Id be stoked if ya did a bunch of “small finishing job” videos, most of the time diyers are keen to take on the small jobs since they dont necessarily have the knowledge to do a big job.
I found I needed a nearly complete second set of tools to keep my own home projects progressing. The thought of packing up all tools from a jobsite, setting them up at home then packing them up again to get back to the jobsite is quite the psychological hurdle.
So unbelievably relatable and real life. Thank you for making this video! The fatigue is real, I spent 2 years working on my new kitchen, bathroom, floors, and at this point I don't know if I'll ever finish. But when I get home, I don't see a project house, it's just my house... that happens to also be a project. The real test is when friends/family come over. Then I suddenly have a realization that "holy crap this place looks like trash, I can't possibly host people with my unfinished trim, vanity, unpainted doors with janky old knobs" etc. etc. But they all say to me: "we don't care about that stuff, we just want to spend time with you, and look at how amazing your kitchen, bathroom, and floors look. Just have a beer and hang out, no stress." I guess I have good people in my life even though I feel like a failure in my own home! 🤣
Mate, nearly cried, feeling like the only one that doesn’t have a finished house yet, it’s been 2 and a half years - I feel so much better for having seen your video!!! Seriously, so happy to know I’m not the only one
Don't sell yourself short. If Beau Miles' video of him sorting bolts and screws can get 632k views, videos of you doing little finishing work can kick ass. It's all in the execution. You're both charismatic people yet your humility and frustrations keep it all relatable. Do those mundane videos! We'll watch them!
ye same here Scott, my mrs says she is fed up of looking at images of all of my work in OTHER peoples houses when ours isnt finished lol...I tell her "A plumbers pipes will always leak a joiners gate will always squeak" 🤣
Another builder here with an unfinished house, 5 years into a reno. The untold part of this story is the conversation we have with our partners when looking for a house "... This house is cheaper because it needs fixing up and we'll save money cos i can do it all myself...."
This hit home for me. We are now moved into a house i worked 6 weeks in to get ready and I still have so much work left to do. Shouldv just gone for the more expensive finished house and pay more each month on loan
A handyman I know gave me this advice, and it has actually finally got me eating away at that last 2% of finishing stuff -- When you've got a bunch of tiny jobs left, go around and make a list, but then organise it not by room or 'job', but by type -- so like what are you going to need to use the miter saw for? So finishing the bit under your window, cutting the architraves or crown moulding, etc etc. Then maybe all the tiny 'paint' jobs (that might include sealer or caulking the gaps) -- Mostly I'm doing my renos after work, so having everything grouped by what equipment I need has really helped me :)
I redid the flooring in the entry way 2 years ago. I still haven't installed the skirting. That last 10% is always the hardest. There's also nothing more permanent than a temporary solution.
Oh man, too relatable. Especially the infinite Keep note. Every job I intend to start, I find theres 5 steps I need to do beforehand, it feels like the house deteriorates/garden grows/plans change faster than I can keep up with, feel like im spinning plates. Every weekend feels like a race against monday morning. It's a lot.
3 stubbies 🍻 in to my Friday night here in Oz 🇦🇺 and I stumble into your vid. What a great way to finish up the week. Great vid too by the way. Cheers, mate.
I don’t know if its of any help, but I can rent my wife. She will point constantly to all the unfinished things until you fix it. For me it has been quite effective, this is less work to finish things than argue on why this is not finished with her.
*Jess *I had the same problem with you when I started gardening, I got so excited with growing every kind of vegetable and flower and the garden felt super hectic and busy, and I could not control the invasion of kikuyu grass which was super stressful. I would recommend choosing one spot for growing your vegetables that gets the best sun, planting hedges like native pittosporum or something more uniform around the boundaries that is easy to manage and gives you more privacy, maybe clearing out some of the flower gardens and just planting one fruit tree there and perhaps a few herbs bulbs or comfrey planted next to it and letting the grass grow back. The flowers in pots look really nice. I read a saying in a garden magazine "there are two types of gardeners, crouchers and gazers". Thats really resonated with me. Having hardy shrubs that grow well in your area can be really nice to look at and low maintenance. (what once sounded boring to me is now super appealing) Maybe start saving for your own flower farm? You have a lot of talent there, but I can empathize with how chaotic it can get in a home garden. Sometimes growing a lot of one or two types of flowers also looks less chaotic, and still helps the bee's. We need to have a sense of calm in our garden, and flow. If you can get someone who knows about feng sui or garden design to help with the layout and then you can do the work, this is my plan for our next place, and my big veg garden won't be right next to the house or like taking over the whole lawn. Although a kitchen garden with herbs by house would be handy. There is a balance. I had chickens which drove us completely crazy lol (thanks, Katie.)
