I bought this place with painted-over floral wallpaper, pine paneling over plaster, and rodent nests in the wall cavities. To do the electrical and insulation right I needed it all gone, so I took the walls and ceilings down to the studs across the main floor and bedrooms. Most of the demo I did myself — wallpaper steamer, pry bar, shop vac, respirator, repeat. Hauled it all out in contractor bags.
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Before Original main bath: floral wallpaper, vinyl tile, vanity rotting at the base.
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During Hauling out the old cabin in trash bags. Tools out, drill staged, ready for the next room.
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Before Empty back bedroom before I touched it. Carpet, pine paneling, all coming out.
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Before Goose coat rack and striped wainscoting wallpaper. This is what I bought.
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Before Peel-and-stick floor tiles cracked and lifting where someone had patched over the hardwood.
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During Whole doorway packed with debris, rolled carpet, lumber scraps. One day's haul-out.
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During Opened a wall and found a rodent nest behind the wallpaper. That's why everything had to come out.
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During Pulled the drywall around the AC sleeve and exposed the old foil-faced Kimsul insulation.
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During Mid-demo lakeside room. Insulation showing, paneling stacked, slider next on the list.
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During Stripped down past the Kimsul. Paneling stacked on the floor for haul-out.
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During Demo bags stacked next to the old roof vent box. Took weeks to clear all of it.
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During Shop vac in the living room before I tore up the blue carpet. Containing the dust as best I could.
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Suited up in the respirator and goggles. Going into rooms where I knew the dust was bad.
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Before My son standing in the lakeside room before we tore into it.
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Before Home Depot rental truck loaded with insulation and lumber. One of many trips.
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During Upstairs hallway carpet pulled, demo bags lined up, subfloor adhesive still to scrape.
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Before Lumber and materials staged under the deck for the next round.
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Before Bedroom before. Striped wallpaper, ceiling wires hanging, drill on the floor where I left it.
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Before More goose hooks and wainscoting in the basement room. All of it came down.
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During Floral wallpaper coming off the plaster. Steamer and a scraper, hours per wall.
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During Stripped to studs with the old Kimsul still in. Insulation came out next.
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During Mid-demo bedroom — ceiling stripped to the joists, wallpaper coming down.
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Before Living room before any of this started. Blue carpet and the original sliders to the deck.
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During Bathroom down to the studs. You can see the old plumbing rough-in.
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Before Another bedroom before. Drop ceiling, striped wallpaper, green carpet.
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During Opened the wall between the window and door to fish new wiring through.
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During Pulled the subfloor and looked straight down at the joists and the room below.
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During Ceiling drywall pulled, joists and old insulation exposed, wires hanging out.
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During Bedroom mid-demo. Ceiling out, wallpaper still up, shop vac running.
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During Opened the ceiling cavity and found old foil-faced ductwork and blown-in insulation.
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During All the old wiring and devices I pulled out. Cabin was getting a new electrical system.
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