Great Blogs, like great TV programs, are seasonal. That’s my theory. Take summers off. Why not? In that spirit, welcome to the new season of Remodeling Guy!
Let’s jump right in!
Create Your Dream Home!
Despite what’s going on in the world, despite what your “bottom line” is financially, regardless of who you are, where you live, or what your style is… you have a dream home! It might change from minute to minute, like mine does, but at any point in time…there is a dream!
I’d say that the room in this picture, which is a product of great minds at Haynes-Roberts, Inc. in New York, fits pretty nicely with my “today” version of a dream home. It has some of my favorite things. Some of which I’ve written about in detail in the past. Things like:
But my favorite thing in this picture is the floor. I LOVE the floor. Here is another shot of it:
It makes me all tingly!
Let me ask you something. When you see this room, this floor, these windows, do you feel the real possibility that you can have this in your home? Or your personal version of this? I say you can and that it doesn’t have to cost what you think it might.
All you need to start is vision! Ideas! Inspiration.
Save Money
During my hiatus from blogging, I’ve been doing a whole lot of thinking. The world just isn’t the same as it used to be and it’s taken some getting used to. Ideas are changing, people are changing. When it comes to houses, priorities are changing. In fact, I’m changing too!
When it comes to my house, I want it to be authentic. I want it to be really ME (er… I mean, US). I don’t want to take this picture and COPY it, I want to create my own environment and I’ll use the picture to inspire. I also want it to tell a story! I want the furniture, the walls, the lights, the paint…ALL OF IT to tell a story.
And I want to do it cheap! In fact… I NEED to do it cheap. My money (or at least the money I thought I had) sprouted wings and flew away. So now, I have to be creative. Good thing I already was!
Authentic. Me. Tells a Story. Cheap. … oh, and one more thing. NOW!
How?
Do it yourself. I’ve been struggling and struggling with how to reconcile the fact that I’m a General Contractor with the fact that I think people ought to do the work themselves. Seems like a contradiction. Maybe it is, but the fact remains that the only way that I (or you) can get all the things I want is to do the work. Hands on.
You don’t have to do all of the work, but the more the better. It depends on your time, your aptitude, your willingness to learn and make mistakes, and your willingness to accept imperfection in the finished product. Imperfect can look really great anyway! Take a look:
How cool is that? This clay work of functional art by Maarten Baas is perfect in its imperfection. Like me!
Don’t Forget The Story!
When you work on your own home, you build more than an improvement. You build a stockpile of stories that you can remember and share for years to come. You not only have a new bathroom, you have a crazy story about the exciting removal of the old toilet, or the plumbing joint that wasn’t quite water tight. That’s part of the value, a big part.
The money you can save doing the work yourself is hard to even measure. If you’re patient and relentless in your search for cheap materials, you can do major jobs for hundreds, not thousands, of dollars. It’s all about how much time and energy you have to put in. And about what you’re willing to do to get what you want.
And, in many ways, you just might reinvent yourself in the process.
The New Season of Remodeling Guy
I’ve had my time off, and I’ve had time to think. I’ve decided that I really want to help people with this blog and I know that my experience can be helpful to anyone in a remodeling project. So I’m going to get back in the saddle.
Look for more posts and a whole bunch of encouragement on doing the work yourself. That’s the direction I’m going. You may need to hire a plumber, or an electrician, or a roofer…you might not do it all yourself, but the more the better. It will be authentically you!
I’ve re-opened the Remodeling Guy Forums to questions. Please forgive me if there is a bunch of spam on there. I have to figure out how to try and stop that. But I welcome your questions and you can browse the past questions already there.
Happy Remodeling!
{ 32 comments… read them below or add one }
Yay! You’re back! I’ve been wondering about you guys and glad to see you are continuing your blog.
Hey! Thanks for the warm welcome back! We’re doing good and I’m excited about getting back to the blog.
Welcome Back!
YAY! Welcome back!!
So glad you’re back and so glad you will really be giving us all some help. I so need it in today’s economy. Just can’t afford to go out and do all the things I use to do, so since my money tree is very sick, I will look forward to all your advice to help it get well. Thanks Hugs, Marty
He’s BaaaaaaaK!
