My Battles with Renovation Addiction

Today is a special, yet difficult post to write since I am sharing something that is more personal. Since I sold The Duplex, I have been traveling on my own path of recovery from Renovation Addiction.

 

RA is not something people discuss openly, but those days are on the horizon, and I am honored to be part of the solution rather than the problem. Pretending has been unhealthy, unfair, and frankly just plain wrong. So, I am writing this as part of my own multi-step program for healing, but also to help others come to terms with their own circumstances. 

My happy smile was masking the sad truth
... my burning need to build stuff.

It may come as no surprise that my issues are rooted in my childhood, playing with blocks while watching Captain Kangaroo or in the backyard in the sand. Soon, I moved onto more challenging play, became obsessed with Legos, erected towers with my baseball cards, and teamed up building hay forts in our barn lofts. My family didn't intervene and I realize now that they were my first enablers. I still love them, but as part of my recovery, I must identify those who've aided me on my travels down this dirty, dumpster lined road. This is not blame, I'm just trying to move forward. 



Getting my fix w/ harder
things in the 90's.

Simple maintenance tasks may not be of concern though. For example, regularly changing a burned-out light bulb, switching the heating and air filter every thirty days, or using a Phillips screwdriver to tighten a leaky faucet. These are routine, normal, and perhaps fulfilling chores for a homeowner or even a renter. But the gateway tasks that can lead to renovation addiction are the things that DIYers need to be mindful of, perhaps even with vigilant awareness.     

 

If you or your loved one is regularly

covered in grime from demolition or

other DIY endeavors, it may be time

to have a serious talk about

Renovation Addiction

For me, college was when things really escalated. I lived in a rented house, and one weekend, someone punched a hole in the wall. We were young and needed to save the money. I was up for the challenge and repaired the damage. It looked good and my roommates were pleased, showering me with praise. Once again, I was surrounded by enablers who were unknowingly adding fuel to my RA fire. Adulation with the rush is part of what comes with the gateway tasks and from there I found myself working summers traveling with construction crews pouring concrete foundations and erecting water tanks. Before I even realized what was happening, I was hooked.

 

Other examples of gateway projects may be wainscoting in a dining room, ceiling fans in every room, or crown molding in the master bedroom. Replacing things in the house that are not even broken or damaged are signs that someone may already be on the slippery slope that is RA.



These non-honey-do type chores are dangerous because for many, they lead to harder and harder challenges---kitchen renovations, master suite additions, decks, pergolas, and extensive landscaping. Construction of detached outbuildings! The madness can be all consuming with families watching helplessly. 

Many people can do small projects recreationally and stop there, but others miss the red flags and lose control. People like me suffering from RA simply fail to know when to say when. 

Building an 8' house of cards as a way of coping with
the occasional March Madness blowout... this may
be a Red Flag for someone suffering from RA.

Nicole Curtis, the host of Rehab Addict on the DIY network and HGTV is the most famous person to step up and opening admit that she is "addicted to rehab." Congratulations Nicole! You're on your way. As I've written before, I'm a big fan of Rehab Addict, but if you find yourself dumpster diving for building materials like NC (or myself), you may have a problem.

In addition, if you find yourself falling in love with the challenge of buying and saving a condemned house (I'm here as well) then maybe you need to talk to someone; a close friend, a member of the clergy, a counselor, or perhaps someone in your family who has struggled with a DIY compulsion of their own.

The thing to remember is that if you are showing these signs, you are not alone and there are people out there that will help you. But you have to come to terms with your overpowering desires to fix stuff that isn't broken or your obsessions with re-doing things that look good already. Admit that you have a problem, look in the mirror and say, "I am a renovation addict." Then, get help. Tomorrow is a new day and April 2nd, but today is the first, so Happy April Fool's Day.

Rehab Addict Nicole Curtis: Restoring Homes to Their Former Glory

In the early 2000's, before all the popular house flipping shows, I told someone that I was self-employed buying and renovating run-down houses.  "You can make a living doing that?" the person asked surprisingly.  I didn't know how to answer back except to shrug and say, "I don't know, but I'm doing it."

