Everybody makes mistakes. Some mistakes are bigger than others. The most important thing is to take responsibility for what’s happened, to learn from the process, and to get back up again. One couple had to take this advice to hear when they mistakenly bought a Scottish manor at auction. Instead of throwing themselves into a pit of despair, they took the bull by the horns and decided that they were going to embark on an adventure of remodeling the massive manor one brick at a time. The result will be something that they could not have imagined in their wildest dreams. Their incredible story shows why it’s important to be flexible in life, and to remember that no matter what the universe throws at you, with the right attitude it is always possible to bounce back. Often, even stronger than you were before.
Couple Embarks On DIY Adventure After Mistakenly Winning Auction Bid For Old Manor
Claire & Cal
The young couple in this story are Cal Hunter and Claire Segeren. The pair both had big ambitions, and wanted to flip a property in order to make some money, especially as Claire had outstanding tuition for medical school. A couple of auctions later, they finally found one property that they wanted to bid on. Little did they know that this was a 120 year old manor that would end up needing a lot of repairs and TLC.
Claire And Cal
The Apartment In Glasgow
As it turns out, this young couple was actually on the market for a small apartment in Glasgow. The one they had their eye on had been badly damaged in a fire, so they were prepared to put in the work to restore it to its former glory. Cal handled interactions with the auction house directly, as Claire had exams to write and things were a little more busy than usual for both of them. This is where the confusion started.
The Apartment In Glasgow
The Incorrect Bid
Cal was in charge of making an offer for the apartment they were looking for, and he put down £30 000 in hopes that it would be enough to win the bid. Working through the paperwork, he failed to notice that he was actually bidding on the wrong property. The one he was bidding for was actually the ancient manor in Dunoon, in Scotland. Little did he know that his mistake would be a costly one in more ways than he could imagine.
The Incorrect Bid
All Sales Are Final
Cal wasn’t aware that all sales were final, and after finding out that they had offered the highest bid and won the wrong property, his stomach dropped to his knees. He knew he had to call Claire and tell her the news. Although it might seem like she would have been angry, her response was actually a lot calmer than he anticipated. Perhaps she couldn’t process the mistake at the time, but soon it would sink in quickly.
All Sales Are Final
Always A Silver Lining
After seeing the manor they had bought, and realising that they had bought it at somewhat of a steal, the pair turned their attention to what they would need to do to repair it. The two families agreed that the best course of action would be to take on the repairs, and to try and turn a profit on this gargantuan property. At this point, they didn’t know just how much work was waiting for them when they actually got there for the first time.
Always A Silver Lining
Jameswood Villa
Keen to see what the manor, titled Jameswood Villa, actually looked like today, Cal headed over to Google Street View to see what they were working with. All he could see was an image from a couple of years ago, and even so, it was easy to spot that the building had fallen quite a way from its heyday. This was discouraging at first, but Cal and Claire were the kind of couple who would face it together, no matter what they were dealing with.
Jameswood Villa
Britain and Canada Head To Scotland
As Cal was from England, and Claire was from Canada, the pair wondered what they were going to do about the fact that they had just acquired a property that wasn’t in either of their home countries. Claire had actually always wanted to attend medical school in Glasgow, so she was thrilled for a reason to be in the area. There was a slight sense of optimism at the prospect of moving to Scotland, with both parties keeping an open mind about the idea.
Britain And Canada Head To Scotland
The Outdated Photo
Although they thought that the Google Street View picture might have given them an accurate portrait of how the land looked today, Claire and Cal could not have been more wrong about this. Cal was the first to travel to Dunoon, and as he was about to see, the manor was a lot more decrepit than what they had thought it would be. Naturally, this was a big blow to him and Claire, who had thought they wouldn’t have that much restoration work to do.
The Outdated Photo
Rotting Roof
One of the first things Cal noticed when he entered the property was that the roof had a lot of holes in it. It was rotting away from the lack of maintenance, and the damp weather conditions had not helped the spread of mold. The plumbing and electrical wiring would need to be replaced too, as these had either withered away, or been chewed by unwelcome guests in the unoccupied house over the course of two decades.