What a wholesome video Scott and Jess even got in to do her own bit on Milanote, great stuff. From the very beginning you always maintained that in order to save costs you would be focusing full time on building yourself and not taking any new work for the time being and funding this via the various streams of income you had coming in. Granted costs have sky rocketed over the years and funds are depleting so you have to go back to work if you want to finish your home. What I like most however is that both you and Jess are very thoughtful about materials and outcome of the spaces you are creating, after-all this is a place that you will be spending much time in so you want it to be exactly as you both imagined it to be. Just as time makes a wine, so to does the perfect home. Worrying about how long its taking you is trivial, whats important is that you have fun getting there. Keep up the great work both of you and still loving the vids even when they are simply just imformative like this one (",)
I'm not really interested in building but I watch all your videos. Two things occurred to me while watching this one: 1. No house built in New Zealand is ever actually finished 2. YOU only "finish" your house when you're about to sell your house
The guy that taught me construction only finally finished his house when his divorce was settling and we spent 2 days finishing up stuff in every room. He built a beautiful kitchen and never got around to putting on the outlet covers. For over 2 years!
My father was a mason that had his own general contracting business back in the '80s. My parents bought their first house in 1994. They're selling it now (2024). There's still stuff he never finished 30 years later.
My dad thinks he is going to finish a bathroom he started 35 years ago two hours from where he lives now. The very, very unfinished nature of our house growing up actually trained me to finish things on my own place. He will never finish the bathroom and won't let anybody else work on it lest it disturb his vision or something. Leaving many, many projects undone, or letting things decay while you putter around starting more new projects is like hoarding in some ways.
I finished my house and currently looking for another fixer upper, however, it hasn't been without great cost. I took 4 months off my day-job as a small-scale builder and blitzed the house with 10-12 hour days. This gap away from paid work made my business suffer for the following 2 years. As a 42 year old millennial, my house and fixing it up to sell is my retirement plan. Rinse and repeat as many times as possible until I'm unable to do it anymore. Your house is looking great Scott and Jess.
This is the way to go, just have to be ready for the business to take a hit It’s crazy that it took 2 years to pick up the pieces though Just think, it’s cos I’m invaluable, haha
I discovered your channel during COVID, and it's been therapeutic, informative, and inspirational. But as someone who's went through the financial and emotional drain caused by picking up and recovering from bad builders and doing a lot of the work myself it's helpful to hear the thoughts of decent professionals who suffer some of the same ups and downs. Thanks to your channel I approach my tasks in a more professional way, I try not to get hung up on the stress and anxiety caused by reminding myself of what happened with the builder we needed to get rid of, and do my best given the resources I have. Thanks for everything, John in Scotland
Scott and Jess, this is one of the best videos you’ve ever done. I loved how you interviewed your builder friends and spliced it all in. I hope this episode is wildly successful and you make enough to buy a Japanese heated toilet, they’re marvelous. I’m with you on the costs. During the zero percent Covid years which sparked those massive inflationary pressures in NZ, I got quoted 180K for a simple unlined garage. Another 20k for matched wood with the house and builder only had one two week slot in 2021 to do it. Not their fault at all, material costs had skyrocketed. We’ll be paying that off for years in NZ unfortunately. A couple of observations, 1. Jess was brilliant doing the Milanote set, but did she first whiteboard her overalls from early in the episode using it? They are world class. 2. Secondly, telling your partner not to psychoanalyse this any more is as useful as nail gun without nails. Just let it wash over you and nod every now and then.
Noticed the house was painted.. Thought when did that happen?. Definitely a Jess colour theme, which looks great and consistent inside and out.. For the back yard, less is best. A lush lawn between your toes feels good. Well placed gardens for what you want to grow, like vege, flower, herbs etc placed according to sun/shade requirements. Mix them up to take advantage of companion planting and food for bees.
Yep, this is totally relatable. I've been renovating the house my brother and I own, that he lives in for the past 5+ years, but for reasons, I can only work one Sunday afternoon a week on it. The big things get done, but the finishing takes forever. Add having to do maintenance or urgent repairs as well as renovation, I've got lots of unfinished areas still to finish. I feel Scott's pain 😂
you should save up all the footage from the finishing work around the house and make a long Finishing video for everyone who loves that stuff (me included). A lot of building shows shoot the "exciting stuff" nut never show how it all comes together - in order
This has been a great video Scotty & Jess. We have a Bathroom that has been under construction for the past 4 years. I reckoned when I retired I would jump in to it and have it completed in no time. I have been retired 3 years bugger its still not done, You have given me a boost to get on with it. Thank you Scottyand Jess
I once worked in a clients house and their bathroom had 3 pull string switches, one for lights, fan and heat lamps. They coloured them to easily identify it i thought it was great
You two are lovely people! I'm an app designer and former architect and constantly working away on my unfinished house. It's never done because I'm a perfectionist and I think you are too! Other people don't notice or don't care about the stuff we do.
