When It Rains, It Pours: An Update
First, I want to start off by saying THANK YOU for tuning into the blog each week and showing your support on social media. Sharing this journey with you—both the highs and the learning opportunities—has made the process so much more fulfilling (and definitely less isolating). Your encouragement truly means the world!
And speaking of learning opportunities... wow. We're right in the thick of it. I always said I wanted to document this experience honestly, not just with perfectly staged 'after' shots, and the universe has certainly provided plenty of material to work with!
Right now, we've got three major projects happening simultaneously:
Getting my house ready to sell
Prepping Billy's house to be a short-term rental (ICYMI, check out last week's post for all the details)
Transforming our new farmhouse into the cozy, eclectic, modern English cottage dream home we've been envisioning
That's already quite the adventure, right? Well, it seems the universe thought we needed a few extra chapters in the form of unexpected homeowner experiences. The most notable? Our farmhouse roof.
The Case of the Curious Roof
Turns out, the original builder didn’t install underlayment beneath our metal roof. If you’re unfamiliar with roofing (as I blissfully was before this), underlayment is the weather barrier that keeps water out. You know, a pretty important feature. To make matters worse, some of the screws weren’t driven in correctly, which meant tiny gaps where water could sneak in. Not ideal.
Thankfully, the seller was incredibly kind and covered the cost of fixing the front of the house where the leak resided. Problem solved, right? Well, not exactly.
While the roof was being repaired, we took a break from the farmhouse and pivoted to Billy’s house, making great progress painting and fixing things up for the rental. Then, just when we were feeling productive, the AC unit decided to join the rebellion. Cue panic. Thank goodness one of Billy's best friends is an HVAC expert who quickly came to our rescue. Crisis averted!
Feeling accomplished, we returned to the farmhouse to tackle the next project: repainting the primary bathroom (because yes, inspiration struck and I changed my mind on the color). It was a rainy day, and as I walked into the great room ready to rot on the couch after a day’s hard work, I noticed a sizeable puddle on the floor. And a wet ceiling. And my soul leaving my body.
I grabbed a ladder, investigated the attic, and—lo and behold—discovered no underlayment on the back of the house either. We're now coordinating with the roofer to return and work his expertise, but I can confirm that discovering a leak in your newly purchased home creates quite the memorable moment. Definitely not on my home renovation bingo card.
Pictured above: 1) puddle from leaking roof on the great room floor; 2) sopping wet baseboard in the great room from water running down from the ceiling and down the walls; 3) attic in back portion of the house showing the missing underlayment
The Silver Lining (Besides the One on Our Roof)
Despite these unexpected challenges, we're choosing to focus on the greater vision. This process—however occasionally stressful and damp—is part of creating a home that truly reflects us. We hadn't planned on receiving an impromptu education in roofing and HVAC systems, but these experiences are building our homeowner wisdom bank.
I'm sharing all of this not to complain but because it's genuine. Renovations, DIY projects, and transforming a house into a home rarely follow the seamless, fifteen-second transformations you see on social media. There are detours and surprises along the way. Yet even with the unexpected expenses and timeline adjustments, we know that someday soon we'll be cozily settled on the couch with Chloe, surrounded by a space that showcases our style, our dedication, and—most importantly—beneath a roof that keeps the elements where they belong: outside.
So if you're navigating your own home project and feeling a bit overwhelmed, please know you're in good company. And if your roof is currently leak-free? Well, consider that a victory and perhaps enjoy an extra cup of coffee (or glass of wine!) for those of us still working through our renovation adventures. ☕️
Until next time, friends! Thank you for being part of this crazy, beautiful, occasionally damp journey.
