From derilict ruin to modern home. we worked every weekend for 2.5 years to bring this house to life

Hi there. We are John and Jackie and together we used our life savings to buy and renovate this 200 year old derelict cottage in Ireland. we put our hearts and souls into making this place out home. watch phase one and see how we transformed an old ruin into a beautiful home. If you enjoy our video please subscribe to see how we get on with phase two.
@buildingoffgrid
@restorationproject
@selfbuild
@derelictbuildingrestoration
@irishcottagerestoration
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[@j.p.9295]

I admire people who put such hard work and dedication to achieve their goal . Really great work .

[@lindacarruthers3423]

Such courage I see these days in the young people taking on huge projects such as this one you made a lovely job of. It’s great to see the old places pulled back from the brink of collapse,being restored to even more beauty than these original small utility stone homes ever dreamed of . May your lives be lived here among your community of friends and family in your dream home in the midst of nature with joy ,love ,and happiness always.❤❤

[@grantlingley1385]

Just found your channel and of course your beautiful home! Congratulations and what a project! Absolutely beautiful! It’s likely a few years on but Congratulations too on Mason Darcy, what a Cutie! A fan from Nova Scotia Canada.

[@warrenmusselman9173]

Nice to see a building rebuilt like that. Well done.

[@joanobrien5276]

What an amazing and brave project ye took on, so much hard work went into this now beautiful home in the country, a little bit of heaven with birds singing and ye should be so proud of the way it has turned out, will be looking forward to part 2 🎉🏡🏡🥳🥳

[@Building-a-life]

Thanks so much for your kind words. The birds are great in the mornings and I hope I'll never take that for granted. Thank you for appreciating our home and where we live and taking the time to write to us. 🥰❤️

[@WhispersFromTheDark]

I accidently found your video and had to subscribe! My ancestors came from Ireland back in the 1700's and 1800's and I am always mesmerized by anything from Ireland...I love your Country's landscape and it's rich history and your accent! Matter of fact, could I ask you a huge favor? Next time you edit a video, lower the volume on the background music to about 75% and then we would be better able to hear what you're saying. I tried several times to listen to what your Wife said at the end and I couldn't make most of it out. So I don't know what she was talking about but I'm sure it was important. Stay safe and I am VERY proud of you and all your hard work! I have a Son about your age or a little older, and he has a little one (3 years old) and one about to come in a week or so, so I understand what you're going thru with your Kiddo's. Take care of yourselves! ~ Your Long Lost Cousin in Texas. 🙂

[@Building-a-life]

Welcome and from Texas top who h is a pleasure. Thank you for appreciating our landscape and where we come from. This we are a little bias as we have a huge attachment to where we live but it's so lovely hearing other value it too. And your advice is great about the sound and we'll give that a go. I blabber on 😆 so you probably didn't miss much but I'm originally from the country down south and hearing my accent is weird and think oh my Lord so I sound like that. 🤣 Thanks for enjoying our videos and hope we will always make you proud. X

[@gypsy1588]

Hello from Texas USA. Enjoyed watching your journey and loved that you restored and old home to your new home.

[@mddug1759]

Looks like a little bit of heaven there.🥰Such a beautiful location to have yer gorgeous home.🏠Congratulations on accomplishing such a massive project.🎉Well done on super team effort👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨.What a lucky little man Mason is ,to have fab role model parents.♥️

[@Building-a-life]

ThankS a million for the lovely comment

[@janechamblesswright119]

What a GREAT project! So much hard work, but you never faltered. It makes my heart sing when somebody brings an old building back to life - so many folks just want to knock them down and put up some new monstrosity. I LOVE seeing your process every step of the way - I miss the restoration / building process. We’ve done it several times in the states, and when we moved into a derelict schoolhouse in Leitrim a few years ago - it was GREAT to do it again. There’s nothing more exciting…. Well done to the three of you - thanks for letting me peek over your shoulders.

