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My first job as Jake of All Trades

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 16:28:15 GMT

Beloit House Restoration

My first project as Jake of All Trades was a full house restoration of a beautiful four-bedroom two story home in Beloit, WI. This house had been neglected for years earning a reputation as the worst house on the block and needed some love to get it ready for a family to enjoy. I was hired to restore the beauty to this old house, while adding a few modern touches to make it as comfortable as it is pretty.

This project began with a full house clear out of trash and furniture left behind by the previous owners, even going as far as removing all of the kitchen cabinets that had fallen to disrepair. The next step, I did prep work to prepare for the other trade workers that were coming in to do some work. There were a couple places where I had to remove large sections of the plaster to allow access for the electricians to route new wires for lights and clear out space for the plumbers to replace a broken shower drain in the second-floor bathroom. While they worked, I installed all new light fixtures, switches, and outlets all throughout the house. Following behind these companies, I got to begin building up! This began with repairing all of the walls that either had previous damage, or I had cut holes into. Once the walls were ready, I began with installing the new kitchen cabinets and flooring. The rest of the house was getting the hard wood floors restored but the flooring didn't continue into the kitchen and bathroom, so we decided to go with high quality luxury vinyl tiles for a classy and resilient floor in a busy area. Next steps came paint prep, taping off flooring and windows throughout the house. The upstairs had painted trim, so I opted to use my paint sprayer to give a nice consistent coating of fresh paint. The rest of the walls I opted for hand painting to give nice sharp cut in lines.

At this point the house was looking really good, and I changed focus for a couple weeks to give time for our friend at Christianson Flooring to come in and refinish all of the hardwood floors. I used this time to do some of the exterior work that we had planned. To start, I repaired the back porch so that it was secure with a gate and no one will get hurt due to a broken board or loose railing. Then I moved on to replacing all of the storm doors on the house. No more rusted squeaky doors! To top off the outside we painted some of the stone on the front porch to give it a fresh look that tied the curb appeal all together! At this point the floors were finished up, and I was back inside the house. I put down all new quarter round throughout the house to tie together the fresh floors. At the end of the process, we had enough budget left, and I assisted in the installation of a brand-new AC unit! One good day spent just cleaning up behind myself to prepare for the house to be listed on the market by Kylee Romack with Sprinkman Real-estate. This was where my time at this project came to an end tying a bow on this gorgeous home ready for a family to make memories in!

The Challenge

Th is project was a planned restoration, we knew going in that the decrepit state of the home would have quite a few hidden challenges for us. The budget was mostly accounted for at the start of the project, so we needed to mitigate these as much as possible. Finding out in the latter half of the project that the air conditioning unit was not salvageable was a massive blow to the budget.

The Plan

My approach to this project was going to be breaking it down into steps to make sure that nothing was going to get in the way or be missed. I knew that I was going to have two to three months to get this project done in its entirety. One of the most difficult parts was going to be scheduling around other crews that were helping out. We had picked out electricians, plumbers, stone counter installers, flooring refinisher, and HVAC inspections and eventually installations. Electricians and plumbers would be in at the same time in the beginning of the process, so I prioritized getting everything ready for them before starting other projects. Next would be preparing cabinets for the counter tops to be measured. The last two companies provided me a deadline to have 90% of my work done before they entered. This was the final obstacle to plan for in my timeline.

The Build / Execution

The plan was ready and contracts were signed, thus the work began!

-I started with making space for the other teams that needed to get into the house, clearing obstructions and cutting holes where needed.

-I then replaced all of the electrical components:

-Outlets

-Switches

-Lights

-Next came to building up walls. Some framing was needed but was mostly drywall/plaster work.

-Bathrooms needed walls for new showers.

-There were crack and holes in the plaster all throughout the house that needed patching.

-The cabinet work came next so that we could get the counter tops ordered.

-Kitchen Cabinets both uppers and lowers were installed first.

-Bathrooms both got new vanities and sinks.

-The flooring was my priority after the cabinets were in.

-We used luxury vinyl tiles throughout both bathrooms, kitchen, and the mud room.

-Finally, time for paint!

-I used my paint sprayer to freshen up all of the trim and doors upstairs.

-I hand brushed and rolled all of the walls and ceilings throughout the house.

-Exterior work was done while the floors were being refinished.

-New storm doors.

-Repaired deck with a new gate.

-Freshly painted stone front porch.

-Assisted in installing a brand-new air conditioner.

-Last touches were the trim and finish work.

-Quarter round throughout the entire house.

-Bathroom accessories such as mirrors and towel bars.

-Door stops to prevent further plaster damage.

-Cleaning up after myself was my final touch!

The Result

The finished product was a four-bedroom house with two brand new bathrooms and a fully remodeled kitchen ready for any family to appreciate. We tried not to change anything that held the houses original charm while restoring it to a state that was move in ready. We gave freshly refinished floors and repaired every wall to be the perfect fresh slate for the new owners. I am so proud of how the new kitchen brought life to the house without taking away from the history we preserved.