We have just moved into our unfinished reno. I spend most of the time staring at all the unfinished things I have to do or starting other jobs instead of finishing the jobs I’ve already started. Also budget has a lot to do with it 😅 that’s what im blaming any who
So relatable. We bought our first house when you did. The renovation at this rate is going to be another 7 years. Sometimes it’s hard to walk into a room and get stuck back in. What has been *really* helpful for morale is watching each week how you’re going.
Thanks for another great video. I let my Patreon support for you guys lapse a while back. I just re-upped to help keep you able to create more videos I hope more fans will follow.
Hi Jess and Scott, thanks for being awesome and sharing you skills and renovations with us all. Thanks so much to you Jess, for your review of Milanote and the in's and out's. I have been watching it over and over to learn how to use the Program. Thanks again. Lou from OZ
So relatable. Not a builder, but I'm up to 3 rooms under reno, none finished, two years in. This episode reminded me of a saying: "The cobbler's children never have shoes."
Excellent video. You guys put 180.000 into your house and you got a lot for it. Just the kitchen alone is a premium product which would cost probably 60-80.000 easily without that new layout which required that wood laminate beam. Normal people without these skills would get much less for these 180.000. Anyway I am always enjoying all of these videos with all of these wonderful individuals like Ray and Gaston involved.
Also, when you work for somebody else, you have a clear plan thats specific to one area (at least in renos) and somebody else is paying. When it's your own house, you have the scope of the whole house, and decisions to make for each and how they impact other parts, then cost, and ultimately you're not getting paid either.
I can relate completely... we started our reno in late 2019... still going.... can't even think about the costs, they are insane... Japan is amazing, I lived there for 4 years. Do the travel, the house will wait.
Not a builder nor UA-camr, yup, not getting finished either! Even the tiniest easiest jobs! I wish I could just crunch them down all one day... never gonna happen..
Same here yeah. Have a baby, that does help get stuff done before it starts crawling :D. Another thing that makes it take forever to finish building at home is that you tend to want to do it with free materials, so it takes a while to gather all the leftovers from jobs :P
Scott... a fellow builder here also in the middle of a rather significant remodel on his own house. All this hit home for sure!! I find myself looking for other small projects when I get swamped with mine. As you say, it is refreshing to have a bit of time away from your own project and often allows me to be re-energized to come back and work on my own project with vigor. Thanks for the content Scott and Jess.
In my neck of the woods we refer to this as “the handy man’s burden” or “the builders burden”. You have the tools and know-how to do whatever you want but lack the time, motivation and in some cases finances to actually do it. And/or you keep thinking of ways to improve something that you never actually finish it. Very relatable video!!
I can totally relate to not coming home from work and doing the exact same work you done all day, at home. My friends who work in offices enjoy doing work at home as it's totally different to the day job
I agree with the observation that it all comes down to money. Money is time, it's people. Only those with exceptional amounts of money can 'have it all', have the completed house. For everyone else it comes down to the old adage: I want to have it fast. I want quality. I want it cheap. You can have any two of these things but not all three. If you want quality and cheap...well that's going to take time. If you want it fast and cheap...that means quality is going to suffer, etc., etc. You, Scott, have chosen quality at the lowest price point possible and you don't have heaps of money. That takes time and enriches our enjoyment as we follow along with you on your journey.
Very cool that Jess did the Milanote ad. She's a natural! Good luck with the rest of the house! Glad to see you're not done yet so that means there's more videos to come haha.
I spent 2 and a half years and a ton of money here in the US renovating my house and I often think to myself, how much would it have been if I would’ve just had a company do it? But it’s super refreshing to hear from somebody else about the joys of renovating your own house. Also it’s nice to look at something that you created yourself. Excellent video guys!
For gardening my sister does full garden redesigns for clients from the ground up here in Australia and that takes into account the regeneration process. I would 100% recommend getting someone who specialises in garden remodelling as they literally tell you what to do, where do put this and how to do it!
I started watching you over 3 years ago, we brought our house shortly after.... its still not done. There are so many barriers. Just enjoy what is finished!
Hey Scott, Joiner/Surveyor from Scotland. Im renovating my new home after finally finishing my dads flat (replaced lintel and joists after a dry rot outbreak) he is now a rare builder with finished home (relatively) . Maybe its a generational project ? The houses will be finished by our descendants? aha
Loved the window trim sequence. Amazing shots and editing! That’s why I watch your videos. It’s about carisma, quality, the characters, exotic places, oh and building is a plus. So don’t worry about the content too much, you guys got the gift! Keen on going ❤
I'm sure I said that on a video a while back, that a joiners/builder house is never done And a change is as good as a holiday, I was very surprised that you focused so much on your house and didn't do a month or 2 work for others to get a break from it
I am just starting a 4 week holiday to actually finish some of the very long list of small jobs and redecorating that are well overdue ! Your house is looking amazing guys and that Lemon tree is doing incredibly well !!
Wow, thanks again for another real vid. Yep, it’s hard out there at the moment, and lots of things half done. Appreciate all the time you do spare for your content. Oh, and love the colour you’ve chosen.
