Mona Ying Reeves, architect, renovation coach and serial renovator, joins me in this episode to talk about gender roles in home renovations. How can we change the dynamic for the future?

About our guest

Feeling stuck when it comes to navigating your renovation? Mona Ying Reeves is the House Coach that will get you past the overwhelm and moving forward. A serial renovator, architect, and behind-the-scenes design consultant to various HGTV home makeover shows, Mona founded Kickstart House to support and empower homeowners with their renovation journeys.

After years of seeing homeowners struggle with a complicated construction landscape, Mona’s on a mission to help homeowners align their surroundings and their journeys with their best lives. With Kickstart House, she’s taken her proven framework of delivering dream homes for high-end clients and refined it into a roadmap that any homeowner can follow.

In addition to coaching homeowners, Mona is a licensed architect in the state of California. She holds a Master’s degree in Architecture from Harvard University and a Bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley.

Learn more about Mona Ying Reeves

Website: Kickstart House

Facebook: Kickstart House

Twitter: Kickstart House

Thanks so much for being with us this week.  Please see the episode enhancement for this and other episodes at talkinghomerenovations.com

Do you have feedback you would like to share?  Would you like to be a guest on the podcast?  Email me at [email protected]

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Reviews and ratings help my show gain traction and credibility.  Please leave a review here- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-home-renovations-with-the-house-maven/id1481716218

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Talking Home Renovations with the House Maven is part of Gabl Media, the largest, most engaged AEC network on the planet.  Visit www.Gablmedia.com for great content. 

Sign up for the weekly newsletter- I send out the episode enhancements every Wednesday morning,   sign up here

Music at the beginning and end of the episode is The House Maven's Jig, written and performed by Neil Pearlman, www.neilpearlman.com

Show Cover Art by Sam White www.samowhite.com

This podcast is a production of dEmios Architects. www.demiosarchitects.com

In 2021 I interviewed designer Cara Newhart about her mission to empower women to tackle home improvement and renovation projects on their own. I'm glad to revisit this interview in this season of women in renovations.

About our guest:

Cara Newhart is a designer and diy queen and the host of the Make Space Podcast. 

After losing her dad to cancer and without his contractor-expertise to guide her in customizing her first home, she decided to dive in without fear and tackle epic diy projects all by herself- transforming her home solo, teaching herself to use power tools, and finding the confidence to bring her design ideas to life.  

Cara is on a mission to empower everyday women to take charge of their homes and design spaces they’re obsessed with- on their terms.  

As the host of MAKE SPACE, she helps women dive deeper than pin-worthy rooms to uncover home design strategies, learn to tackle power tool projects without intimidation and unlock the confidence to transform their spaces. 

Cara has been featured in Apartment Therapy, House Beautiful, PEOPLE StyleWatch and more. She’s collaborated with brands like The Home Depot, Amazon, Wayfair, sleep.com and others. 

www.neverskipbrunch.com

Instagram and TikTok- @makespace

Thanks so much for being with us this week.  Please see the episode enhancement for this and other episodes at talkinghomerenovations.com

Do you have feedback you would like to share?  Would you like to be a guest on the podcast?  Email me at [email protected]

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with your friends

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show and get automatic updates every Wednesday morning with the latest episode of Talking Home Renovations with the House Maven.  

Click here to get the episode enhancements sent directly to your inbox every week.

Reviews and ratings help my show gain traction and credibility.  Please leave a review here- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-home-renovations-with-the-house-maven/id1481716218

Follow me on instagram: @talkinghomerenovations

Join me on Facebook: Talking Home Renovations

Follow me on Twitter: @talkinghomereno

Join me on TikTok: @The House Maven

Talking Home Renovations with the House Maven is part of Gabl Media, the largest, most engaged AEC network on the planet.  Visit www.Gablmedia.com for great content. 

Sign up for the weekly newsletter- I send out the episode enhancements every Wednesday morning,   sign up here

Music at the beginning and end of the episode is The House Maven's Jig, written and performed by Neil Pearlman, www.neilpearlman.com

Show Cover Art by Sam White www.samowhite.com

This podcast is a production of dEmios Architects. www.demiosarchitects.com

This episode is advice from just me, answering a listener's question about how to know if he should undergo a renovation at his house and how to start if he decides that is the course of action he should take. We haven't talked about this in a while on this show, so I thought it would be worth an answer.

Thanks so much for being with us this week.  Please see the episode enhancement for this and other episodes at talkinghomerenovations.com

Do you have feedback you would like to share?  Would you like to be a guest on the podcast?  Email me at [email protected]

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with your friends

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show and get automatic updates every Wednesday morning with the latest episode of Talking Home Renovations with the House Maven.  

