A quick note before we dive in: this project wasn’t just another remodel — it was a full-home renovation completed by our own team, for my family, from start to finish. We didn’t live in the home during construction; we stayed in our former house until the very end and then made the move into what is essentially a brand-new home circa 1968. That unique perspective shaped everything you’re about to read.
After more than two decades in the home building and remodeling business, I’ve helped countless families reimagine their homes — kitchens torn apart, bathrooms reborn, basements rescued from the 1980s. But over the past seven months, my wife and I found ourselves on the other side of the clipboard.
My team at Rick Kelley Builders completely remodeled our own home from top to bottom. And when I say completely, I mean this house was taken down to its bones and rebuilt into something entirely new. It was long. It was stressful. It tested patience, planning, communication… and yes, at times, our marriage.
What we ended up with is essentially a brand-new beautiful home — and a whole new level of empathy for our clients.
A True Whole-House Transformation
This was not a “let’s swap out some countertops and paint a wall” kind of project. This was a full-scale, no-room-left-behind renovation.
Here’s just a snapshot of what changed:
The result is a home that finally matches how we actually live — not how the house was designed decades ago.
After more than two decades in the home building and remodeling business, I’ve helped countless families reimagine their homes — kitchens torn apart, bathrooms reborn, basements rescued from the 1980s. But over the past seven months, my wife and I found ourselves on the other side of the clipboard.
My team at Rick Kelley Builders completely remodeled our own home from top to bottom. And when I say completely, I mean this house was taken down to its bones and rebuilt into something entirely new. It was long. It was stressful. It tested patience, planning, communication… and yes, at times, our marriage.
What we ended up with is essentially a brand-new beautiful home — and a whole new level of empathy for our clients.
A True Whole-House Transformation
This was not a “let’s swap out some countertops and paint a wall” kind of project. This was a full-scale, no-room-left-behind renovation.
Here’s just a snapshot of what changed:
- Brand-new kitchen with updated layout, cabinetry, appliances, lighting, and finishes
- Fully remodeled bathrooms throughout the house
- Relocated interior walls to improve flow and function
- All new interior trim and doors
- Custom closets designed to actually work for real people
- New lighting throughout the entire home (goodbye dark corners)
- A completely finished basement that is entirely horse-themed (we're big-time horse people) including:
- Wet bar
- Full bathroom
- Media room
- Home office
- A complete smart home system with integrated/wired security cameras
The result is a home that finally matches how we actually live — not how the house was designed decades ago.
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Remodeling Without Living in the Chaos (Highly Recommended)
PRO TIP: If you’re planning a large-scale, whole-home remodel and you have the option to live elsewhere — take it. Your sanity will thank you.
For this project, we took our own advice. We never lived in the house while it was being remodeled. We stayed in our former home the entire time and only moved once construction was complete.
Even with that buffer, the process was intense.
Being both the contractor and the client is a strange experience. On one hand, I understand exactly why things take time. On the other hand, I still caught myself thinking:
“Wait… why isn’t this done yet?”
Turns out, knowing the process doesn’t magically make it feel faster.
Even without living in the construction zone, there’s still a constant mental load:
Watching the house evolve from a distance gave us clarity and perspective — and it also gave me an even deeper appreciation for clients who do live through renovations. Remodeling is exciting, but it’s also disruptive, even when you’re not stepping over tools every morning.
This experience reinforced something we already take seriously at Rick Kelley Builders: communication matters just as much as craftsmanship.
PRO TIP: If you’re planning a large-scale, whole-home remodel and you have the option to live elsewhere — take it. Your sanity will thank you.
For this project, we took our own advice. We never lived in the house while it was being remodeled. We stayed in our former home the entire time and only moved once construction was complete.
Even with that buffer, the process was intense.
Being both the contractor and the client is a strange experience. On one hand, I understand exactly why things take time. On the other hand, I still caught myself thinking:
“Wait… why isn’t this done yet?”
Turns out, knowing the process doesn’t magically make it feel faster.
Even without living in the construction zone, there’s still a constant mental load:
- Hundreds of decisions
- Endless details
- Budget considerations
- Scheduling domino effects
- And the emotional whiplash of ‘this is amazing’ followed by ‘what have we done?’
Watching the house evolve from a distance gave us clarity and perspective — and it also gave me an even deeper appreciation for clients who do live through renovations. Remodeling is exciting, but it’s also disruptive, even when you’re not stepping over tools every morning.
This experience reinforced something we already take seriously at Rick Kelley Builders: communication matters just as much as craftsmanship.
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The Marriage Test (Contractor vs. Visionary)
Let’s talk about the dynamic no one warns you about.