Rotting Roof
The Front Wall
It’s never a good idea for the front wall of your house to give the impression that it is leaning or slanting in any way. Cal noticed immediately that something was up with the main structure of the house. As it turns out, the property was actually in the process of sinking into the ground, with nothing stopping it from crumbling to pieces at any minute. What could the pair do in order to save this space from potential disaster in future?
The Front Wall
Not Giving Up, Not Giving In
In spite of everything that they were about to face, Claire and Cal were not the kind of people who were going to throw in the towel. They had spent time traveling through the world and had seen decrepit buildings of all types, so they knew what they were facing. Jameswood might not be as easy to flip as they thought, but they were going to give it their best shot despite facing an uphill battle along the way.
Not Giving Up Not Giving In
Cash Flow Problems
Having just spent thirty thousands pounds on the purchase of the manor, the couple didn’t know where they were going to turn to get the cash to carry out the repairs on the project. They had an initial budget to work with for the apartment they had their eye on, but this was on an entirely new level. As it turns out, being able to carry out this refurb would require them to stop everything, including forfeiting their lifestyle, holidays and more.
Cash Flow Problems
A New Form Of Accommodation
Renovating any property requires some sacrifices, but in this case, things were taken to an entirely new level. Cal and Claire had to give up their accommodation back home, rent a caravan and start to live in it in the garden of the manor for an indefinite period. Their families could not believe what they were doing, but realised that given the mistake that had been made, this was the only option. Tough times called for drastic measures.
A New Form Of Accommodation
A Home Away From Home
The caravan gave them the basic shelter they were looking for, but it didn’t have any running water or electricity. What they didn’t realise when they first decided to move in was that they would be asking neighbors for the occasional shower, and to use the oven to cook a meal from time to time. This was a bigger challenge than they had envisioned initially, which put some strain on their relationship. Only time would tell whether they would be able to make it through.
A Home Away From Home
A Life Of Adventure
Still young and easily excitable, Claire and Cal actually saw the bright side of the situation. They had gotten themselves into a bind, and were going to need to crawl their way back out of it. They rationalised that it was part of the adventure everyone calls life. With this kind of attitude, they were showing a sense of resilience beyond their years. They even went so far as to call the experience a stroke of fate.
A Life Of Adventure
Their First Meeting
Claire and Cal had an adventurous spirit because they had met in the French Alps of all places. It had been ski season, and they spotted each other on the slopes. After a couple of dates, they realised they wanted a fling to turn into something more serious. A European road trip later, and they were ready to introduce each other to their families. Talk about a wonderful and interesting story of how they got together.
Their First Meeting
Taking The Build Online
The pair was quick to decide to chronicle their journey towards refurbishing the manor, publishing an online blog to help track their progress. The idea was to take something very challenging, and to turn it into a project that would not only help them grow as a couple, but would also inspire others to show grit and determination in situations of great adversity. An Instagram account was created too, not long after the blog went live.
Taking The Build Online
What Have We Dunoon
The catchy title of the website was a pun on “what have we done?”, a question Claire and Cal asked themselves over and over again once they had won the auction bid. People were quick to latch on to their quirky and funny entries, especially as it was a source of positivity in a time when news cycles were filled with negativity. The blog was a hit, and the couple soon found themselves being cheered on by people from all over the world.
What Have We Dunoon
Growing Their Online Community
Their blog is regularly updated to this day, giving followers the opportunity to catch a glimpse into their efforts to restore the manor to its former glory. In just a short space of time, their social media following started to grow at a rapid pace, as more people began to spread their story around. In no time at all, Cal and Claire hit 100 000 followers on Instagram, celebrating the feat with a post to thank everyone for their support.
Growing Their Online Community
Giving Up Working Full-Time
Because of the extent of the project, the couple had to give up their full-time jobs and dive head first into the task at hand. They weren’t going to be able to do it alone, however. Teaching their followers about the power of community, they asked for help from people in the area. In no time at all, they had someone out to clear out some of the sidewalk dirt that had accumulated over the preceding years.
