Looking Back and Looking Forward

Happy New Year Everybody!

If you have ever spent 5 minutes with me, you know that New Years is my FAVORITE time of the year! I am a planner and a goal and resolution junkie so New Year's Day is like opening day of deer season for me. (If you are interested in reading more about my love for New Year's Resolutions you can click on this old blog post.) I am not going to bore you with my entire catalog of 2017 resolutions this year but I thought I'd share with you some of the goals I have written down in my "rehome" section of my list.

BUT before I do I thought it would be fun to look back at 2016.

I am calling 2016 the YEAR OF MARKETING! Anyways that is the positive spin I tried to sell Rory when he looked at rehome's year-end profit/loss spreadsheet (so far he has not shut me down so I'm thinking he bought it). It's true, from a financial standpoint rehome completely flopped last year with 1 project losing money, 1 project breaking even, and 1 project that scored a profit slightly less than what I paid the plumber on the same project. BUT if you measure success in FB likes, blog reads, and overall nice comments we were a HUGE success! I mean as I sit here and write, rehome currently has 1306 FB friends, over 18,000 page views on the blog INCLUDING 3 readers in France (bonjour) AND and I had someone tell me they would wear a rehome t-shirt if we had them- um, I'm pretty sure that would technically make that person a groupie. Aaaand our little Ash Street project was just featured in this month's issue of Women's Inc. Magazine- so that is like real legit marketing. Soooo in 1 year we went from being completely unknown to having friends around the world, published, and 1 potential groupie- yeah I would say it was a successful year.

Here are a few of the highlights from 2016:

Favorite Exterior:  Lee Street

Favorite Kitchen: Ash Street

Favorite Master Suite: Irby

Facebook Post with most views and comments:

 Followed closely by:

While I might not have been nominated for Business Woman of the Year in 2016 I am proud to say that I was the recipient of a few very prestigious awards this year- created, nominated, and presented by Rory Thompson at our corporate Rehome Christmas Party (attendees: 2).  

"The Best Looking Girl on the Job Site"

While I am honored to have won this award it is only fair to mention that I am the ONLY girl on the job site.  Regardless, it is especially impressive that I won this award considering award number 3.  

"Hardest Worker with the Worst Vehicle"

Rusty the truck is the "before" mascot of rehome. We bought him used over 10 years ago and has been past his prime for the last 5 years.  From the bumper held up by a zip tie, and the door that flies open while driving, to the dance you have to do in the front seat to get the ignition to start up, Rusty really does deserve all the credit for this award.  

This is a picture of the year Rusty grew a tomato plant in his bed.

Inside of Rusty

"Is she Homeless?" 

Not exactly proud of this one, but it is well deserved.  Ironically, "don't leave house looking homeless" was one of my 2016 New Year's Resolutions so this award kinda highlights my fail. Not that I have anything against the homeless, I can not imagine the day to day challenges someone without a home must endure and realize fashion is the least of their concerns, it is just that I do have the resources to dress nicely (or at least match) and I still arrive at the job site most days with clothes that look like I pulled them from the dumpster.  I really tried to be more mindful of how I looked when I first started working at the Donaghey project where there are tons of drive-by observers, but after the first month I got over it.  Here is a selfie I took a couple of weeks ago during demo:

"We have no Money"

I'm not sure if I won this award because it is the most used statement I make when looking at our project budget or if this was a backhanded way for Rory to pinpoint the blame of rehome's financials on me.  But either way, an award is an award- I'll take it!

Kidding aside, I am sooo grateful that Rory continues to support this little business venture and the fact that he has not shut me down shouts louder than words that he believes in me and what I am trying to accomplish.  THAT my friends, is what motivates me more than anything and is what sparked the following rehome Goals/Resolutions for 2017:

1) I will make AT LEAST minimum wage on all projects.  

Disclaimer: Donaghey doesn't count.  It was technically started in 2016 and at this point best case scenario we are on track for breakeven.  But after this one, it is on! 

2) Live out James 1:2-4

Consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds, 

because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  

Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and 

complete, not lacking anything.

