Blood, Sweat, and Pig's Ears: Wrapping Up the Detached Garage

Response to TV Show Viewers: Post 1 - January 23, 2026

Response to TV Show Viewers: Post 44 - May 1, 2026

In home rehabbing, the value of extra space to work out of and store materials in is immeasurable. A garage, basement, and detached outbuilding like a barn or shed make a reno easier, which over the course of the project, whether it’s weeks, months, or longer, saves time, which likely also benefits the budget. And these are major biggies.

I’d overlooked this value early in my career, until I had a rehab with nowhere to overflow into. This meant moving things around my available space on the inside a lot, more than would have been necessary if I’d had space that didn’t need to be reworked and rebuilt.

Eventually, this asset on prospective properties was just one of others that I learned to factor in as I combed through listings and cruised for next projects. And by 2013, it was something I no longer had to be hyper-aware of.

The Summerville property had two garages: a detached one-car in back under the live oak that was older than the house, and the other next to the kitchen that was enclosed as part of filming the pilot. Although it was supposed to have been completed, time ran out and it was ready for me to finish. It wasn’t a lot of work, but enough to keep me busy throughout the month of April 2014 as I waited.

The completed effort had included a sweet new garage door replacing an old one that dramatically fell from its tracks while pilot cameras had been rolling. Along with this fancy unit, the two-sides of this building facing the back of the house had been painted yellow. But that was it. The rest was ready, beckoning me to freshen it up.

Along with addressing rotten wood and buttoning up the paint job, this shed needed soffit, fascia, and new trim. But there was potential to make a larger, more impactful splash. So, while I was completing this part of the property’s makeover, I decided to move the man door from the back corner to a new spot that lined up more ideally with a rogue section of concrete jutting out from the pad under the grand tree. Not only was I able to capitalize on a mysterious, inherited quirk, it would also allow me to make better use of the space inside. In addition to moving this door, I installed another entrance on the back side and popped in some windows. Then to top this enjoyable make-work off, I installed what would be a brick border up to the relocated door and then mixed up a little over a yard of concrete to complete the walkway.

In the wake of the time spent waiting, and the two weeks of filming the pilot, I appreciated the authenticity of completing the detached garage, on my own, without anyone needing my narration and commentary or to be feeding me dialogue that may be used to tie scenes together in post-production. More than when the people from LA and Minnesota had been working with me, I felt comfortable, assured, and like my old self. And that time, in a great town, under the canopy of the beautiful tree on my property with so much potential, was a good place to be.