In 2024, Jenna Phipps and Nick Volkov took on a monumental task when they purchased an abandoned house in Vancouver for $1.5 million. Originally built in 1961, the property had gone for decades without any investment, resulting in rampant disrepair. Eager to infuse new vibrancy into their all-too-ordinary single-family home, the couple started an extensive renovation adventure. To date, they’ve already spent more than $257,590 — well beyond their initial budget of $220,792.
The house was 2,757 square feet with three bedrooms and 2.5 baths, typical for the time. Once intended to serve as commercial space, Phipps and Volkov have turned it into a spacious four-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom home. The engaged couple tackles the renovations themselves and documents the entire process on Phipps’ YouTube channel. They’re enthusiastic and open about surprises and lessons learned during the rehab process to inform their followers.
In the early days, the couple struggled to find traditional financing, given the state of the house. They did eventually land a private, two-year bridge loan to jumpstart their renovation work. They have dedicated six days a week, from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., to the project, demonstrating their commitment to restoring the home to its former glory.
And yet, in spite of the monumental work before them, Phipps and Volkov are intent on keeping aspects of the initial design intact. They’re hoping to bring back a bit of that classic wood paneling decor that comes to define the home’s original atmosphere.
“We look at the home and we’re like ‘Wow, this is beautiful.’ We have the exact same home but just a new form. We pretty much recreated it,” – Jenna Phipps.
The newlywed couple’s renovation adventures have been far from smooth sailing. Upon visiting, Phipps noted that the interior of the home was dilapidated and unlivable. This may have deterred interested buyers.
“There was a reason they didn’t show photos of the inside,” – Jenna Phipps stated.
Nick Volkov echoed her sentiments, saying, “You can really see this property had not been cared for at all.” He described the atmosphere inside before renovations began, mentioning, “There was a really musty smell with the old furniture and old things in there.”
Despite these challenges, both have marveled at the beauty of the home’s bones. Volkov remarked, “Even with it falling apart, it was still really pretty.” This point of view has driven them during the course of their renovation work.
Phipps and Volkov are working through the challenges of retrofitting an older house. In that time, they have navigated a wild fiscal rollercoaster. Their renovation budget was later adjusted to $441,583 because of unexpected expenses.
“People were very shocked at how we were able to get that price, especially in that area,” said Phipps. “We kind of bought the worst thing in a great neighborhood.”
The couple still feels confident that they will move into their fully-transformed home by the end of this year. As they near this special milestone, they look back on their years of commitment and effort.
“For a while over the winter, it was mentally challenging and now we’re finally at that exciting stage where we actually see it. I think we’re finally enjoying all this hard work we put in,” – Jenna Phipps expressed.
Their commitment goes beyond just building a new livable community. They are dedicated to sharing their experiences along the way with others. Phipps wanted to underscore the depth of community support that was mobilized during their renovation process.
“Having that support from so many people cheering us on, I think that was great accountability, too,” she noted.
The couple’s road trip across the country has become a labor of love renovation tour. As designers and architects, they focus on honoring a home’s authentic past while accommodating a fresh perspective of living in today’s world. As they continue their renovations, it is clear that Phipps and Volkov are turning a once-abandoned house into a cherished family home.