Summer is a busy time at the Michigan Fiji house. It’s the time of year when we are able to bring in contractors to do major repairs to maintain the physical structure. This year, we invested over $40,000 in a new boiler for the heating system, roof repairs, painting, kitchen upgrades, and some bathroom repairs. Since it is an older house, we must budget for such repairs every year. In addition to these structural upgrades, we must also account for various types of fraternity “wear and tear” that can only be determined once the brothers move out for the summer and we are able to assess the situation.
Fortunately, the necessary repairs this year were slightly less than we had originally budgeted for and the brothers left the house in reasonably good condition. As a result, the Housing Corporation decided to spend an additional $15,000 upgrading the living room with a new dry-walled ceiling (vs. drop down panels), new recessed lighting, and a completely new and refinished hardwood floor.
The decision to invest in the living room was made for a number of reasons. First, it’s the first thing guests see when they enter the house besides the entryways. Second, it is where many of the fraternity gatherings are held, which includes social events, alumni reunions, parents’ weekends, new member recruiting events, and brotherhood events. During the times where there isn’t an organized event, brothers use the space for general lounging and TV watching. Since this common area is a place where many college memories are made, we wanted to make it a little nicer than it has been in the past.
Attached are some picture of the work in progress.
New Ceilings
New Hardwood Floor
New Grease Trap (Not very sexy, but it increases functionality)
New Below-Counter Cooler (Again, not very sexy unless you are the chef)
Last modified: December 20, 2023
