Talk about seeing potential.
A couple of renovation experts have recounted how they bought a dilapidated property with missing walls, moldy walls, and missing floorboards for just $6,500 and transformed it into a stunning, livable space that they later sold for $410,000.
Kyle Dubay, 34, and Bo Shepherd, 32, from Detroit, run a furniture restoration company and told DailyMail.com they found their three-bedroom apartment in 2019 through a client.
Kyle explained, “He had us tour it because he was going to buy it and tear it down.” He wanted us to see what types of materials we could save for reuse. We loved the house when we walked through it with him.
Kyle Dubay and Bo Shepherd from Detroit, run a furniture restoration company. In 2019, they bought a dilapidated house for $6.5k and started rebuilding it.
The couple found their three-bedroom apartment in 2019 through a client
Kyle said that they loved the house when they visited it and decided to rescue it.
While renovating assets for a living, Kyle and Bo found that their home project was on another level, as everything had to be completely redone.
As much as they could, the couple used salvaged materials to repair their home in Detroit’s North End.
Kyle said: “Our goal was to create a modern house but use reclaimed materials.”
“He was in terrible condition, but we thought he had good bones. So we asked if it would be okay if we bought it and renovated it.
And he obviously loved the idea of her being saved. So we ended up buying it from the Detroit Land Bank Authority at auction.
While renovating assets for a living, Kyle and Bo found their home project to be on another level, as everything had to be completely redone, from the roof to the plumbing and electrical work.
As much as they could, the couple used salvaged materials to repair their home in Detroit’s North End.
For example, discarded oak pews were used to build kitchen cabinets and refrigerator panels.
Meanwhile, floorboards from an old basketball were installed in some of the rooms, and old science lab countertops from a local college were given a new lease of life as kitchen countertops.
One of her more unusual finds was a spiral staircase that came courtesy of one of her Instagram followers after they posted a request for one.
Kyle said: ‘Our aim was to create a modern house but use reclaimed materials.
“Something we do with our furniture designs, only on a larger scale.”
“He was in terrible condition, but we thought he had good bones. So we asked if it would be okay if we bought it and revamped it,” Kyle said.
One of her more unusual finds was a spiral staircase that came courtesy of one of her Instagram followers after they posted a request for one.
Kyle said that “these big renovations can really test your emotional capacity sometimes.”
Even though renewal is hard at times, Kyle says they “love doing it” and “it’s so much more rewarding to do it with a loved one than to do it alone.”
Kyle said: “Our goal was to create a modern house but use reclaimed materials.”
As far as the garden space was concerned, this too was in a scruffy state with overgrown weeds and unkempt grass.
Overall, the renovation took three years and cost around $300,000. Kyle said this more than double what they originally intended.
Bo’s father also works as a professional building contractor, so he was able to help with some of the more technical aspects of the makeover.
“The shared memories of the project and our accomplishments greatly overshadow the dark moments,” said Kyle.
After selling the property, Kyle and Bo say they now have their sights set on an industrial building that they plan to convert into a home.
While they did most of the work themselves, friends and family pitched in along the way.
Bo’s dad also works as a professional construction contractor, so he was able to help with some of the more technical aspects of the makeover.
When it came to the garden space, this too was in a scruffy state with overgrown weeds and unkempt grass.
One of the images from his renovation project shows Kyle armed with a chainsaw and goggles as he tackles the jungle-like scene.
She said the garden was so overgrown with plants that her dog couldn’t even enjoy the space.
Overall, the renovation took three years and cost around $300,000.
Kyle said this more than double what they originally intended, but the reality of the build is that “there’s always a new problem to fix.”
One of the most expensive rooms to transform was the kitchen, as the couple had to invest in new appliances.
After selling the property, Kyle and Bo say they now have their sights set on an industrial building that they plan to convert into a home.
Kyle concluded: “It’s a property we’ve both admired for the better part of the last 10 years. We own it now, and plan to break ground on it in the next month or so.
‘These big renovations can really test your emotional capacity at times. But we love doing it, and honestly, it’s much more rewarding to do it with a loved one than to do it alone.
“The shared memories of the project and our achievements greatly overshadow the dark moments.”