Hands down the best video yet. You guys have put so much into perspective about working or renovating your own home while you are actually living in it. I had a five year plan (2005) and I'm still working on my house. I do it a little at a time to keep from taking out a 2nd mortgage. I have been watching for years and will continue to do so until you stop putting out videos. I wish i could help with the garden...but not my area.
This was such a blast to watch! We bought a house two months ago, and I’ve been feeling a bit overwhelmed because I can never seem to finish one task before another one pops up. I guess I will have that feeling for the rest of my life :p
It never ends , I’m 25 years in my home and updating again. Its the same old problems time verses money, you are doing great guys , enjoy life it’s a journey not a race. Love the channel and content ❤
Now now, I painted one room of trim and just painted one door! I’ll patch the holes I made when I moved my water pressure tank and softener this winter, and I’ll swap the windows in the master after we….
Great video team . Strangely I was having the very conversation with my long suffering wife this morning. I am 65 and came to the realisation I have been in construction for 50 years and I still love the work. Being self employed means I never stop thinking of what is next, why this or that thing has or has not happened and it is all for someone else and my family gets second dibs . I have enough work queued up to probably work until I am 70 ! But today (and your video put the lid on it) I have decided that in 11 months time I will retire and spend what time I have left doing things for myself and my family. and may be I will start a channel called what the builder did next , Mind you that might be a big step as I do not even own a smart phone !
Wich is the exact truth. I also am a plumber, of course, the beak of the tap is broken, and of course Mrs is still waiting for her bathroom and New shower although most of the supplies are already in the garage. Cause you know, I'm busy doing masonry and roofing work ( with the help of fellow masons and roofers) all around the house. There's an order of priorities, and the bathroom isn't on the top. 😕
We worked on our house for 7 years. We took a break 2 years ago. We have 1 room left to finish. Still no pulls on any of the kitchen or bathroom cabinets, and no towel bars. After paying $7 for a 4 pack of TP today, I told the Mr. that it's time to hook up the plumbing to the bidet.
Thanks to Milanote for sponsoring this video! Sign up for free and start your next creative project: milanote.com/scottbrown
very nice sponsorship and synergy with the youtube channel and projects you do
Well done Jess on the sponsorship bit. You did a great job.
Strong cameo on this one Jess, Scott should be squarespace-nervous me thinks.
You’ll be using Milanote to design ya garden then 😄
it looks like a really interesting bit of software, would be great for product design work
My home is not finished because I spend to much time watching you tube videos of people working on their homes rather than finishing my own home.
Accurate
Same
Same!😂
True
Here here
loved the alcoholics anonymous-like aspect of interviewing all the builders with unfinished houses
I thought the same thing. Spot on!
The first step is admitting you have a problem.
I would send this video to my ex wife but it would just make her angry 😂
Id be stoked if ya did a bunch of “small finishing job” videos, most of the time diyers are keen to take on the small jobs since they dont necessarily have the knowledge to do a big job.
That little turn at the end of the trim was awesome.
Agreed. 👍🏻
Wear safety glasses and keep your fingers away if you do this with a chop saw. Those little pieces aren't supported by the fence. @@jamesspinks716
@@jamesspinks716Right? I had to watch it several times cause it was like a magic trick!
I second this! No, really, seems like a relatively simple and straightforward solution...
I found I needed a nearly complete second set of tools to keep my own home projects progressing. The thought of packing up all tools from a jobsite, setting them up at home then packing them up again to get back to the jobsite is quite the psychological hurdle.
Would be cheaper to get an apprentice
This is the most relatable video you’ve made Scott. I hear this from my mates, constantly…
So unbelievably relatable and real life. Thank you for making this video! The fatigue is real, I spent 2 years working on my new kitchen, bathroom, floors, and at this point I don't know if I'll ever finish. But when I get home, I don't see a project house, it's just my house... that happens to also be a project.
The real test is when friends/family come over. Then I suddenly have a realization that "holy crap this place looks like trash, I can't possibly host people with my unfinished trim, vanity, unpainted doors with janky old knobs" etc. etc. But they all say to me: "we don't care about that stuff, we just want to spend time with you, and look at how amazing your kitchen, bathroom, and floors look. Just have a beer and hang out, no stress." I guess I have good people in my life even though I feel like a failure in my own home! 🤣
Its all about the people mate and we're all in the same boat here!
I feel like I could just copy and paste your comment as my own. 😅 I feel exactly the same. 😂
Even as A DIYer i find this video very relatable. Projects that get to like 90% done then abandoned for the next project...
Mate, nearly cried, feeling like the only one that doesn’t have a finished house yet, it’s been 2 and a half years - I feel so much better for having seen your video!!! Seriously, so happy to know I’m not the only one
Trust me, you’re not. 😂
Almost 3 years in and still not even halfway.