I have claimed this as my theme verse for rehome for the past 2 years but I have not done well to live it out. Challenges and surprises come up EVERY SINGLE DAY at a construction site and all too often I let them get me down, ruin my day, and dictate my mood with my family. Unacceptable. This year I want to approach every trial as an opportunity. An opportunity to learn, an opportunity to serve, an opportunity to bring glory to God.  

3)  Update rehome FB/blog weekly.  Oh, I'd like to think I will do this.  You wouldn't believe how many times I write you guys in my head- It's just hard to find the time to get it on the computer.  

4) Re logo rehome! Ok let's just talk about the elephant in the room. Our rehome logo looks remarkably like re forms logo. Without fail someone ALWAYS leaves a nice comment for Lance Johnston on every finished home reveal I have posted. Don't get me wrong I love Lance and it is a huge compliment to get confused for reforms work, it's just that the nice comments are often my only pay off at the end of a project so selfishly I'd like rehome to get the credit  (I'll work on humility in 2018). I thought about challenging reform to a duel to see who should keep the logo but they already have t-shirts and stickers, so it is only right for rehome to rescind.  (rescind \ri-sind\ v. to take back; to make void. January 3, 2017 word of the day. 2017 Resolution #46 "increase vocabulary")

Here is a picture of my FAVORITE Painter and captain of the rehome dream team sporting the reform logo while finishing up a rehome project. See what I'm talking about?!?

Anyways, I'm in the process of trying to come up with a logo that I love and captures the essence of what rehome is all about.  If you have any ideas, send them my way.  My goal is to debut the new look at the completed Donaghey project. So stay tuned.

In the meantime, if you are looking for a great team to redesign and remodel your own home, give Lance and Michael a call at reform.  They do fabulous work.

5) Get on Instagram.  Apparently, this is a big deal.  I can not imagine having the time to manage yet another social media site but I've been told its a great source for new friends, so it's on the list.

6) Complete 5 homes! The biggest obstacle that stands in the way of this goal is finding the homes to flip. The flipping business is VERY competitive. There are a ton of flippers in our area and because we basically gut our homes to the studs we can not afford to pay what others can pay for a rehab so we lose out on a lot of homes.  Soooo I'm offering up a $250 reward to the first person who tells us about a house that leads to a purchase.

There you go! Bring on the New Year!!!

Tales from the Pit

Last I left you, the Donaghey project had two costly hits before the ink on the real estate contract had time to dry leaving our rehome renovators at a stalemate as to what to do with their newest investment. Rory's vote was to get the house in good mechanical order with no decorative frills and then rent her out so that 20 years from now they could recoup their investment. But Niki could not bare the thought of not seeing the renovation thru to it's full potential. So they had to get creative on a solution.

Ok, I'm getting on my own nerves with this 3rd person narrative... leaving it now.  

Here's the dilemma: Real Estate Comps in the area set the max price we can charge for a finished product based on the price per square footage, so just because we spend more doesn't mean we can charge more.  The only way we can increase our price tag, to possibly cover our expenses, is toooooo.........increase the square footage!!  Yep, rehome is adding on!  

New construction is unchartered territory for this rehome gang so we are both excited and terrified of this new adventure.

Rather then trying to squeeze a second bathroom into the current 2 bed/1 bath footprint we are busting out the back wall and giving the new homeowner... a BRAND NEW MASTER SUITE! (please read that last part like it was just announced on the "Price is Right"). That's right, some lucky homeowner is going to get a brand new master bedroom with walk-in closet and a new master bathroom complete with double sink vanity, oversized shower, separate soaker tub, and closed off potty area.  

If you have driven by the property over the last 2 weeks you can see that the addition is well underway but there have been at least 2 months worth of bumps, curveballs, and drama along the way to get us to where we are now. I'm not going to tell you those stores because quite frankly I like to write about happy things not things that make me want to hide in my closet and cry. But I tell you what I'll do for ya... I'll drop a few pictures here for those with morbid inquiring minds just to give you an idea of what might have caused (is causing) my heart palpitations, sleepless nights, and a few new wrinkles.  

How's that for Open Concept?!?

View out to the slab for new addition.

Um, where did the floor go?