When one spouse is the contractor and effectively the designer, and the other spouse has fantastic ideas but struggles to visualize them or put them into technical terms, things can get… interesting.
My wife knew what she wanted things to feel like. She had strong instincts, great taste, and clear reactions to what she loved and what she didn’t. What she didn’t always have were the words, drawings, or mental pictures to fully explain it.
Meanwhile, I live in a world of plans, measurements, elevations, and details. So our conversations often sounded like this:
“I don’t know exactly what I want — I’ll know it when I see it.”
That’s not a contractor’s favorite sentence — especially when you’re married to the person saying it.
So we adapted.
There were a lot of drawings. A lot of sketches. A lot of revisions. We laid out rooms, cabinetry, and furniture shapes on the floor using blue painter’s tape so we could physically walk the space. Walls were covered in paint samples, lighting tests, and finish options so decisions didn’t have to live purely in our heads.
This process took time and patience — from both of us. I had to slow down, listen more carefully, and translate feelings into form. She had to trust the process and trust that the details would come together.
And they did.
Looking back, this was one of the most important parts of the remodel. It wasn’t just about design — it was about learning how to bridge two very different ways of thinking and turn them into one cohesive home.
In the end, the spaces feel right and they feel intentional.
Let’s talk about the dynamic no one warns you about.
When one spouse is the contractor and effectively the designer, and the other spouse has fantastic ideas but struggles to visualize them or put them into technical terms, things can get… interesting.
My wife knew what she wanted things to feel like. She had strong instincts, great taste, and clear reactions to what she loved and what she didn’t. What she didn’t always have were the words, drawings, or mental pictures to fully explain it.
Meanwhile, I live in a world of plans, measurements, elevations, and details. So our conversations often sounded like this:
“I don’t know exactly what I want — I’ll know it when I see it.”
That’s not a contractor’s favorite sentence — especially when you’re married to the person saying it.
So we adapted.
There were a lot of drawings. A lot of sketches. A lot of revisions. We laid out rooms, cabinetry, and furniture shapes on the floor using blue painter’s tape so we could physically walk the space. Walls were covered in paint samples, lighting tests, and finish options so decisions didn’t have to live purely in our heads.
This process took time and patience — from both of us. I had to slow down, listen more carefully, and translate feelings into form. She had to trust the process and trust that the details would come together.
And they did.
Looking back, this was one of the most important parts of the remodel. It wasn’t just about design — it was about learning how to bridge two very different ways of thinking and turn them into one cohesive home.
In the end, the spaces feel right and they feel intentional.
 |  |
The Moving Process: Absolute Chaos (Even When You Do Everything “Right”)
You’d think that staying out of the house during construction would make the move easy.
It does not.
Packing up one home while preparing to move into a completely new version of another is a special kind of chaos. Every decision becomes a question:
Does this still belong in the new house?
Somehow, we uncovered items we hadn’t seen in decades, along with things we were convinced we’d already thrown away. Boxes multiplied. Labels became suggestions. Stress levels climbed.
Then came move-in day — the moment everything feels exciting and terrifying at the same time. You’re thrilled to finally be home, but suddenly hyper-aware that every wall, floor, and surface is brand new.
Moving isn’t just physical — it’s emotional. It’s the final sprint after a long marathon, and it’s where exhaustion tends to sneak up on you.
If remodeling is the marathon, moving is the finish line… followed immediately by someone handing you a heavy box and saying, “One more thing.”
You’d think that staying out of the house during construction would make the move easy.
It does not.
Packing up one home while preparing to move into a completely new version of another is a special kind of chaos. Every decision becomes a question:
Does this still belong in the new house?
- Will this fit the new layout?
- Why do we own so many cords?
Somehow, we uncovered items we hadn’t seen in decades, along with things we were convinced we’d already thrown away. Boxes multiplied. Labels became suggestions. Stress levels climbed.
Then came move-in day — the moment everything feels exciting and terrifying at the same time. You’re thrilled to finally be home, but suddenly hyper-aware that every wall, floor, and surface is brand new.
Moving isn’t just physical — it’s emotional. It’s the final sprint after a long marathon, and it’s where exhaustion tends to sneak up on you.
If remodeling is the marathon, moving is the finish line… followed immediately by someone handing you a heavy box and saying, “One more thing.”
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Avery’s Flying Bathtub (A Remodel Surprise You Can’t Make Up)
Even after more than 20 years in this business, houses still find ways to humble you.
During demolition, we opened up the living room ceiling and immediately knew we had a problem. A big one.
The original builder had treated a major floor joist like Swiss cheese — drilling so many large holes for HVAC and plumbing, and placing them so close together, that the joist had snapped clean in half.
