• Contact
  • Blog
  • About
  • Privacy Policy

Homegrown with Grace

Helping women make the most of their time in their home.

  • Homegrown with Grace
  • Home
    • Car Buying Guide (FREE)
    • Master Shopping List – The Key to Household management!
  • MOTHER-HOOD
  • HOME-HOOD
  • NEIGHBOR-HOOD
    • Parks + Picnics Email Signup
  • Big Picture Calendar Order Form
You are here: Home / HOME-HOOD / Exterior House Renovation Update – 1 Year Later

Exterior House Renovation Update – 1 Year Later

  • Share
  • Email
Exterior House Renovation Update Pin

I have had so much fun scouring my files for photos of our house before, during, and after our exterior house renovation! November 1st marked the one year anniversary of breaking ground and beginning the process of updating the exterior of our home. Let’s dive in to this exterior house renovation update – 1 year later!

To be clear, this is just an update showing the exterior transformation. We’ve made a ton of progress inside, but we’re still chipping away at all of those projects, so those updates will come later.

I feel so fortunate that we made the decision to get this started when we did. I can’t imagine starting this process during a global pandemic. It’s been a labor of love, patience, and determination, but we so happy with the results, and can’t wait to tackle more projects this fall/winter!

Exterior House Renovation – Before

House Renovation Update - Exterior
This was our cute little home before we started renovations.

Here’s what we started with. I always thought of our home like a cute little gingerbread house. Especially when we put up multi-colored Christmas Lights! It was cute as it was, but we needed more space, and that odd little corner/addition (on the left in the photo) always bothered us.

We were about to fix all of that, create the space we needed, and give the whole exterior a modern facelift.

Here’s what was accomplished before digging out the basement:

  • Remove brick veneer from the south side of the house so beams can be placed
  • Trenched in line for drainage from the new basement to ditch
  • Moved gas line to make way for digging/addition
  • Plugged old well where new addition would be
  • Bissell House Moving - Beam Placement
  • Beam Placement
  • Digging Out Basement

Once all of those tasks were completed, we were ready to dig out for the new basement addition. It was quite the sight watching the dirt being removed bucket load by bucket load. It was really strange when you could see through under the entire hole to the other side, with a portion of our house hanging up in the air! And yes, we lived there through this. haha!

Digging Out View of Skid Steer
  • Skid Steers Placing Beam
  • Mackenzy Driving Skid Steer
    I got in on the skid steer action!

Fox Blocks Foundation Installation

Once we were completely dug out and all supporting beams were placed, we were ready to pour footings and begin reconstruction! We used Fox Blocks as our foundation for the new basement addition. We really enjoyed working with this product, and are thoroughly impressed with everything about this insulated concrete foundation.

  • Fox Blocks Build Base Layer
    The first layer of Fox Blocks is the most tedious to get set correctly.
  • Building Fox Blocks Walls
    The process of building with Fox Blocks is much like connecting legos.
  • Fox Blocks Walls Higher
    Since we were building up, we needed to get ALL remaining blocks on the inside of the space.
  • Fox Blocks Getting Closed In
    So many Fox Blocks!
  • Mackenzy Building Fox Blocks Walls
    It was fun to help in getting our walls built up!

Building the Addition Above Basement

We were so thankful the weather worked in our favor throughout this entire process! We were pouring our walls on December 21, 2019. It was wild! After we got everything poured, we needed to get the beams pulled out. We waterproofed the exterior, and then we were able to get the addition built. This addition is now our third bedroom – a full master suite.

  • Installing Flooring Joists and Walls for Addition
    Building floor joists and walls!
  • Addition Walls Raised
    Walls are raised!
  • Roof Raised on Addition
    Roof on and windows in!

The House Exterior Today After Renovation

House Renovation Update Front Shot

We are so happy with how everything is coming together. I’m looking forward to the grass to grow in next spring and get some landscaping created around the perimeter of the house. I am also in love with the black (exterior) windows! We’ll add shutters and lights to the front. And I’d like to wrap the porch columns at some point and redesign the porch layout a bit.

Before and Afters

  • House Exterior South End View Before
    Before
  • After
  • House Exterior SE Corner View
  • House Renovation Update Exterior Corner Angle Shot
  • House Renovation Update - Exterior
  • House Renovation Update Exterior Front Shot

As I look back on this past year, I can’t believe how much has been accomplished in such a short amount of time. And yet, I feel like we should have so much more done by now! haha We got a bit lazy with the nice weather over the summer months, so we’re gradually working our way back into things this fall. I am so ready to get more spaces finished completely!