Click here to get the episode enhancements sent directly to your inbox every week.

Reviews and ratings help my show gain traction and credibility.  Please leave a review here- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-home-renovations-with-the-house-maven/id1481716218

Follow me on instagram: @talkinghomerenovations

Join me on Facebook: Talking Home Renovations

Follow me on Twitter: @talkinghomereno

Join me on TikTok: @The House Maven

Talking Home Renovations with the House Maven is part of Gabl Media, the largest, most engaged AEC network on the planet.  Visit www.Gablmedia.com for great content. 

Sign up for the weekly newsletter- I send out the episode enhancements every Wednesday morning,   sign up here

Music at the beginning and end of the episode is The House Maven's Jig, written and performed by Neil Pearlman, www.neilpearlman.com

Show Cover Art by Sam White www.samowhite.com

This podcast is a production of dEmios Architects. www.demiosarchitects.com

We revisited episode 62 this week, 2 years later. High Performance Architect Emily Mottram joins me in this episode to talk about the renovation she is undertaking at her home in Maine. She calls her renovation a pretty good renovation which is in keeping with the principles of the pretty good house (https://www.prettygoodhouse.org) which is building better than required by code until it doesn't make financial sense. Like all of us, she encountered scope creep and has some advice based on her experience.

About our guest:

Emily is the founder and principal of Mottram Architecture, a boutique practice specializing in new homes and renovations that are beautiful, functional, comfortable, healthy, and durable.  

Emily received her Bachelor of Architecture degree from Penn State University and is a Registered Architect in Maine, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania; she has also previously been registered in New York and Texas. Emily is a member of the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), the Maine Indoor Air Quality Council (MIAQC), and the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM), the state’s leading organization working to protect and preserve the environment.

An educator at heart, Emily also teaches building science and sustainable design at a local community college and has served as a consultant for projects in a secondary school trade program. She hosts the weekly podcast E3: Energy and Efficiency with Emily and co-hosts the live-streamed BS* + Beer Show, a weekly building science show for professionals and “civilians” alike. 

*********************************************************

Laura Parrish is my guest this week, talking about her historic Massachusetts properties. She bought her 1855 Italianate mansion in New Bedford about 10 years ago, and is now working on her third property, the oldest house in Bourne, MA. She loves to share her houses with others through AirBnB rentals. Laura shared what she has learned about working on historic houses and the hospitality world.

Instagram:

@_thewhalehouse_

@theminnowfalmouth

@oldcrowellfarm

Websites:

The Whale House- https://www.thewhalehousenb.com

The Minnow on AirBNB- https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/679531034866064071?source_impression_id=p3_1689127039_bF0lO4%2FyWyOBYj3x

Thanks so much for being with us this week.  Please see the episode enhancement for this and other episodes at talkinghomerenovations.com

Do you have feedback you would like to share?  Would you like to be a guest on the podcast?  Email me at [email protected]

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with your friends

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show and get automatic updates every Wednesday morning with the latest episode of Talking Home Renovations with the House Maven.  

Click here to get the episode enhancements sent directly to your inbox every week.

Reviews and ratings help my show gain traction and credibility.  Please leave a review here-...

Laura Parrish is my guest this week, talking about her historic Massachusetts properties. She bought her 1855 Italianate mansion in New Bedford about 10 years ago, and is now working on her third property, the oldest house in Bourne, MA. She loves to share her houses with others through AirBnB rentals. Laura shared what she has learned about working on historic houses and the hospitality world.

Instagram:

@_thewhalehouse_

@theminnowfalmouth

@oldcrowellfarm

Websites:

The Whale House- https://www.thewhalehousenb.com

The Minnow on AirBNB- https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/679531034866064071?source_impression_id=p3_1689127039_bF0lO4%2FyWyOBYj3x

Thanks so much for being with us this week.  Please see the episode enhancement for this and other episodes at talkinghomerenovations.com

Do you have feedback you would like to share?  Would you like to be a guest on the podcast?  Email me at [email protected]

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with your friends

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show and get automatic updates every Wednesday morning with the latest episode of Talking Home Renovations with the House Maven.  

Click here to get the episode enhancements sent directly to your inbox every week.

Reviews and ratings help my show gain traction and credibility.  Please leave a review here- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-home-renovations-with-the-house-maven/id1481716218

Follow me on instagram: @talkinghomerenovations

Join me on Facebook: Talking Home Renovations

Follow me on Twitter: @talkinghomereno

Join me on TikTok: @The House Maven

Talking Home Renovations with the House Maven is part of Gabl Media, the largest, most engaged AEC network on the planet.  Visit www.Gablmedia.com for great content. 