[@Building-a-life]

Thanks a million for the lovely comment. Leitrim is a lovely place. I have family near Carrig on Shannon.

[@Building-a-life]

Thank you so much for you heartfelt message. Really appreciate it and for your kind words to our parenting skills. That's really important and thank you

[@joandmello6061]

Lovely job Jackie and John

[@user-nw4ul1tx7g]

Thanks so much for your lovely message. It means a lot and it's so nice to be able to share this with journey. Thank you ❤

[@davidbotbyl9151]

You are a very brave family who will succeed🌏🌎

[@Building-a-life]

All these comments that are positive and uplifting are genuinely met with gratitude and don't think we could show our appreciation enough. It's hard some days but we have a vision for the end and those days we remember that. 💞

[@sheilarowan8664]

Fantastic work glad nobody got hurt TG❤❤❤❤

[@patriciagraves8824]

The slate roof looks so good will be there for hundreds of years

[@lorettavanhaasteren2776]

You two should be on your own show! What a beautiful result for all your hard work and talent! Best of luck in the future and thanks so much for sharing!

[@Building-a-life]

Thanks a million for your uplifting words. It genuinely helps us when we have a tough day to read all these amazing comments so thank you from the bottom of our hearts. 🥰🤗

[@gillyb333]

❤Beautiful home . Are you in Dublin? It's where all my family is from. We now live In Australia 🇦🇺 but have allot of family left there all over Ireland 🇮🇪. Just love what you are doing just found your channel and subscribed. Take care sending regards. ❤😊

[@Building-a-life]

Thanks so much, appreciated as always. We are in a county called Cavan. Not too far from Dublin. We love it and are truly blessed with amazing neighbours. Anything is possible if you persevere and believe and love something enough. Home is where the heart is. ❤️

[@geraldineteggart3627]

Great job yous and family and friends have made a great home.May it be over flowing with great peace,joy,love,hope,great friends,good health long life and happy memories in your lovey home ps lots of children to fill it with laughter and fun.God Blessr❤❤❤

[@Building-a-life]

Ah that's a beautiful message and we would love and hope for all those things too and for it to be filled with wonderful memories, please God. Thanks for wishing us those things and hope you too have all those priceless things in life. 🤗

[@patriciagraves8824]

Was this property belong to your family I love seeing you save this old building lots of hard work my family from Scotland and Ireland and England don’t know much about my ancestry except that but I love looking at Ireland. Would like to have a trip there someday maybe love your video.❤❤❤❤❤

[@cliverichards9850]

Grand job. Wishing you all the best for the future.

[@barbarakloise6790]

What a beautiful amazing place you have there. Just wonder looking? Good for you 2.

[@Building-a-life]

Thanks a million

[@lindsaymccoll8450]

‘We get to live here…’. Well deserved, such a lovely place.

[@user-nl2it6li5c]

Where about in Ireland are you located? I lived in Ireland growing up. I love all the hard work you put into this house and made it a home again. We lived in a beautiful old home in Ireland and my friend told me they tore it down to build many homes on that land. Broke my heart..it was a beautiful home. I’m so glad there are still folks that love older homes 💕

[@Building-a-life]

Thanks a million. This cottage is in co Cavan. A lovely rural area and close to the town itself nit not too close either where you don't feel like you're in the country. It's a lot of hard work bit once it's all completed we will be so proud. It's so special.to.us. thank you for appreciating our work. Means so much. 🤗

[@greghirst3338]

Wow! Incredible transformation! That is beautiful!

[@jeojeo9393]

What a great location

[@elsestelema6273]

What a fantastic job you did. I don’t think people realise how difficult, time consuming and expensive it is to do a renovation compared to a new build!

[@Building-a-life]

I totally agree. The amount of blood sweat and tears can't be captured properly on camera and we try to show a lot of it but that's hard but like said and it's so true nothing can best the feeling of creating something yourself and thanks for acknowledging that. Thanks for the congrats too on our pending arrival which we are very excited about. 🥰🤗

[@Sofakineazy]

Thats very impressive. You have given that building a new lease of life. Love the stone on the outside, really gives it character. And an amazing space inside.

