After an intense period of dedicated effort, punctuated by just one day off to allow my back to recover, we have officially moved into The Lodge! For the past three months, it has felt like I’ve been in a grueling marathon, pushing every boundary to get this space as ready as humanly possible. Last weekend marked our official move-in, and realistically, I’d say The Lodge is currently about 20% complete in terms of being fully functional and comfortable. Nonetheless, we are in! The relief is immense.
With the looming deadline of our previous house needing to be ready for tenants by March 15 now behind us, a significant layer of stress has been lifted. However, the current state of our living situation is, without exaggeration, quite comical. Boxes are everywhere, tools are scattered, and every corner holds a half-finished project, creating an environment that keeps us both amused and a little overwhelmed.
Master Bathroom Tiling Progress
Our primary goals for the master bathroom before move-in were ambitious but crucial: complete the shower tiling, lay the floor, and install a functional toilet. I’m thrilled to report that these three vital tasks are indeed done, done, and done! To facilitate the tiling process, we strategically set up the tile saw in the master bedroom. Since that room was still a blank slate – no flooring or furniture yet – it offered ample space and the convenience of not having to trek far for every cut. This setup significantly streamlined the work. Wes, along with various other helpful hands, assisted me throughout the tiling process. My role primarily involved troweling mortar and setting the tiles, while I marked and handed off tiles for cuts to my dedicated assistants.
Looking at the finished shower, I can already spot numerous imperfections. I’m certain that once the exhaustion of this massive undertaking subsides, these minor flaws will begin to bother me more than they do now. But in this moment, with a seemingly endless list of tasks still awaiting completion, there’s simply too much on my plate to dwell on small details. The focus remains on forward momentum and celebrating the completion of each major milestone in our DIY home renovation journey. We are making tangible progress towards transforming this house into our dream home, one tile at a time.
Mastering Concrete Overlays: A DIY Journey
One of my favorite ongoing projects has been perfecting the art of concrete overlay applications. This versatile technique has been applied to a variety of surfaces throughout The Lodge, transforming ordinary areas into stylish, durable features. I’ve utilized concrete overlays on the pantry backsplash, bringing a modern industrial touch to a functional space. The laundry room floor and walls have also received this treatment, creating a cohesive and easy-to-clean environment. Similarly, the powder room floor and walls now boast a unique concrete finish. And perhaps the most prominent application is on the master bathroom countertop and backsplash, where it adds a custom, handcrafted feel.
The world of concrete overlay products is constantly evolving, with dozens of new options appearing every few months. This rapid innovation, while exciting, often makes it challenging to decide which products to try and how best to apply them. I’ve dedicated considerable time to experimenting with a wide array of these products, meticulously testing their properties, application methods, and finished aesthetics. Through this trial-and-error process, I’ve identified a few favorites that deliver exceptional results and align with my vision for The Lodge. Despite finding success with certain products, I still have multiple unopened containers waiting in the wings, eager to be explored and incorporated into future projects. It’s a continuous learning curve, but the unique texture and contemporary look of concrete make every effort worthwhile.
Custom Cabinetry: Crafting Functional Beauty
The past few months have seen me embark on an intensive cabinet-building spree, a significant undertaking for The Lodge’s custom interiors. While the actual construction of the cabinet boxes and doors has been time-consuming, it often feels as though the majority of my time was dedicated to edge banding each piece. This meticulous process ensures a clean, finished look and added durability to every cabinet. Following construction, the next challenge involved the physical exertion of transporting all the individual parts and pieces up multiple flights of stairs to their designated locations. I’ve discovered that carrying disassembled components is significantly easier than wrestling with fully assembled cabinets, a small but important lesson learned in home building.
Our spare bedroom has been temporarily repurposed into a dedicated tool and “building room,” a hub of creativity and sawdust. My CNC machine has proven to be an invaluable asset in this process, revolutionizing the precision and efficiency of my cuts. It has definitely paid off, allowing for intricate designs and perfectly sized components that would be much harder to achieve manually. However, I am still very much in the learning phase, constantly adjusting settings and experimenting with different techniques to achieve the absolute best cuts for each unique project. This journey of mastering the CNC machine, coupled with the satisfaction of crafting custom cabinetry, is a rewarding aspect of bringing our vision for The Lodge to life. Every piece is a testament to the blend of technology and hands-on craftsmanship.
