I’m here for renovation updates. My husband and I bought a fixer upper over ten years ago. It was a challenge but very fulfilling.

This vicarious remodeling is fun! I’ll miss your sewing videos but I’m going to enjoy this too. Have fun!

Casey - I love your sewing videos, but I find I'm really enjoying these renovation videos as well! Thanks for bringing us along for the journey.

Love your Rosy the Riveter vibe!! 😂 Hope your Mom recovers quickly.

We have gutted and re-done two entire houses. Each time we ran into surprises that required creative solutions, and those creative solutions ended up being the best part of the remodel. Renno is an adventure!! Have fun with the journey, Casey. It’s great you are documenting it, it will be a treasure later!!! ❤

This has reminded me of the days (decades ago now) when I used a sledgehammer to break up a concrete slab in the garden and smash ugly porcelain tiles off the bathroom walls, prized up ancient vinyl tiles which had been glued to the concrete floor throughout the downstairs of my house, and demolished hand-made kitchen cabinets... All of these activities would be completely unthinkable now that I am far more advanced in years and more fragile in terms of both skeleton and balance. Celebrate the strength and energy of youth, Casey! When your house is reconfigured the way you want it, you'll feel so much satisfaction knowing you did it with your own two hands! 💪

My late husband (a great DIY guy) always said get the right tool for the job and TTT. (Things Take Time). You’ve learned both! Thanks for bringing us along.

Casey, honestly, this is how I feel with a sewing project!

The designer I learnt from told me to renovate my main bedroom and bathroom first. That way, you can close the door to the reno at the end of the day and not have to rent elsewhere for very long. Also just board up any windows with plywood so that you don’t accidentally smash them. I think I would close up the back door and make a beautiful ceiling height window across that back wall. Also sometimes just getting a crew in for a day or half a day to haul out kitchens and bathrooms is a godsend.

That really did open up and brighten up that whole area! Excitedly following!

I have done my share of renovation. The thing that really worked for me was to set a work schedule around my life so it was not all consuming. I would decide how many hours I was going to work and if I wanted to I could keep working. I did not set expectations of how much had to be done because there is really no way to know how long each task would take. It was rewarding to watch things come back together. I also hired out the tasks I could not do myself as I renovated a house in Seattle when I was single and working full time. I had a great handyman that would hammer up wallboard which I finished off. He also installed all the new cabinets in the bathroom and worked on the plumbing and electric. I sold that house a few years later and made a nice profit.

Yahoo! The deconstruction begins! Very exciting. I'm very happy to see the process as I'm hoping to buy a fixer upper at some point myself.

Love me a good Reno project to watch! I’ve done it and my best tip would be to get yourself a pair of cut resist gloves. They cost a bit more but as your project continues you’ll be happy to have them. They will protect your hands from nail pokes, sharp edge cuts and more!

Good to learn from experience. Great to have a spotter, like in gymnastics.

😂 the person that put your soffits up must ascribe to the same motto my husband does: “any job worth doing is worth over doing.” The kitchen already looks better!

I am so happy for you two!! I I am anxious to watch every step of the process, having gone through something very similar 38 years ago…with termites and carpenter ants…while we were living in it… with two toddlers, lol! PLEASE be careful, y’all.

You are so brave doing all of that....looking forward to the next video...hope your mother-in-law is doing better!

I’m all for this. Hehe my sewing IG also has morphed into house remodels for our ongoing work - I can relate.

Looking forward to seeing the kitchen renovation! Good luck :)

I love this! I'll bet you are sore from swinging that hammer and doing all the muscle movements you're not used to, but what an accomplishment! Can't wait to see more. 😊

Don’t over do it, you are doing a great job.

I feel like tou need a hard hat for this! It’s hard work but looks very satisfying at the same time. Can’t wait to see how things develop as you guys get it closer to what you like. It’s amazing how a place can really be transformed by vision and hard work. Good luck!

I renovated most of our previous old house. I cannot recommend a Saws-all and a reciprocating saw enough. They saved me from a lot of extra work, allowed me to cut into molding to accommodate new flooring, window sashes, door frames. Also, jelly of your drywall. Our house was crumbling plaster and lathe, and I feel like I still have that dust in my sinuses, ten years later 😅😂 Edited to add: I forgot to mention using a skip/dumpster, or something like WMs Dumpster Bag. No reason to move garbage twice during clean up, and the Bag option was great bc there isn't a pay-for-time so you can slow roll if you need to!

Congratulations I was so surprised to see you going this , keep going

The soffits in our 70's house are built better than the rest of the house. It's awful taking those suckers down.

This is very exciting to watch! You’re doing great cleaning as you go, super smart and less dangerous. I’m sorry your Mother-in-law got hurt, sending positive thoughts for a speedy recovery! I like both your floor options way better than the grey. The kitchen is so much better without those upper cabinets!

Cancel your gym membership-home renovation will be a better workout. Love seeing you learn on the job. And, always nice to have a cameo appearance of Mr. Pattern Scout.

Looking so much better, you've definitely got this! Very sensible to listen to your body and not overdo things. Hope your MIL heals well 💖

Super neat work place !!!!!!!! Good job Casey 👍😎

I'm loving the reno videos. You may want to get a taller ladder.

You are doing a great job! You are learning. Yes, you have to pace yourself. Look forward to your project! This reminds me of our fixer-upper my husband and I bought 33 years ago. You will get there!

You’re a beast with those cabinets! 😎 💪

I love home renovations, especially when done by people who have real-world budgets. I sure hope you are planning better kitchen lighting, what's there looks pretty grim. A sawzall is a wonderful tool for many, many things

You're doing great! First time demo is exhilarating and educational. Keep enjoying yourself.

