#home renovation quote

[allstarrenovations]

Getting a Home Renovation Quote in Sydney

Having a home renovation quote in Sydney can be an important step if you are considering doing some work on your home. This can help you make a decision on whether or not to do the renovation yourself or hire a professional. It can also help you save money.

Kitchen renovations are the most difficult undertaking

Whether you are planning to sell your home or you just want to upgrade your current kitchen, you should understand the process before you begin. If you don't have the time or money to renovate your kitchen yourself, you may want to hire a design specialist to help you plan and manage the project.

The best kitchens are ones that are functional and attractive. The kitchen is the center of your home and should be welcoming and inviting. In order to make it appealing, you may want to add some features, such as new appliances, new cabinets, flooring, or countertops. A fresh coat of paint can also help to change the look of your kitchen.

Full structural renovations can cost up to 40% of the current value of your property

Whether you're looking to sell your house or just want to make it more comfortable, a home renovation can be a great way to improve your living situation. Renovations can increase the value of your home, add comfort and liveability, and improve energy efficiency. It's important to plan carefully and choose wisely, however, as renovation costs can vary greatly.

In Sydney, full structural renovations can cost up to 40% of the original property value. While you can make minor alterations yourself, more complicated projects may require the services of a professional.

A full structural renovation can include removing a non-structural wall, installing an additional floor, adding lofts, or cladding the entire exterior. Some changes require approval from the local council. You may need to get a building permit, which costs $400 to $1,800.

DIY a home renovation or hire a professional

Whether you decide to hire a professional or DIY your home renovation, there are some things you can do to get the job done right. In addition to using good tools and materials, there are also some steps you can take to ensure the job is done safely.

If you decide to DIY your home renovation, consider the time it will take to complete the project. Some home renovations may take weeks or months to complete. You may also have to relocate your home to complete the project.

The most cost effective option may be to hire a professional contractor. They will have the equipment you need, including tools and materials. They may also charge less than you would expect.

Average house value in Australia has recently cost the threshold into $1 million

Across Australia, the average house value has recently surpassed the million dollar mark. According to a recent study by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the average house cost $1,066,133 last year. That's more than four times the previous record of $640,700.

While the number of homes for sale has plummeted to a four-year low, the average house price hasn't followed suit. This means that the broader housing market is a long way from being a bottom-up resale market. The Reserve Bank of Australia has recently submitted a submission to the Inquiry into Affordable Housing.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics' aforementioned household Expenditure Survey shows a big jump in household disposable incomes. This, coupled with record low interest rates, is fuelling the house price surge.

Cost of building materials has increased by 500% in Sydney

During the first three months of 2022, prices of goods used in residential construction ex-energy rose 6%, with softwood lumber index up 36.7%. These are the latest figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Producer Price Index report.

Prices have surged due to a number of factors, including a pandemic, a lack of building labour and a stretched supply chain. The House Industry Association expects increased cash flow pressures on builders as the demand for new homes slows.

Construction industry bodies are warning that the industry is heading towards a 'perfect storm'. This is due to a combination of factors that are already putting strain on the supply infrastructure in Australia.

How to save money by doing some of the work yourself

Getting a home renovation done is a big deal, but it doesn't have to break the bank. You can save money by doing some of the work yourself, and you can also save money by shopping around for a cheap contractor.

The best way to save money on a home renovation is to plan your project well. To do this you'll need to decide on the scope of work you want to do, how much money you have to spend, and who will do the work. You can get the most bang for your buck by shopping around for multiple bids.

You can also save money by doing some of the work yourself, such as repairing or replacing an older home's electrical, plumbing, or wall material. You can also save money by buying recycled or reused building materials.

[celestialmazer]

The more I see Pamela Anderson the more I like her 😂 chaotic kween

Pamela Anderson's Family Home Renovation ep 3

[brightdeadthing]

- untitled DIY project, 12/05 | g.r. | advent challenge

[flawciana]

Good morning

-Jae★

[comparehomequotes-blog]

