We’ve all noticed it: home renovations are getting bigger, louder, and more frequent online and on TV. Where did the small-budget makeovers go—the ones that reused what you already had or featured a single-room refresh? These days a casual update often turns into a full-blown gut job shared in exhaustive before-and-after detail. Our own projects have grown more ambitious over the years, too, so this week we talk about how renovation trends escalated, whether we’ve reached a tipping point, why some of us crave a quieter approach, and how bloggers and design TV are accelerating the arms race. We also dig into some surprising uses for a tool you probably already own, and share how we finally made progress in the beach house backyard (hint: it rhymes with “hot tub”).
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What’s New
- Great news: our hot tub is installed, even though the rest of the beach house backyard still looks very unfinished. We pick the model that fit our needs and discuss why it was the right choice in the episode.
- Before delivery, we had electrical work done and poured a 4″ concrete pad for the tub. The pad will eventually be surrounded by a paver patio. Below is the view from our back door—our contractor dropped off a stack of pavers, and we laid a temporary path so we could keep our feet clean during the work.
- For reference, we sketched a general layout for the backyard. It’s not perfectly to scale, and we moved the hot tub closer to the back corner so there’s space between it and the shed for a seating area.
- The outdoor shower is placed at the back steps in the corner. It’s up for now, though we’re still waiting on a privacy surround to be built. We used a simple outdoor shower kit and had our contractor install it quickly.
- The hot tub base was constructed using treated lumber to form a container. We layered bricks and sand for stability, poured pea gravel over the bricks for drainage, and finished the standing surface with Azek planks so it’s comfortable to use. Azek is a rot-resistant composite decking material. We’ll stain the wood surround to match the back steps and repeat the Azek elsewhere to visually tie the yard together.
- Early on, while doing demolition in the backyard, I got a bad case of poison ivy—there’s a tale about that in one of our earlier episodes if you want the full story.
- To boost the ambiance, we hung spare garden string lights in the trees for now. They’re temporary, but even that small touch adds a lot of charm. Eventually we’ll drape them from the shed once it’s built.
Take Five: Things You Might Not Know About Your Tape Measure
- We used a reliable 25′ tape measure for many of these projects and it’s held up well on site.
- Some tape measures have a “self-centering” feature that prints the half-measurement directly under each number (for example, under 2″ it shows 1″), which makes finding the midpoint of a measurement quick and foolproof—especially handy when you’re tired or working on odd dimensions.
Big Renovation Fatigue
- We talked about what we call “big renovation fatigue”—the sense that projects are escalating and homeowners feel pressure to keep up. Several essays and think pieces have addressed this cultural shift.
- To illustrate the opposite approach, we shared a small guest bathroom makeover from our previous house that cost just a handful of dollars. Small updates can be meaningful without breaking the bank.
- We also highlighted a handful of bloggers and designers who have taken on second properties or ambitious whole-house projects—some as rentals, some as personal retreats. Their work is inspiring, but it also shows how quickly renovation expectations can grow when projects are publicly documented from start to finish.
- If you prefer smaller, phased renovations, we’ve written about the “Phase 1” approach that helps you scope work into manageable stages so costs and disruption stay reasonable.
We’re Digging
- We recently launched a Book Club page where we’ve gathered every book we’ve recommended on the podcast over the last two years. It’s a mix of genres, not just thrillers.
- This week’s pick was a tightly plotted psychological thriller by a favorite author. It weaves in a bit of real estate intrigue and kept us hooked.
- For something lighter and purely entertaining, a baking competition show is a great mood-lifter—watching hilarious kitchen disasters can make you feel better about your own attempts.
If you need a refresher on anything we’ve recommended on the podcast, there’s a master list of past picks and episodes that collects everything we’ve been digging.
Finally, thanks to the sponsor who supported this episode. If you’re shopping for a new mattress, look for brands offering generous trial periods and clear return policies so you can try before you commit.
Thanks for listening and reading—more updates on the beach house and our projects soon.
*This post previously included affiliate links and references to products and resources mentioned in the episode.*