You are not alone.
One step at a time.
Don't sell yourself short. If Beau Miles' video of him sorting bolts and screws can get 632k views, videos of you doing little finishing work can kick ass. It's all in the execution. You're both charismatic people yet your humility and frustrations keep it all relatable. Do those mundane videos! We'll watch them!
ye same here Scott, my mrs says she is fed up of looking at images of all of my work in OTHER peoples houses when ours isnt finished lol...I tell her "A plumbers pipes will always leak a joiners gate will always squeak" 🤣
You two could make a video about yourselves watching grass grow, and most of us would still watch it from beginning to end.
Most of us would. But they need the channel to grow and more new people watching
Thanks bloody saved my marriage this episode!!!!!
Your wife is leaving when she finds out 3 bucks is all your marriage is worth to you! 😂
😂😂😂
I would have sent this to my ex wife but it would just make her angry 😂
Nice ad read Jess!
You don’t get enough credit for your B roll Scott. Your videos are always edited really well 🤙
Another builder here with an unfinished house, 5 years into a reno.
The untold part of this story is the conversation we have with our partners when looking for a house "... This house is cheaper because it needs fixing up and we'll save money cos i can do it all myself...."
This hit home for me. We are now moved into a house i worked 6 weeks in to get ready and I still have so much work left to do.
Shouldv just gone for the more expensive finished house and pay more each month on loan
fantastic video.
Many, Many carpenters, sparkies, plumbers, hell even Mechanics can all relate to this.
A handyman I know gave me this advice, and it has actually finally got me eating away at that last 2% of finishing stuff -- When you've got a bunch of tiny jobs left, go around and make a list, but then organise it not by room or 'job', but by type -- so like what are you going to need to use the miter saw for? So finishing the bit under your window, cutting the architraves or crown moulding, etc etc. Then maybe all the tiny 'paint' jobs (that might include sealer or caulking the gaps) -- Mostly I'm doing my renos after work, so having everything grouped by what equipment I need has really helped me :)
You know what helps make those small jobs satisfying to watch? A 2 second clip of before, and 2 second clip of the after product!
I redid the flooring in the entry way 2 years ago. I still haven't installed the skirting. That last 10% is always the hardest.
There's also nothing more permanent than a temporary solution.
“I DONT KNOW ITS A SAYING SCOTT!”
Absolutely hilarious! I was very seriously waiting for the answer!
Oh man, too relatable. Especially the infinite Keep note. Every job I intend to start, I find theres 5 steps I need to do beforehand, it feels like the house deteriorates/garden grows/plans change faster than I can keep up with, feel like im spinning plates. Every weekend feels like a race against monday morning. It's a lot.
I would watch the heck out of a video or series of videos that is just you finishing all the little details 😄
3 stubbies 🍻 in to my Friday night here in Oz 🇦🇺 and I stumble into your vid. What a great way to finish up the week.
Great vid too by the way. Cheers, mate.
As a DIYer, this has given me the motivation to finally sand back the last of the trim in my bathroom and paint the last little bits
Thanks. I'm renovating our own home we live in. This video literally made me feel 10x better and cured my headache.
I don’t know if its of any help, but I can rent my wife. She will point constantly to all the unfinished things until you fix it.
For me it has been quite effective, this is less work to finish things than argue on why this is not finished with her.
I use to do concrete work pouring driveways and the customers love it when we were done.
But I never did my driveway which look like crap.
*Jess *I had the same problem with you when I started gardening, I got so excited with growing every kind of vegetable and flower and the garden felt super hectic and busy, and I could not control the invasion of kikuyu grass which was super stressful.
I would recommend choosing one spot for growing your vegetables that gets the best sun, planting hedges like native pittosporum or something more uniform around the boundaries that is easy to manage and gives you more privacy, maybe clearing out some of the flower gardens and just planting one fruit tree there and perhaps a few herbs bulbs or comfrey planted next to it and letting the grass grow back. The flowers in pots look really nice.
I read a saying in a garden magazine "there are two types of gardeners, crouchers and gazers". Thats really resonated with me. Having hardy shrubs that grow well in your area can be really nice to look at and low maintenance. (what once sounded boring to me is now super appealing)
Maybe start saving for your own flower farm? You have a lot of talent there, but I can empathize with how chaotic it can get in a home garden. Sometimes growing a lot of one or two types of flowers also looks less chaotic, and still helps the bee's. We need to have a sense of calm in our garden, and flow.
If you can get someone who knows about feng sui or garden design to help with the layout and then you can do the work, this is my plan for our next place, and my big veg garden won't be right next to the house or like taking over the whole lawn. Although a kitchen garden with herbs by house would be handy. There is a balance.
I had chickens which drove us completely crazy lol
(thanks, Katie.)