All services under one roof. Get 3-5 quotes for each service

If you're looking to sell or buy a property in Canada, including Quebec, Compare Home Quotes is here to help. Whether you're located in Sherbrooke, Trois-Rivières, Montreal, Quebec City, or any other city in the province or country, we provide a platform to compare offers from local professionals who can assist you at every stage of the process. Are you currently in need of: • Selecting a real estate agent • Finding a reliable building inspector • Choosing a real estate notary • Finding a reputable mover • Selecting a renovation contractor Compare Home Quotes brings together a wide range of services related to buying or selling a house. To get started, simply fill out the quote request form on our websitehttps://comparehomequotes.ca/ with your contact information and selection criteria. Our team will carefully match you with professionals who best fit your needs. It's a free service with no obligation, available 7 days a week. Our offered services include: • Renovation • Home Inspectors • Real Estate Agents • Paving • Telecom Packages • Heat Pump • Landscaping • Prefabricated Houses • Movers, Storage Services, Boxes/Packing Supplies • Home Expansion • Mortgage Loans • Air-Conditioning Systems • Insurance (Life, Home, Car, Mortgage...) • Property Appraisers • Alarm Systems • Notaries • Excavation-Drainage • Kitchen Cupboards • Home Automation • Hot Water Tanks "

[edenxzahav]

Eden’s Tag Dump!

[wyndowpane]

LOTR in a modern world headcanons? I think yes.

I did this on one of my old accounts that i ended up deleting for some reason, i don’t remember, but here. Back on my Lord Of The Rings BS, let’s gooooo. This’ll be the fellowship with everyone intact, no one is dead.

As always requests are open and let me know if you want more!

LOTR x GN! Reader, general headcanons for if you had to take care of them today, in 2023. Enjoy!

The ring most likely has no power in this dimension, so yay Frodo is free from torment!

Sam loves watching cooking, gardening and home renovation shows, and he gets very invested in the former two. You learn a lot you didn’t really need to know from his commentary

Once Pippin learns about pyjamas and fuzzy slippers he never goes back, you literally cannot get him out of them

Boromir and Aragorn, being human and coincidentally two of the most responsible members of the fellowship, are the easiest to take in public to the grocery store and such.

You can pass off the hobbits (if they cover their ears with their hair) as children, and Gimli is your friend with dwarfism.

Gandalf you can pass off as your grandfather, and Legolas looks pretty normal if you cover his ears.

Pippin is the type to bounce in his seat in the car and ask “Are we there yet?!” every 5 minutes

Frodo really likes to draw, especially when there’s so many cool places and movies to draw inspiration from.

Movie nights? No horrors. The hobbits are terrified by ‘em.

Movie nights are literally so difficult because they all have such different tastes

Merry really likes James Bond movies.

Pippin is obsessed with nail polish when you introduce him to it. Boromir gets his repainted every time the polish come off. His nails need serious help after a while

Pippin and Merry often start pillow fights, and drag everyone else into it

If you have space for a garden or plants in your home, Sam is on it. He finds it calming, so now you have some home grown plants :)

Taking the hobbits in public? Bad idea. You can trust Frodo and Sam, but Merry inevitably drags Pippin off to do something dumb and possibly dangerous.

Gandalf has an old man rocker. There is no discussion.

The hobbits do the classic “getting one sibling to ask for fast food because whoever’s in charge will say yes”, they get Frodo to do this because he has the best puppy dog face and he’s unsure about asking for things normally.

Pippin and Merry cannot handle too much caffeine or sugar or they go crazy

You thought Legolas’ hair was good before? He steals your hair care products and his hair is literally perfect.

(He’s also willing to do skincare with you, not that his face needs it. Again, flawless)

Game nights are so chaotic. You can’t play a lot of games since they don’t know what many things from this world are, so games like Trivia and Charades are off the table

Gimli and Legolas verse each other in video games, often enough it ends with Legolas winning and Gimli rage quitting

Aragorn is so responsible he’s literally the perfect man to do anything with, and he can hold the fort down if you need to leave

Pippin is so clingy, he trails you wherever you go and asks you random questions but it’s adorable

Boromir insists on carrying your stuff, bags of groceries, all that

Frodo often goes to the library to find new books to read, with you of course

There’s a whole debate on whether 3D or 2D animation is better, i would not get involved if i were you.

Pippin and Merry are also avid fans of quoting their favourite movies, once they see them

Legolas and Frodo are the best listeners, they will just sit there and not judge or try to give you advice they just. sit there. like the perfect men they are.

Legolas would have a meme for everything. Like any situation. You text him like “PIPPIN FELL DOWN SOME WELL WE DON’T EVEN HAVE A WELL HELP” and he just has a meme that fits the situation perfectly.

Frodo and Legolas would watch Avatar: The Last Airbender together because it’s their favourite show. Aragorn jumps in also.