Giving Up Working Full Time
Making Ends Meet
Although Claire and Cal gave up their full-time jobs, they still needed to find a way to make ends meet while they were working on the project. Cal decided to take on a few odd jobs in the area, which at the same time helped to introduce him to a couple of the locals too. That way, their story gained more attention, and others stepped up in order to help the pair get through the DIY renovation safely and efficiently.
Making Ends Meet
One Challenge at a Time
The project began in the last quarter of 2018, and Claire and Cal had high hopes that it wouldn’t take too long to complete. They seemed to run into new challenges on the daily, however. This led to the couple adopting a mantra of “one challenge at a time”, which led to them taking on small, achievable goals, rather than always keeping the bigger project (or its problems) front of mind while they were going through the process.
One Challenge At A Time
Installing a Driveway
Claire and Cal first realised just how good their DIY skills were when they installed a driveway to make it easier for the work van not to get stuck in the mud. This involved tracking down the water supply and having to dig it up themselves. It may have taken months to find the correct cables for the job, but as you can imagine, with each item ticked off the list, the pair became more convinced that they could complete the job after all.
Installing A Driveway
Replacing The Roof
Issues aplenty, the couple decided that they needed to focus on the most fundamental of their structural problems first. This included looking at the roof, which was in bad shape and could cave in at any moment. There were so many holes in it, that it wouldn’t even be possible to sleep in the house if there was a light thunderstorm. As rain was common in the area, the couple knew they wouldn’t even be able to entertain the idea.
Replacing The Roof
Mobilising The Locals
As the famous saying goes, “it takes a village”. The manor was not going to be able to be restored with only the two pairs of hands involved in the project. Pretty soon into the DIY operation, Claire and Cal realised that they would need to enlist the neighbors and other locals to help out with various projects in and around the manor. Some showed up in more ways than they were expected to, showcasing the value of community.
Mobilising The Locals
Walls First, Roof Second
Although they wanted to replace the roof as a top priority, it seemed like there was another issue to address first. The walls were too unstable to hold up a brand new roof. This meant that the walls had to be fixed first, before they could even think about moving to the roof. If they did, the roof would collapse in the matter of days. Cal likened the process to solving a jigsaw puzzle, which had to be done one step at a time.
Walls First Roof Second
Generosity and Kindness
After seeing how the locals stepped up to help them complete their project, Cal and Claire decided that taking their efforts online might not be such a bad idea. In no time at all they set up a GoFundMe page to facilitate donations for the project, in order for them to keep going. In a matter of days, friends, relatives and strangers had all opened their wallets to help the young couple achieve their goal of getting out of this tricky situation.
Generosity And Kindness
Getting Advice Online
Followers of their blog that weren’t in the position to contribute financially often reached out in order to give something that didn’t cost anything: ideas and advice. This included helping the pair with technical details around some of their DIY efforts. The help was very handy, particularly as most of what Claire and Cal were doing was trying something for the first time. Every little bit helped, and gave the pair the confidence that they could eventually see the renovation all the way through.
Getting Advice Online
A Sustainable Renovation
Aside from worrying about whether or not they would have enough cash to get through the build, the couple also wanted to make sure that whatever they were doing was environmentally friendly. They wanted to renovate the manor to be an eco-friendly hub, rather than the energy sapping monstrocity it had been before. Donations for solar appliances soon came rolling in, which helped them with building even more momentum over time. Things were slowly coming together, and everyone was excited to see the final product.
A Sustainable Renovation
Hard Times For Their Relationship
Aside from being a test of will, patience and perseverance, this kind of project was also a test of the strength of Claire and Cal’s relationship. The pair had gone through a couple of challenges in their relationship before, but nothing that was on this level. Talking about it later, Claire mentioned that being an optimist certainly helped. She wasn’t about to punish Cal for the incorrect bid, and knew that they had to work through the project together even on the hardest of days.
Hard Times For Their Relationship
Keeping The End In Mind
With a project of this magnitude, it helps to keep the final goal in mind at all times. Even if you are still very far from completing it, knowing that it will be over at some point can be a great motivator to actually tick small goals off from your list. Cal and Claire had both been raised with this kind of mentality, which made it a lot easier for both to stay motivated, especially on the days when it felt like they would never reach their final goal.
