Today’s WordPress writing prompt is:
Describe the most ambitious DIY project you’ve ever taken on.
As a DIY guy, I’ve had many ambitious projects that I thought I could handle. Plumbing, electrical, construction, landscaping, finish work… I’ve managed to tackle project after project, though not without adversity. Some projects have been easy, like changing out lights on the ceiling or bathroom vanity. I’ve repaired walls, laid flooring, done siding, tiled backsplashes and floors, replaced plumbing, fixed water leaks, changed garbage disposals and faucets… a lot of things!
But my most ambitious DIY project was a house renovation that I undertook in 2015 and 2016. In December of 2015 I bought a “HUD home.” HUD homes are homes that the government has taken possession of for one reason or another. Many times they were house foreclosures that had loans financed by the federal government. Other times the homes were unlivable, awaiting a DIY savior to bring them back to life. For only $45,000 I bought one of those homes and went to work dreaming, scheming and planning its rescue.
My home was a 2003 double-wide trailer just outside of Duson, Louisiana, on a half-acre of property. The home was in rough shape for not being very old. The previous owner tragically died in a car accident and the home sat vacant for six or seven years. My new neighbors told me that the front door was open at various times and water, critters and, likely, trespassers had gained entrance. There was no decent floor covering outside of the kitchen, utility room and bathrooms. Just plywood.
When I bought the house the electricity didn’t work, nor the central heating. There was also a water leak near the meter outside. Making things worse is the fact that I bought the home and moved my stuff in mid-December during an unusually bad cold snap. I lit an oil lamp and slept under thick blankets until I was able to find the electrical problem and get it fixed.
Yet still, I saw potential in the house.
The house needed a bunch of updates and fixes. I needed to install new flooring throughout, texture the walls and paint them, tile the bathrooms, replace lights throughout, replace some of the exterior siding, secure new steps on the front door, gravel the driveway, build a walkway to the front door, install new baseboards and trim, carpet the bedrooms and… well, it was a lot!
I had just started dating the lovely Mrs. Newton back then, but she lived three hours away. After a few months of working alone, she joined in on the DIY project. Whenever she would come down to Duson to visit me, she offered to help, though her handyman skills were raw. (Before marrying me, Shannon’s idea of “fixing things” involved calling someone and paying them whatever they asked. Such a decision is anathema to a DIY-soul like myself.)
The whole renovation took about ten months. I painted, textured, floored, upgraded, and so forth until the home was finally finished. In the meantime, I got married, moved most of my stuff to Shannon’s garage three hours away, and had to come down to the house for work trips during extended weekends. I sold the home in November 2016 for about double what I put into it ($45k plus repairs turned into a $94k sale), a real accomplishment!
I’m always trying to save my family money by taking on DIY tasks, though my body is breaking now and less capable of hard work. Most recently I installed new floors in our living room and dining room. We currently have a big house siding project and countertop projects in the pipeline, though I’ll need help to get those done.
But as long as I’m capable, I’ll probably always be a DIY-driven soul.
What has been your most ambitious DIY project?
— John
J.C. Newton 