40+ Years of Real Work, in Photos

From Paulinskill Lake House

Respirator on, jacket covered in dust. Old paint and drywall coming down — this was a full gut, not a refresh.

Gutting the Lake House Downstairs Bath

31 photos

From Paulinskill Lake House

Original kitchen — dark cabinets, green laminate, vinyl floor. Everything had to go.

Gutting and Rebuilding the Kitchen

24 photos

kitchen

From Grand Ave Leonia Renovation

Raised the plywood subfloor on shims to level it and run new wiring underneath before locking it down.

Turning the Attic Into a Bunkroom

44 photos

From Paulinskill Lake House

My son laying out the pine boards for the table top.

Building a Farmhouse Dining Table

other

From Paulinskill Lake House

Sink and faucet sitting on the new quartz before I dropped it in. Corner cutout was tight.

Tying In the New Kitchen

kitchen

From Paulinskill Lake House

Saw and toolbox staged near the slider before laying floor.

New Floors Through the Cabin

9 photos

From Paulinskill Lake House

Building a barn door from pine planks. Nail gun, clamps, glue between the boards.

Knotty Pine Plank and Barn Doors

From Paulinskill Lake House

Cabinets out, wires capped, floor pulled — first room down to bones.

Gutting the Main Floor to Studs

52 photos

From Leonia Renovation

hung a coat rack at kid-height so the boys could put away their own jackets

A Productive Week Home Alone

otherelectricalflooring +4

From My Home Projects

Beds mulched, stones placed, slate staged for the last piece of patio repair.

After the Mulch, Clearing, and Stump Grinding

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

Attic as I bought it — exposed rafters, plank floor, gable window. No insulation worth the name.

Attic Cleanup and Insulation Package

From Leonia Renovation

Drum sander and partially sanded planks. Saved as much of the original floor as I could.

Attic Flooring and Final Reveal

22 photos

From Leonia Renovation

Unloading bags of gravel onto the new wall site for backfill behind the stone.

Backfilling the New Stone Wall at Paulinskill

From Paulinskill Lake House

Backyard in winter before I started — gazebo, retaining wall, and the patio all needed a pass.

Backyard Patio Cleanup at the Blue House

12 photos

From Yard & Landscape

Roof before — frost on the old shingles. The valley is where the new vent cap had to land.

Bath Fan and Roof Vent

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

Kitchen taped off and tarped for the ceiling paint job. Cabinets stayed in place.

Bedroom Paint and Window Restoration

12 photos

interior

From Leonia Renovation

Empty bedroom with the dark paneling and drop ceiling still up. Heavy and dated.

Bedrooms, Trim, and Fresh Paint

bedroompainting

From Grand Ave Leonia Renovation

Buderus boiler with the rebuilt copper manifold, zone valves, expansion tank, and circulator.

Boiler, Baseboard Heat, and Water Heaters

hvac

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

Medicine cabinet open above the vanity. Built it the depth I wanted, not the depth Lowe's had on the shelf.

Built the Bath Storage Out of Pallet Wood

From Lake House Renovation

Exposed ceiling light wiring with medallion

Changing A Lightbulb Rental

electricalbedroomdemo and renovation

From Rental Unit Fixes

What I started with — dirt floor, joists hanging full of old plumbing and posts shimmed up on whatever was handy.

Cleaning Out the Crawlspace and Re-Plumbing

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

Started here. Bare slab, exposed joists, utilities all on display.

Cleaning Up the Basement

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

Day one — a tree trunk down across the bottom of the driveway, blocking access from the road.

Clearing the Driveway and Entry

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

My son working the slope with the string trimmer. The brush was head-high before we started.

Clearing the Hillside and Setting Stone Borders

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

Cut into the bank beside the old concrete steps to set a new stone landing.

Cutting Back Overgrowth by the House and Steps

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

Track hardware and instructions out on the bench before I started cutting.

Double Pocket Doors Between Rooms

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

Big flagstone slabs laid out in the mud so I could pick the right ones for each spot.

Drainage Fix at Home

From My Home Projects

First coat of mud on the new ceiling. Three coats and a sanding to go.

Drywall and Finish on the Main Floor

drywallpainting

From Leonia Renovation

Bedroom with fresh paint and the original window trim. Subfloor still bare — flooring later.