[@paddyo3841]

Beautiful work… enjoyed it very much, my great grandfather was from Cavan… God bless your family with a long happy☘️ life

[@Building-a-life]

Ah thanks so much and for taking the time to write a nice comment. Appreciate it and hope we will keep making you feel like this About our work😉

[@Teenibash1969]

My great grandparents were from County Cavan. It looks lovely. A lot of hard work, well done xx

[@Building-a-life]

Well that's great. And I have to say all our neighbours who are from cavan through and through are absolutely wonderful to us. Thanks for acknowledging our work and hope you will love it when we are finished and love our videos. ❤️

[@beverlydwyer5162]

Amazing job ,true labor of love 😎

[@paulinewilson613]

How lovely to see an old barn get a new life, you've done a great job so far. What a shame your roof caved in but now you can rest easy knowing it is structurally sound now. Looking forward to Part 2

[@Building-a-life]

Ah thanks so much. We'll never forget the day the roof caved in. We were lucky no one was working there. Bit like you said it's structurally sound now so we're happy. Thanks for loving our home and enjoying our journey with us 🤗

[@teddimason6621]

Really enjoyed watching fix up this lovely old house. Thanks for sharing!

[@Building-a-life]

Thanks a million and for take Ng the time to comment. Hope you'll continue watching and love what else we do. 🤗

[@brigitanovinec439]

Great job. 😃👍💚 I am dreaming of making something like this with our old stone house. I love the outside stones. All the best with your little children.🧑‍🤝‍🧑

[@Building-a-life]

Thanks a million and for your congratulations. All hands on deck now so we can do as much before our new arrival. 🥰🤗

[@abigailgerlach5443]

Considering the amount of damp, I'm surprised you didn't wrap the inside walls with a waterproof membrane before framing. I love your property, but I half expect a bear to come lumbering out of the trees! Then I remember you aren't in Colorado! 🤷 You could build a tire wall to block water. Dig down about 3-4 feet. Lay them down, pack them tight with dirt, stagger stack them about 4 tires high and cover them with rendering. It works really well!

[@Building-a-life]

Thanks so much and would you believe we did that's with the tires around the shed as it's built into the garden so we agree with your good advice as it does work. Thank you. No bears here but plenty of noise to keep us company 🤗

[@moiragoldsmith7052]

Happy everything in your piece of heaven. X

[@tomstopper5281]

Great video and great project. ❤

[@threeferrets422]

Great job 😊👍

[@cloyne1000]

Great job , congrats on the baby too.

[@Building-a-life]

Thank you so much 😀 we appreciate the comment and thanks a million for watching our video

[@davideborgna4918]

Bravissimi💪💪bellissimo 👋

[@leameymartina6139]

Fantastic job so far, looking forward to phase 2

[@Building-a-life]

Thanks a million. We are looking forward to showing you our progress. We appreciate you tuning in

[@bonniefrench9884]

Fantastic work ! Good on you and those who helped !

[@chrisfriel2003]

Brilliant transformation. Love a great repurpose

[@melcampbell8627]

I really enjoyed watching your video. Great work 👍

[@Building-a-life]

Ah thanks so much and we are delighted you enjoy our videos. Hope you'll continue to enjoy the videos and thanks for your kind words 😊

[@cliveklg7739]

It is interesting the different regulations for floors depending on where and the type of house you build. "Raising Voyagers" channel in the mountains in Italy, they had to dig down and build a crawl space (and are still working on that) before they put down an water barrier and insulated floor. Looks like you did an amazing job on yours.

[@Building-a-life]

Hi there, I've been looking at that chap from raising voyagers too. I feel for him as it's tough work. I think his is a structural issue as he is underpinning the walls and I'm not sure but he might be trying to create more height also. Thanks for the comment

[@Thomas-pq2qz]

And the cost….