Our Exterior House Renovation Update

What do you think? What’s your favorite part of this transformation? Please let me know in the comments below! If you’re interested in reading more about our house renovation, you can find those posts here:

  • Scrivner House Renovation – Introduction
  • Scrivner House Renovation – Update 12/9/19

Thanks for commemorating our one-year ground-breaking anniversary by reading this post. I’m so glad you’re here. If you have any questions regarding the renovation process, drop them in a comment for me below!

To the Chaos!

-MG

Pin for Later…

Exterior House Renovation Update Pin
  • Share
  • Email
«
»

HOME-HOOD 0

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • Parks + Picnics 2025
  • Middle of the Road Motherhood
  • The Big Picture Calendar – Winter 2024
  • 5 Family-Focused Tips for Visiting Maquoketa Caves State Park
  • Planning a Family Trip to Maquoketa Caves State Park

Photo Disclaimer

All photos on this site are my own or are from Malinda’s Photo Company, unless otherwise cited. You may not use photos without prior approval. Thank you!

Search by Category

  • DIY PROJECTS (2)
  • HOME-HOOD (53)
  • MOTHER-HOOD (41)
  • NEIGHBOR-HOOD (21)
  • PARENT-HOOD (4)
  • PRODUCTS I USE (1)
  • Uncategorized (1)
  • WOMAN-HOOD (5)

Featured Articles

Parks + Picnics 2025

Parks + Picnics 2025

Middle of the Road Motherhood

Middle of the Road Motherhood

Banner - Big Picture Calendar - Winter 2024

The Big Picture Calendar – Winter 2024

5 Family-Focused Tips for Visiting Maquoketa Caves State Park

Planning a Family Trip to Maquoketa Caves State Park

Planning a Family Trip to Maquoketa Caves State Park

24 for 2024 List

24 for 2024 List!

Footer

About Your Blogger

Welcome to Homegrown with Grace! I'm Mackenzy and I'm excited to have you here. My goal here in this space is to help women make the most of their time in the home. I'm keeping things real, so let's embrace the chaos together! - MG Read More…

Follow on Instagram

homegrownwithgrace

Just a nice Tuesday morning garden walkabout turne Just a nice Tuesday morning garden walkabout turned weeding session after a great midwestern rain storm!🙌🏼🌦️ Just living out all of the granny vibes.☺️👵🏼

Just a little PSA: homeownership takes work, especially out on an acreage. If you’re seeing well manicured landscapes and gardens in your feed, let this be a reminder that there’s also plenty of this happening behind the scenes.

Most feeds are a highlight reel; I like to throw in some real-life. If this resonates, follow along for more! 

Gardening 101 | country life | Iowa mom | Midwest living | rural living | perennial gardens | spring weeding | funny gardener | green thumb | outdoor living | homeownership | dandelions
This is the easiest way to deter carpenter bees fr This is the easiest way to deter carpenter bees from areas you don’t want them. They can be very destructive to wood structures, and while they very rarely sting, they’re pesky little boogers. 

I’ve added @pinesol to a few empty jugs, for the past few years, where they seem to gravitate (our lean-to) each spring and this works well at moving them along to another destination. 

If you’re struggling with carpenter bees in your yard/landscape/property, give this a try! 🐝 You’ll bee happy you did!😉 Plus, it makes your outdoor living areas smell great when you catch a whiff in the breeze!

home owner tips | rural living tips | outdoor living hack | deter bees | iowa life | midwest tips | springtime prep
Consider the Big Picture Calendar a seasonal brain Consider the Big Picture Calendar a seasonal brain 🧠 dump of your life! You can order the Base version if you like to doodle and write things in as you go, or you can do the Customized version and send me alllll the things to print on the calendar for you! I also have a digital download version if you’d like to print yourself! 📆

Whichever you choose, just know it’ll be a helpful tool for planning and organizing your summer season that the whole family can use (husbands love this thing!).☀️🫶🏼

🔍The Big Picture Calendar is a large format, customizable calendar built with academic and activity seasons in mind! I include academic dates on the BPC, as well as other life events you’d like included (with limits). 

This is a “Big Picture” look at your life, so you can visualize when you’ll be busy and need extra support, and when you can prioritize intentional down time for your family. This is not a calendar for lots of details, but it does help lift the mental load with an at-a-glance look at life that the whole family can use! 

✏️Ordering window does close for custom calendars May 18th, but I can do digital downloads and Base versions until June. 

Order today, link in profile! Or message/comment for direct link!🙌🏼
Ah, the “Let Them” theory… I have yet to rea Ah, the “Let Them” theory… I have yet to read Mel Robbins’ book, but I have a pretty good idea what it’s all about. 

In motherhood, you have to a strike a balance between control and fostering independence. One way you can do that? LET THEM wear what they want.🙃 Truly. I promise it’s okay. I promise no one really cares. I also promise I have limits and certain occasions where I require the fam to dress “appropriately” for the occasion, but mostly, my kids dress themselves, and we’re all better off for it. 