Those three are also avid tea drinkers.

Boromir likes Game Of Thrones. I don’t know anything about it, he just does. Please confiscate Pippin while he does.

Pippin gasps dramatically whenever a plot twist surprises him.

Sam loves to cook, and he does a lot of cooking in the house once he arrives. You two just work together in the kitchen (if you can’t cook, he’ll teach you) and have nice sweet conversations

Legolas is great at doing people’s hair. If you ask him to, he’d probably agree, though he’d probably be a bit flustered as that is a courting ritual in his culture.

Ask Legolas to talk to you until you fall asleep. His voice is so heavenly istg-

The hobbits get sleepy when their hair is played with and it’s adorable

Won’t lie this hyperfixation came back then it circled back to TMNT and today i watched these films with my friend and now i’m back to LotR love. Most of this has been sitting in my drafts for a couple weeks.

Anyway, I think that’s about it from me, I hope you guys enjoy! :)

If you want to request, rules are pinned on my page! Let me know if you want a general part two or a set of modern headcanons for a specific character. I love LOTR in the modern world content so much.

Have a good day, and remember that you are loved!

[schrodingers-deadbitch]

Half A Corpse

Chapter One

The soft hum of the radio filled the silent car ride, the four bodies inside somewhat anticipating what was to come. It had been a couple of days since they had left the ruins of Amity and were making their way to their new home in Gotham.

If any of them had their own way they would have stayed in Amity and mourned what they had lost. Every Amity Parker would have, even Dan. But with some prompting from none other than Clockwork, they all made their way to their new homes. Where was that? Wherever their hearts took them.

Most, like the Nightingale's, left for Gotham. Others, Metropolis. Some strayed from the trend and moved to places like Central City or even far into the countryside. But it was as Clockwork said, and they went where their hearts took them.

“This place smells of death.”

Jazz couldn't tell if her sister was complaining or not but she wouldn't blame her if she were.

“Haven't you been to Gotham before?” She asked, her eyes drifting upwards to the rear view mirror to look at Dani, only to see her sitting upside down. “Also if you keep that up I'll be the one going to jail not you.”

“It was actually the first place I went because I thought it was interesting,” She said while shifting herself into an upright position “but I could sense that it was someone's haunt so I didn't intrude.”

“Good thing you didn't. She doesn't have the ability to deal with many of the issues within her city but Lady Gotham is a powerful spirit nonetheless, and doesn't do well with outside ghosts.” Dan stated, putting down his book to give his full attention to his little sister.

“Well if that's the case why did she let us in?”

“Because Clockwork and I asked very nicely.” Danny yawned at her. He was still waking up from his nap. He was very, very tired.

Dani didn't ask any more questions. She was already off of that topic and was now observing the city around her. She was completely enamored. Fascinated by how well both the modern and gothic architecture complemented each other. To her (and probably everyone else in the car);

“It gives dark academia vibes, ya know! Just modern. And with lots of crime.” Her voice filled with awe and wonder.

“Excusing the fact that you've been on the internet too much as of late, it would have been better if there was a little more sunlight.”

They all couldn't have agreed more. True to every Gothamite's words, the sun did not shine in Gotham. And with all the smog, probably never will.

From there on the car ride was filled with convocation. Everyone had something to say about their new city. Their new home.

***

Danny never thought that he would be having a conversation with Sam about what it meant to be low-key but here he was.

“Yeah, I know you said that you wanted something low-key but there was no way I was going to let you guys live in some shabby apartment. So I bought a place and renovated it for you guys.”

Danny rubbed his temples feeling a headache coming on. “Yeah okay I thank you for that. But what's the cafe, book shoppy thing down bottom huh?”

“Well you guys said that you wanted to be self-sufficient.” Sam stated as if that would answer his question. Based on pure context alone it did.

"Sam, you know we literally live in a place called Crime. Alley. Right? I know we border the Narrows but that's not the point.”

She sighed. “You guys refused my help because you said it would ‘feel like using me’, “ Danny could just hear the air quotes from over the line, “but let's face it! Jazz is doing college full time and you and Dani will be going to school. The only person left to work in Dan. And no offense to him but he looks shady AF.”

A shout came from the other side of the house informing them that no offense was taken.