Sign up for the weekly newsletter- I send out the episode enhancements every Wednesday morning,   sign up here

Music at the beginning and end of the episode is The House Maven's Jig, written and performed by Neil Pearlman, www.neilpearlman.com

Show Cover Art by Sam White www.samowhite.com

This podcast is a production of dEmios Architects. www.demiosarchitects.com

This week we revisited an episode from November 2021 on Return on Investments when it comes to renovations. I interviewed her about 6 months before we sold our house and I did take a lot of her advice!

About our guest:

Daryl Cohan has been helping home buyers and sellers since 2001. She is determined to help her clients reach their goals in considers her role one of education. Her excellence in listening to her clients wants and needs have made her a "people's choice" in the Boston real estate community

https://www.compass.com/agents/daryl-cohan/

Thanks so much for being with us this week.  Please see the episode enhancement for this and other episodes at talkinghomerenovations.com

Do you have feedback you would like to share?  Would you like to be a guest on the podcast?  Email me at [email protected]

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with your friends

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show and get automatic updates every Wednesday morning with the latest episode of Talking Home Renovations with the House Maven.  

Click here to get the episode enhancements sent directly to your inbox every week.

Reviews and ratings help my show gain traction and credibility.  Please leave a review here- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-home-renovations-with-the-house-maven/id1481716218

Follow me on instagram: @talkinghomerenovations

Join me on Facebook: Talking Home Renovations

Follow me on Twitter: @talkinghomereno

Join me on TikTok: @The House Maven

Talking Home Renovations with the House Maven is part of Gabl Media, the largest, most engaged AEC network on the planet.  Visit www.Gablmedia.com for great content. 

Sign up for the weekly newsletter- I send out the episode enhancements every Wednesday morning,   sign up here

Music at the beginning and end of the episode is The House Maven's Jig, written and performed by Neil Pearlman, www.neilpearlman.com

Show Cover Art by Sam White www.samowhite.com

This podcast is a production of dEmios Architects. www.demiosarchitects.com

My guest this week is Katelyn Parker, an architect and podcaster working in Tulsa Oklahoma. Katelyn was my guest back on episode 54 discussing the renovation of her home in Tulsa. If you love old houses, check out her podcast The Keeping Room and her firm's website https://www.bungalowroots.com

We talked about podcasting about renovations, how what is old is new again in the houses of today, restoring old windows, being an architect who specializes in old houses and thoughts on women in renovations.

instagram and tik tok- @bungalowroots

Thanks so much for being with us this week.  Please see the episode enhancement for this and other episodes at talkinghomerenovations.com

Do you have feedback you would like to share?  Would you like to be a guest on the podcast?  Email me at [email protected]

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with your friends

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show and get automatic updates every Wednesday morning with the latest episode of Talking Home Renovations with the House Maven.  

Click here to get the episode enhancements sent directly to your inbox every week.

Reviews and ratings help my show gain traction and credibility.  Please leave a review here- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-home-renovations-with-the-house-maven/id1481716218

Follow me on instagram: @talkinghomerenovations

Join me on Facebook: Talking Home Renovations

Follow me on Twitter: @talkinghomereno

Join me on TikTok: @The House Maven

Talking Home Renovations with the House Maven is part of Gabl Media, the largest, most engaged AEC network on the planet.  Visit www.Gablmedia.com for great content. 

Sign up for the weekly newsletter- I send out the episode enhancements every Wednesday morning,   sign up here

Music at the beginning and end of the episode is The House Maven's Jig, written and performed by Neil Pearlman, www.neilpearlman.com

Show Cover Art by Sam White www.samowhite.com

This podcast is a production of dEmios Architects. www.demiosarchitects.com

George Seigal of Tell us How to Make it Better Podcast joined me this week to discuss how to give your house the best chance of surviving a natural disaster, or how to make it easier on yourself if you need to rebuild.

podcast: https://www.tellushowtomakeitbetter.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/tell-us-how-to-make-it-better-6896822683162476545/

Instagram: @tellushowtomakeitbetter

Film website: https://www.thelasthousestanding.org/

Thanks so much for being with us this week.  Please see the episode enhancement for this and other episodes at talkinghomerenovations.com

Do you have feedback you would like to share?  Would you like to be a guest on the podcast?  Email me at [email protected]

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with your friends

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show and get automatic updates every Wednesday morning with the latest episode of Talking Home Renovations with the House Maven.  