Keeping The End In Mind
Dreaming of the Future
At the end of this renovation, the couple wanted to be able to transform the manor into three different apartments. The idea was to sell two of them, in order to pay back all the debt they had accumulated in the process. They wanted a third unit to be able to live in, hoping that the estate would be lively enough with three different inhabitants in the various flats. Hopefully, the renovation would go according to plan.
Dreaming Of The Future
Keeping Perspective
It’s easy to imagine that anybody who made a bid on a property they didn’t want would do whatever they could to get out of the deal. Cal and Claire took a different view. Sure, they hadn’t gotten the home they had planned to work on. With a little bit of perspective, they began to see it as a happy accident. They knew they had to make the most of the situation, aware the groveling about it wasn’t going to help them get out of their problems in any way.
Keeping Perspective
What’s Done Is Done
Dwelling on their mistake would be an easy way for their relationship to fall apart. By simply accepting that things had played out in this way, and armed with the knowledge that life is one big adventure, the couple took the bull by the horns and got working on the changes necessary. Sure, it might have been easy for them to throw themselves into despair and to try and take the legal route to get out of their responsibilities. But Cal and Claire were accountable to the mess they found themselves in.
Whats Done Is Done
Risk vs. Reward
The couple certainly didn’t go into the project with blinders on about what it was going to take for them to complete it. Risks and potential rewards were weighed up, and a lot of money had already been lost in the process. There was potential of them losing even more money if the renovation did not play out as it was meant to. If ever there was a gamble worthy of a young couple to take, this was one that was about as high stakes as they come.
Risk Vs Reward
Homeowners
At the end of this long journey, no matter how much debt they were in, they were going to be able to call themselves homeowners. Better yet, their apartments would make them landlords too. As they were still in their twenties, they had plenty of time to make money in their lives. Even better, they wouldn’t have a mortgage to pay off, by the time two of the three apartments had been sold. Was this a secret win-win situation?
Homeowners
Conquering Your Fears
Theodore Roosevelt is widely regarded as one of the best presidents ever to take office in the United States. He was always up for conquering his own fears, and he encouraged the American people to do the same. Through his asthma as a child, all the way through to the problems he faced in order to get on the electoral ballot, Theodore is someone who had the same kind of attitude towards life as Claire and Cal.
Conquering Your Fears
Overcoming Adversity
Overcoming adversity is a natural part of being human. Cal and Claire might have been tested to their limits, but this didn’t mean that they wouldn’t be able to get through the process feeling wser and more confident within themselves. Setbacks happen all the time across various industries around the world, but with the right attitude, it’s possible to get through anything and to grow into yourself along the way too. The pair showed this time and time again.
Overcoming Adversity
Luck Of The Irish
Renovating such a large space was going to be a huge gamble for anyone, let alone a pair of people who had bid on the decrepit building by mistake. Getting through the project was going to require determination as well as a stroke of luck, to help them get to everything that they needed to. Cal and Claire were already from two different countries, and having to renovate a home in a third country was the icing on the cherry of challenges.
Luck Of The Irish
Fingers Crossed
Although the project is still years from being completed, everyone who has heard about the story has joined in on the process of keeping fingers crossed that everything will go well for Cal and Claire. Supportive messages have been pouring into their social media accounts for months, encouraging them to maintain a positive attitude even in the face of great adversity. There is little to worry about, however, as these two certainly have the determination to get through anything.
Fingers Crossed
Working Through The Frustration
There can be no doubt about the fact that the process of doing a DIY renovation will have its fair share of frustrating days. Doing physical labor is another element that few people think about all too much. The couple is on their feet for hours on end each day, chipping away at their bigger goal of finishing the project and moving in to start the rest of their lives together. All they can do is take things one day at a time.
Working Through The Frustration
Truck Toppled Over
One of the many challenges the couple had to deal with was a truck that overturned because of the weight of the bricks. It doesn’t help that the region is known for its rainy spells, each of which turns a sandy foundation into a muddy one. Although it took some work to get the truck back on the road, and it meant manually moving bricks one at a time, Cal and Claire never lost hope along the way.