“Anyways,” she continued “Dan looks hella shady. And from what I can tell, no one's gonna hire a shady person. Especially if they come from Crime Alley or the Narrows. The only work he would probably get is from a shady garage or joining a gang and doing straight up crime.”

Danny sighed and shook his head, plopping himself into one of the beanbag chairs Sam furnished the house with. She had a point and she was also painting a clear image in his head about how that would work out.

“Besides, I set up a protection circle after renovations were finished and I've gotta say it's the best work I've done yet.”

He could feel Sam's pride through the phone. She was probably puffing up her chest like a peacock.

“Yeah I felt it coming in. I don't know shit about magic but I could tell that it was pretty good. What does it do again?”

The next hour was filled with endless chatter between the two. It became even longer once Tucker joined the conversation.

Jazz couldn't help but watch her little brother talk so animatedly with his friends. He just looked so happy. Like everything that had happened to them didn't even happen. It was kinda unnerving. What she was seeing here, the happy go lucky boy she saw in the orphanage all those years ago, and what she saw a couple back just wasn't adding up. That couldn't have been her brother. It couldn't. But it was.

Her breathing was becoming ragged as she started to shake. She sighed in relief feeling the presence of Dan beside her.

“He's going to remember, you know.” He said, handing her a cup of jasmine tea. She took it gratefully and Dan continued. “Clockwork said that the seals would break eventually-”

“He also said that he needed a trigger.” She snapped at him. After a moment of realization she apologized. He continued.

“CW doesn't do anything uncalculated Jazz I just want you to know that.”

“What do you mean by that?” She asked, her voice quivering a bit.

“He had a whole life before he met you, Jazz. One he doesn't remember. That should say something sis.”

He walked away before she could say anything else.

@emergentpanda-blog

@epilepticnerd

@justwannabecat

@wind02summer

[peachdues]

🍄 🪐 🍬 🥐 for the writers asks!!!

🍄 ⇢ share a head canon for one of your favourite ships or pairings

Sanemi Shinazugawa can and absolutely will cry during sex because he’s overwhelmed by the intimacy and emotion behind it, but he’ll try and hide it by burying his face into your neck (and he’ll VEHEMENTLY deny it if you point it out). I’ve included this in my HCs in my upcoming NSFW alphabet because I feel STRONGLY about it.

🪐 ⇢ name three good things going on in your life right now

1. Despite the fact that work is kicking my ass rn, I’ve been doing really well/have received a lot of praise for my work product

2. Sam and I are finally starting to renovate the upstairs of our home and we have plans to turn the old guest room into a gaming/cozy reading room. I’m very excited.

I love spring and I love the flowers blooming!

🍬 ⇢ post an unpopular opinion about a popular fandom character

Just because Kyojuro Rengoku is a positive, inspiring, older-brother type figure to younger slayers doesn’t mean he’s emotionally stunted and doesn’t experience the full range of human emotion. Flame breathing stems from passion and passion means all emotions — not just the good ones. Reducing him down to a happy, go-lucky dumb puppy dog is a disservice to his character.

🥐 ⇢ name one internet reference that will always make you laugh 

Kylie Jenner going “shriiiiiimp” and then “HAAAA” while trying to get her food to cool off in her mouth. Sam and I quote it to one another all the time.

[live-laugh-legolas]

The fellowships favorite shows

Aragorn:

-He’s big into shows like Forged in Fire

-Also How it’s made

-He has seen every Bob Ross episode

Legolas:

-He had a Stranger Things phase but now it has died off and he will watch the new season but isn’t invested in the way he was initially

-And also the X-Files

-He’s very into those supernatural based shows

-He fully believes in aliens

-He also loves The Office

-And he gets a bit too invested in The Olympics

Gimli:

-The Bachelor/Bachelorette

-He’s very passionate about watching these shows

-And gets far too invested and will yell at the screen

-He will put aside time to watch new episodes

Boromir:

-Treehouse Masters

-Or any of the home renovation shows

-He has no place in critiquing “design taste” but he will do it anyway

-He is convinced he could do a better job with the DIYs

-He can’t

-This man does not know how to use a hammer

-He gives me Hallmark channel vibes

Frodo:

-Chopped

-He always gets annoyed when the ad break happens right before they reveal who is getting “chopped” despite being fully aware that this is how the show works

-He will also play along with Wheel of Fortune and Family Feud

-He “wins” every time but unfortunately no one knows because he is in his living room

Sam:

-Too Cute

-What a great show

-He also is into any of the talk shows that interview celebrities often

-He’s very into Hollywood culture

-The Great British Bake Off

-Obviously

Merry:

-I’ve talked about this before but he’s big into RuPauls Drag Race

-He also enjoys Animal Planet shows

-He gets super hyped for Shark Week

-He will go around the shire talking like a nature documentary narrator

-“and here we see a wild Samwise in his natural habitat. These creatures are fond of the quiet life, preferring to religiously tend to their gardens with flowers to hopefully attract a mate. This particular one has his eyes set on a creature called Ros-“ and then he gets a tomato right to the face

Pippin:

-Impractical Jokers

-He shouldn’t be allowed to watch shows like this because it gives him too many ideas

-He also watches Keeping up with the Kardashians but purely to find things to quote an annoying amount of times

Gandalf:

-Gilmore Girls

-You can’t change my mind

-Do not bother him while he is watching his show

-That’s his “me time”

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————

These are just pulled from shows I could think of off the top of my head so if anyone has any other thoughts on this topic I would love to hear them :)

I honestly haven’t even seen all these shows lol

[blueiscoool]

Giant Viking Runestone Found Under kitchen Floor in Denmark

A Couple Renovating Their Kitchen in Denmark Found an Ancient Stone Carved With Viking Runes

The stone may be one of the oldest and rarest of its kind, and is now being studied by experts.

When Lene Brandt and her husband, Anders Nielsen, were preparing to tear up the linoleum floors in the kitchen in their home in the village of Mosekær, in Denmark, they probably expected the normal things that occur in the course of such a project: cost overruns, delays, and problems with contractors.

Instead, what they found was an ancient artifact. The couple stumbled across a nearly 2,000-pound stone, measuring more than six feet long, carved with ancient runes. The couple contacted local experts at the Museum Østjylland. Staff archaeologist Benita Clemmensen is quoted by the cultural news site Skjalden saying that these stones are the sole written records of the Viking Age.

Five runes can be found carved into the stone’s surface, reading “aft Bi,” which can be translated as “after B.”

“The Mosekær stone is probably to be dated to the eighth or nineth century because of the formula ‘After… ‘, i.e. ‘In memory of’, placed in the beginning of the text,” senior researcher and runologist Lisbeth Imer, with the National Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen, tells Artnet News. “It correlates with an eighth-century runestone on Fyn, the Flemløse stone with the text ‘After Hróðulfr stands this stone; he was… priest/chief. Sons placed in memory. Ávarr coloured.’

“It most likely is one of the oldest runestones in Denmark,” she says.

The museum has dubbed the stone a treasure, meaning it legally belongs to the state.

New rune stones are found only every five or 10 years, Imer says, “so it is a rare find.”

Imer tells Skjalden that only about 20 rune stones from the eighth century have been discovered in Denmark. These early stones are very significant, as there are approximately 200 known Viking Age rune stones (dating from the 700s to the 900s) throughout the country. Norse literature is dense with references to runes, which may have served as magical signs to be used in charms.

The area where this rune stone was found has proven particularly rich for archaeologists, yielding some 44 such artifacts.

[celestialmazer]

Jonathan, yes 🙌😂😅

Pamela Anderson's Family Home Renovation ep3

[billdecker]

The Mills & Boon book I'm reading, Gentle Savage, continues to be incredible. Here's what's happened so far...

At 17, Kelsey is kissed by her father's friend and business associate Marshall (I know, ew), who is in his mid-20s and constantly calls her honey-bee (yet another ewwww) then fast forward four years and it's the eve of her 21st birthday and Marshall is randomly taking her out for dinner.

Kelsey works at an interior design place in London and is constantly sexually harrassed by the boss's son, Greg, who has ever proposed to her. Anyway, so Kelsey goes to dinner with Marshall where they eat some weird fish and almond on lettuce concoction, and there are many ladies there with their dates who are staring at them because he's dated them ALL. He is the most man is have ever men'd. Before dessert they go for a slow dance and. they're joined on the dancefloor by a woman named Jade and her partner Kent. Jade is all up at Marshall and being spiteful but flirting, and then he reveals that Jade is actually married to Kent and, basically, Kent get your wife the fuck away from here before I punch you (yes, he is that dramatic).