Master Bedroom: A Sanctuary in Progress
One of the most satisfying achievements before our move-in was successfully laying the floors in the master bedroom. This instantly transformed the space from a raw construction zone into something resembling a living area. Additionally, I managed to install the doors in the room, a small but significant step towards creating privacy and defining the space. However, the process of painting all the doors is a slow, methodical one, as I’m tackling them one by one, by hand. Consequently, the main door to our bedroom is currently residing in what we’ve affectionately dubbed the “project room” – which is, in fact, our closet.
The weekend before our official move, we rented a liftgate truck to transport all our larger possessions, including our bed. That night, we officially slept in The Lodge for the first time, a momentous occasion! We spent the rest of the week gradually moving over our remaining belongings. Despite Wes and I both undertaking significant purges of our closets and other household items, we were both astonished by the sheer volume of “stuff” we still owned. I personally gave away at least a third of my clothes and yet I still possess more than I can comfortably put away in our current, temporary storage solutions. It’s a stark reminder of how much we accumulate and the challenge of downsizing, even when moving into a larger space.
Having completely moved in, our master bedroom currently serves a dual purpose: it’s both our sleeping quarters and a temporary closet, until I manage to build our proper, dedicated closet room. This inventive, albeit chaotic, arrangement is part of the adventure of living in a home that’s still very much a work in progress.
The Dual-Purpose Office: A Hub of Activity and Chaos
Wes regularly works from home, dedicating at least one day a week to remote work and engaging in numerous Zoom meetings throughout the day. Consequently, we are currently sharing an office space, navigating our respective workloads side-by-side. While I have meticulously designed and built a dedicated office for him, it is, for the time being, completely inundated with a multitude of “stuff” – boxes, tools, and materials awaiting their permanent homes. Our shared office and our master bedroom are currently the only rooms that boast installed doors, providing a semblance of privacy. Ironically, the office doesn’t even have proper flooring yet, just a vibrant and cheerful rug. I’m confident that this rug will bring a smile to my face once I’m no longer racing around with my mind juggling 38 tasks simultaneously.
The decision to install a door on the office was also strategic: it helps keep our two beloved dogs, Brody and Bella, out of the room. About a year ago, anticipating the creation of Wes’s super cool, dedicated office upstairs, we invested in a beautiful leather sofa. However, during the recent chaotic move, our dogs were understandably quite stressed. To provide them with a quiet, secure retreat, I covered the sofa with an array of quilts and pillows, transforming it into a cozy hideaway. Brody has since grown accustomed to the new space and is often found relaxing in the office. Bella, however, still prefers to burrow and hide amongst my clothes, which are temporarily stored on shelves in our master bedroom. It’s a charming, if slightly disheveled, tableau of life in a home under construction, where every space serves multiple purposes.
Another Big Flood: A Setback and a Silver Lining
Just as we were settling into the initial stages of moving in, a significant setback occurred. One bright and early morning, I walked into my workshop to find three inches of water pooling on the floor. To my dismay, the water had also spread across the entire main level. My first thought was that the floor drain in my shop was clogged, or perhaps the mysterious destination of that drainage water was somehow full. Following the distinct sound of running water, I rounded the corner into the bathroom/storage room, where I discovered water aggressively spraying from the supply line that was previously connected to our tankless water heater.
This incident initiated three urgent visits from our plumber. The outcome? We now have a different, brand-new water heater, a crucial thermal expansion tank, and a pressure gauge that meticulously records the pressure to the tank. Our plumbers suspect that the pressure reducer for this entire building likely needs to be replaced. The city water pressure here is an astonishingly high 160 psi, which is far too much for standard plumbing systems. We’ve already replaced these pressure-reducing “thingamagigs” for both buildings on our property once before, and it’s clear we’ll need to monitor them closely in the future to prevent similar incidents.
Upon discovering the flood, I promptly shut off the water supply, and then, overcome by the stress, allowed myself a brief three minutes to cry before walking over to the house to retrieve my galoshes. My immediate next step was to call Wes, asking him to contact the plumber as I didn’t even have time to locate the number myself. To process the chaos and prevent further dampness, I started a large bonfire. Into the flames went all the cabinet parts I had stacked by my door, waiting to be hauled upstairs, along with a significant amount of other ruined plywood. It was, thankfully, a beautiful day, so I left my large shop door wide open, enjoying the soothing crackle of the fire. Periodically, I dragged over more branches from a massive pile we’re still working on cutting and removing – remnants of two giant trees that fell onto three smaller ones during a past storm. This kept my therapeutic campfire burning all day long.
