TV Show(s) Update

The DIY Network
Wed., Oct. 19th
7-11pm


American Rehab Charleston
7-10pm

Restoring Charleston
10-11pm

We're on the schedule for this Wednesday, October 19th on the DIY Network from 7pm to 11pm.  The first 6 episodes are the re-airing of American Rehab Charleston.  This is the Country Victorian project (also known as The TV House) that originally premiered on August 28, 2014.

The two brand new episodes are premiering as Restoring Charleston.  The first five episodes of this season will be the transformation of The Queen Anne-Craftsman and the concluding three shows will show how we renovated The Newlyweds' Cottage.  

We started the search for these homes last November and worked on both projects this summer.  These were challenging projects, but the homes held so much potential and I'm excited to share what we did and how we did it for everyone starting Wednesday. 

The Bungalow

The Bungalow was part of a larger, three building renovation project that also included the Detached Garage (see The Detached Garage at The Bungalow) and a rental property next to it that we call the Duplex.  Although this 50 year old home had a countless list of pressing issues (some clear and obvious, but others hidden behind drywall), it had great potential.  It had four bedrooms, two closets, and one bathroom.  It also had a living room in the front and a large den in the back of the house (that I really believe had been originally added as an attached garage). 

The property held one beautiful live oak tree in the front yard and another in the back between the house and the Detached Garage.  These grand trees (and the oaks around the Duplex) created a canopy above the three structures that made it feel like you were inside even though you were outdoors.  The world above my dilapidated challenges was home to families of squirrels, bluejays, cardinals, and a pair of woodpeckers.

I have renovated properties that have been officially condemned.  This experience leads me to believe that The Bungalow would have qualified for the city's red tag if a code enforcer from the building department had come by for a visit.  The roof leaked, there were floors collapsing in more than one room, the heating and cooling system had been replaced by window units and space heaters, and the plumbing and electric were functional, but were hodge-podged through-out and not up to code.  

Along with the issues that would have made the home legally uninhabitable, there were other things that made the flow of foot traffic awkward and thrust the Bungalow into the Pig's Ear category.  It was a wreck.  Half the outside was painted blue and the other half was brown.  There was no uniformity with the doors, windows, or the interior and exterior trim.  It had two back doors, the fire place ate up too much valuable square footage in the den, and the chimney was falling away from the house in the back.  There were unfinished handy-man projects inside (drywall, painting, misc. carpentry) and there was trash, debris, and left-behind belongs by previous residents everywhere.  

I felt at home immediately.  There was no where to go but up.  I knew what to do and how to do it.  All I needed was time.

The Picture Window at The Bungalow

Subdividing The Bungalow and The Duplex

You Can Do It

I wrote in my preceding post (Step 9) that renovators working solo or as a team need to get a handle on their own capabilities before banging away at the walls.  Although I believed that it had to be included as the next step on my list, I also felt conflicted about posting it because I want to encourage people to renovate and writing about limitations feels like it's going against that attitude of encouragement.  I love resurrecting the run-down properties I buy and really want others to experience home renovating as I have.  My bottom line message is: You can do it.   

 

There's nothing wrong with getting a hand from friends (or hired help), but don't sell yourself short either.  What you're able to do is likely somewhere in between doing every task on the project and getting out of the way, watching all the action from a safe distance, and then writing checks.  Step 9 - Know Your Limitations is intended as a reminder of that.  

Most of you probably learned to ride a bicycle as kids, but you certainly have a few stories about spills you took as you learned to ride.  The first time I rode a two wheeler, I was clueless about the breaks and stopped when I rode into the side of our barn.  As you arrive at the down and dirty truths about what you're capable of as a do-it-yourselfer, you may have some wipe-outs. (see Vinny Had the Right Attitude).  Furthermore, you might find yourself in a jamb and maybe you'll have to call a professional to get you out of your predicament.  It's okay if that happens and just remember that it's part of the business of renovating your own house.   

If you have a home renovation dream of your own, go for it.  Just remember to be careful and exercise basic caution, discretion, and common sense.

 

It's Possible

Blood, Sweat, and Pig's Ears is all about doing things other people say can’t be done. 

Growing up, my friends and I loved the Rocky movies. The Italian Stallion often pulled off impossible victories. Other than his devoted wife Adrian, and maybe his coach Mickey, others were convinced the street thug would be unable to hang with Apollo Creed. But he did it! He went the distance. Then in Rocky II he defeated the champ in the rematch. Maybe this iconic character ignoring skeptics influenced me more than I’ve been willing to recognize.

When someone says, “You can’t turn a pig’s ear into a silk purse,” they’re saying you can’t do the impossible. Fine, I get that. But impossible is in the eyes of the evaluator. There are plenty of folks out there ready to pour cold water on the plans and dreams of others, whether you’re excited about renovating an old house, starting a small business, running for public office, or doing just about anything others judge to be beyond them. What I’ve found is that when someone feels compelled to say, “You can’t do it,” what they’re really letting you know is that they believe they can’t or are mystified about how you’re going to achieve your objective. 

Impossible is a powerful word that should be used judiciously. Perhaps that’s why people find ways to work around it. Still, I'll share something now that utilizes that word. It would be impossible for me to name all the times people heard details of my house renovation plans and let me know, with attitudes of authority, that the path I laid out was impossible to travel.

Now to be fair and accurate, I’ve also had lots of support and encouragement from people who have been excited about my projects from the beginning to the end. For example, strangers walking by stop and say things like, “The house is looking great. Keep it up. We can’t wait to see how it turns out,” or “We’ve been waiting a long time for someone to come and fix this place up.” And one of my favorites was a man I’d never met and only saw once. This fella was bursting with enthusiasm as he walked by shouting, “You’re doing it man! You’re really doing it!” That sort of encouragement is fuel. I’d apparently converted this guy into a believer and I sure appreciated him letting me know how he felt. 

But there’s a third category of people that seem to consistently migrate to each of my pig’s ear projects; people who are curious to know how I do what I do and how they can do the same. I love to encourage other people to follow their dreams and although my writing will be exemplified with knowledge and experience from renovating my own houses, in many ways the lessons are applicable to anything other people think are beyond reasonable consideration and effort. In twenty years working in the construction industry and a decade renovating extremely run-down homes, I’ve come to believe that if someone tells you something is impossible, directly or roundabout, and you don’t even try, then they will be right. 

So, if you have a big, outrageous dream, home rehab or otherwise, treat any obstacles as if they’re Clubber Lang/Mr. T in Rocky III. Don't let those challenges bust you up. Embrace the profound wisdom of Sylvester Stallone through his beloved big screen icon Rocky Balboa and “Go for it.”