Walking into this house begins with well-kept heavy original doors that open up to show the gorgeous 100+ year old woodwork that still shows its original stain. The freshly restored hardwood floors shine in the daylight pouring in from large windows on every wall. To the right is a staircase going upstarts with handrails that you simply don't get to enjoy in houses made in the last century. To your left is a framed living room with wooden pillars on either side. The living room is divided from the dining room by perhaps the best-preserved hidden feature of this house, two massive sliding solid wood pocket doors. The dining room is split between tall warm windows on one side and a sneak peek to the new kitchen through the serving window on the other. The kitchen features cabinets that span two walls with upper and lower cabinets only split by two more windows showing the greenery in the back yard. The first-floor bathroom was completely redone with a new tub, toilet, vanity, and shelving for storage. Upstairs in this house is now a fresh new view with all of the fresh paint, brass hardware on all doors, and the bold white trim work accenting every wall. Each room features two windows each and a bathroom right in the middle for easy access. The house as a whole speaks of its great age boasting its woodwork everywhere you look. We restored it for the right family who appreciates the quality of old.

Client Review

★★★★★

“ [ We’ve used Jake on several rehabbed homes and wouldn’t hesitate to use his services again. The communication, detail and finished work is outstanding. We would �� recommend!”

- Matt and Catie F

Thinking About a Similar Project?

If you’re considering a project like this we’d be happy to talk through your options. Every project starts with a conversation! Book a Call

Project 2

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 16:28:13 GMT

Project Overview

Start with 2–4 sentences summarizing the project. Example structure: “This recent project involved [brief description of the job]. The client was looking for [goal or problem they needed solved]. Our team focused on [main solution or approach], resulting in [end result].”
Write your actual overview here: [Insert 2–4 paragraph summary describing what the project was, who it was for (if appropriate), and what made it unique.]

The Challenge

Describe the problem that needs to be solved.

Helpful prompts:

What wasn’t working before?
What frustrations did the homeowner/client have?
Were there time constraints, budget constraints, or design limitations?
Was this an emergency repair or a planned renovation?

Write here:

[Explain the main issue or obstacle. Be specific. This builds trust.]

The Plan

Explain how you approached the project.

Helpful prompts:

What was your first step?
Did you provide options?
What materials or techniques were used?
Was there a design or planning phase?

Write here:

[Describe the process step-by-step in simple terms. Keep it clear and practical.]

The Build / Execution

Walk through what actually happened during the project.

Helpful prompts:

Timeline (How long did it take?)
Major milestones
Any unexpected discoveries?
Adjustments made along the way?

Write here:

[Detail the transformation process. This is where before-and-after photos would be referenced.]

The Result

Describe the outcome.

Helpful prompts:

What changed?
What improved?
What features are you most proud of?
What did the client say?

Write here:

[Paint a picture of the finished result. Use descriptive language.]

Materials & Features Used

Optional but helpful for SEO and credibility.

Example format:

Flooring: [Type + Brand]
Fixtures: [Brand or Style]
Paint Color: [Color Name]
Custom Elements: [Describe]

List yours here:

[Item 1]
[Item 2]
[Item 3]

Client Review

★★★★★

“ [Client quote goes here.] ”

- Client First Name and Last Initial.

If you don’t have a testimonial yet, remove this section.

Thinking About a Similar Project?

If you’re considering a project like this we’d be happy to talk through your options. Every project starts with a conversation! Book a Call

Project 3

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 16:28:12 GMT

Project Overview

The Challenge

Describe the problem that needs to be solved.

Helpful prompts:

What wasn’t working before?
What frustrations did the homeowner/client have?
Were there time constraints, budget constraints, or design limitations?
Was this an emergency repair or a planned renovation?

Write here:

[Explain the main issue or obstacle. Be specific. This builds trust.]

The Plan

Explain how you approached the project.

Helpful prompts:

What was your first step?
Did you provide options?
What materials or techniques were used?
Was there a design or planning phase?

Write here:

[Describe the process step-by-step in simple terms. Keep it clear and practical.]

The Build / Execution

Walk through what actually happened during the project.

Helpful prompts:

Timeline (How long did it take?)
Major milestones
Any unexpected discoveries?
Adjustments made along the way?

Write here:

[Detail the transformation process. This is where before-and-after photos would be referenced.]

The Result

Describe the outcome.

Helpful prompts:

What changed?
What improved?
What features are you most proud of?
What did the client say?

Write here:

[Paint a picture of the finished result. Use descriptive language.]

Materials & Features Used

Optional but helpful for SEO and credibility.

Example format:

Flooring: [Type + Brand]
Fixtures: [Brand or Style]
Paint Color: [Color Name]
Custom Elements: [Describe]

List yours here:

[Item 1]
[Item 2]
[Item 3]

Client Review

★★★★★

“ [Client quote goes here.] ”

- Client First Name and Last Initial.

If you don’t have a testimonial yet, remove this section.

Thinking About a Similar Project?

If you’re considering a project like this we’d be happy to talk through your options. Every project starts with a conversation! Book a Call