8 years, 3 properties, and 1 very blunt Dad later… the Cape Coral house is done! 🏠
After finally settling the dust on my Satellite Beach and Indialantic properties, it was time to shift focus to the house in Cape Coral. Back in 2008 we had already secured the perimeter with a garage door and locks on the doors. The exterior had been coated in stucco, and the septic and drain field had already been installed.
The Bones of the House
The rough electric and plumbing were already in place when I purchased the home, but “pre-installed” doesn’t always mean “perfect.” We pressurized the water lines to check for leaks—thankfully, everything held.
Then, we moved on to the essentials: digging a well and installing a full water treatment system.
The copper wiring for the stove was missing. My brother took care of replacing the wire and testing the conduction in every receptacle. We got some drywall, tape and screws and put up the walls. We hired someone to do the knock down finish. My brother then installed the lights and outlets.
Making it Livable
Our primary mission was to get at least one bathroom functional. Armed with a new toilet, a vanity, and a spool of PEX piping, we set to work.
- The Learning Curve: We became very well-acquainted with crimping tools and SharkBite fittings.
- The Reality: Let’s just say it took a fair amount of practice (and maybe a little frustration) to get the hang of it.
With a working bathroom, a refrigerator, and a hot plate, the house officially became “campable.” My parents moved into one of the rooms to manage the day-to-day logistics, while I drove up weekends and holidays to paint and lay down some laminate flooring. My parents also coordinated the pros to handle the tile work in the bathroom and living areas.
Tough Love and Finishing Touches
It wasn’t all smooth sailing. I handled the fire alarm installation myself, only to see a “Failed” notice on the inspection report. When I asked my dad what went wrong, he didn’t offer a hint—just a blunt, “You did it. Figure it out!” Talk about a crash course in self-reliance.
To bring the vision home, we installed prefab cabinets from Home Depot and added a custom touch to the kitchen: wood veneer from Lumber Liquidators that we stained ourselves and mounted behind the counter.
It was a true “family affair”—a mix of DIY grit, professional help, and the kind of tough love that ensures you never forget how to wire smoke detectors correctly.
It took about 8 years, but for anyone looking to buy at today’s prices, this could offer a reasonable solution. It was a lot but it’s everything WE wanted.