According to Urban Legend... #2

The urban legends of M&J's house continue when we discuss their (former) back door.

 

The back door had been an issue even before M&J purchased the house. Back in January of 2010, on the first day they went looking for their future home, M&J walked into this house and (J more than M) said "No way. Absolutely not. I will NOT buy this house." Oops. Never has J eaten words like she did in April when they purchased it...

 

They walked in to this house and they could not help the fact that they were fixated on that back door and how small it was:

 

We removed this home from our list of options for many reasons but, a few short months later, found ourselves purchasing this home and deciding to gut the kitchen and start over. After gutting the kitchen, we not only found a way to get rid of the door, but found out why there was such a little door there.

 The Last Photo of the Old Back Door

Number one:

The cabinets obviously took up so much space on that wall that the only door that would fit had to be 18" or smaller. So, when a former owner went to put in a door, they had two choices - tear out cabinets for a bigger door, or just buy a door that fits in the spot. Guessing they chose the option resulting in less work... and now, who's suffering?!?

Number two: 

That door had not always been there - after pulling out the stove and dishwasher, we found washer and dryer hook-ups. Obviously they had not always been located downstairs in the utility room, for whatever reason. This would explain why there was never a back door on the back of our house until it became the "cool" thing to do and everyone built decks on the back of the their homes and (obviously) needed a way to get outside.

Number three:

After lining up a local company to remove the old door, cut the brick on the outside of our home to create a larger opening, and install the new door, we found out how old that "hideous, ancient camper/trailer-house door" actually was - a whopping 6 years old. The purchase sticker, found on the outside of the door frame, showed that it was purchased in 2004. Sure showed more age than 6 years to us, but the proof is in the purchase sticker...

 Inside View of the New Back Door

Outside View of the New Back Door

Now, M&J are much happier with their new back door. The shades are a wonderful addition and it really comes in handy to have 36" to move through rather than 18" - especially when you're moving in modern appliances like a 35" refrigerator.

 

M even loves CLEANING the new back door...