Home Renovation - Let The Makeover Begin! (ep 1)

Guys, I'm an architect, and a contractor.... advice: 1. Amy... get appropriate shoes... you're going to have an accident sooner than later. 2. Get a trailer... at least a small one. That floor with the rat issue... remove the entire thing... replace all the insulation and install new engineer flooring. 3. The removed wood from that floor, plainer (with a machine.. called planer) and re-use it for like wall covering or do something creative with it.. 4. That shower... demo the entire thing.... health heasart .. 5. Where you have mold, remove the wall finish completely... if there is mold in the front, there would be 5 times more in the back... it also means you have a water leak somewhere behind that wall. 6. Same as before on ceilings, floors and any other place that is showing mold... 7. Asbestos... get appropriate stuff to wear... 8. Please... please...please... use gloves!!! Trust me!! You can get something that would require penicillin... or smash a finger... 9.cover your face....face-mask at all times during demo!! Guys... not joke.... you are playing with fire!! 10. Also... almost forgot... that flooring area with d rat issue... there is ton of electric cables there... huge opportunity to re-route some and replace all that... house that old those wires can start a fire... 11. Do not mess around with electricity or plumbing... that can flood or burn the house... replace as much as you can... the investment will be worth it! Any way... good luck chicos from Phoenix az...

Having owned a 234 year old house for many years, I can honestly say it will take 100% longer than you think it will take to fix all the issues! My advice- ALWAYS wear a mask.

Craig and Amy, I know someone in hospital right now fighting for their life with leptospirosis because they didn’t wear gloves/mask while working in the roof around mouse poo. Please be safe!

Blimey! As a building surveyor I have never heard “French drain” mentioned so often in one place!! My advice: please ignore all the internet advice and get a surveyor familiar with Scottish building practice in to advise. The place has been unoccupied for a long time.

You can’t stop water seeping in from the inside. You have to do it from the outside! Fix the roof and gutters, gutters are super important! And as your house is in a slope you may need to dig out and redirect the water on the back so it doesn’t go into the house. So drainage and roof/gutters is step one :)

Please wear gloves & masks (most of the time if you can) and leave all the doors / windows open & protect your clothes? Unless they are your work clothes. Speaking from experience working during demolition/ refurbishment with mold etc. (love your videos!🩷🩷)

My opinion? Keep nothing. Remove it all and start from scratch, knowing that you’ve had it all done and looked at. The peace of mind you’ll have knowing there’s new insulation and the wood is all good is priceless

You may be tired of hearing this, but I have to reiterate everyone’s warnings about the mold exposure. I worked with a practitioner that had many clients who had a plethora of severe health issues from mold exposure and they struggled so hard to heal all the issues they developed from it. Congratulations on your new home, but pleeeease be careful!!! ❤️

Please please please be careful with mold. It can suppress your immune system and make you super sick over time. Mold toxicity sickness is no joke. Especially if you’ve had a history of health issues. My advice is to remove everything that has visible mold damage and then get it properly remediated by a reputable company. Good luck guys!

Hey Trev and Holmes, PLEASE watch the Vanwives video that posted today. PLEASE WEAR ALL YOUR PPE ALL THE TIME! We love you two and want you to be well! Also, Trev, please NO LONG WIGS when using power tools, you can get hurt badly.

The only channel that I don’t forward through the AG1 commercials. Hysterical!!

I have a suggestion I learned the hard way. Keep a pail, or box, lined with a garbage bag, and clean as you go. If it’s garbage, toss it immediately. Use another box for anything you might save,like screws, or brackets, etc, and toss them in the box. Move those boxes around the room as you work. Mess can create stress. You’re welcome. ❤

French drain! I believe the land starts to slope up at the back of your house. Every time it rains, water drains downhill until it hits the back wall, it then seeps inside. If you put in a French drain along that back wall it will redirect water away from the house. That will solve a lot of issues.

As a former home inspector, water is your home's worst enemy. Wet wood rots and attracts carpenter ants and termites, both will eat the framing clean out of your house if not treated professionally. Any damp wood will need removed and reframed. After proper drain tiles are installed around the house, you'll need to dig all around the foundation and put a rubber barrier on it so it seals it up what is underground. You'll worry about air flow/breathability when the HVAC system is installed to make sure your house breathes. You might want to go back to watch older Trent and Allie videos, or Eamon and Bec to see how they did theirs. Don't breathe in mouse nests. The poop/pee can cause serious damage. It's best to spray them down with water so it doesn't go airborne. As others have said, wear personal protection is imperative. If the house was painted inside prior to 1978, it likely has lead paint. You may need to call your environmental agency for advice. Many of the chemicals are carcinogens and cause infertility. Please be careful and have fun!

PPE! It's insane you've done as much as shown in that video without proper respirators, gloves and protective shoes. It's only a matter of time before one or both of you end up in hospital if you carry on like that.

Personally, I only wear steel toed shoes/boots when doing this kind of work. Many decades ago I learned the hard way how much something smashing my toes instantly stopped my work progress. Highly recommend them!

Guys, you're brilliant for getting stuck in to such a big job. PPE note though - where I'm from workers dealing with mold, rodents, asbestos, lead, and sheets of fiberglass (the pink fluffy stuff) wear hazmat suits with a proper respirator! Stay safe!

Dearest Amy. You got this. 25 years ago when my husband and I started renovating an abandoned house I couldn’t use a screwdriver. Now I can build pretty much anything, lay tile, electrical, plumbing, insulation…you name it. Don’t worry a bit. You’ll be a pro in no time. You both will make the best memories working together to make a home that’s all your own.

I’d be wearing a respirator mask and gloves when removing the carpet! Can’t wait for the finished results!

So excited for the Reno… and laughed along. But also watching the hair not tied up, breathing in mould and dust and no PPE… is giving me lowkey anxiety 🫣🫠