The following day is Kelsey's 21st birthday party and Greg is there, drunk, and he's telling everyone from their company that they've been seeing each other so to save Kelsey from SOCIAL RUIN (this book was written in 1993, not 1953), Marshall suggests a fake engagement because Kelsey's dead dad would want him to save her. Kelsey is a spikey young lady and she's not taking any of Marshall's shit. Greg tries to get all gross with her again but Marshall saves her and they announce the engagement and Greg drives off in his sports car.

To also save Kelsey from COMPLETE AND UTTER SOCIAL RUIN FOR SAYING NO TO GREG, Marshall is giving her a job to renovate a villa in Portugal he has just treated himself to. That means she'll get to live over there for six months so by the time she returns she can call off the engagement by saying he's a total cad and people will feel sorry for her because apparently everyone hates him just as much as she does.

The day after that, Marshall turns up to take Kelsey out for a drive and she spots a wedding and she's like, 'Let's watch!!!! The bride is so pretty!!!!!' So they stop and Marshall is suddenly VERY SAD. Turns out he just loves and leaves the ladies as he does with his big masculine prowess because he OBVIOUSLY HAS A DEAD WIFE. We do not yet know what his wife Laura died of, but the bride looks just like her and he is SAD.

He says he's taking Kesley for afternoon tea and they rock up at this manor house but it's not a country hotel like he told Kelsey but his HOME. And he's not a cold, hard headed brute at all, because HE LOVES AND ADOPTS ORPHANED DOGS, and has an old couple called the Rooks living with him who work for him.

By this point they have shared several kisses and Kelsey has realised she is in love with this man, who is only ever described as dark and sardonic, and she is absolutely desperate to bang the absolute life out of him. This is where I've got up to but when I've finished I'll update, but I'll leave you with this amazing quote describing one of their kisses.

'...he was completely still and then his arms went around her, drawing her to him as his mouth plundered hers. His kiss was violent in its intensity, a fierce hot hunger seeming to take hold of him, ripping the veneer of civilisation away in a second of time.'

[comparehomequotes-blog]

Benefits of Choosing Compare Home Quotes

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[geralt-of-baevia]

Call It What You Want: Chapter One

Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three | Chapter Four | Chapter Five | Chapter Six | Chapter Seven | Chapter Eight | Chapter Nine

pairing: nobreakout!joel x f!ofc (Violet Fletcher)

rating: explicit, MDNI 18+

word count: 2.1k

summary: Seeking solace from a painful breakup, Violet relocates to a tranquil town, purchasing a neglected house to renovate. In her new neighborhood, she befriends Harlow, who introduces her to Joel, a gruff and seasoned contractor with a heart of gold. Despite Joel's initial grumpiness, Violet finds herself drawn to his expertise and hidden kindness.

As Violet immerses herself in home renovations alongside Joel, their dynamic begins to shift, with Joel unexpectedly opening himself up to the possibility of love. Their budding relationship faces challenges as shadows from their pasts emerge, testing their newfound connection.

warnings/tags: nothing for now! just lots of light and airy fluff and a meet-cute! but don't worry, it's gonna get dirty 😈! oh, I guess age gap? yeah, that one.

a/n: alright, i've had MAJOR writer's block for a couple years now. I tried to write a Ted Lasso fic last year, but quickly lost steam. But somehow Pedge worked his magic on me and I'm already nine chapters in on this story and 25k words and I'm just now posting it! I hope y'all enjoy. This story means the world to me rn. <3

My keys jingled in the door, and I couldn’t help but let out an aggravated sigh. This was at least the third time this week that the front door was sticking. I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed again, knowing my fate: I would have to crawl through the kitchen window. 

Again. 

As I walked around the back to go in through the kitchen window, I heard a voice calling my name. I looked across the street and saw my neighbor Harlow. She was standing on the last step of her front porch. One of her hands was held up to her brow as a temporary visor, blocking her eyes from the sun. She was shaking her head at me with a big, stupid grin. 

“Girl, is that front door stuck again?” she asked, humor dripping from her faint southern drawl. 

I sighed, crossing my arms in defeat and shifting my weight to one hip. 

“Is there any use in lying to you at this point?” I called back in response. 

She let out a loud laugh. “At least this time I caught you before you god forbid get stuck in that damn kitchen window again, ass up and legs flailing.” 

I laughed at her comment and placed a hand awkwardly over my face in embarrassment. Two days prior I had gotten stuck climbing through the kitchen window when the front door had been jammed again, Harlow coming to my rescue. 

“And I thought you had “finally fixed” anyway?” she asked, doing air quotes with her hands.