Drywall, Mud, and Paint

From Paulinskill Lake House

Engineered septic plans rolled out for review. Three-bedroom design, sized for the lot and the soil we'd tested.

Engineered Septic System Plans

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

Backyard the day I closed — patio set, old gazebo, original shed. Plenty to work with.

Fence, Patio, and Backyard Cleanup

12 photos

exterior

From Grand Ave Leonia Renovation

Fence, Yard, and EV Charger

From Leonia Renovation

Wood-sided cottage on the stone retaining wall after the exterior work was done. Same house, holding itself differently.

Final Grade, Walkway, and Curb Appeal

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

Pulled down the failing ceiling section onto a drop cloth so I could sister in fresh drywall above.

Finish Work and Odd Fixes

renovation

From Rental Unit Fixes

Radiant barrier going in under the rafters. Tools on the plank floor, no finished surfaces yet.

Finishing the Attic Bedroom

25 photos

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

Green board going up on the sloped ceilings with the recessed cans already roughed in.

Finishing the Attic Bedrooms

52 photos

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

New gable windows in and a drywall panel mounted below. Light finally getting into the space.

Finishing the Attic Conversion

From Lake House Renovation

Open sump pit next to the existing basement bath. First thing I dealt with downstairs.

Finishing the Basement

From Grand Ave Leonia Renovation

Looking down the open-tread stairs with the oil burner switch on the bare wall. Starting point.

Finishing the Basement Stairwell

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

Front yard cleared of the old plantings — exposed the existing stone so I could see what I was working with at the rental.

Fixing the Rental Property Front Walkway

From Rental Unit Fixes

Knee pads, gloves, trowel — typical kit for me on a stone day.

Fixing the Uneven Sidewalk at Home

From My Home Projects

Green safety fence along the stone wall while we worked the slope above it.

Fixing the Yard Fence and Mole Damage

From My Home Projects

Heavy rain pooling along the fence line — exactly the spot I had to fix.

Fixing the Yard That Kept Flooding

From Yard & Landscape

Sweeping up offcuts after laying the gray vinyl plank.

Flooring, Stairs, and the Reveal

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

Floors, Paint, and Doors Through the House

30 photos

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

My son swinging a hammer on framing. Nothing structural, but he learned how to drive a nail straight.

Framing and Insulating the Attic

From Lake House Renovation

New plywood roof sheathing from the attic side, between original rafters and plank floor.

Framing and Insulating the Attic

22 photos

From Leonia Renovation

Spray-foamed around the AC sleeve to seal up the gap I'd been getting drafts through. Found a beehive in the walls behind it on demo day — bees got evicted, foam went in.

Framing, Insulation, and Electrical

From Paulinskill Lake House

Pulled the French doors off the hinges and laid them flat on sawhorses so they'd dry without runs.

French Doors and Adding a Door at the Rental

From Rental Unit Fixes

Old shingles — ridge cap lifted, fascia cracked at the gutter, granules basically gone. Past due.

Full Roof Tear-Off and Re-Shingle

21 photos

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

Previous owner's finished basement — drop ceiling and speckled floor I inherited and gutted.

Gutting and Finishing the Basement

56 photos

From Leonia Renovation

Stamp on the back of a panel: Noda Plank Rustic, Japan, February 1969. That dates the last time anyone touched this room.

Gutting and Rebuilding the Attic

41 photos

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

Original attic — lath wall, gable window, exposed rafters. Storage at best, nothing finished.

Gutting the Attic Down to Frame

From Leonia Renovation

Pulled the ceiling drywall in the bedroom first so I could see joists and wiring before touching the walls.

Gutting the Downstairs

From Paulinskill Lake House

Me in a dust mask mid-demo. Plaster, fiberglass, and decades of attic dust — the mask was non-negotiable.

Gutting the Lake House Attic

From Lake House Renovation

Starting point: floral wallpaper, oval mirror, builder vanity. Hadn't been updated in decades.

Gutting the Lake House Upstairs Bath

From Paulinskill Lake House

Before shot — beadboard wainscoting and painted plaster. The whole main floor needed to come apart.

Gutting the Main Floor

22 photos

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

Home Depot flatbed dropped the pallet at the lake side. Piggyback forklift earned its keep that day.

