rebate program. ;)
That's a really good idea. I'd forgotten about how much you can sometimes get from the power co.