Couple taking on home project

May 18, 2008 01:05 am

— By Robert Barron
Staff Writer

The past two years have been busy for John and Sarah Brennan, but the work on their house has been worth it.
They live in a home built in 1906 in Enid’s Kenwood Historic District, in the northwest section of downtown Enid. Since purchasing the home, they have done remodeling and restoration work themselves, a massive project for a couple who practically are newlyweds.
They purchased the house at 320 W. Elm in March 2006. Sarah admits to being in love with older houses and liked the house the first time they drove by it.
“I like the presence of older homes, and I could tell from peeking through the windows that the interior has ornate woodwork and it is unpainted,” she said.
Brennan said she likes the roominess of the house and wants the room when they have children. She also likes projects, and the house has been a major one. When they first began working on the house, John’s parents still lived in Wyoming, and they came to Enid to help with the work.
“We started ripping down wallpaper — I’m not a fan of wallpaper — and there was Styrofoam ceiling tile we tore down and put up drywall,” she said.
They spent many 14-hour days working on the house, which for some may have been a test of the marriage. Brennan called it fun. She sells real estate for Home-Sellers, and her husband is an information technology analyst.
“A lot of memories are already here. His skills are different than mine, and I only remember one real bickering we had,” she said.
Brennan said she likes to see how much she can do for the least amount of money, plus being a real estate agent she knows a house can be over-improved. She estimated they have spent $25,000 to $30,000 so far. Anything they could not do, like the electrical and plumbing work, they hired a professional.
The four-bedroom house also has an attic; a full, unfinished basement; and two full bathrooms. They ripped out plaster walls and tore up subfloors throughout most of the house.
“Every time we see the end, we think of something else we need to do, but the major work will be done as soon as we finish the major bathroom project we are doing now,” she said. “We get along really well. We have separate strengths, and it has helped our relationship.”
In the kitchen, they walled over a doorway access and have stained and placed polyurethane on the floors throughout the house.
In the dining room, they replaced light fixtures. They also painted the living room, put down new floors and put new hardware in the bathroom downstairs.
Upstairs, they painted and walled up some openings and replaced plumbing and electricity.
Half of their time has been spent fixing things other people have done, she said.
“I don’t know if we’re crazy or ambitious,” she said.
When things get frustrating Brennan said there are many people in the neighborhood who have done the same thing and she can always get advice. She is proud of what they have accomplished, but she said older homes are not for everyone.
“It requires a specific type of person,” she said. “They require a lot of attention, and it’s not for everyone. They take constant maintenance, but it’s well worth it. There is a tremendous sense of pride, not only that you did it but you did it with a house most people wouldn’t have.”