Here’s where I come clean. Sometimes … Ryan and I make mistakes when DIYing and renovating.
(Gasp.)
Many of those “mistakes” are just because time changes our plans. This happens a lot to us because while we do plan, we also roll with the punches. And because we do lots of the work ourselves, we can be a little flexible with plans. When we start a project or renovation, we don’t always consider all the opportunities. But as we get going, we come up with new ideas or crazy plans.
And then all hell breaks loose.
Sidenote: I’ve recently been watching my favorite DIY show Rehab Addict on ulive. (By the way, LOVE this show and LOVE ulive. Free shows from DIY Network, HGTV and more.) One thing Nicole Curtis said stuck with me:
“Mistakes are just knowledge waiting to happen.”
All that say, we are getting lots of knowledge up in here.
The barn started as a sort of crazy idea of Ryan’s to re-use something that was over 100 years old. So, he tore down the barn, relocated and rebuilt it. All of the plans were made assuming that it would be storage and work space.
Then, as we built it, we got the crazy notion to convert the upstairs to an apartment and live there.
So, we adjusted. Did some more planning.
Unfortunately, that meant some back-tracking and regrouping. We probably would have done things differently had we known that we were going to live there. Honestly, in retrospect, we could have actually done a lot of things differently and turned the entire barn into a home. But that’s neither here nor there. And the changes we would need are not going to happen at this point.
One big uh-oh was the roof. The gorgeous metal roof that was on the room when Ryan removed it. We loved it. So, he flipped the metal and reinstalled it to the newly built barn. Bing, bang and boom. I really think it was beautiful.
But it was an old metal roof. And I got a call from Ryan when I was in Phoenix and the Midwest was getting buckets of rain that the roof was leaking like a sieve.
We shouldn’t have been that surprised. But, it sucked. And it was NOVEMBER, for goodness sakes. Not the best time to put on a roof in the Midwest. So, we got angry and sulked and worried. Like rational adults. And then we discussed it and decided that the best solution was a new roof. Like. Now. Because if we waited, we couldn’t really work on the barn apartment, which means we wouldn’t be able to move in the spring.
Did I mention that this was one of the coldest and snowiest years I remember? Ugh.
So, Ryan and my brother ripped off that stinkin’ roof in the rain and sleet and snow. My brother sent me these type of photos, which helped my blood pressure tremendously.
They also sent selfies for the blog. Because they are nothing if not helpful content contributors.
They were able to put up plywood and tarpaper in the blistering winds. It was a horrible, cold and physical job. But they powered through and got it done in early December.
And then Ryan and I made the executive decision to pay the dollas to have someone else put the shingles up.
Thank. The. Good. Lord. 
We were able to save some money by doing the prep work. A friend recommended a guy and he and his crew had the roof completed in a day. It’s a relatively simple roof (straight shot on both sides), but it’s pretty steep and the weather was miserable. Plus, Ryan has a pesky thing called a day job. The crew had a nice sunny day (ironic after all the poor weather Ryan and Kyle dealt with) to get the roof up. Like that, we had something we could actually live in.
In the end, this mistake was more about losing time than money. The metal roof wasn’t new. But it took time away from other projects and it just would have been better to plan this ahead and not have to fix the roof in the dead of winter. But, what’s done is done. And the new black shingles are pretty gorgeous, if I do say so myself. It makes the red pop even more.
I love how that roof makes the red pop too Kim. Maybe a blessing in disguise… I don’t know. The other roof was awesome and rustic, but I bet you will be a lot more comfy with this one…
Oh gosh. Too many reno mistakes to even begin to count. Like how we did the kitchen and bathroom twice (each). The roof looks beautiful though. I really loved the metal roof but you’re right; the black shingles really make the red pop! And roofing is a good one to hire out. We did the same thing and I don’t regret that decision at all.
Yeah. Roofing sucks. We’ve done it enough but doing it in December was not something worth the few hundred bucks.
Nicole Curtis is totally my hero as well. I am OBSESSED with her show and really can’t wait to buy my own house, post-divorce, so I can make her proud, lol.
Love the barn. Beautiful and so exciting!
She is pretty much the bees knees. I want to meet her in person and kiss her feet.
Mistakes? What? I’ve never heard that word. 😉 Your new roof looks great.
And thank you so much for the ulive tip!! We don’t have cable and I’ve said one of the only reasons I miss it is for shows on HGTV, lol.
ulive is my crack.
Get that guy an award!! Ryan is serious! You will love living onsite while you build. No matter the roof mistake it was a good call to renovate the upstairs of the barn. I wish there was a way we could have swung that with our HOA. Not just because that would have meant I didn’t have to live with my parents for a year, but it’s so nice to be available when they need you. Plus you spent hours up there anyway.
Yeah, the idea of being on-site to actually see Ryan was a major point for me. And I keep telling Ryan if he makes the barn nice enough I may never need to build.
I think he thinks I’m serious.