Hanging Drywall and Closing It Up

27 photos

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

Set the new electric water heater on a wood platform — gets it off the slab in case anything ever leaks.

Hiding the Water Heater

From Paulinskill Lake House

New LVL beam set across the opening between kitchen and living room. Lake view all the way through.

LVL Beam to Open the Living Room

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

Entryway and stairs draped in plastic before the spray gun came out.

Masking and Spraying the Whole House

47 photos

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

Old Williamson gas boiler still running when I bought the place. Lived its life.

Mechanicals — Boiler, Water Heater, Panel

mechanical

From Grand Ave Leonia Renovation

Helper setting fieldstones into the hillside above the lake road.

My Son Building Stone Figures

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

Original flue connection — corroded through, charred, insulation falling apart. Reason enough to redo the whole heating side.

New Boiler Manifold and Baseboard Loops

hvac

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

Set the extension ladder up to walk the chimney before the tear-off so I knew what I was paying for.

New Roof and Rebuilt Chimney

10 photos

From Grand Ave Leonia Renovation

Fresh tank lids next to the cabin. Tied them in alongside the boulder retaining wall I was building.

New Septic at Paulinskill — Lids and Risers

From Paulinskill Lake House

Old electric meter and the network interface on weathered siding. Cobwebs, peeling paint, and the bottom of the meter base rotted out.

New Service Panel and Lighting

9 photos

electrical

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

Detached garage with its new shingle roof at sunset, dump trailer parked alongside.

New Shingle Roof at the Rental

From Rental Unit Fixes

Looking through the new opening into the kitchen with green board stacked for the patch-in.

Opening Up the Main Floor

52 photos

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

Yellow dining room finished out. Chandelier stayed up; I just bagged it and cut around.

Painting Prep at the Rental

From Rental Unit Fixes

Panel open with the new Generac surge protector wired in alongside the breakers.

Panel Upgrade and Laundry Hookup

electrical

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

Water had run down this corner long enough to blow the seam tape and peel the drywall paper. Had to cut it back.

Patching the Trashed Drywall

From Rental Unit Fixes

From the doorway looking out at graded dirt before any pavement. This was the staging area for everything before it.

Paving the Driveway

21 photos

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

DeWalt 4400 set up on the brick. Dog supervised. Pavers needed a hard wash before sand.

Pressure-Washing and Re-Sanding the Home Pavers

From My Home Projects

Brown carpet still down, walls already painted. Carpet was the next thing to go.

Pulling Up Layers to Save the Hardwood

29 photos

From Grand Ave Leonia Renovation

Deck stairs starting point. Railings loose, boards splitting.

Rebuilding and Staining the Deck

siding and exterioryard and landscape

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

Turnbuckle tension cables were already in the joists. Left them alone — they were doing their job.

Rebuilding Around the Steel Beam

From Lake House Renovation

Original upstairs bath before — subway tile surround, mosaic floor, and a radiator under the window.

Rebuilding the Bathrooms

23 photos

From Leonia Renovation

Front yard cleared of the old plantings — exposed the existing stone so I could see what I was working with.

Rebuilding the Front Yard in Stone

25 photos

From Yard & Landscape

Stairs sanded down to bare wood. Tools left where I stopped at the end of the day.

Refinishing the Original Stairs

From Paulinskill Lake House

Pallet of rubber mulch dropped on the patio — beats hauling fifty bags one at a time from the truck.

Refreshing the Beds with Rubber Mulch

From My Home Projects

Raked back the overgrown vinca off the gravel edge before regrading.

Regrading the Driveway

From Yard & Landscape

Rented skid steer staged in the drive — first thing I did was move the rock so I could get the machine in close.

Regrading the Lakeside Cabin

10 photos

From Yard & Landscape

Old roadside stone wall before — overgrown but salvageable as the spine of the new beds.

Regrading, Paving, and Mulch

17 photos

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

Backyard at the rental in winter — gazebo, retaining wall, and patio all needed a planning pass.

Rental Yard Maintenance

From Rental Unit Fixes

Kilz PVA primer for the patched drywall, Behr Marquee for the topcoat. Staged everything before I started rolling.

Repainting the Whole Rental

From Rental Unit Fixes

Looking through the new sliders to the deck. View I bought the place for.

