Fixer-Upper, Kimball Style

Jim Cederburg and his wife, Donna are technically retired, but... they have spent the last twelve years buying and "fixing up" dilapidated houses throughout Kimball. The whole process started when they were in the market for a house and thought they could purchase one and fix it up as opposed to buying something already in prime shape.

"When we started this endeavor I could work about five hours and was exhausted, but now, twenty-three pounds lighter" and a few years older, "I can work ten hours a day."

Jim and Donna are currently working on their ninth "fixer upper" which is located on Oak Street. Some houses they have purchased through foreclosure or bankruptcy, but not always. All of their previous "fixer uppers" are currently rented and Cederburg bragged on their renters."We have great renters."

Last summer's house took the Cederburgs five months to fix up, it was "trashed" as they put it, on the inside, this entailed massive cleanup and demolition to do.

As with any project, there are unforeseen issues, the house on Oak Street that the Cederburgs are currently working on needed a new furnace, new electrical, new water and drain pipes, which they were aware of, but they were forced to deal with some structural issues on the house that surprised them. They also replaced all the windows and doors.

The current project house was built in 1915 and was the typical four room house on a large lot and a half. An addition was added to the rear of the house in the 1960s. After blowing in insulation, replacing rusted out metal kitchen cupboards, updating the bathroom, scrapping 100 years of wallpaper, they are now preparing to put new siding on the outside of the home.

As a native of the Kimball area, Jim said he felt like they are "improving Kimball, one house at a time".