01Active
Demolition
The upstairs drywall is cleared, most of the downstairs is open to the studs, and removal and cleanup continue as the remaining conditions come into view.
About Memo Reno
A real renovation, shown before all the answers are known.
Memo Reno follows the full rehabilitation of an abandoned house in South Mississippi. The series is a working record of the planning, labor, discoveries, setbacks, and decisions that shape the rebuild.
The approach
Hands-on learning. Practical problem solving. No expert act.
This is not a contractor portfolio and it is not a claim that there is one perfect way to renovate a house. The project documents the real work: what is found, what needs professional input, what can be handled directly, and what changes when the structure finally comes into view.
That means showing the useful parts as well as the uncertain ones—planning before demolition, mistakes that need correcting, materials that do or do not make sense, and lessons that only become obvious after the work begins.
Project scope
The work covers the whole house.
Each phase below reflects the current state of the house rather than the episode release schedule. Statuses will change as assessment turns into decisions and completed work.
02Active
Planning & assessment
Existing-condition plans are drafted, discoveries are being logged, and measurements, priorities, and future room uses remain open to revision.
03Assessment
Structural work
Much of the framing is now visible. Inconsistent work and questionable details are being documented before a repair scope is finalized.
04Assessment
Plumbing
Patched and unfinished plumbing is exposed. Temporary water supports the worksite while the permanent layout and repair plan remain undecided.
05Assessment
Electrical
Limited power supports lights and fans. Chewed and unfinished wiring is exposed, and the permanent electrical system still requires full evaluation.
06Queued
Roofing & exterior
The metal roof and exterior openings are part of the whole-house review, but a dedicated repair and weatherproofing phase has not begun.
07Temporary only
HVAC
The old mini-split units are removed. A small window unit cools the break room, but the permanent whole-house HVAC system is not designed or installed.
08Assessment
Insulation
Sparse and mismatched insulation has been exposed during demolition. The future assembly depends on decisions about the roof, envelope, and house systems.
09Queued
Interior finishing
No finish work has started. This phase remains behind structural repairs, utilities, the exterior envelope, HVAC, and insulation.
Show the conditions
Document what is actually there before presenting the fix.
Explain the decision
Share the reasoning, constraints, and tradeoffs behind the work.
Keep the record useful
Organize the tools, costs, plans, and lessons as the archive grows.