Earthy Bedroom

Bathroom

Honestly, although the place looks like it was hit by a bomb, those pictures show real progress.  My framing crew, led by Ron Wood and his posse took me at my word when I told them I wanted every inch of rot replaced and the place standing firm.  I think every floor joist has been replaced and at least a quarter of the walls (think episode of "Good Bones"). They worked for days to get the place level and I feel confident this new foundation will last at least another 100 years.  Even my termite man said he was impressed with the work this crew did.  Now the only reason I am loosing sleep is because I have not received the final bill (cue the emojicon where the face looks terrified).

In the midst of all the chaos we did receive some most excellent news.  We have someone who has expressed a sincere interest in adopting this home upon completion.  I can't tell you what a boost this was to our psyche.  Just about the time I was ready to throw in the towel and admit defeat someone stepped in and unknowingly said "I believe in you, you can do this." Despite the current state of the home, this person has faith that we can turn it into his dream home.  THAT, my friends, is what is getting me out of bed in the mornings and fueling this mission.  We CAN NOT and WILL NOT let him down.  

Happier times ahead...

Meet Donaghey

Hi friends,

First let me just say, Oh my goodness, THANK YOU for coming out to meet "My Girl" at the open house.  Ya'll just made my month.  And you were so kind to my friends at Waterhouse Market and Redeemed Home Goods that they are excited to join me again on our next project- so a big Thank You for that!  I am already working on my farewell Before and After blog to "My Girl" but I wanted to spend this webspace introducing you to our next project- Donaghey aka "Gouffre Financier" (that's French for money pit... read on.)

Ah, Donaghey.  Where to begin.... First, I should tell you Donaghey was my 16th Anniversary gift from Rory this year.  He had a contract on her before he even told me he went to look at her.  I was over the moon.  I mean, if you have lived in Conway anytime over the last 90 years you remember how cute she was before the entrance rotted, the columns crumbled, and the blue veil went up to hide her shame.  

Looking at the outside of this historic home I was expecting to find elaborate moldings, old solid wood doors, and other architectural treasurers on the inside but I gotta tell ya the first time Rory escorted me thru the broken window to give me the grand tour I was, well.... underwhelmed.  Besides beautiful hardwood floors, the inside was void of any old character.  It looked like a do-it-yourselfer got a hold of her and attempted to update but got in over their head (no judgment here, I get it, read on).  Walls had been taken down without proper support, sheet rock was hung but never mudded and stock cabinets were randomly placed in the kitchen and dining room vicinity.  

Living Room

Living Room- note the hung and left drywall.
I do appreciate the attempted arch.

View into Kitchen from Living Room- if you look at the
ceilings you can see that they took out the wall studs
but left the ceiling joist.

Kitchen and Hot Water Heater

View into Living Room from Dining Room

Bedroom 1

Bedroom 2- note tiny closet

Single Bathroom

Side note: Recognize that Clawfoot tub??  It got a facelift and a new address.

I was bummed that the house did not gift us much we could use but at the same time was excited to be essentially working with a blank slate.  My favorite part of any remodel is space planning.  I LOVE reworking floorplans to try to meet the demands and desires of the modern family.  In the month leading up to our closing date, I spent many sleepless nights happily rearranging walls on my graph paper trying to squeeze a second bathroom and bigger closets into this 1268 sq foot home.  I had the floorplan sketched and was ready to roll by the time the papers were signed and the keys were handed over.  And then this happened...

Yep, not even 12 hours after we signed the papers and adopted this home into our rehome family, a ginormous tree dropped a huge limb on our new addition. Sigh. Well let me tell you folks, removing trees are expensive and NOT how I had planned on spending any of my tight budget but whatcha gonna do- I adjusted- Hard hit #1.

