Rick Scholtes stands among the supplies, tools and equipment he is utilizing while remodeling a home he and his wife, Sue, purchased. When complete, the house will not only provide a place for Rick and Sue to live, it will also be used for Sue’s daycare business.

When people are looking for a new home to purchase, there are always a lot of items each individual has on their list of things they want in a new residence.

In the case of Rick and Sue Scholtes of Blue Earth, one of those necessary requirements was enough space for a lot of little kids to run around. Not their own kids, who are grown up, but the space was necessary for the daycare business Sue runs in their home.

“We were on the lookout for a newer house that would fit us and have the space for the daycare,” Rick says. “We found this one, but the asking price was higher than we wanted, and it also would need quite a bit of remodeling.”

Eventually, the price of the house at 331 Tanglewood Lane, was dropped down to where it came in the price range of the Scholtes’ budget.

That was back this past summer, after it had been on the market for some time.

“The closing was set for August, but it got delayed until October, Halloween,” Rick recalls. “Luckily we could start some of the work on the house before that because it was empty.”

Rick worked on the many projects starting late last summer, and all fall and winter. He is now getting close to completion of the work, and they plan to hopefully move in later this month.

The list of home improvement projects is rather extensive, although there was no major demolition or reconstruction necessary. Some of the work was to modernize the home and bring it out of the 1970s. Other projects were necessary because there was going to be a daycare operated in the home.

They totally remodeled the kitchen and one of the three bathrooms in the house. That bathroom received a total remake.

“In those two areas we did tear everything out and replace with new,” Rick says. “New cabinets and countertops in the kitchen, new stove and microwave. We are moving the refrigerator and dishwasher from our current house as they are pretty new.”

They put in all new flooring throughout the main floor. Some of it is vinyl plank flooring and some of it is carpeted. They re-textured most of the walls and painted all of them, on the main floor. Wallpaper and wood paneling wainscoting were removed. They also put in many new windows on the main floor where needed.

“I redid all the electrical outlets and replaced most of the light fixtures,” Rick adds.

To make it work as a daycare center, Rick had to put in a second exit/access in what had been the living room. He cut a doorway in the end of the living room area that is near the door to the garage. The Scholtes plan on using that former living room as a large dining room area, as they also have another living room/family room area that is in the back of the house.

One of the changes to the house that had been done by a previous owner is going to work out perfectly for the plan for continuing the daycare business.

Two bedrooms on the main floor had the adjoining wall removed to create a large open area in the front of the house. It is complete with a large closet on either end of the room that had once been two bedrooms.

“I really don’t know why someone did this,” Rick says. “But this is perfect for our main daycare area.”

The walls were all textured and painted and new flooring and windows installed.

“We put carpet in one half and just flooring in the other half,” Rick points out. “That makes for a sitting area and a play area.”

The master bedroom is very large, and part of it might be used for a nap area for the daycare. It also has two exits, one through an attached office space.

Much of the basement is finished off, with a large room, a smaller room, a bedroom and bathroom, as well as two very large storage areas.

“I plan to remodel the basement also,” Rick says. “But that is down the road. We were just trying to get the main floor done first, so we could move in and move the daycare here.”

The inside of the house is not the only area getting a facelift. Rick started working on the yard last summer and fall, also.

“It had been unattended for a while and it needed work,” Rick says. “We took out a lot of the shrubs and bushes that were around the house and along the back yard. Then I planted grass seed all over.”

Still to come is a privacy type fence in the backyard, also needed because there is going to be a daycare in the house, with kids playing outside.

Rick adds that he has an R/O system installed as well as a new water disbursement system that includes the ability to turn off water to various areas of the home, if necessary.

“We kept the water conditioner from our current house, as well,” he says. “So some of the improvements are not noticed by any visitors.

Now all that is left to do is to make the big move and get everything set and ready to go, Rick says. And hopefully, that is going to be done pretty soon.

“We are really close to being able to move in,” Rick says. “And we are excited about that.”