It makes my motherhood so much easier and their childhood more enjoyable. 

Getting dressed is one of the first things your kids can do to foster independence and confidence! Give them the boundaries and guidance until they”get it”, and then LET THEM take it from there. 

This is my 3 year old. He’s very independent and very opinionated about what he likes to wear (much like his big sister is). So, I stopped fighting him and he pops out of bed and gets himself dressed each day. Has he mastered “dressing for the weather/occasion”? Nope. But guess what, he’ll figure it out with natural consequences and some reminders from mom. 

Until then, he’ll be wearing long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and cowboy boots just about every. dang. day. Oh, and socks…must. have. socks. 😂😅🫠 

Childhood | motherhood | fostering independence | let them theory | parenting tips | parenthood | toddler life | #iowamom #boymomlife #midwestmom
Enjoy your day, Moms!💛 I’m spending the day d Enjoy your day, Moms!💛 I’m spending the day doing a few of my favorite things - mostly outdoor/gardening related - and it makes me so happy!☺️🌱🌻☀️
I don’t even want to know the kind of person I’d be with the relentlessness and persistence of a dandelion…😂 The sun’s shining, and we’ve almost got this bed ready for some zinnia seeds!🌱

Spring gardening Midwest moment Iowa mom springtime flower garden dandelions
Parents say that they’d die for their kids…I c Parents say that they’d die for their kids…I challenge us all to LIVE for them. Chase your life, friends.☀️🙌🏼

#lifeinthecountry #lifemotivations #motivation #motherhoodinspired #chaseyourdreams #iowamom #millenialmom #midwestlife #midwestmoment #midwestmama #mommotivation #getoutsidemore
If you could smell these lilacs right now…😍🪻Don’t forget to bring the beauty of nature inside this season, my friends!

#lilacflowers #beautyofnature #springflowers #midwestmoment #flowergarden #lilacseason #zone5b #iowaoutdoors
The sights, the smells, the sounds of our home dur The sights, the smells, the sounds of our home during golden hour…they all feel like the sweetest treat for my soul.🧁🪻 Don’t forget to stop and take in life’s simplest pleasures…they’re there, I promise.😊

#simplepleasures #lifemoments #ruralliving #iowalife #midwestmoment #springishere #midwestmom
☀️📆It’s time to get your SUMMER 2025 Big ☀️📆It’s time to get your SUMMER 2025 Big Picture Calendar ordered!📆☀️ 

I like to think of the Big Picture Calendar as a big ol’ brain dump of your life, season by season! Put it on the calendar once, and refer back to it time and time again as you navigate through the season.💡

Don’t let the busyness of summer steal your joy; order your BPC so you can focus on fun in the sun all summer long!

Your future-self will thank you!☺️ 

Link to order is in my bio, or you can message me for a link to the order form! Thank you!😊

#familytime❤️ #familyorganization #chaoscoordinator #calendarmagic #iowamom #organizedmom #summerplanning #midwestmama #calendartime
The next time you visit Pella, make sure you add @ The next time you visit Pella, make sure you add @thistles_pella to your list of stops! My friend, Keisha, with @1oakiowa and I ventured over there and had a great time exploring the town! 

Thanks to Thistles for making this trip extra special with a mini tour of the tulips around town that you can purchase for your own home gardens at pellatulipbulbs.com! 

Which tulip is your favorite? I can’t pick just one, but I’m always drawn to the fringe-edge varieties!😍

@visitpellaia #pellatuliptime #tuliptime #iowamom #exploreiowa #visitpella #midwestspring #midwestmoments #tulipseason #thistlesflowermarket
I had the best time getting a glimpse behind the s I had the best time getting a glimpse behind the scenes of Pella this week, as they welcome visitors for Tulip Time (May 1-3)!💐 It was even more fun to go with my friend, Keisha from @1oakiowa!

Alie, with @thistles_pella, shared so much information about tulips and their rich history in Pella. It was so cool to learn more about the different varieties blooming around town! 

I was even more excited to learn that they have a select variety of tulips that you can order on-line for your very own garden, sourced directly from the Netherlands!🙌🏼 

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I’ve been building my perennial beds from scratch the past few seasons. I’m thinking more tulips are needed! I’ve got my eye on a couple different blends that I saw in-person in Pella!😍

You can order through July 31st, and you should receive them in time for fall planting! Give Thistles Flower Market a follow and visit pellatulipbulbs.com to get your tulips ordered for 2026!💐

#pellatuliptime #tulipseason #tuliptime #pellaiowa #visitpella #supportlocal #supportsmallshops #exploreiowa #springtimefun
Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2025 · Darling theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2025 · Darling Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in