Then, not too long after this I started hearing about the people on TV that bought, renovated, and quickly resold houses in a 30 minute episode.  Folks would learn a little about me and ask excitedly, "Oh, are you a house flipper?"  However, I'm really not a flipper.  To me that's always a quick turnaround kind of deal that takes a few weeks or months.  That's not what I do.  Taking on properties that no one else wants is my thing.  These are houses that need seriously reworked.  Realtors, other general contractors, investors, dreaming DIYers, or want-a-be house flippers pass on the properties I take on because their wrecks.  Houses that are really bad have been really good for me.

In the last year and a half, others have started to compare what I do to Nicole Curtis' projects and what she does on Rehab Addict.  For me, this fits better than the house flipper comparisons.  My wife was the first to make this link.  We'd have RA on, Nicole would start preaching her wisdom and my wife would say, "That's what you always say."  Or it would show the freelance renovator salvaging something that had been thrown out and it was like my wife started to get me a little differently as she said, "That's something you'd do."  Maybe it looks better on camera than the way I explain at home, covered in dust and dirt at the end of the day.  I don't know, but I appreciate the way Nicole Curtis has helped people understand what we do. 

Nicole Curtis in Action on
Rehab Addict (HGTV, DIY)

In the Rehab Addict intro, Nicole explains how she restores homes to their former glory. I've loved all of my projects, but I don't really think they've had much former glory.  So in that way I guess we're a little different.  My Pig's Ears have all pretty much been jacked up messes with nonconventional or unorthodox additions that have people shaking their heads and questioning my sanity.  When someone's really being nice they might say something like, "What are you gonna do with this thing?"  I recently tried to explain how the Rehab Addict and I differ like this: 'I don't restore homes to their former glory, but I do make them better than they've ever been before,'  However, to be clear, these houses are beyond fixer-uppers with no where to go but up.  (See my Projects.)

So when I get mentioned with Nicole in a blog like Mom and Her Drill or someone hears me describe what I do and says, "Hey, that sounds like what Nicole Curtis does,"  I like it.  We're saving houses that others don't want or can't save, showing people it can be done.  I'm proud of that.  It feels good and a lot more natural than being called a house flipper, that's for sure.

See Rehab Addict Nicole Curtis on DIY

Welcome Back Rehab Addict

As I've written plenty of times before, I like listening to sports radio while I'm working and my preference is discussions about college and pro football over anything else. 

The completion of Super Bowl XLVII marks the end of football season and the return of the DIY network to our house.  Rehab Addict Nicole Curtis and the network that broadcasts her popular show are not two things that get considered together regularly, but around here they do because of our pay television packages.  In the fall when football starts back up, we upgrade our pay channel package to include the sports channels.  I only want ESPN and ESPN2, but I have to pay for ninety-eight other channels and to make things worse, they pull DIY from our list of options as part of this upgrade.  We still get HGTV, but Rehab Addict is really a DIY show. 

If I wanted to have ESPN and DIY we'd have to jump up to an even bigger package, and this doesn't make sense for our family.  It's just a waste plus a lot of what we'd get is no good for a house with small kids.  And along with this I'm not interested in writing checks for hundreds of TV channels we won't watch any more than I like wasting time or throwing away building materials that can be salvaged.  

Rehab Addict is a show I really like sitting down for.  I love the attitude of the show and the can-do spirit of NC.  Rehab Addict features my kinds of projects and the people who watch Curtis' show are the same types of DIYers that read my blog; hands-on rehabbers or people with a dream of renovating a rundown home of their own.

Like Nicole C. I love the challenge of buying and resurrecting houses most others don't want and we consistently preach similar messages; we share a fondness for ignoring naysayers, we're big on salvaging and recycling things others send to the landfill, we each take pride in solving issues with our heads and stretching our dollars, and neither of us hesitates to roll up our sleeves to get down and dirty when we're the best person to knock out a task.  In addition, we each have our own time-tested approaches we're proud of and comfortable with.  And I think Nicole enjoys encouraging others to do what we do as much as me.