Replacing the Lakeside Sliders

14 photos

From Paulinskill Lake House

The concrete steps had pulled away from the foundation — that vertical crack was funneling roof water straight at the wall.

Repointing the Stone Foundation and Patio

siding and exterior

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

Hearth blocks pulled and staged. Drill out, ready to start repointing the failed joints.

Restoring the Stone Fireplace

living room

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

New main panel landed and signed off. The old service was a mess of mismatched circuits.

Rewire, Panel, and Inspections

electrical

From Leonia Renovation

Cutting in the powered attic vent through the shingles. Picked a fall day so the roof wasn't roasting.

Roof Vent and Chimney Cap

From Paulinskill Lake House

Old floor pulled back to the plank subfloor with new Hampstead Elements boxes staged.

Running New Vinyl Plank Floors

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

Block walls, slab floor, egress window. Decided early I wasn't going to frame this side — just clean it up.

Sealing the Block Walls

From Paulinskill Lake House

Before — crumbling sill, charred-looking subfloor, exposed wiring above. Worst part of the cottage.

Sealing Up the Crawlspace

21 photos

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

First runs of shiplap going on the kneewall over the insulated framing.

Shiplap and Paint in the Attic

From Leonia Renovation

Dog parked on the landscape fabric while I set up the dry creek bed and rock border.

Side Walkway with River Rock and String Lights

From My Home Projects

Front of the house when I bought it. Old roof, weathered siding, sad-looking trim.

Siding, Foundation, and Curb Appeal

17 photos

exterior

From Grand Ave Leonia Renovation

Shingles, underlayment, plywood, and the old torn-off wood all staged together so the crew could just work.

Staging for the Home Roof Tear-Off

From My Home Projects

Pallet of flagstone and a pile of fieldstone staged. From here it was all hand work.

Staging Stone for the Paulinskill Stonework

yard and landscapepainting

From Paulinskill Lake House

Started with this. Collapsed wall, leaning pillar, brush growing up through it.

Stone Patio and Retaining Walls

16 photos

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

Up the Gorilla ladder running string lights across the back. Best free upgrade you can give a yard.

String Lights Across the Back Yard

From My Home Projects

This is what I was working with. Paint coming off the siding in big curls.

Stripping and Repainting the Exterior

siding and exterior

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

Original main bath: floral wallpaper, vinyl tile, vanity rotting at the base.

Stripping Walls and Ceilings

31 photos

From Paulinskill Lake House

Climbing rope and rigging staged on the slope before the crew started up. Steep ground, lots of pre-rigging.

Taking Down the Big Trees

39 photos

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

Moss and debris piled up against the chimney flashing — classic slow-leak setup that had to come off.

Tearing Off the Slate Roof

17 photos

From Leonia Renovation

Scraping up the green vinyl tile to see what was under it. Original hardwood with tar paper still glued down.

Tearing Out the Floors

From Paulinskill Lake House

Tub surround grout was failing and the fixtures were corroded through. Nothing here was worth saving.

Tearing Out the Old Bathroom

From Grand Ave Leonia Renovation

Lakeside room finished. New sliders, stained trim, vinyl plank. The view does most of the work.

The Finished Downstairs

10 photos

From Paulinskill Lake House

Hairline crack running down the corner seam. Where I started chasing the leak from.

Tracking Down a Kitchen Ceiling Leak

9 photos

From Leonia Renovation

Crane sectioning a trunk down over the garage. Wrong move there means a new garage roof.

Tree Removal Over the Rental Garage

From Rental Unit Fixes

Crew in the bucket trimming the tall arborvitae back off the patio.

Trimming the Big Trees at Home

From My Home Projects

Final inspection signed off on the building permit. The attic was now legal living space.

Turning the Attic Into Living Space

23 photos

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

Original gutters were stuffed solid with debris — that was sending water straight into the fascia and back down the siding.

Washing the Cottage and Hanging New Gutters

siding and exterior

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

Excavator parked on the snowy lot with utility lines marked. Cold start to a big job.

Winter Septic and Excavation

From Mohawk Lake Cottage

Brick walkway swept clean — the red shovel was basically attached to my hand that month.

Yard Cleanup with the Red Shovel