Click here to get the episode enhancements sent directly to your inbox every week.

Reviews and ratings help my show gain traction and credibility.  Please leave a review here- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-home-renovations-with-the-house-maven/id1481716218

Follow me on instagram: @talkinghomerenovations

Join me on Facebook: Talking Home Renovations

Follow me on Twitter: @talkinghomereno

Join me on TikTok: @The House Maven

Talking Home Renovations with the House Maven is part of Gabl Media, the largest, most engaged AEC network on the planet.  Visit www.Gablmedia.com for great content. 

Sign up for the weekly newsletter- I send out the episode enhancements every Wednesday morning,   sign up here

Music at the beginning and end of the episode is The House Maven's Jig, written and performed by Neil Pearlman, www.neilpearlman.com

Show Cover Art by Sam White www.samowhite.com

This podcast is a production of dEmios Architects. www.demiosarchitects.com

Homes everywhere are susceptible to some sort of natural disaster. Carl Dugas of Storm Guard Roofing in Louisiana provides a firsthand account as to what recovery looks like and how to prepare for severe storms, as well as move forward after disaster strikes.

about our guest:

Carl Dugas has owned and operated a Storm Guard Roofing and Construction franchise in the New Orleans area for the last eight years. As a local, Carl has seen firsthand the devastation hurricanes and tropical storms have wrought on the Gulf Coast and has assisted in rebuilding and recovery efforts for many homeowners, most notably following Hurricane Ida in 2021. Carl and his team work everyday to ensure roofs in the New Orleans area are ready to weather these storms and is there to help homeowners when disaster strikes.

https://www.stormguardrc.com/la/new-orleans/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/storm-guard-roofing-and-construction-of-new-orleans

https://www.facebook.com/StormGuardNewOrleans/

https://twitter.com/SGNewOrleans

Thanks so much for being with us this week.  Please see the episode enhancement for this and other episodes at talkinghomerenovations.com

Do you have feedback you would like to share?  Would you like to be a guest on the podcast?  Email me at [email protected]

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with your friends

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show and get automatic updates every Wednesday morning with the latest episode of Talking Home Renovations with the House Maven.  

Click here to get the episode enhancements sent directly to your inbox every week.

Reviews and ratings help my show gain traction and credibility.  Please leave a review here- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-home-renovations-with-the-house-maven/id1481716218

Follow me on instagram: @talkinghomerenovations

Join me on Facebook: Talking Home Renovations

Follow me on Twitter: @talkinghomereno

Join me on TikTok: @The House Maven

Talking Home Renovations with the House Maven is part of Gabl Media, the largest, most engaged AEC network on the planet.  Visit www.Gablmedia.com for great content. 

Sign up for the weekly newsletter- I send out the episode enhancements every Wednesday morning,   sign up here

Music at the beginning and end of the episode is The House Maven's Jig, written and performed by Neil Pearlman, www.neilpearlman.com

Show Cover Art by Sam White www.samowhite.com

This podcast is a production of dEmios Architects. www.demiosarchitects.com

The last episode of season 5 is a new renovation story. Sarah and Kevin unexpectedly fell in love with an Italianate house a few hours from Toronto, which started their sustainable old house journey. They are now on their second house project and deep into considering sustainable restorations.

Check out their blog at www.readmorehouse.com

instagram- @readmorehouse

Thanks so much for being with us this week.  Please see the episode enhancement for this and other episodes at talkinghomerenovations.com

Do you have feedback you would like to share?  Would you like to be a guest on the podcast?  Email me at [email protected]

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with your friends

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show and get automatic updates every Wednesday morning with the latest episode of Talking Home Renovations with the House Maven.  

Click here to get the episode enhancements sent directly to your inbox every week.

Reviews and ratings help my show gain traction and credibility.  Please leave a review here- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-home-renovations-with-the-house-maven/id1481716218

Follow me on instagram: @talkinghomerenovations

Join me on Facebook: Talking Home Renovations

Follow me on Twitter: @talkinghomereno

Join me on TikTok: @The House Maven

Talking Home Renovations with the House Maven is part of Gabl Media, the largest, most engaged AEC network on the planet.  Visit www.Gablmedia.com for great content. 

Sign up for the weekly newsletter- I send out the episode enhancements every Wednesday morning,   sign up here

Music at the beginning and end of the episode is The House Maven's Jig, written and performed by Neil Pearlman, www.neilpearlman.com

Show Cover Art by Sam White www.samowhite.com

This podcast is a production of dEmios Architects. www.demiosarchitects.com