And with a renewed passion! I cannot wait to read every word!
Woo-hoo!!!! Welcome back!!
I love this post, Tim! Thanks for the inspiration and for having faith in the do-it-yourselfer in all of us. Can’t wait to read more and more!
Welcome back, Tim! You must have had a fun summer. You know I’m all about DIY myself and am always looking for the next project.
Welcome back. Missed reading your site.
I would like that bathroom above….love that stone base.
Anything stone and I’m a happy gal!
I just recently got on a warm-up-my-house-and-make-it-awesome itch, so the timing of finding your site is stupendous. Can’t wait to read more!
The first thing I noticed (besides the ridiculously white furniture my kids would murder) was the floor. I didn’t even notice the other things until you pointed them out. I love that floor!
I love DIY. How will you gain the know how if you don’t try? and a favorite quote: It doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful.
Welcome back!
I think the pool was my biggest story–I wrote about it !!! That was when you were a little boy !!!!A long time ago-Ha!
welcome back! so happy to see you
Welcome back RG!
As always, your posts are so authentic and inspiring…glad you are back blogging again!
Blessings!
yay!!! so good to see you back! Missed all your great DIY ideas. Im ready for some new challenges- crown molding anyone? We recently toured a home with these huge 6″ or more base moldings-wow oh wow was it amazing.
Glad your break was good, glad you’re back! I refinished a wood floor this summer and it is so far from perfect in every way (sanding and poly being the main culprits) due my lack of experience/information, but I think I am being won over by something that is still visually appealing (if you don’t look too close) and infinitely practical and durable!
And I’ll be asking questions as I have wallpaper removal, plaster who-knows-what and then paint/texture in my near future!
I am glad you are back! It is always a pleasure to read your posts.
Welcome back. We missed you, but hope you enjoyed your free time!
Great to see you back! I look forward to your inspiring blog posts!
What a blessing to read your words of inspiration & practicality. May the Lord bless the work of your hands!
-Jen
Oh, I really enjoyed this post. I really want a home that is US. Not merely a collection of things that were on display somewhere. It is great to gather ideas from all sources….but it important to put YOU in your home…not simply copy the essence of others.
Thanks…glad you are back.
Glad your are back Tim!
We are in the beginning stages of designing a master suite in our attic. Unfortunately, we have to pay someone else to do ALL of it
because my husband does not have “the time, the aptitude, or the willingness to learn.” To be honest it really gripes me a wee bit.
I would love to learn how to frame a room, put up sheet rock, the whole shabang. But he has no desire. He does not have one inclination toward home improvements. He is missing that gene! Let’s be realistic, I can’t just do it myself. So, we have to fork out thousands and thousand and THOUSANDS of dollars to have the work done. If there is such a thing as reincarnation, I want to come back as a general contractor/architect!!
I forgot to mention that i am really excited that the Remodeling Guy Forums is back! I love that. Hope it doesn’t get too overwhelming this time. I know it must recquire a lot of time.
Welcome back! What a great post. We have century old wide plank floors in our farmhouse. They absolutely steal the show. Thanks for encouraging all of us to be authentic when designing and improving our abodes.
Hey there! Welcome Back! You have been missed.
Looking forward to what you will be sharing.
Nice to see you back again, and I was happy to get your newsletter in my inbox!
Glad you decided to stick with it! Looking forward to more posts!
Glad you are back and thank you for reminding me it’s all about what I like and not trying to copy someone else. We have a 100 year old home and try to keep with the style of the home (example my guest room redo) – I would love a more up to date look and yet it would look fake and uninviting in our particular home I believe.
I love the fact you are for us do it your selfers too – We rewired the whole house (we being used very loosely- DH being the real we!) with the help of a friend who was an electrician- saved tons of money there!
blessings
mary
missed your blog, your ideas & your humor! I’ve been dawdling (is that even a word) about getting back to my blog..yes, i’ve let it slide..you’ve just given me a big nudge..so welcome back & thank you!
Guess I signed up for your newsletter just as you were deciding to vacay away. Glad you’re back and I look forward to your real and helpful info!
Glad your back- love the points you make in this post!
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