I got online to check out something on you Byrdie blouse sew along and saw this. So of course, I had to check out your demo progress too! Looking forward to seeing your progress.

Casey, I was going to suggest a Sawz-All. A saw gives you much more control in how pieces come out & how large they are. And good for you for wearing your PPE, esp a respirator. Poops from vermin can be REALLY bad if inhaled. (I know a little about renos - I've done two kitchens & my husband's family business is homebuilding.) You're doing great. P.S. Your MIL is the hypewoman we all need.

Here for anything DIY!

Love the new content, thanks for taking us along for the ride. My husband and I bought fixer upper 4 yrs ago and have slowly been chipping away at all the projects. It really does take a mental shift to realize how long projects take and how much energy I actually have in a day. Just getting to the kitchen now, just a facelift, not new cabinets yet, buts lots of built up paint to deal with. We just bought a sawzall like last week!

Great work!

Demo is my specialty!

What you REALLY need is a reciprocating saw there's so much more fun than a sledgehammer

Casey, take command of that saws all , a.k.a. Reciprocating saw. This will be a tool you can use in your yard-trimming trees/hedges of old growth, all kinds of wood projects. You can cut metal, drywall…tons of stuff. It is my favorite tool. I hope you have a grand time remodeling. Your style simple, clean, organized, minimalist…basically you will use everything in your home. If you do not use it, it will find a new home. I respect that. I do not live like that…I’m a collector (of fabric, sewing machines[working], plants my veggie garden and citrus trees, This is exciting that you have your first home and you have great ideas. So happy for you!

You are my hero. I so want to do same to my kitchen. I have soffits and fear I will bring the ceiling down. LoL. Currently searching for a contractor for this remodel. I'm excited for you. Continue to post videos of your progress -- I am truly enjoying. 😃

I had to remove the (unfortunately ugly) plywood cabinets my father had hand made for the house I inherited after he passed. I took all the many screws out holding them on the wall, only to find out he had also used liquid nails. I ended up having to use a reciprocating saw to butcher them to death to get them off - like you did! Way to go, Dad! He never intended to ever have to touch those again. And he didn't, lol. I admire your plan to build your own cabinets - I compromised and bought unfinished cabinets from Lowes and painted/glazed them myself. I still love them 20 years later.

I love it!! I am so into learning along with you on this journey. You’re doing amazing work! What a difference already with the light in the space!

Hi, Well at least you can check that the joists in between the floors, or o the attics are sound. Never claim I'm not trying to find a silver lining- You can also take the chance to put in some extra insulation between you and the in between spaces. For example some rockwool (is that a thing anymore?) between the stove and whatever is on top for extra fire protection, or some soundproofing if someone is learning the violin or drums upstairs. My apologies for not remember if the house had a second floor, I know that there were stairs involved from your walk through. My carpenter friend, and trainer (that is he's my trainer and friend, that happens to be a carpenter) has told me that you should/could (we don't know a good word in English if translating it) bend the nails or pull them out as soon as, to avoid injuries. I also know that "ain't nobody's got time for that". That saw thingy looks very good on you, by the way. Keep safe, you and everyone else involved in you guys' project. Yours, Ann

Pay attention to how the old cabinets are secured so you can install the new ones.

I love Demo too! One time in my younger years lol, my spouse and I helped a couple demo an old house built back during the civil war. So much fun and many stories and laughs. I’m so proud of you and your husband Casey! You’re doing a great job! 👏🏻 congratulations on your new home!🎉

Was just about to recommend a sawzall that’s what our contractor used and then you bought one, lol, good for you!

Be sure everyone is up to date on tetanus shots before you start or as soon as you realize someone isn’t! 🥴 As soon as I saw your “tools,” I thought you’d need a serious upgrade on those!😂 I’ve been the helping hand/gopher on quite a few home improvements over the years. You’ll learn lots as you go. The reason these were so well attached is due to all the weight of the cabinets. Not working past exhaustion will save you from getting injured, too.

Be careful that soffit is probably hiding duct work. Dated homes have those.

Love watching your videos always 😊❤

Hi from Mason, Michigan! Being a sewist, I think so many skills transfer over to carpentry and building. I now say, " measure twice, CUSS once!" A sewist also knows how to think in 3-D and what piece has to go where. Be safe out there! (lol, the auto correct changed my word "sewist" to "sexist!") Take care. Pace yourself.

I feel like I am watching the DIY wife 2.0. Go Casey!

Great job, keep going!

Wash the curtains for fabric use later on.

Love the way you used the British word bugger have never heard the word outside the 🇬🇧uk 🤩before

I’m sure you’ll figure it out but for safety sake hammer down the nails that are sticking out on the wood planks. Great job. Wishing you success!

Yeah, SAWS ALL!!!! Watch out for electrical wires behind the surface.

I thought u were gonna take out the camera when u aimed that end piece, on the first cabinet, at it 🤣

May also find live wires that are not connected to anything.

💜

Love watching you renovate!

did you turn the water supply off at the sink? hit that faucet with something and you get a fountain!

Can you install a plywood so you don't break the window?

You also need to realize you are a breast cancer survivor and it will take time for your body to recover. It’s been 5 years since my operation and I am just now getting energy to get back into crafting. Don’t beat yourself up.

Wow , I’m impressed! You amaze me, totally fearless. I have to say I’m a bit impressed with your husband too for trusting you to do it!

I think you are smart to buy the tools as you go along. But can I just say ... soffits without anything in them ... why??? 😂

You're gonna have some guns (muscles) when you are done.

Be careful to protect your hands. If you injure your hands you are out of action.

Ugh, pointless soffits in the kitchen. Why did they think this was a good idea??