Truck Toppled Over
Emptying Out The Manor
It’s one thing to have to renovate the structure of a house that has been badly damaged, or is busy deteriorating from old age. It’s another thing entirely when the building itself is furnished with items that also need tossing out, mostly because of mold. Cal and Claire not only had to physically rebuild a lot of the manor, but they also had to get rid of a large amount of unusable junk that had been left there by the previous owners.
Emptying Out The Manor
Safety First
With any renovation project, over and above the overall goal, participants have to look after their safety as a top priority. Injuries are all too common, and often they can be prevented by taking greater care, or by ensuring that nothing is done hastily or impatiently. Cal and Claire are known for being careful, never attempting anything that would be out of their scope, and putting their safety at risk. If one of them gets injured, it just leaves a lot of work for the other party.
Safety First
The Right Personal Protective Equipment
Any construction project requires the correct PPE (personal protective equipment), in order for it to be done safely. Construction sites are known for dust, mold, soot and more, and if you don’t have the correct gear to take care of this, it’s possible that you will fall ill very quickly. Claire and Cal learned this quickly, especially after they saw the amount of mold in the property itself. They didn’t want to take any chances so they made sure to buy all the right equipment necessary.
The Right Personal Protective Equipment
Getting Your Hands Dirty
There’s no way around it. A renovation project is always going to require you to get your hands dirty. If you’re not willing to dig into some of the challenges without forfeiting your clean clothes, you might not be the right person for the job. Dirt is one thing, but getting injured or having to tend to a wound is another problem entirely. Work gloves can help prevent either, which is why Cal and Claire had these at the top of their list.
Getting Your Hands Dirty
The Thoughtful Gift
During the course of the project, Claire and Cal have been lucky to be gifted various items from supporters and loved ones who want to see them succeed. When someone sent them a few pairs of gloves to help out, they were quick to thank them on their social media accounts that very day. They also mentioned that they didn’t expect the gloves to last more than sixty minutes, which made their followers chuckle in the comments section.
The Thoughtful Gift
Never Abandoning Hope
Although they have many challenges ahead, the couple has never abandoned hope that they would achieve their dream of renovating the manor into a liveable space. It’s easy to imagine that one or both of them might have lost hope during the course of the process. As it turns out, they always encourage each other to keep going, which not only shows their grit as individuals, but also showcases how strong their relationship is as a whole.
Never Abandoning Hope
Taking Time To Rest Too
The renovation isn’t all work and no play. Claire and Cal are also committed to looking after themselves, and to working in some time for rest and recovery wherever possible. Although they haven’t taken an extended break from the renovation, they are always up for an afternoon nap if need be, just to get that extra burst of energy to help get through the rest of the list of things to do that day. Balance is key, especially with such a stressful project.
Taking Time To Rest Too
Candles and Generators
Sometimes, getting to everything they need to on a given day requires them to work well into the night. What they do then, is light as many candles as they can, in order to light up the space to the best of their abilities. Realising that it was a challenge, neighbors offered to let them use their generator, so they wouldn’t have to fumble around so much on those late nights working on various parts of the manor.
Candles And Generators
The Living Room Floor Boards
Structurally, the manor has a very long list of problems. It only takes one glance at the living room floor boards to see exactly why Claire and Cal have an uphill battle ahead of them. These were so rotten when they first got to the property that they crumbled at the slightest touch. Good thing the pair didn’t try to jump on them when they first visited the manor! The result could have been devastating for everyone involved.
The Living Room Floor Boards
Fixing The Floors
The pair actually decided to start with the floors first, as otherwise they would have no way of maneuvering around the house to get to the areas they had to work on. Claire decided to take the lead on this part of the renovation, as she had a particular knack for this kind of work. Cal was happy to be a bystander, keeping an eye on her in order to make sure that she didn’t fall through any of the rotten floor boards to begin with.
