As I was leaving a worksite in Bahrain last week, it started to pour. A fantastic lightning bolt stretched from ground to sky before my eyes. The beautiful sandy landscape quickly turned to mud, and I could no longer see the waters of the Persian Gulf. To use a Dad joke, it Bah-rained on my parade for all of about 10 minutes, and by the time I arrived back at my hotel in Manama…
Spokane Fixer
if it ain't broke... fix it anyway
“That time we bought a fixer upper...”
About Me
×××
(and this blog)
Back in 2014, our family decided that running a full-time wedding photography business, working a job that requires frequent world travel, raising two kids, and serving in various areas in our church and community left us plenty of time to flip a home. Based on all the fixer-upper shows we’d seen, we figured it should only take us 30 minutes per room (23 if we skipped the commercials). Truthfully, we had no idea just how far down the rabbit hole we could fall.
It’s been five (long) years since we committed to this fool’s errand, but it really has been worth every minute of investment. We’re proud of what we’ve learned and accomplished and are excited to share some of the progress on this living blog.
Disclaimer #1: I am not a professional.
Well, at least not a professional home remodeler. But I have watched a lot of HGTV, and I’ve stayed more than my fair share of nights at a Holiday Inn Express.
Disclaimer #2: I’m not perfect, and neither is my work.
I’m learning as I go from any source I can get my hands on, whether that be advice from family and friends, YouTube, or simply making mistakes with my own literal set of hands (and there is plenty of that, I assure you).
Disclaimer #3: I don’t know what I’m doing.
I’ve had countless people ask me something to the effect of “How do you know how to do all of this stuff?” Someone once told me that if you know something CAN be done, then you know you can do it, too. Now, some things may require a higher degree of skill or artistic talent, but I find most things simply require a lot of (over)confidence and a bit of (patient) practice.
Latest Posts
×××
(...or unfinished projects)
-
-
That time Godzilla attacked…
// Spokane Fixer // house 1 Response
Visiting Japan was never on my bucket list. In fact, visiting any country outside of good ol’ ‘Merica was never all that appealing to me. I grew up with an unhealthy fear of losing a passport and getting stuck forever overseas, unable to return home. I have no idea how that (mostly) unfounded fear developed, so feel free to psycho-analyze me all you want…
-
That time the neighbor thought I’d lost it… (Part II)
// Spokane Fixer // house 2 Responses
In the first part of this project post (click here if you haven’t yet read it), I successfully dismantled the dark, sad chimney. This is one of those projects that I was asked to hire out. Why? Well, my wife didn’t relish the thought of losing her husband to a bit of gravity and a sudden stop at the end of a short drop. However, I assured her that I’d be safe, as the pitch of the roof made…
Things I Fix
×××
(...or improve?)
House
Student
This is the reason for this site, so most posts reflect my constant learning in the many areas of home renovation, whether it be masonry, tree trimming, electrical, drywall, trim, or plumbing (yuck). I've learned a lot through watching and doing, and it's been a blast.
Car
Hobbyist
While the majority of posts on this site revolve around home renovation, I love to fix just about anything. This includes my project car: the 1988 BMW 325i (E30). Growing up, our family had an old '81 BMW 318i that I fell in love with, so this project offers a lot of nostalgia and a bit of an outlet to work on something frustratingly challenging (i.e., fun).
Technology
Professional
Growing up, computers and technology were my hobbies that turned profession when I decided to quit law school. Gladly, I was able to fall back on a hobby that pays the bills and still offers an outlet for creativity. Every so often, I work on a computer or phone or Nintendo Switch project that is worth posting.
Music
Rocker
Since my parents bought me my first guitar at the age of 14, I've been playing music in various settings with various pieces of equipment, some better than others, and some of which I'm proud of. Sometimes, I get to play with fun equipment or fix a guitar in need of repair.
Contact Me
×××
(let's be friends)