Front Porch Improvements- Phase 1

Toward the end of July, I started getting a few estimates on replacing the metal railing in the front of the house (It was the very last item on my 2012 List). We have a 500 sq ft area in the front of my house I lovingly refer to as "the basketball court". Its awkward! There is half a cement wall topped with metal fencing, columns topped with excessive lighting and a broken gate. Here is a glimpse back before we moved in: 

The area to the left in the photo above.

I decided I wanted to replace the metal fencing with something vinyl and less ornate to blend in more with the house and our style. I got two estimates: One from the company that replaced our fence and the other a local company recommended by my mother. Both estimators were sure to remind me to take the existing fencing to the scrapyard as they believed I would get a decent amount for it.  The estimates came in within $100 of each other but wanted permits and surveys. I didn't really understand why since we were not adding anything or going anywhere near the perimeter of my property. I decided it was more than I was ready to take on at that time.

We have been saving money, hoping to tackle this project before the end of the year. About three weeks ago, I passed a fencing company while driving to the office and they had a different style of vinyl pickets that I LOVED. I called and scheduled an estimate for the following week. The estimator was a former mental health professional so immediately we hit it off. He came in with the best price AND stated no permit was needed! After reviewing everything with Tim, we decided to move forward and are scheduled for new fence installation on 11/29.

So last Wednesday, I decided we should take down the existing metal fence, load it in the truck and take it to the scrap yard. This is what it looked like when we started:

Taken from the front door, looking left. 

Taken from the front door, facing the street. 

And this is what it currently looks like:

It definitely feels a lot more open! We took the metal fence to the scrap yard on Friday and got a grand total of $16.20 which was definitely a disappointment! This project will be ongoing and likely occur in phases as the budget permits. I finally have a vision of how to utilize this space but there is still a lot to be decided. This weekend we will be patching and painting the stucco in preparation for the new fencing installation. We still haven't decided which lights we want to keep nor have we picked out new fixtures. We haven't decided on the flooring either: tile, stamped concrete, or pavers. The goal is to build a fire pit, add a rug and a conversational piece. No idea when this will all get done but it is nice to finally have a direction for the "basketball court".