Then hard hit #2 occurred, actually it could be more accurately described as a sucker punch. The foundation. We have dealt with faulty foundations in the past, it just comes with the territory when you buy them as old and as run down as we typically do, and our biggest struggle is always finding someone willing to crawl under the homes to work on them.  Soooo this time we decided to hire an official "foundation company." Our quote came back double what we hand anticipated and budgeted but we decided the peace of mind knowing it would be done right by "foundation specialists" was worth the extra cost.  Big Mistake.  In the end they handed us a bill that was for more than our original quote and the job was not even done to a standard that would pass a termite inspection.  Ya'll I'm not going to lie, it got pretty intense.  I hate drama and I don't deal well with conflict so the ensuing "discussions" between our company and theirs over the completion of the job nearly did me in.  To make a long story short(er), they ended up coming back 4 more times before we finally decided to cut our losses, move on, and chalk it up to yet another learning experience.  At the end of this ordeal we were left with a sub par foundation that would require more work and money, huge craters in our beautiful hardwoods (see pics below), and a hopeless budget that would leave no room for the fun extras we like to bring to our rehomes.  sigh.

So with Niki unwilling to compromise on the design of the house and Rory unwilling to let the couple commit financial suicide, what ever will our rehome renovators do?!?! Tune in next time to find out... (or drive by Donaghey to see for yourself).

Sorry to leave you on a cliffhanger like that, but I thought that was enough drama for the Internet today ..... well that, and I need to go make dinner.  

OPEN HOUSE

Man oh Man! you guys know how to make a girl feel good.  Since we are all friends here, can I just admit that I stalk my own Facebook page after I make an entry.  I totally judge the success of a project NOT on if it sells, but on the number of Facebook likes and comments it receives. Yep, of the 14,029 page clicks the zillow listing has currently generated, I'm betting at least 12,050 of them were mine checking in to see if I had any new comments or likes. So anyways, thank you for clicking, liking, commenting, and/or sharing- it truly makes my day!

You know what else I love?!?!  Showing off the crazy talent of my staging crew AND eating snacks!!  If that sounds like fun to you too, you should come see us at this Sunday's Furniture, Art, and Accessory Open House from 2-4pm.

Yes the house is sold (well almost) but there are still lots of goodies available for you to enjoy in your own home:

Waterhouse Market TV stand/table and accessories & Re*deemed Home Goods "pumpkins"

WHM Vintage Map & Restoration Hardware Couch (matching chair available)

The Painted Stache lockers

I'd love to walk you thru "my girl" and tell you stories about her renovation.  Plus Waterhouse Market and Re*deemed Home Goods will be on site to discuss any ideas you have for custom art or furnishings for your own home.  

WHM Full Size Bed and Doll Dress Art

WHM Desk and Chair

WHM Doll Dress Art

Now, not everything you see in these pictures is for sale.  For example, I pretty much emptied out my kitchen to stage the coffee nook.  And some items have already been purchased by the new home owner.  But many of the items that have been sold can be recreated to fit your needs or I can tell you where I bought my personal accessories so you can snag one for yourself.

RHG Chalkboard art, everything else Niki's Kitchen

TPS farmhouse table, WHM chairs

AND If you're interested in your own rehome, the open house would be a great time for us to visit about upcoming projects.  The fun has already begun at our Donaghey project and I couldn't be more  excited about the plans for it's transformation.  

WHM Butterfly Cabinet

RHG "my girl"

RHG "be still" & TPS Barndoor

WHM dresser and accessories

WHM full/queen bed and chair

Did someone say snacks?!?!  Yes, that's right, I'll have the coffee ready and some treats on hand to make your shopping experience all the sweeter. Jennifer Foster, of Sugar Dough Sweet Shoppe, is going to whip up something special just for our event.  I hate to do this to you, but drool over these pics for just a second to see a sampling of Jennifer's work.  

Oh my! I know, that was cruel, but just 4 more days until you can get one for yourself.

And speaking of sweet; how sweet is this?!?! Deidra Pierce of Deidra's Neighborhood Florist and Gifts in Quitman volunteered to bring fresh flowers to "my girl" just to make our first Furniture, Art, and Accessory Open House extra special.  Can you believe that?!?! I took a peek at Deidra's facebook page and let me tell ya, she is the real deal.  She does everything from elaborate weddings to simple bouquets.   

I am truly humbled and grateful that she would choose to use her gifts to bless our event. "My girl" is going to look and smell so pretty!

So stop on by and check her out:

Sunday, October 30th

2pm-4pm

 532 Ash Street, Conway

WHM bench, TPS porch swing