I really love to renovate run down homes and I feel like I get a little fix of my own each time I watch an episode of Rehab Addict.  It's great to see someone take on their projects the way I do, and I especially love the moments when my wife watches along and says, "Hey, that's what you always say."  

So as much as I'm sad to see the football season end, I'm glad to have the DIY Channel back. 

Appreciation for the Radio (January 26, 2012)

Rehab Addict Nicole Curtis on DIY  (April 24, 2012)

The Detached Garage at The Fire House

The Carport/Storage Building at The Fire House

Having extra space under roof in the form of a garage, carport, barn, basement, or storage building is ideal and it's even more significant on a house being renovated because of the need for space for storing or using your tools, materials, &/or equipment.  

The Fire House (Before) had originally been a 1100 square foot, three bedroom, one bath ranch.  Previous owners had transformed it into 1800 sf when they added a master suite on the back and transformed the attached one car garage into extra living space. 

  

Before.  The first pic. of the Carport/Stor.Bldg.
Not much to look at, but something I was glad to have.

When I took ownership there was a structure in the back that was a carport with a storage area.  This detached building had room to park one vehicle and an enclosed area perfect for a mower, lawn tools, yard games/toys, stuff for the beach, etc...the sort of things people pack into a garage.  It was valuable space and I was thankful to have it. 

When I finished the renovation of The Fire House (After), I decided to make some adjustments and turned the carport/storage building into a two car garage.  I framed up the walls and the opening for a large garage door then salvaged siding from the storage area.  (I made the original siding work without buying more because vinyl fades a little over time and I wanted everything to match.  Reworking what I had was a little tricky, but it was possible and I was glad to be able to make it work.) 

Once the walls were framed up, I started to prep for the 350 square foot concrete slab.  (This is where I was on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001.)  

I like finishing concrete.  I learned to do this type of work during my summer breaks from college when I worked construction building glass and steel water tanks throughout the Mid-Atlantic States (Penn., WV, Maryland, Va., Ohio).  Finishing the concrete on the DG was fun, but on that day I decided that finishing 350 sq.ft./6 cubic yards by myself is my limit.  It turned out well, but that much solo wore me out and it almost got away from me.  If there's one thing you don't want to get away from you, it's concrete.  Once it's set that's it.  Fortunately, I kept control and things turned out just as I had planned...until Mother Nature had her say and my detached garage burned back down to my pretty slab of concrete.  

   

After. 
A few months later, the oak behind it got struck by lightening. 
It burned down before I got a picture with the 7' x 16' garage door.

Fire #2 at The Fire House

The Mystery Plant from the Duplex

Can Anyone Tell Me What Type of Plant This Is?

I appreciate trees, bushes, and flowers a little more with each passing year.  And, as much as I enjoy watching things grow taller and fuller, I'm also aware of the value these plants bring to my properties.  Whether I'm building a spec home on a vacant lot or renovating one of my Pig's Ears, I make a serious effort to leave trees stand when possible and I'm mindful of salvaging the living things in the ground much the same as I do with valuables inside the home or around the property.  

While I was renovating the Bungalow/Duplex, Lisa (one of my favorite realtors) stopped by to review my progress.  Lisa is clearly the E.F. Hutton of all of my projects because when she talks, I listen.  Over the years she has unleashed a solid list of valuable suggestions, so when she told me to save a plant in the front yard at The Duplex, without a second thought I made plans to dig it up and relocated it to our yard. 

I replanted it at the base of a magnolia tree we have and it blooms every summer about this time.  However, I don't know what it's called.  Neighbors have asked me, but all I can give for an answer is a shrug to go with my crooked smile.  

So if you know, tell me in the comment section below or send an e-mail.  (Link found with profile).    

The Duplex Before - The mystery plant is at the base of the corner fence post.

The Duplex During.  The fence and plant are gone.