Fixing The Floors
Claire’s Fear of Heights
There’s another reason that Claire was happier to deal with the floors, rather than the ceiling. She has a fear of heights, which limits the amount of work she can do on a ladder, or way up in the roof. This was not something that could be overcome in a short space of time. As she tried to help in different areas of the house, she slowly started to get more comfortable with the idea of working from up in the air.
Claires Fear Of Heights
Scaffolding Aplenty
After getting more comfortable with the idea of working from a height, Claire decided that she wanted to conquer her fear for good by helping Cal and some other people with erecting scaffolding around the house. Although she was wearing a safety harness, she still had to go up quite high into the air, and it wasn’t easy for her to work through her anxiety. Never one to shy away from a challenge, at the end of the day she handled it with grace and poise.
Scaffolding Aplenty
The Front Wall
The scaffolding was not only there for aesthetic reasons. It was crucial to this particular project, because of the issues with the front wall of the house. Like we’ve mentioned, it had begun to sink into the ground when they first got there. In order to avoid a total collapse, Claire and Cal had to do what they could to salvage as much of it as possible, in order not to have to start from scratch with the build after so much work had gone into it already.
The Front Wall
On The Edge
If the front wall collapsed, it was likely that other parts of the house would collapse shortly after too. This was a scary situation not only in terms of the structure of the house itself, but also because Claire and Cal would be in danger if this happened while they were there. Luckily, they soon realized that timbers were pushing it out, meaning they had other ways of rescuing the structure of the building without having to start over entirely.
On The Edge
A Long Way Off
The couple realised that they were a while away from finishing the project from time to time. Some days ended up being a little longer than they needed to be. Take the day that their washing machine broke, for instance. As it turns out, the Scottish mud was too much for the electrical appliance. As a result, they had to depend on the neighbors to help them hand wash their clothes after a long day of working.
A Long Way Off
Turning To The Stream
When the neighbors weren’t home to help with their washing, Claire decided to take matters into her own hands. As those who came before her had done, she opted to try and wash the clothes in one of the streams nearby. When the sun was out, they would dry fairly quickly, but considering the climate, she sometimes had to scramble to make sure that the clothes wouldn’t be soaked by a thunderstorm! All in a day’s work.
Turning To The Stream
Quick Thinking
Claire wasn’t the only quick thinking person. Cal showed that he could improvise well too, especially when it came to how they prepared the food for mealtime each day. The kitchen in the manor was not functional yet, so he decided to build a temporary kitchen outside, in order for them to make their three daily meals. It wasn’t inside the caravan, so their possessions didn’t get ruined by the smoke from frying food either. Claire appreciated this a lot.
Quick Thinking
Towing The Caravan
Once a path to the house had been cleared, a friend helped them to tow their caravan closer than they had been throughout the entire renovation. They were now going to be located right next to the manor, making it easier for them to pop back and forth during the course of the day. Later, they would move it to a spot where they could see horses and deer running around in the neighboring fields. Although they were stressed, it was still a picturesque location.
Towing The Caravan
Camping Woes
As the months wore on, the couple got frustrated with the camping process. Although it had been a novelty at the beginning, the changing weather and damp conditions started to wear on their patience a little bit. It didn’t help when they had to cook outdoors during wet and cold days. Luckily for them, as the manor started to become more habitable, they would slowly be able to move indoors over time. This was all a part of the bigger process
Camping Woes
The First Resting Place
For the first few weeks after it had been moved, the caravan had to be parked right next to the front wall that was on the verge of collapsing. This wasn’t exactly ideal, as the truck rumbling past would shake the ground vigorously, leading to the pair holding on for dear life. A very stressful situation, Claire and Cal knew that they would eventually be in a better spot, so they stayed patient and tried to enjoy the moment as part of a larger process.
The First Resting Place
Mother Nature
As a result of being abandoned for such a long time, the manor had become a home for a variety of bugs and other animals. Everywhere they looked, Claire and Cal were faced with different crawling insects. Although these didn’t cause too many problems, the crows that had moved into the manor for shelter were a major issue. It would take a lot of work to relocate them, but luckily the pair was up for the challenge.