Unfortunately (or comically, depending on your perspective), this joist happened to be directly under our daughter Avery’s brand-new bathroom.
For about a week, I kept joking that if we didn’t fix it properly, Avery was going to be relaxing in a bubble bath when the entire tub would suddenly decide it belonged in the living room below. Avery’s Flying Bathtub became a running joke — mostly because laughter felt healthier than panic.
Moments like this are the part of remodeling no one sees on Instagram. No amount of experience eliminates surprises — especially in older homes. What experience does give you is the ability to stay calm, diagnose the issue, and fix it the right way.
We reinforced the structure, corrected the original mistakes, and moved forward — safely, permanently, and better than before.
It’s a perfect reminder that in any large-scale remodel, surprises aren’t a possibility — they’re a guarantee. You just keep putting one foot in front of the other and get it done.
Even after more than 20 years in this business, houses still find ways to humble you.
During demolition, we opened up the living room ceiling and immediately knew we had a problem. A big one.
The original builder had treated a major floor joist like Swiss cheese — drilling so many large holes for HVAC and plumbing, and placing them so close together, that the joist had snapped clean in half.
Unfortunately (or comically, depending on your perspective), this joist happened to be directly under our daughter Avery’s brand-new bathroom.
For about a week, I kept joking that if we didn’t fix it properly, Avery was going to be relaxing in a bubble bath when the entire tub would suddenly decide it belonged in the living room below. Avery’s Flying Bathtub became a running joke — mostly because laughter felt healthier than panic.
Moments like this are the part of remodeling no one sees on Instagram. No amount of experience eliminates surprises — especially in older homes. What experience does give you is the ability to stay calm, diagnose the issue, and fix it the right way.
We reinforced the structure, corrected the original mistakes, and moved forward — safely, permanently, and better than before.
It’s a perfect reminder that in any large-scale remodel, surprises aren’t a possibility — they’re a guarantee. You just keep putting one foot in front of the other and get it done.
 |  |
Watching Our Team at Work
One unexpected gift of this project has been seeing our crew work on our home the same way they work on every client’s home.
The professionalism. The cleanliness. The respect for the space and the neighborhood. The pride in the details.
It reaffirmed why I’m proud of the standards we set and the people who uphold them every day.
To our neighbors: thank you for your patience as trucks came and went, noise happened, and the house looked like a construction zone for months. We truly appreciate it and are so excited to finally be living in the house.
What This Experience Reinforced
Remodeling isn’t just about finishes and floor plans.
Going through this process personally has made me an even better advocate for our clients. I understand the nerves. The excitement. The frustration. The joy of seeing it all come together.
And I understand just how meaningful it is when it’s done right.
It’s about creating a home that supports how you live now — and how you want to live next.
Looking Ahead
We’re in the final stretch now, and over the coming weeks I’ll be sharing photos, before-and-after shots, and design details from this project — from early demolition to the finished spaces.
If you’re considering your own remodel — whether it’s a kitchen update, basement transformation, or full-home renovation — I’d love to talk with you about what we’ve learned, what to expect, and how to make the process as smooth (and marriage-friendly) as possible.
Because at the end of the day, the goal isn’t just a beautiful house.
It’s a home you’re excited to come back to — boxes, chaos, smart lights and all.
One unexpected gift of this project has been seeing our crew work on our home the same way they work on every client’s home.
The professionalism. The cleanliness. The respect for the space and the neighborhood. The pride in the details.
It reaffirmed why I’m proud of the standards we set and the people who uphold them every day.
To our neighbors: thank you for your patience as trucks came and went, noise happened, and the house looked like a construction zone for months. We truly appreciate it and are so excited to finally be living in the house.
What This Experience Reinforced
Remodeling isn’t just about finishes and floor plans.
Going through this process personally has made me an even better advocate for our clients. I understand the nerves. The excitement. The frustration. The joy of seeing it all come together.
And I understand just how meaningful it is when it’s done right.
It’s about creating a home that supports how you live now — and how you want to live next.
Looking Ahead
We’re in the final stretch now, and over the coming weeks I’ll be sharing photos, before-and-after shots, and design details from this project — from early demolition to the finished spaces.
If you’re considering your own remodel — whether it’s a kitchen update, basement transformation, or full-home renovation — I’d love to talk with you about what we’ve learned, what to expect, and how to make the process as smooth (and marriage-friendly) as possible.
Because at the end of the day, the goal isn’t just a beautiful house.
It’s a home you’re excited to come back to — boxes, chaos, smart lights and all.
This article is for general information purposes only. Rick Kelley Builders makes no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or availability of any information contained herein.
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