“I did!” 

“And how is that working out for you?”

I shook my head with a laugh and flipped her the bird.

“Well, why don’t you come over and I’ll make us some breakfast?” she said, motioning me to come over to her, “and then you are going to let me call my friend who will come and fix your door. And I’m not letting you tell me no this time.”

I knew there was no saying no to her.

----

“Wait, so you’re telling me you just sautee mushrooms and onions, and then put it between puff pastry and a slab of beef?” 

I nodded with a giggle. “Mmhmm. And then you brush the meat with mustard as well.” 

Harlow’s mouth dropped open. 

“I’ll make it for you sometime!” I told her excitedly, “I haven’t made it since culinary school, but I loved it.” 

The doorbell rang and interrupted us. Harlow shot up from her seat excitedly.  

“He’s here!” she said as she made her way towards the front door. She paused for a minute and turned to face me.

“Okay, just a warning real quick. Don’t be put off by the fact that he might be a bit of a curmudgeon,” she giggled. 

“A curmudgeon? That’s such a specific brand of grump,” I said with a chuckle. She shrugged her shoulders before turning back around to get the door. 

The doorbell rang a second time and I heard Harlow shout, “I’m coming! Be patient, Jesus…” 

I giggled to myself and took a long drink of my coffee. Before I was able to set my mug down on the table, I looked up to see Harlow walk back into the kitchen, a tall man following behind her. 

“Do you want some coffee Joel?” she asked him. I watched as he crossed his arms and leaned against the frame of the doorway. 

“Yes, please,” he replied, emphasizing the please. 

I started to stand up to introduce myself, but he caught my eye and put a hand up to stop me.

“Oh, no need to get up on my behalf,” he said, stopping me. I sat back down as he walked the few steps between us and held his hand out to me. 

I took his hand in mine and he gave me a firm handshake. I almost missed him introducing himself to me. I was too focused on how the pads of his hand and fingers were callused, and how it felt against my smooth skin. 

“I’m Joel.”

“Hi, I’m Violet,” I replied, thankful that at least the autopilot in my head was paying attention. A big smile spread on his face, causing his eyes to squint and get crinkly in the corners. 

“As in the Violet that lives across the street in the 1940s fixer-upper?” He had the same faded southern accent that Harlow did. They had known each other for a long time. 

“I feel bad that you seem to know more about me than I know about you,” I said, trying to not come across awkwardly. Joel took a seat and let out an airy chuckle. 

“Oh don’t worry, there’s not much to know about me,” he said sincerely. 

“We both know that’s not true,” Harlow interjected. She sat down at the end of the table between Joel and me, handing him his coffee. 

“Thank you,” he said almost in relief. 

I tried my hardest not to stare at Joel, but I caught myself looking him up and down more than once as we sat at the table and talked. 

“Wait, so what’s goin’ on?” he asked, setting his now empty coffee mug down on the table. I sighed before tucking my hair behind my ear. 

“Okay, so the original door knob kept catching and jamming. Something having to do with the original door knob not lining up correctly when it's closed. I thought putting a new door knob and re-aligning it would work. But then I tried to open my door when I got open, and it was stuck again,” I explained, “so I think it’s past me just YouTubing answers.” 

“Well it’s a good thing that Joel here is a carpenter,” Harlow said, patting him on the shoulder. He smiled another crinkled smile at her. 

“Retired carpenter, but yes,” he said, giving her a friendly wink, “but I can fix that. I bet you anything your doorway is slackin’ and need a new door. Either way, I’m sure I can fix it.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to be a bother-”

“If it was going to be a bother to me, I wouldn’t have come here in the first place,” he said with a knowing smirk. I tried my hardest to keep my blushing to a minimum, but my cheeks still grew warm. 

Joel stood up and clapped his hands, rubbing them together excitedly. “Alright ladies, let's get up and go look at this door.” We all got up and exited the house, making our way across the street to mine. 

I smiled up at the house as we made our way to the front door. Sometimes I still couldn’t believe it was mine. The house had been barely used for almost a decade. Each one of the five bedrooms needed to be redone. And the two bathrooms. And the sitting rooms. It was a lot of work, but worth it. Not to mention a dilapidated house was cheaper to buy than a ready-to-move-in one. I saw it as a way that I get to make the house exactly how I wanted it. 

Once we were at the door, Joel held his hand out to me. 