What a wholesome video Scott and Jess even got in to do her own bit on Milanote, great stuff. From the very beginning you always maintained that in order to save costs you would be focusing full time on building yourself and not taking any new work for the time being and funding this via the various streams of income you had coming in. Granted costs have sky rocketed over the years and funds are depleting so you have to go back to work if you want to finish your home. What I like most however is that both you and Jess are very thoughtful about materials and outcome of the spaces you are creating, after-all this is a place that you will be spending much time in so you want it to be exactly as you both imagined it to be. Just as time makes a wine, so to does the perfect home. Worrying about how long its taking you is trivial, whats important is that you have fun getting there. Keep up the great work both of you and still loving the vids even when they are simply just imformative like this one (",)
I'm not really interested in building but I watch all your videos. Two things occurred to me while watching this one:
1. No house built in New Zealand is ever actually finished
2. YOU only "finish" your house when you're about to sell your house
Lol, currently getting ready to list and yes all those years of unfinished jobs are finally getting done...
We all need deadlines!
The guy that taught me construction only finally finished his house when his divorce was settling and we spent 2 days finishing up stuff in every room. He built a beautiful kitchen and never got around to putting on the outlet covers. For over 2 years!
Love this show, you two are the best at helping a tired old builder to relax. Keep it up guys.
Not a builder professionally, but still have no floor in our ensuite bath... Also the ad spot was beautifully framed and filmed. It was great!
When she said: ''If I don't over-analyze who am I?'' I felt that on a very deep personal level 🙃
My father was a mason that had his own general contracting business back in the '80s. My parents bought their first house in 1994. They're selling it now (2024). There's still stuff he never finished 30 years later.
My dad thinks he is going to finish a bathroom he started 35 years ago two hours from where he lives now. The very, very unfinished nature of our house growing up actually trained me to finish things on my own place. He will never finish the bathroom and won't let anybody else work on it lest it disturb his vision or something. Leaving many, many projects undone, or letting things decay while you putter around starting more new projects is like hoarding in some ways.
I finished my house and currently looking for another fixer upper, however, it hasn't been without great cost. I took 4 months off my day-job as a small-scale builder and blitzed the house with 10-12 hour days. This gap away from paid work made my business suffer for the following 2 years.
As a 42 year old millennial, my house and fixing it up to sell is my retirement plan. Rinse and repeat as many times as possible until I'm unable to do it anymore.
Your house is looking great Scott and Jess.
This is the way to go, just have to be ready for the business to take a hit
It’s crazy that it took 2 years to pick up the pieces though
Just think, it’s cos I’m invaluable, haha
I discovered your channel during COVID, and it's been therapeutic, informative, and inspirational.
But as someone who's went through the financial and emotional drain caused by picking up and recovering from bad builders and doing a lot of the work myself it's helpful to hear the thoughts of decent professionals who suffer some of the same ups and downs.
Thanks to your channel I approach my tasks in a more professional way, I try not to get hung up on the stress and anxiety caused by reminding myself of what happened with the builder we needed to get rid of, and do my best given the resources I have. Thanks for everything,
John in Scotland
I'm a builder, it took me 3yrs to finish my bathroom!
Jess looking so professional for the ad. Amazing.
That Milanote sponsor ad was perfect timing for me - I am about to embark on an extensive reno on a 1970s home here in Brisbane, AUS
Great video guys! Just pure reality. So many of us relate to your expirience. lets all help each other!
This applies 100% to people that dont build as a job too
Scott and Jess, this is one of the best videos you’ve ever done. I loved how you interviewed your builder friends and spliced it all in. I hope this episode is wildly successful and you make enough to buy a Japanese heated toilet, they’re marvelous.
I’m with you on the costs. During the zero percent Covid years which sparked those massive inflationary pressures in NZ, I got quoted 180K for a simple unlined garage. Another 20k for matched wood with the house and builder only had one two week slot in 2021 to do it. Not their fault at all, material costs had skyrocketed. We’ll be paying that off for years in NZ unfortunately.
A couple of observations,
1. Jess was brilliant doing the Milanote set, but did she first whiteboard her overalls from early in the episode using it? They are world class.
2. Secondly, telling your partner not to psychoanalyse this any more is as useful as nail gun without nails. Just let it wash over you and nod every now and then.
Noticed the house was painted.. Thought when did that happen?. Definitely a Jess colour theme, which looks great and consistent inside and out..
For the back yard, less is best. A lush lawn between your toes feels good. Well placed gardens for what you want to grow, like vege, flower, herbs etc placed according to sun/shade requirements.
Mix them up to take advantage of companion planting and food for bees.
