From Community Connections to Unexpected Finds
Hello all you Happies! I wanted to share some exciting news about our latest adventure in home renovation. As many of you know, my boyfriend Rich is the proud owner of Nailed it by Lopeman, our local handyman business. We recently took on two mobile homes to renovate, and I can’t wait to bring you along for the ride.
The first project is a single wide mobile home in Davenport, IA. My personal connection to this journey started a few years ago when I purchased a mobile home for my son. If there’s one crucial tip I can give you from my experiences, it’s this: always hire a qualified inspector before you buy any property. It’s a step you definitely don’t want to skip!
The second mobile home came to us in a rather unique way. While hosting a coat drive on Facebook, I met a kind woman who dropped off some coats. Like everyone else who stopped by, I handed her Rich’s business card. She later reached out because she inherited a double-wide mobile home after her daughter-in-law’s passing and needed help cleaning it out for the mobile home park. We offered to take it off her hands entirely, and to our delight, she agreed!
As a fun bonus, when we first walked into the double-wide, we were greeted by a large cat with stunning eyes. The cat immediately jumped onto the back of a chair facing Rich, and they had an instant connection. That’s how we became the proud parents of Manungai, named after the Chicago Bears’ rookie running back!
The home itself needed a lot of TLC. At first glance, it didn’t seem too bad, but once we started tearing into the renovation, we discovered extensive water damage and rot throughout. My son, who was just starting his carpentry apprenticeship at the time, was supposed to help with the work, but after a few years with little progress, I took back the project when he moved in with his girlfriend.
Now, after a lot of hard work, we’ve gutted the interior, replaced all the rotten sections, and are finally moving on to the fun cosmetic updates. Today was a huge win—we scored countertops for just $75 and cabinets for $250! We do have to drive two and a half hours to Chicago to pick them up, but for what we’re getting, it’s worth every mile. The countertops are a beautiful white with gray streaks, and we’ll be refinishing the cabinets ourselves.
I’ll keep you all updated and post pictures as we make progress. Stay tuned for more of our renovation adventure, and don’t forget the golden rule: always get an inspection before you buy!