The Duplex After

See also:

The Detached Garage at the Bungalow

Subdividing The Bungalow and The Duplex

Step 4 - Pull Out the Valuables 

NC's Bathroom Redux on Rehab Addict

I've taken some of my own advice, kept an eye on the television schedule, and caught some more Rehab Addict on DIY.  I was able to see the Bathroom Redux episode this week and as I said before it's all really good stuff.  Nicole Curtis, the shows host, was working on her Harriet House which is an 1890 home that's now upper and lower apartments.  Along with a list of other demolition and renovation tasks, Curtis and her team demoed some walls to expose the interior so they can bring plumbing and electrical up to code, blew insulation within the cavities behind the laths on the perimeter walls, and trimmed out around a radiator (with a removable top).      

Nicole knows the value of the before/after pictures and video (see Step 1 - Pictures, Pictures, Pictures!) so we all get those looks of what they started with.  The bathroom at the beginning of the episode was jacked-up.  If you lived there and had to use the before bathroom, you'd really question the need of bathing everyday or you might buy a membership at the nearest YMCA and shower over there.  It wasn't the worst bathroom in history, but there may have been a few science experiments growing in there.  It was not good.

After they demoed the trim and framing funkiness around the claw foot tub (that was kind of wedged into a hard to use corner/nook type area), Curtis got to work.  She prepped and refinished the claws and underside of the tub, the tile team installed the chosen basket-weave pattern on the bathroom floor, and then the tile crew knocked out the subway tiles on the walls.

Afterwards, it was completely different...like a spa or some great bathroom you'd find in a Bed and Breakfast somewhere.  It was spot-on and it made you want to shut the door, fill the tub, and have a good soak after a long day.

I almost forgot to mention the exposed brick they discovered and revealed.  I missed how this turned out, but I will see it down the road because I'm watching the schedules even closer and looking forward to seeing how the Harriet House Duplex ends up when Nicole and her team are finished.

Rehab Addict Nicole Curtis on DIY  April 24, 2012

Nicole Curtis Going Non-Conventional on Rehab Addict  May 10, 2012

Rehab Addict Nicole Curtis On DIY

If you've read at least one of my previous posts you won't be shocked to learn that I've found time to watch more than one episode of Rehab Addict on DIY.  The shows host, Nicole Curtis, is passionate about renovating and takes on homes that others think are beyond repair.  She doesn't just point her finger and tell hired tradesmen what she's wants done, she rolls up her sleeves, grabs a shovel or a hammer, and is part of the fun.        

I've only been able to see Rehab Addict a few times.  I saw Curtis re-purpose some garage doors into a basement wall and incorporate an old soapstone wash sink into one of her bathrooms.  In another episode she transformed the bathroom of a client and found an old wood door to use as a headboard.  (see The Picture Window at the Bungalow).  She did some dumpster diving in another show and candidly (and without reservation) explained how most of her furniture was discarded as trash by previous owners.  Now, this may not sound as exciting and dramatic as demolishing an old house and rebuilding a new one in a week, but that's not what Nicole (or Blood, Sweat, and Pig's Ears) is about. 

I can relate to how Curtis finances her addiction.  In the intro of one show Nicole explains how one of her project houses isn't selling quickly enough and because of this she's having to put her own home on the market for sale.  This is the reality of a freelance home renovator.  My wife calls it a feast or famine way of life.  When I'm waiting for the next buyer, I start to think of different ways to generate cash and selling a property is always an option.  On one hand it's nerve racking, but on another it is exciting and is one of the things that makes Rehab Addict subtly intriguing for people who don't live this way. 

So, if you haven't watched Nicole Curtis in Rehab Addict, and you love renovating like I do, then you need to check the television schedule and sit down for a thirty minute episode.  It's good stuff.     

NC's Bathroom Redux on DIY (May 5, 2012)

Nicole Curtis Going Non-Conventional on Rehab Addict (May 10, 2012)

Welcome Back Rehab Addict  (Feb. 9, 2013) 

Step 7: Shift Into Salvage Mode

          After you get the keys and make the home secure, you need to get busy emptying it out so it’s wide open, ready for you to spread your rehab wings and fly.

Circumstances may allow others to skip this step, but my pig’s ears have all come with more than their share of left behind stuff. It’s been the rule rather than the exception to find clothes in the closets, dishes in the cabinets, and helpful things in the junk drawer. 