Yep, this is totally relatable. I've been renovating the house my brother and I own, that he lives in for the past 5+ years, but for reasons, I can only work one Sunday afternoon a week on it. The big things get done, but the finishing takes forever. Add having to do maintenance or urgent repairs as well as renovation, I've got lots of unfinished areas still to finish. I feel Scott's pain 😂
you should save up all the footage from the finishing work around the house and make a long Finishing video for everyone who loves that stuff (me included). A lot of building shows shoot the "exciting stuff" nut never show how it all comes together - in order
The green looks wonderful - well done who pick the colour out
This has been a great video Scotty & Jess. We have a Bathroom that has been under construction for the past 4 years. I reckoned when I retired I would jump in to it and have it completed in no time. I have been retired 3 years bugger its still not done, You have given me a boost to get on with it. Thank you Scottyand Jess
Painter here
Painters house is never painted.
Completely relate!!
I once worked in a clients house and their bathroom had 3 pull string switches, one for lights, fan and heat lamps. They coloured them to easily identify it i thought it was great
You two are lovely people! I'm an app designer and former architect and constantly working away on my unfinished house. It's never done because I'm a perfectionist and I think you are too! Other people don't notice or don't care about the stuff we do.
I'm not even a builder and the side of our deck and skirts aren't done either. Made me feel a heap better knowing I'm not alone. Thanks Scott! 🙌
We have just moved into our unfinished reno. I spend most of the time staring at all the unfinished things I have to do or starting other jobs instead of finishing the jobs I’ve already started. Also budget has a lot to do with it 😅 that’s what im blaming any who
So relatable. We bought our first house when you did. The renovation at this rate is going to be another 7 years. Sometimes it’s hard to walk into a room and get stuck back in. What has been *really* helpful for morale is watching each week how you’re going.
Thanks for another great video. I let my Patreon support for you guys lapse a while back. I just re-upped to help keep you able to create more videos I hope more fans will follow.
Hi Jess and Scott, thanks for being awesome and sharing you skills and renovations with us all. Thanks so much to you Jess, for your review of Milanote and the in's and out's. I have been watching it over and over to learn how to use the Program. Thanks again. Lou from OZ
So relatable. Not a builder, but I'm up to 3 rooms under reno, none finished, two years in. This episode reminded me of a saying: "The cobbler's children never have shoes."
This video has completely rescued my self esteem, thank you
Excellent video.
You guys put 180.000 into your house and you got a lot for it. Just the kitchen alone is a premium product which would cost probably 60-80.000 easily without that new layout which required that wood laminate beam. Normal people without these skills would get much less for these 180.000.
Anyway I am always enjoying all of these videos with all of these wonderful individuals like Ray and Gaston involved.
I'm an electrician. I had 1 led stripe to finish in my living room. Took me 2 years to do. I just done it a few weeks ago
I've been following you for years and this is one of your best videos. Keep up the good work.
I appreciate you being upfront and honest with the costs as no one ever really broaches the subject with transparency. 👍
Also, when you work for somebody else, you have a clear plan thats specific to one area (at least in renos) and somebody else is paying. When it's your own house, you have the scope of the whole house, and decisions to make for each and how they impact other parts, then cost, and ultimately you're not getting paid either.
I stuff all my extra bags of insulation in my garage attic, too! Thank you for the real video...the house is never finished!
I can relate completely... we started our reno in late 2019... still going.... can't even think about the costs, they are insane... Japan is amazing, I lived there for 4 years. Do the travel, the house will wait.
I'm not even a builder and my house isn't finished either! 🤣
I must be a builder because my house isn't finished...
Joining the club lol
Not a builder nor UA-camr, yup, not getting finished either! Even the tiniest easiest jobs! I wish I could just crunch them down all one day... never gonna happen..
Same here yeah. Have a baby, that does help get stuff done before it starts crawling :D. Another thing that makes it take forever to finish building at home is that you tend to want to do it with free materials, so it takes a while to gather all the leftovers from jobs :P
Scott... a fellow builder here also in the middle of a rather significant remodel on his own house. All this hit home for sure!! I find myself looking for other small projects when I get swamped with mine. As you say, it is refreshing to have a bit of time away from your own project and often allows me to be re-energized to come back and work on my own project with vigor. Thanks for the content Scott and Jess.
In my neck of the woods we refer to this as “the handy man’s burden” or “the builders burden”. You have the tools and know-how to do whatever you want but lack the time, motivation and in some cases finances to actually do it. And/or you keep thinking of ways to improve something that you never actually finish it.
Very relatable video!!
Im renovating my own house, wearing my headset while this video is playing! Atleast you motivate me
I can totally relate to not coming home from work and doing the exact same work you done all day, at home. My friends who work in offices enjoy doing work at home as it's totally different to the day job
I agree with the observation that it all comes down to money. Money is time, it's people. Only those with exceptional amounts of money can 'have it all', have the completed house. For everyone else it comes down to the old adage: I want to have it fast. I want quality. I want it cheap. You can have any two of these things but not all three. If you want quality and cheap...well that's going to take time. If you want it fast and cheap...that means quality is going to suffer, etc., etc. You, Scott, have chosen quality at the lowest price point possible and you don't have heaps of money. That takes time and enriches our enjoyment as we follow along with you on your journey.
