Our Deck is Finally DONE!

Three years later and our deck is finally done! YAY! And it’s done at the beginning of summer, what a bonus! We have already been enjoying it so much. I can’t wait to have BBQs with friends now too! All the things, and it feels so good!

This is the biggest renovation we have taken on ourselves and we learnt A LOT through the whole process. My dad helped with the drawing (which we needed for a permit) and helped with the concrete footings and getting it started. We also had a contractor install the vinyl decking, otherwise it was Mr. Sew Bright and myself and Mr. Sew Bright did the majority himself as I was pregnant last summer.

Being that this was the biggest renovation project on the house that we’ve done to date, I thought I would share 10 things we learnt!

1. DIY renovations take longer than you think.

2. Renovations cost more than you initially think.

3. When you do things yourself and are just learning, you will end up re-doing things and spending more money, so plan for that.

4. Making a drawing and planning everything out ahead of time takes a lot of work, but it can also save you so much money and time in the end.

5. Measure twice, cut once.

6. Building with a spouse can be challenging, but rewarding if you’re able to stick to it and get it done together.

7. Read ALL instructions, especially on the stain or paint you are using. For example, the one we used needed to be wiped off with a cloth half hour after staining. This was not done initially and ended up getting mildew on it. Yeah. So not impressed. Anyways, we figured it out and learnt a big lesson.

8. Hire a professional if you aren’t sure. We did this for the vinyl and so glad we did.

9. Decorating is so fun! I loved putting it all together in the end. Our outdoor rug from The Rug District was the perfect touch for tying it all together too! You can find the print I picked out HERE (#gifted).

10. Be proud of your work, celebrate your accomplishments!