Mother Nature
Brainstorming New Ideas
Because Claire was a big animal fan, she didn’t want to displace any of the creatures in the manor without making sure that they could survive elsewhere. This required a bit of a brainstorm, especially when it came to how to deal with the nesting crows. It took nearly five attempts to get them to move out of the house, and as it turns out the oldest trick in the book was the best solution. Bringing in a scarecrow was exactly what was needed to get the crows to move out.
Brainstorming New Ideas
Friends Trickle In
Over the course of the project, the couple enjoyed visits from friends who had wanted to come and help them out to get everything done. Some people traveled from various parts around the world, in order to make a contribution to this mammoth task. A few even offered to move in, in order to help fast-track things during some of the more difficult moments of the build. This kind of teamwork really helped Cal and Claire out, and they appreciated every little bit they could get.
Friends Trickle In
Expressing Their Gratitude
The couple could not do enough to thank the people that had answered their call for a few extra sets of hands to help get things done a little faster. To show how thankful they were, Claire and Cal did what they could to be as accommodating to the guests, even when they couldn’t put them up in the manor. Due to a donation of tents, they were able to house more people on the property at the same time, making it a little easier for outsiders to get involved in the process. vvvv
Expressing Their Gratitude
Claire’s Updates
As the hard work on the manor continued, Claire regularly posted on their blog to keep everybody updated with what they were doing. She often wrote about how great it was to learn more about carpentry, which had been something she had always been keen to learn how to do. At times, she even mentioned the fact that she really enjoyed using power tools, even if it meant digging muddy trenches and pushing herself to her physical limit.
Claire And Cal
All Hands On Deck
It was never going to be possible for Claire and Cal to finish up the project on their own. They needed all the help they can get, especially during the foundational phases of the project. With so many friends showing up to give their support, the couple could only be grateful for this path they had been put on. Although it had been a worry at first, it was turning out to be an adventure, which was always something they had been after in their lives.
All Hands On Deck
Not All Fun And Games
In one of her recent blog posts, Claire gave a status update on what her and Cal had accomplished in recent months. What people most connected with, was the fact that she wasn’t only sharing positive news. She talked about some of the challenges of embarking on this journey, and wanted to give people a realistic view of the hard work that was going into making progress on a day to day basis. Her news was always well received, even if it wasn’t that positive.
Not All Fun And Games
A House Becomes A Home
Claire talked about how the changes they had made had been well worth the effort, even though they were feeling a little tired from all the long hours. She discussed that the improvements were coming along nicely, and as a result they now had more space to hang out. At the beginning of the build, their options had been severely limited, so they didn’t have many choices. The space was slowly starting to turn into the home that they had always dreamed of.
A House Becomes A Home
Estimating Their Progress
Figuring out how far along they were in the process was always going to be a challenge, especially as new things were popping up nearly every single day. It’s important to retain perspective during a massive renovation like this one, but this would require taking a step back and getting an outsider perspective on what they had done, and how far they still had to go in order to complete this incredible and extraordinary project.
Estimating Their Progress
Lots Done, But Far From Done
Their most recent update suggested that while they had completed a long list of things already, they were far from finished when it came to wrapping up the project as a whole. In spite of this, it was incredible to see how much they had accomplished in a relatively short time, and how they had continued to keep up a good attitude even when the project was difficult to get done. Their journey has inspired people from all over the world.
Lots Done But Far From Done
An Outsider Weighs In
When a friend of theirs visited recently they noticed that the couple was busy installing electricity to the manor already. They were actually quite taken aback by how much had been done since they had visited the site. Even though they were a while off from finishing, they had certainly come a long way. This kind of positive reinforcement helps Claire and Cal to keep going and to stay positive about the process, which will be completed one day in the near future.
An Outsider Weighs In
Encouraging Resilience
Cal and Claire have gone on an incredible adventure together, even in the face of great adversity. Their story is inspirational and helps to encourage others to be resilient even when your chips are down. If you’re thinking about taking on a big project, but don’t know whether you will be able to pull it off, take some confidence from the story of this young couple. It may even end up being a life changing moment that puts you on an entirely new path. We take our hats off to Cal and Claire for the amazing work they have done so far.
Encouraging Resilience