Renovation with Erin from Pacifica, CA
Tell us a little about you & where in the world you’re located?
I'm Erin from Pacifica, California (near San Francisco). My husband and I have three boys and two dogs.
What kind of project were you working on?
A Renovation / Remodel
What made you decide to start your renovation / remodel?
We had a big long list of things our old house needed and each one affected the other. It made sense to just do them all at once and start really enjoying the house we live in. We also wanted the boys to be old enough that moving out for a few months wouldn't be too challenging. When the youngest were 5 and in kindergarten we felt like it was the right time.
What’s one piece of advice you would give to someone just starting their renovation / remodel?
Be organized and flexible. A renovation is exciting AND involves so much work and often compromise. It can be fun AND challenging. Keep track of what you are ordering and when. Know lead times for things so that the items with the longest lead times get ordered ASAP.
What did a typical day for you look like for you during your build? We’d love to learn how you managed life and a home project.
We lived in a tiny apartment [while our home was being renovated] and had a longer drive to school. My husband worked from home in the apartment and I worked back at our house in my backyard office. There were works days where all I did was order stuff for the house! I'm glad that I could build the house project into my schedule and it did take away from regular work hours. Now that it's done, I'm so glad we got this project done fast and that I took the time to do what I needed to do to get us back into our house. We are all so happy to be back and we all know it was worth the challenge.
What are three things you wish you knew before you started?
I wish I'd thought of the renovation as another job and that my husband and I had planned for the relationship stress of juggling so many things at once. The apartment we rented wasn't great (but was all we could find) and that really did put a strain on us. I wish I had scheduled 15 hours into my week of renovation work so that it wasn't always so unexpected that I was spending so much time on it.
Who was your favourite hire and why?
Our contractor! He had a great crew that got the work done on time and on budget.
How has your life changed since you finished your project?
We are so happy. Our house feels great to be in and we all are more relaxed and well... happy! This renovation gave us a chance to get rid of things we no longer needed and to upgrade our children's rooms to work for their age now. Everything feels easier - the house just works for us.
And finally, what was your favourite part about Homeowner HQ?
I love knowing that I have a community to ask questions in and find support with others going through the same thing. House projects count as a huge life change and we all need support through those!
Congratulations on completing your renovation! We hope you enjoy your renovation for years to come. Thank you so much for letting us be a part of your journey and for being a part of Homeowner HQ!