End Note Suzanna’s reno diaries

CONSTRUCTION DIARIES From a tree in the new bedroom to a subcontractor falling through the ceiling, SUZANNA CULLEN HAMILTON’s renovations have never been dull

RECENTLY WHILE REVIEWING a home submission, I was interrupted by a call from my contractor announcing “the insulation installer just fell through your ceiling and landed in the guest bedroom closet.” Having been previously engrossed in sight lines and photo angles, it took a moment to register that a man had fallen through the attic.

This is not my fi rst renovation rodeo—it’s my eighth and something I swore I’d never do again. The process always takes longer and costs more, no matter how much experience one has in the arena. Simply put: Things happen. Expected changes arise in every renovation when owners upgrade lighting, countertops, backsplashes and appliances. However, projects get thrown out of the saddle when the unexpected happens. Electrical wiring that’s out of code, foundation issues and black mold have haunted many renovators. My most challenging renovation was 25 years ago when I added a second story onto a Brookwood Hills home built in 1921. The beautiful plaster walls were painstakingly recreated after rewiring the entire house, and months of construction went into adding the second fl oor. Although the trees had been checked by an arborist, Hurricane Opal proved too much for them and caused one to crash through the house a week after we moved in. I’ve remodeled homes throughout the South—from early 20th-century brick homes to mid-century modern ranches to mountain retreats. Each has turned out beautifully, but I fi nd renovating more complicated than building because trying to remedy an existing problem is always more challenging. Fortunately, the insulation installer is okay, and I’m appreciative that he fell through the closet rather than the living room—though I don’t think he had any choice in the matter. Unfortunately, however, I’ve just gotten another message: The air conditioning compressor has died. Another day, another dollar, another renovation with unexpected turns. Homes are neither inexpensive nor easy to maintain. But these stories make them rich, and to date, a subcontractor landing in my guest bedroom closet is right up there with Opal. Neither will ever be forgotten.