Those are some brave men there. So glad that nobody was hurt during the process. It looks mighty sharp! There are no mistakes, just new opportunities to be creative! Looking forward to watching the progress.
that sucks! (for ryan! ha!) but ya know, this might be a happy mistake. while the original roof was gorgeous and unique, the new one really does make the barn look so crisp and beautiful. and i’m sure it will last and last for years to come for you to enjoy.
as always, i’m super impressed by ryan’s skillz. i’m impressed over here when my husband can install a fan or something…
You are right. Still not thrilled about it, but that’s life.
I think the roof looks great. While I love love love the idea of a metal roof, I can’t help but wonder how annoying it would be to live under one – you know, during rain, hail and whatever – with kids? So maybe a blessing in disguise as you’ll be living under the new roof for awhile. I’m, as always, so impressed with how much you guys tackle on your own (and knowing when to call in someone else to do it when you don’t want to!) – B and I would have been like…”S***. What do we do? Let’s um, call the first emergency roofer we find in the phone book.”
You are so right about the noise. It was something I was worried about from the start.
Well, I for one NEVER make mistakes. Nope. Your barn looks amazing, btw.
God Bless Ryan and Kyle! Job well done and having pros come to do the shingles was genius!!
OMG I can’t believe they had to take the roof down in this weather. So sorry that it leaked, but glad it’s all done now.
I LOVE “Rehab Addict” too
been there. BUT at least you figured out the leaky-ness…before you moved it 🙂
in* darn it! before you moved in!
your barn is so pretty! And that ladder picture is terrifying! the new roof looks great; I’m glad you won’t have to move in with water pouring in on you while you sleep now 🙂
You guys really are rock stars – I hope that’s the biggest hiccup you encounter on your barn adventure!
Gosh. Me, too.
Oh man, well, at least it leaked before you started fixing the inside! The new roof looks great!
I know how disappointing changes can be when you don’t really have a choice in the matter. But the bright side is that it really does look great!
I too am OBSESSED with Rehab Addict. Nicole Curtis is my hero. The black shingles look stunning on the barn. It’s a bummer you had to do it unexpectedly, but that’s just the DIY life. We really should form some kind of support group. I’m very familiar with mistakes and bad timing 🙂
I think we all need I (heart) Nicole Curtis t-shirts. She’s the bomb.
That’s a bummer, but I’m glad you go it fixed!
I have a story to make you laugh. I was at work one day and got a phone call from my husband that started “Don’t be mad. I might have messed up, but I’ve already worked out a solution”… okaaaay. So, he was trying to run speaker wires from our dining room (where the receiver was going) to the backyard walls (where the speakers were going) and he accidentally drilled a hold through the roof! He was trying to drill from the wall (behind the crown molding that he’d pulled off) to the attic but managed to drill to far. Luckily, our roof was about 1-2 years old and the company came out and replaced the shingle, free of charge. 🙂 Things happen, we can’t always be perfect!
I hope that made you smile a little 🙂
Oh my gosh. You know when a conversation starts like that, it’s going to be good. My husband once stepped through the ceiling into our newly-renovated bathroom. That was a BIG mistake. I can laugh about it now.
As someone who’s moved a building similar to yours, all I can say is THANK GOD I don’t have to live in it, and choosing what to save and what to replace was “almost” harder than moving the building itself. But a leaky metal roof wouldn’t have cut it even if you weren’t living there, and the dark shingles do look pretty great…
You’re totally right. Ugh. Wish we would have done it in the fall. Hindsight. 😉
This is amazing Kim! I love the barn and look forward to your updates! Chris and I on a whim decided to re-finish the hard wood floors in our old house (I miss them dearly, anyway I digress). Note: never use anything “quick drying” when it comes to floors. It actually takes the same amount of time and looks HORRIBLE! Lesson learned, three days added to the project. 🙂
Ugh. What a bummer! Refinishing hardwood is no joke.
and all is well that ends well! life lessons. 🙂
Oh Kim! That SUUUUCKS!!! But! I love your attitude, and the new roof really does look GORGEOUS!!
What? Free HGTV? I’m totally cancelling cable and telling Nate to stuff it. 😛
I’d blame this craptastic winter instead of blaming yourselves. Seriously.
I want to take a field trip to the barn. When it’s warm. So in July.
Yeah. Let’s get that on the calendar.
I am CRAZY about Nicole Curtis. I’d be more excited to meet her in person than any red carpet celebrity!
Me, too. I seriously want to stalk her down because I think she’s amazing.
Oh man, of course that WOULD happen during the craziest winter of the last few years! The update looks nice though!
Oh and thanks (and d*mn you!) for the free HGTV tip – I’m sure I’ll waste a lot of time on it, lol.
You’re so welcome. I aim to give you ways to waste time.
we have a list a mile long!! now that the house is finished (for the most part) we are wishing we would have done things differently. but who knew what life would be like with 3 little ones? i love that show too by the way:)
You are so right. There’s always those things you wish you’d have thought of or done differently.Life.