Jenna Phipps

ep.23 our first room

It's remarkable what a few properly arranged pieces of wood can do to a home. One day you start with a deteriorated blank slate, and within a few hours, you can transform it into a brand new space. This week, please meet our new laundry room! Listen along as we discuss progress at the Peanut House, some cool building science,...

we finished our first room

This week at the Peanut House, we did some more framing. We have new tools, and for this round, a lot more experience! What do you think?

ep.22 we started building

What goes into fixing a water-damaged wall? A lot more than you might think. What started as a small repair quickly expanded to include sill plates, rim joists, floor joists—you name it. Join us as we discuss the ins and outs of identifying the root of the damage, the work involved in making replacements, and what it takes ...

slowly fixing the water damage

This week at the Peanut House, we are setting up more shoring. We have a laser level out, and we're correcting everything that was wrong with the basement level. Initially, when we started the project, our floors were off by almost an inch and three quarters. After leveling, we have reduced that to about a quarter of an inch!...

ep.21 the reality of home renovations

This week, the podcast takes a twist. It's shorter, more action-packed, and more discussion-based. Join us as we discuss home renovation realities, explain shoring, and, last but not least, answer some questions from our nosy neighbors: What is one thing each of us wants to splurge on? What is the most important part of the h...

we have officially started fixing the house

ep.20 the nail that destroyed our house

As we peel back and prepare our home for the new metal frame, we uncover some interesting discoveries along the way. These range from rotten floor joists to notched load-bearing walls, and even a nail shot through our plumbing! It's incredible to see how the home was built and to uncover all the history behind it. This week, ...

we have a problem

This week, while we were preparing for the steel measurements, we uncovered several new problematic spots in our home. These include everything from a nail in a pipe (stay tuned for next week's podcast) to several sections of our floor joists that need to be replaced. It's a bit of a setback, but at the end of the day, it cou...

ep.19 we hit the ground running

Week one. Well – sort of. This week, we see how quickly we can get things done under pressure. Summer is short. We don't have a roof. What do our timelines look like? Will we be able to finish everything in time? Tune in to find out! As always, our Nosey Neighbours get answers to the big questions: Where are we getting our ...

BTS ft. another bin and a small surprise

ep.18 our permit story

Well, folks, it's finally here! After almost five months of back and forth, we finally have the green light to keep going! Tune in this week to hear about what it takes to get a permit, including all the costs and intricacies involved. Last but not least, we answer some questions: Are we keeping the glass? When does the demol...

We have news

After a VERY slow week at home, eagerly twiddling our fingers, we finally got the news: we have a permit. Stay tuned for the Monday podcast. It’s a fun one! 😅😂

ep.17 the permit and the city man

This week at the Peanut House, we are talking about permits, cleaning, and what comes next! Tune in to listen to all the details behind our renovation, permit timelines, and what we have planned for next week. Hint hint! We also answer some questions from our nosy neighbors. Do we have a flying background? Why don't we set up...

we removed half our roof

Just a little behind the scenes tour of our house. You’ll notice more and more has been taken back. It was really funny to see how poorly angled and crooked everything was. Soon it will be time for levelling!

ep.16 the scariest part of our renovation

Well, this week we noticed ourselves saying one word more than anything. It's a hint at what's to come in next week's video! Tune in as we talk about the scariest parts of our renovation, give some permit updates, and, last but not least, discuss electricity! We also answer some questions from our Nosey Neighbours: Are we goi...

Some things we did today

Today Nick and I were working on getting the metal beams down.. can’t wait to share the video next week!

ep.15 the city said our renovation is too big

In another twist of events, we heard back from the city this week with some more bad news. We thought this project was a renovation, but the city thought otherwise. Listen in as we discuss the intricacies of our permit, the additional paperwork required, and all about air and vapor barriers. We also answer some questions from...

What we do on Saturdays

Over the last few weeks, we have been moving and cleaning things around the house! In this instance, we had a late Saturday night emergency when we ran out of all the free wood out front. Instead of taking the ad down, we went and brought up more. 😂 I can officially say we finally have a clean yard! Enjoy this funny little...

ep.14 the roof is coming off

No more prep work, cleaning, or organizing. This week, we started taking off the roof. It's a very scary and surreal feeling – the house no longer feels like the home we purchased. Join us as we remove it rock by rock, stick by stick, working from the top down! We answer some questions about whether Nick should get his cont...

we took off the roof (kinda)

Here’s a little behind the scenes on our upcoming video! We have officially started taking off the roof… pretty scary to think about but also so exciting at the same time! How long do you guys think this took us? 😂

ep. 13 we got in trouble... again

Unsurprisingly, a stop work order from the city was just the beginning of our adventures. This week, a different inspector visited us and almost issued another stop work order. Yes, you read that right! Who knew you could get more than one? In this week's update, we cover all of that and more, including our trips to city hall...

ep.12 the city shut us down

Last week, we talked about our luck running out – this week, it really did. Join us as we clean up our home, start taking off the subfloor, and get some new tools... only to be stopped by... Yup, this is the episode we were hoping not to make. What will we do next? How long will it take? On a different note, we answer t...

Notice a difference?

Jenna and I did something BIG last week… can you spot the difference? If not, watch today’s video for the big reveal! (It’s coming out in a few mins)

ep.11 our luck is finally running out

While we patiently wait for our permit application to be reviewed, we chip away at the final few tasks required for the "cleaning" milestone of our adventure to be completed. Join us as we take you through our 36-hour sprint to load ANOTHER bin, cut down some trees, and finally sell the piano (yes, you read that right)! We en...

A glimpse back to the 1960’s

Things have been slowly moving along at the “Peanut House.” You may notice a few differences in this short clip. Sit back, relax to the sound of a 1960s out-of-tune K. Kawaii baby grand, while looking out to our new view. A flashback to a time that once was.

ep.10 our permit disaster + how we met

This week marks our 4th attempt at applying for permits. Twenty-two individual documents later, we are still not approved! Cross your fingers with us as we undergo another round of revisions and submit. In this special episode, we take a "deep dive" on the pool, remove some wires, meet some new friends, and last but not least...

Measuring everything so we get it right!

Sharing some fun behind the scenes photos of us measuring everything down to the inch! When we restore the roof, we want to ensure that everything is in the right place, at the correct length, and at the same height. It’s a lot of small detail work to make that all happen!

I’ve got a question for you guys! What’s...

ep.9 a letter from 1943

This week's episode dives into the details regarding our permit, including the hoops and intricacies involved. We celebrate an incredible milestone, "show off" our new tools, and last but not least, answer some fun YouTube comments. Highly requested by our listeners, we read one of the many letters we found in the home. Lastl...

One of our viewers surprised us with a rendering

Hey everyone! I hope you all had a great week. I wanted to share something super cool that one of our viewers sent us. It's a modern take on the existing structure, with tasteful updates all around. Looking at this rendering, I can only imagine how the home once was 63 years ago! Jenna and I are aiming to keep a similar aesth...

ep.8 we found bones

In our continued fight against the overgrown landscape, we finally see an end in sight. The pool receives a makeover, our engineer gives an update, and last but not least, we get some quotes back for tree cutting. We also reveal some new discoveries on the property, including mysterious concrete and bones—lots of bones. Thi...