renos: A Journey
Ben and I have worked most of our careers in trades so we know well the time, education and expertise it takes to become a skilled trades person. We also know many trades, specifically those traditionally considered “women's work,” are undervalued. This is why I never complain about bills for trade work, I know it's always worth the money.
That being said, when you're opening a brand new shop on a budget there will be things you absolutely have to pay for and other things you need to try and do yourself to save some money. We decided electric, plumbing and concrete we absolutely had to pay for and painting, tiling and flooring were things we could try and do ourselves.
Here are some things we've learned since we began our DIY renos last week.
Wear a mask when you're sanding down the holes you filled. This I should have known.
If your tile butts up against a trim you want to paint, paint the trim first. You won't be able to paint it afterwards. Maybe we should have foreseen this but we did not.
Start somewhere that no one will see and HAVE PATIENCE. Perfectly lined up tiles will not be easy to achieve even with spacers but you will get better as you go.
Measure, measure and measure again, then cut. There's a reason it's a saying.
The ocean is definitely littered with tile spacers.
Grouting is hard, very hard. Whatever confidence you have built up while laying tile will be decimated by grouting but keep going, you’ll get it.
Help from friends is key, especially if you have a 5 month old who does NOT care about your schedule ;)
Ultimately, we’re really enjoying the journey. It’s a great sense of accomplishment to see it all come together. It looks great, we think you’re going to love it and we feel so fortunate to have the help of our wonderful friends. Check out our Instagram for the pics complete with adorable kiddos. We can’t wait for you to see it all and we hope you’ll come eat with us when it’s ready.
Ben & Jesse
