Kyle Dubay and Bo Shepherd, a couple from Detroit, Michigan, turned a run-down home worth only a few thousand dollars into a beautiful property that sold for over $410,000. The renovation success story is due to their talent for turning discarded items into treasures. Both aged in their 30s, Kyle and Bo run a furniture restoration company, and they found the property through a client in 2019.
Kyle stated that their client “had us tour it because he was going to purchase it and have it torn down. He wanted us to see what types of materials we could save by repurposing them. We loved the house when we walked it with him.”
Kyle continued, “It was in terrible condition, but we thought it had good bones. So, we asked him if he’d be ok if we purchased it and renovated it. And he obviously loved the idea of it being saved. So we ended up buying it from the Detroit Land Bank Authority on auction.”
Kyle and Bo are skilled at DIY, but this project required a lot more work. They had to start from scratch, handling everything from the electrical and plumbing to the roofing and flooring. To save money, they opted to use reclaimed materials.
Kyle stated: “Our goal was to create a modern home but to use salvaged materials. Something we do with our furniture designs, just on a larger scale.”
Kyle added: “It’s a property we have both admired for the better part of 10 years. We own it now, and we plan on starting it in the next month or so. These big renovations can really test your emotional capacity at times. But we love doing them, and honestly, it’s so much more rewarding doing it with a loved one than doing it by yourself. The shared memories of the project and our accomplishments greatly overshadow the dark moments.”
Here are a few comments from Daily Mail readers responding to the renovation job story, which received thousands of reactions.
“Nothing tries a marriage more than a renovation- they did great!”
“This is the opposite of the broken windows theory. They have given that whole neighborhood a new lease on life.”
“I would like to see the surrounding houses. I originally lived in Detroit, and the best decision was to leave the crumbling city.”
“Very cool. Love that they used reclaimed items. If they put $300,000 into it, plus all that labor, they really didn’t make all that much on it, though.”
“Well done. It takes some skills to do that… Nicole Curtis (Rehab Addict) did all her flips in Detroit, so there must be a market for flipping homes there.”
“They bought an eyesore and restored it to its former beauty. Good for them. Im sure it uplifted the entire neighborhood. And there’s nothing like seeing the results of one’s hard work and know-how. Great job.”
