DIY remodelers slog and blog in Oakland

In a DIY culture increasingly driven by the HGTV fantasy of ivory-tower remodels, true renovation blogs are hard to find. Meryl Phillips and Chris Miller's Picardy Project blog ( http://www.picardyproject.com) fills a small niche by lifting the veil on what it's like to inhabit the house you're taking apart and rebuilding. The East Oakland couple's honest accounts and tips for renovators (see below) have won them a dedicated following. Read about their adventures at http://bit.ly/ZD30Ty.

Phillips and Miller learned this the hard way when they decided to embark on the biggest project in their house at the beginning. Living without a kitchen is difficult, and they had to endure it for a lot longer because they were inexperienced. They remodeled the floor tile, installed all new cabinets and granite and built a pass-through with an arch that was molded to match the other arches in the house. Miller suggests that first-time builders start out with a fence because nobody will get hurt if it falls down, yet it requires manual labor, intelligence and elements of design.

After trying to pull the garage back onto the foundation themselves, Miller and Phillips decided to get the help of a structural engineer while they did the labor to save costs. Refinishing the hardwood floors throughout the house ended up being more than they could handle, so they brought in professionals to do the work while they were out of town. Unfortunately, they weren't satisfied with the results. If you're going to get help, make sure you're there to oversee it, they recommend.

After investing in gorgeous beveled subway tile for the second bathroom - complete with custom laundry chute and built-in shelves - a sloppy tile job would have been a huge disappointment. While Phillips will take all the time in the world to lay tile, when it comes to a paint color or curtains, she won't sweat it because it's a cheap fix. Every room should have one big-ticket item, but it's OK to skimp on materials that can be replaced easily.

Renovating as a couple is stressful to begin with, but when one person gets upset, give them their space. Phillips recommends figuring out what each person's role is - she had to stop being bossy and admit that she was the less knowledgeable partner in her home renovation. One particularly difficult project was running the gas line to the washing machine. It required five trips to Home Depot to have the galvanized pipe recut - especially frustrating because they thought it would be a simple job.

It's important to create a living space that is clear and free of tools. For Miller and Phillips, it's the TV room. They both enjoy unwinding by watching movies, and for a few hours a night they can forget that their laundry room doesn't have a floor yet.

There's plenty of bad information on the Internet. Miller prefers to educate himself on building best practices from books. He recommends Taunton Press publications. It's not just about finding something that will work, it's about finding something that will work long term.

If you're planning on reselling, you don't want to go crazy with customizations, but there is a lot you can do to make a space your own without giving in to the "beige quality" that Miller and Phillips dislike in newer homes. The couple made a renovation to-do list, above; Phillips created a mobile for the baby at the end of the list, with miniature felt tools dangling from it.

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DIY remodelers slog and blog in Oakland