Thankfully, all my essential tools are equipped with casters, which meant they were elevated and protected from the water, emerging completely unharmed. The truly scary realization, however, was discovering that several of my electrical drops were simply lying on the floor, fully submerged in the invading water. This highlighted a critical safety concern that will be addressed immediately.
Anyway, Wes, being the supportive partner he is, came home immediately after making the call to the plumber. He even made a detour for bagels, nutty cream cheese, and a much-needed latte for me. He had happened to call during that brief three-minute crying spell and wisely concluded that a little pick-me-up was definitely in order. All in all, the flood amounted to a three-quarter-day diversion from my planned tasks. But with the crisis managed and a bit of emotional support, I quickly got back to work on whatever project I had intended to tackle that day. It’s all part of the unpredictable adventure of homeownership and extensive renovation.
Designing the Home Gym: A Ground-Floor Solution
The room that Wes and I are currently sharing as an office was initially intended to be our dedicated workout room. However, after careful consideration, I concluded that with its 8-foot ceilings, the space would feel too cramped and uninspiring for a proper home gym. Instead, I made the strategic decision to allocate one of the rooms on the main level – my “workshop” level – for this purpose. This proved to be an incredibly wise choice. After the monumental effort of moving all our other belongings up multiple flights of stairs, we are SO incredibly glad we decided to set up the gym on the first floor. The thought of having to haul heavy gym equipment up those stairs now fills us with dread!
The preparation for the gym involved several key steps: first, we thoroughly prepped the room, ensuring it was clean and ready for its new function. Then, I tackled the painting, selecting colors that would inspire motivation and energy. Following that, my wonderful mentees took on the task of installing the robust rubber floors. These specialized floors are not only excellent for workouts but also provide a crucial layer of protection for the subfloor. Currently, in addition to our growing collection of gym equipment, the room is also serving as a temporary storage area for a whole bunch of other “crap” until we can achieve better organization. The fantastic news, and truly a silver lining from our recent flood, is that the rubber floors remained completely unharmed, proving their durability and resilience. This unexpected benefit adds another layer of satisfaction to our gym setup.
Living Under Construction – Again: The Reality of Renovation
Despite my sincere promise to Wes that he wouldn’t have to endure “Under Construction” living conditions again, that is precisely our reality. We are currently living amidst a considerable amount of chaos, but it’s a shared experience. Honestly, Wes has been an incredible partner, helping me with countless projects throughout The Lodge, and he has been eagerly anticipating the day we could finally live in this space. We both agreed that having the March deadline was ultimately beneficial; without that external pressure, we might never have actually moved in, as this expansive space will undoubtedly not be “done” for a very long time. It’s an ongoing journey of transformation.
While the kitchen is largely complete in terms of its major elements, we currently have boxes occupying nearly every surface, making it impossible to give you a proper reveal just yet. However, I can offer a glimpse into our “20% done” Great Room, which seamlessly shares its expansive space with the kitchen. This area, despite its unfinished elements, already hints at the grand vision we have for it.
Our master bathroom, while functional, still presents its own set of charming quirks. We have a working toilet and a shower, but I’m still diligently working on the vanity. Consequently, we are currently washing our hands and brushing our teeth in the kitchen sink – a situation that is, frankly, laughable! Wes, ever the good sport, embraces it all as an adventure, finding humor in the temporary inconveniences. His positive outlook is truly infectious and helps us both navigate the day-to-day challenges with a smile.
Indeed, adventure awaits. Now that I’m no longer consistently putting in 15-hour days, seven days a week, I hope to provide more frequent updates on our progress at The Lodge. Capturing photos and videos in the midst of constant chaos has proven to be quite challenging, so sometimes I manage to document, and other times I simply have to prioritize the work itself. I’ve reached a point in my life where I am completely at peace with doing the best I can, recognizing that perfection is not always attainable, especially in a massive DIY project like this. I hope all of you are doing well, staying resilient, and also doing the best you can in your own journeys. We’re all in this together, striving for progress and finding joy in the process.