Renovation Realities

Potential is what architect Cheryl Obert saw in her 1925 Craftsman-era home when she purchased it more than four years ago. With the help of her partner, Jess Heidorn, the couple went right to work, completely remodeling their home's upstairs bathroom. This project, however, not only took months longer than expected, but also included a few miscues and missteps along the way. Now, with the heartache of their last remodel job a thing of the past, the couple are finally ready to tackle a new, more ambitious project together: to completely gut and remodel their outdated kitchen in a week. As the renovation gets underway, though, the scope and scale of this job becomes painfully obvious as each day brings with it a series of new and unforeseen challenges. Battling a gas line problem, a missing kitchen cabinet, and wet drywall mud, the couple struggle to stay on schedule and under budget. Eventually, and with tensions on the rise, Cheryl and Jess come to the agonizing realization that this project is going to take far longer than either one of them ever expected.