This is when you should call for a dumpster delivery or come up with some other way of hauling trash away. You don't need to spend time on unusable things more than just once. As a rule, I always find out what I have in the house before I let any contractors inside, because I don't want everything to be thrown out. The things I usually save from the dumpster fall into one of two categories: sellables and useables. 

Sellables are anything valuable that folks would like to buy if they know you have it and are willing to sell it. Sometimes I turn these treasures into cash, selling them online or to people who will resell them in a shop or store. But I’ve also saved some interesting finds like special books, sports collectibles, fun chotchkes. And I always pocket any marbles I find—on last count, my cache came to over five hundred. 

One of my favorite salvaged items is a vintage milk bottle. I was a toddler in the Midwest when the milkman was becoming a thing of the past. Yet I still remember Mom going to the metal box outside our front door and pulling out the cow juice. Not only can I tell the kids about this pre-school memory; I can show them an example of how the milk used to be delivered to our porch. What makes my quart container even more special is that it still bares the label of the dairy farm once located in the town where my wife was born.

Next are the usables; things you suspect will be able to help you in the renovation. These are left-behinds like tools, pieces of hardware, miscellaneous materials, and anything else that might serve some purpose during the project. Think along the lines of Tom Hanks in Cast Away. Remember how his character kept those ice skates? He didn’t save them for figure skating, but just in case… which ended up having important uses; a tool to open coconuts and also pop out his abscessed tooth. It's simply practical to hold on to your usables.

Moving something throughout the rehab may still be better for the budget and schedule than driving to the store to replace a usable that you casually threw away. Gas is expensive, and you can take this from me; your time and money will be better spent if you make the most of anything valuable that’s been left behind. However, if you find yourself moving something a lot, something you’re not using, take that as a sign that you probably aren’t going to need it, and get it out of there.

Jump to Step 8: Clean the House Out

The Picture Window at The Bungalow

It will come as no surprise that I am a big fan of This Old House; the television show, the magazine, and the web site.  The current issue (Jan./Feb. 2012) of my magazine subscription put forth a question:  How have YOU used salvaged architectural details in your home?

In 2008, I bought a Pig’s Ear to renovate in Charleston, SC that we call The Bungalow. Although this 50 year old house had not been condemned, it should have been.  The roof leaked, the heated and cooling system had been abandoned, there were plumbing leaks, the electrical system was a mess, floors were caving in, there were serious structural issues, and without question it was the ugliest and worst home on the street.

The Bungalow - Before

The Bungalow - After

After I addressed all the major issues, I had one minor matter that was solved with a salvaged architectural item.  My task: a space within the heart of the home needed some natural light.  The solution:  replace window panes in the home’s original picture window with equivalently sized mirrors and mount it on an interior wall to create the illusion and feel of a window.  I understand that this is not an overly original idea.  However, I will take credit for carefully removing the window during demolition and then storing (and moving) it safely throughout the two year renovation until I needed it. 

This mirrored pictured window not only added natural light into this part of the house, but it brought charm and an element of craftsmanship that was not costly or time consuming.  Since I salvaged the home’s original picture window my cost for the frame was $0.  It took a couple hours to safely remove the glass panes, a little time for two coats of paint on the frame, and two or three more hours to buy and install the twenty 11” x 14” mirrors which I bought from a glass shop for $3.50 apiece (although I had quotes for twice that).

Eating Area - Before/During Renov.

Eating Area - After  (Same view)

When renovating a house, I always make an effort to redesign it to feel bigger than its actual square footage.  The Bungalow was one of these homes and the mirrored pictured window helped to make this feeling come about.  The wooden frame made it look like an authentic window and the mirrors created an effect of openness and light that felt real as well.  Most people (but not all) weren’t fooled and knew what the mirrored frame detail actually was, but what made it so gratifying for me was that it created something necessary and at the same time special because I was able to repurpose part of the original house and incorporate it within the interior that was all (except for the wood floors) new.   

Picture Window with Mirrors Installed