Week 10-13 - The Month We Finally Started Feeling Like We'd Move In | Home Renovation Progress
- Sep 30, 2021
- 6 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
Some months during a home renovation bring dramatic before-and-after transformations.
Other months don't look all that different in photos, but somehow feel like some of the biggest milestones.
This was one of those months so let's talk about our home renovation progress in September.
Instead of knocking down walls or installing brand-new rooms, we spent weeks tackling all the little projects that make a house actually feel finished—filling nail holes, sanding trim, painting, caulking, hanging light fixtures, and making hundreds of tiny decisions that slowly transformed our renovation into a home.
On top of that, we were racing toward a deadline.
After last year's birthday party ended with decorations blowing across the park thanks to the wind, I decided Thalia's birthday celebration would be indoors this year. That meant we had just a few weeks to get the entire main floor "party ready."
Looking back now, it was ambitious... but it gave us the motivation we needed to push through all the finishing work.
Getting the Main Floor Ready
I'll admit, September was a whirlwind.
It felt like I was busy with everything except renovations, which is why I decided to combine several weeks into one update instead of writing individual weekly posts.
Most of our progress happened on the main floor. Grayson worked incredibly hard to get everything ready before the birthday party, while I tackled as many finishing projects as I could.
At the same time, my backyard had been completely neglected.
I'm not exaggerating when I say I think we cut the grass once after buying the house in July. Yes, the party had a jungle theme... No, I wasn't aiming for an actual jungle.
Getting the inside ready felt much more achievable than trying to rescue an entire backyard before guests arrived.
The Week That Was Dedicated to Trim
One thing nobody tells you about DIY renovations is that installing trim is only half the job.
Once every piece is nailed in place, you still have to:
Fill every nail hole with wood filler
Sand everything smooth
Caulk every seam
Touch up all the paint
It sounds simple.
It isn't.
Since we hadn't finished our trim properly at our previous house, I had no idea how much work happened after the trim was installed. We also ran into problems with our nail gun, leaving some nails sticking out farther than they should have, which meant even more filling and sanding before we could paint.
It honestly took us nearly an entire week just to finish the trim.
At times it felt like we weren't accomplishing much, but looking back, those finishing details made a huge difference.
DIY Tip: One of my favourite renovation tricks came from @cloe.thomson—baby wipes work amazingly well for smoothing fresh caulk. Years later, I still use this trick.
Along with finishing the trim, I completed the second coat on our accent wall, caulked everything, installed light fixtures, lined the kitchen shelves, and finally started unpacking kitchen supplies.
Once the appliances were installed, Mom gently hinted that it was time for some of our belongings to leave her garage... and guests to officially move into the house...which meant it was time to move Grayson out.
Basement Progress for Grayson
While the main floor was getting close, the basement still needed a lot of attention.
Grayson temporarily moved into the girls' room while we worked toward finishing the basement family room, but we quickly ran into another obstacle—a paint shortage.
We were waiting for our local paint store to receive more inventory so we could finish the second coat, install the trim, and finally move his bedroom downstairs.
I'm sure he was looking forward to trading his mattress on the floor for an actual bedroom, and I don't blame him. We still made good progress downstairs.
Over the month we:
Installed flooring in the family room
Corrected framing in Grayson's bedroom
Installed the bathroom vanity →
Continued plumbing and electrical work
Started getting the laundry room functional
If you've ever had young kids, you'll understand why the laundry room became one of my highest priorities.
Thalia was doing amazingly well with potty training, but nighttime accidents still happened regularly.
Let's just say I wasn't interested in making daily trips to Grandma's house or the laundromat just to wash sheets. A working laundry room wasn't optional—it was essential.
Why We Chose Laminate Instead of Quartz Countertops
The kitchen became my biggest make-or-break project.
The cabinets were installed, and although I was perfectly happy leaving cosmetic projects like open shelving, a custom range hood, or replacing the window until later...I absolutely refused to move into a house without functioning countertops and a working sink.
With two young kids, dishes seem to multiply faster than rabbits. There was no chance I was washing them all in the bathtub (something I've since done and can confirm that it's not fun).
Originally, I had my heart set on quartz countertops.
The surprising part?
Quartz was only about $1,500 more than laminate.
But after plumbing, electrical, and contractor costs came in well over budget—adding more than $10,000 in unexpected expenses—I had to make some difficult decisions.
Luxury finishes had to wait. Function came first.
After putting it off for weeks and hoping other expenses would somehow come in lower (they definitely didn't), I finally admitted defeat and booked measurements for laminate countertops.
Looking back now, it was absolutely the right decision. Dream countertops can always come later. Moving into your home is worth so much more than waiting for the "perfect" finish.
We lived there for 3 years before moving into our current house and it never once bothered me that they weren't stone countertops.
The Best News of the Month
One of the biggest victories had nothing to do with drywall or paint.
After weeks of paperwork, phone calls, inspections, and one incredibly nerve-wracking appraisal, my mortgage company finally released 92% of our renovation holdback.
I cried.
It felt like months of stress disappeared overnight.
We were finally able to pay our contractors and clear our credit cards... which immediately started filling up again with more renovation materials. Such is renovation life. It's definitely a marathon—not a sprint.
The Small Projects That Made a Big Difference
Not every renovation milestone deserves its own section, but together these smaller projects helped make the house feel more like home.
This month we also:
Drywalled the ensuite
Picked up our new couch
Picked up our freezer
Removed the Christmas lights that had somehow stayed on the house since we moved in
Refreshed the front flower bed
Added a few pumpkins and fall flowers
Cleaned up the side yard enough that I could finally mow the grass
Removing those Christmas lights deserves special recognition. I'd spent months asking someone else to do it because I hate ladders.
Eventually I climbed up there myself and realized... It wasn't nearly as scary as I'd imagined. At that point, I probably could have just left them up until Christmas again, so I hope the owner of the other half of our semi appreciates that. took them down to help their home's value while they sell.
Looking Back
Looking back now, this month wasn't about dramatic transformations.
It was about dozens of small jobs that rarely show up in before-and-after photos but make all the difference once you move in.
It also reminded me that home renovations aren't just about drywall, flooring, or paint colours.
They're about balancing budgets, raising kids, celebrating birthdays, paying contractors, making compromises, and slowly building a home your family can grow into.
Progress isn't always exciting enough for Instagram.
Sometimes progress looks like caulking trim, choosing laminate instead of quartz, or finally taking down Christmas lights in September.
Follow Our DIY Home Renovation From the Beginning
Want to see how this renovation unfolded week by week? Catch up on the full story below—from getting the keys and tackling smoke damage to kitchen surprises, flooring, trim work, and finally seeing the house start to feel like home.
Missed all the before photos? Check out the blog post Semi Excited to see our starting point.
Whether you're planning your own DIY home renovation or just love a good before-and-after story, there's plenty more renovation chaos, lessons learned, budget decisions, and progress to come.
Frequently Asked Questions About Home Renovation Progress
Why did you choose laminate instead of quartz countertops?
Although quartz was only about $1,500 more, unexpected plumbing, electrical, and contractor costs pushed our renovation well over budget. Choosing laminate allowed us to finish the kitchen, move into our home sooner, and leave room for future upgrades.
How long does finishing trim take?
Much longer than we expected! Installing trim is only the beginning. Filling nail holes, sanding, caulking, and painting took us nearly an entire week before everything looked professionally finished.
Is it easier to renovate while living somewhere else?
For our family, yes. Living elsewhere gave us the flexibility to tackle larger projects without disrupting everyday life. It wasn't always convenient, but it made completing the renovation much more manageable with young children.
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