“Key please,” he said, locking eyes with me as he did. I fumbled into my pocket, pulled the key out, and placed it in his hand. “Thanks.” 

He put the key in the keyhole and tried to turn it, but it wouldn’t budge. He tried turning it the other way, but it still didn’t move. I sighed. 

“How badly did I fuck it up?” I asked. He let out a chuckle. 

“You didn’t fuck it up, the house did,” he said, giving me a reassuring look. I watched as he pointed out areas around the frame on the wall, “I guarantee you it’s like I said, slacking in these places and putting the door off balance.”

“So what's the fix?” I asked, “Is it going to be intense?”

“Not at all. It’s a project I could do and get done by this afternoon. I just need to go get some things for it,” he said, still looking at the wall and assessing. “But I need to look at it from the inside before I can tell. Is there a way to get in?”

Harlow giggled. “Through the kitchen window. I had to help rescue her the other day, though.” 

"I’ll give you a boost this time then,” he said with a smirk. 

The three of us made our way around the back of the house, and I shimmied open the window just enough for me to fit through. Joel squatted down, laced his fingers together, and looked up at me. 

“Ready?” he asked. I nodded in response. I took a deep breath, placed my hands on Joel’s shoulders, and then my foot in his hands. 

“Three, two, one, up.” On ‘up’ I jumped with my foot on the ground as he simultaneously lifted me. I was taken aback a little by how effortlessly he did so, and how I could feel muscles through his shirt. 

I grabbed onto the bottom of the windowsill and pulled myself up as Joel continued to push. He led the foot that was in his hands to his shoulder, where I was able to give myself a final boost and get through the window. I grabbed onto the edge of the counter inside and pulled myself the rest of the way in, accidentally landing in a thud on the black and white kitchen floor. 

“You okay?” Joel and Harlow shouted in unison. 

“I’m fine!” I called back as I got myself to my feet. I peeked out of the window to look at them. “I’m going to go find an easier window for you two to climb through and get it ready.”

I ran towards the front of the house, looking for a window that was lower and easier to get through. I decided on one of the windows that lined the porch. I haphazardly ripped the screen from the window and unlocked it. After opened it I stuck my head out and shouted, “Over here, you two!”

Once Harlow and Joel crawled into the house, Joel immediately headed for the front door. 

“Have you decided on a paint color for this room yet?” Harlow asked me, looking around the room we were in. I shook my head. 

“I’ve decided to keep the wallpaper. I’m just going to clean it and touch up the trim,” I told her with a big smile. She looked around the room at the wallpaper in question, wincing a little at the bold gold pattern on the walls. 

“So, I was right,” Joel said, peeking his head around into the room. He nudged his head for me to come see. I swallowed the butterflies down into my stomach and went into the foyer. He nudged his head again before crouching down by the door knob. I closed the space between us and followed suit, crouching down so that I was at eye level with Joel and the doorknob.

Joel pointed his finger at where the door and the frame joined. “See how it’s not lining up, it's just a little too low.”

I watched as he stood up and grabbed onto the knob with both hands. With a grunt, he lifted the door and turned it at the same time. To my happy surprise, the door opened with no problem. Joe took a step back and placed his hands on his hips, looking at the door with a sense of accomplishment. 

“So, a new doorframe?” I asked as I got to my feet. He replied with a “mmhmm.” 

“Yep. I just need to take some measurements of the door and the frame. I know I have enough spare wood at my place, but I’ll need a new door. Did you say you have the original hardware?”

I nodded. “How much is a new door going to cost? I can get you the money for it.”

He shook his head. “Nah, don’t worry. I know a guy where I can get a good door for cheap. Consider it a housewarming gift.”

Harlow and I sat on my front porch as we watched Joel drive off in the direction of the woodshop. 

“So, I thought you said he was a curmudgeon?” I said, keeping my gaze ahead. 

“He is. Usually.”

She nudged my shoulder with hers, causing me to sway to the side. I straightened up and finally looked over at her just in time to nudge her back, biting at my bottom lip. 

Usually. We’ll have to see what that means. 

[cupids-fiction]

renovating a village in minecraft and every night one leather worker would come to the house i was working on (home of another leatherworker) and during the day they were inseperable

long story short i made them forbidden gay lovers with beds separated by a jukebox as a nightstand with the “wait” disc hung above it, an indoor pet pig called Igor, and an oscar wilde quote hung above the door

i love this game.