Very cool that Jess did the Milanote ad. She's a natural! Good luck with the rest of the house! Glad to see you're not done yet so that means there's more videos to come haha.
I agree, Jess, you did a great job, felt natural, you were helping sell something that had obviously helped you. (That makes it easier)👍
I spent 2 and a half years and a ton of money here in the US renovating my house and I often think to myself, how much would it have been if I would’ve just had a company do it? But it’s super refreshing to hear from somebody else about the joys of renovating your own house. Also it’s nice to look at something that you created yourself. Excellent video guys!
This video makes me feel so much better about my projects! Thanks!
Makes me feel good about my new to me, unfinished house. Thanks Scott :)
Love all your videos, the content is relatable and honest.
The Segway into the sponsor was genius.
Keep up the great work 😀
For gardening my sister does full garden redesigns for clients from the ground up here in Australia and that takes into account the regeneration process. I would 100% recommend getting someone who specialises in garden remodelling as they literally tell you what to do, where do put this and how to do it!
OMG. 100%. ME. 😅 I relate so much. Our house of 3 years is in various state of finish. I can’t tell you how comforting this video is for me
Milanote looks really cool. I will check it out for my building company
I started watching you over 3 years ago, we brought our house shortly after.... its still not done. There are so many barriers. Just enjoy what is finished!
Hey Scott, Joiner/Surveyor from Scotland. Im renovating my new home after finally finishing my dads flat (replaced lintel and joists after a dry rot outbreak) he is now a rare builder with finished home (relatively) . Maybe its a generational project ? The houses will be finished by our descendants? aha
Love the renovation videos.
Love the building site videos.
Love these kind of videos.
Just do your thing, we'll be here for it!
Loved the window trim sequence. Amazing shots and editing! That’s why I watch your videos. It’s about carisma, quality, the characters, exotic places, oh and building is a plus. So don’t worry about the content too much, you guys got the gift! Keen on going ❤
I'm sure I said that on a video a while back, that a joiners/builder house is never done
And a change is as good as a holiday, I was very surprised that you focused so much on your house and didn't do a month or 2 work for others to get a break from it
I am just starting a 4 week holiday to actually finish some of the very long list of small jobs and redecorating that are well overdue !
Your house is looking amazing guys and that Lemon tree is doing incredibly well !!
Wow, thanks again for another real vid. Yep, it’s hard out there at the moment, and lots of things half done. Appreciate all the time you do spare for your content. Oh, and love the colour you’ve chosen.
This vid made me feel better about the many times I’ve been stuck in a funk. Thanks mate.
Hands down the best video yet. You guys have put so much into perspective about working or renovating your own home while you are actually living in it. I had a five year plan (2005) and I'm still working on my house. I do it a little at a time to keep from taking out a 2nd mortgage. I have been watching for years and will continue to do so until you stop putting out videos. I wish i could help with the garden...but not my area.
This was such a blast to watch! We bought a house two months ago, and I’ve been feeling a bit overwhelmed because I can never seem to finish one task before another one pops up.
I guess I will have that feeling for the rest of my life :p
It never ends , I’m 25 years in my home and updating again. Its the same old problems time verses money, you are doing great guys , enjoy life it’s a journey not a race. Love the channel and content ❤
Now now, I painted one room of trim and just painted one door!
I’ll patch the holes I made when I moved my water pressure tank and softener this winter, and I’ll swap the windows in the master after we….
Love the Woods Creek !
Totally relatable .Does not matter the trade the answers all seem the same.electrican 🇳🇿👏
Great video team . Strangely I was having the very conversation with my long suffering wife this morning. I am 65 and came to the realisation I have been in construction for 50 years and I still love the work. Being self employed means I never stop thinking of what is next, why this or that thing has or has not happened and it is all for someone else and my family gets second dibs . I have enough work queued up to probably work until I am 70 ! But today (and your video put the lid on it) I have decided that in 11 months time I will retire and spend what time I have left doing things for myself and my family. and may be I will start a channel called what the builder did next , Mind you that might be a big step as I do not even own a smart phone !
Brilliant episode! 🤩🤩🤩
This is the first video of yours that I’ve seen but after Jess’ moment at 17:25 I’m now a subscriber!
....and a plumber's taps drip....this from a retired plumber....
Wich is the exact truth.
I also am a plumber, of course, the beak of the tap is broken, and of course Mrs is still waiting for her bathroom and New shower although most of the supplies are already in the garage.
Cause you know, I'm busy doing masonry and roofing work ( with the help of fellow masons and roofers) all around the house.
There's an order of priorities, and the bathroom isn't on the top. 😕
We worked on our house for 7 years. We took a break 2 years ago. We have 1 room left to finish. Still no pulls on any of the kitchen or bathroom cabinets, and no towel bars. After paying $7 for a 4 pack of TP today, I told the Mr. that it's time to hook up the plumbing to the bidet.
That was the most professionally executed add.. well done Jess!