[@Bronson1886]

Congratulations on your son Mason he is very cute and your house looking beautiful and I would love to find an old house and restore it.

[@Building-a-life]

It's so worth it in terms of the attachment you have to your home and the saying some things are priceless is how we feel. Mason is a treasure and love the hands in the cement and his own little shovel helping mammy and daddy. 🙏

[@Jane-3229]

What stunning work and transformation ❤ well done and love to you all x

[@Building-a-life]

Thanks so much for encouraging message. Appreciate it so much 😊

[@TheKatyQ]

Beautiful

[@paulettejabbar5661]

Bravo

[@kenfox22]

Your wife has a beautiful smile

[@Building-a-life]

Thank you 😁

[@melissanielsen8215]

What a beautiful little boy.

[@joannemaryland3193]

Great job!

[@sadielouwho5795]

2 minutes in and all I can think at this point is thank God that chainsaw didnt kick back and take off the arm that was stretched over it. Safety first!

[@kevinguliekiewhuo]

Amazing build, olny the clips n sound need some restoration 😂

[@cajsheen2594]

Wonderful home you've made now! God Bless! ❤ XXX

[@Building-a-life]

Ah tha is so much. That means so much and we still want to say a huge thanks to everyone with their thanks and encouraging words. We are going to take this weekend off now and recharge and back again Monday and start thr other apex. 🤗

[@cajsheen2594]

@@Building-a-life That's it! A rest, well deserved! XXX

[@bear1245]

Wow when the that stone dried out in the June update it looked way less damp

[@christinmorgan6645]

Amazing!!!!

[@jamescunningham1973]

Amazing transformation,well done,that was hard work i bet

[@Building-a-life]

Absolutely was to be honest. They has been says where we hit a wall but we kept imagining the end and what we will have and that keeps us going. Thank you so much for commenting as these words of encouragement genuinely does help us. 🤗

[@jamescunningham1973]

yeah,definetly head down arse up project,respect@@Building-a-life

[@kieronphillips5485]

Great video mate, you’ve worked really hard looking forward to your next video, all the best to you and your family from the Isle of Wight.

[@Building-a-life]

Thank you and for liking our video as we do try to give you all a little insight into our project and who we are and hope we will keep you on this with us. Thanks so so much. 🤗

[@simonwalker8300]

I just found your channel, i'm impressed you could see the potential in an old abandoned building. And with the way you have sympathetically modernised it, looks great. Also what a great location for tranquility, all the nature that must be around. What's next?. Although i know, with two kids, you're going to be busy elsewhere.

[@Building-a-life]

Ah thanks so much. Next is finishing off the blocks for the apex and get all the block work for the house completed by winter. Plant hedging also along the boundary of our neighbour and try and get some of the garden done but that's weather dependent. Fingers crossed. Thanks for your comments as they do mean so much. 🤗

[@curtrobinson6883]

Great job! How old was this house? 🇺🇸

[@Building-a-life]

It's approximately 200 years old. Great character in the stone and it's a great to restore it to a liveable state. Hard work now but such a reward. Thanks for appreciating it. Means a lot. 🤗

[@melissanielsen8215]

So glad you shared this .The sound in the beginning is hard to listen to at first maybe a better voice over may keep more viewers.

[@jaynewhittle5073]

Thanks so much. Really enjoyed the video.

[@jamalking6738]

Great job , I'm looking at doing the same only problem is I know nothing about building work haha

[@ruby055]

Nice job..cheers from Boston MA

[@user-sd2se9qm4i]

this is such a tune

[@patboudotlamot]

magnifique

[@janenewley1014]

Many congratulations…we finally have planning permission…but ground not yet broken!

[@Building-a-life]

Many thank. And a huge congratulations on achieving getting planning permission. All these milestones are so significant and means so much and I wish you the very very best and so delighted for ye. 🥰

[@086DEN]

Fair dues the both of you.

[@Robin-xr2tz]

Wow!! Your work has been incredible 🎉

[@Building-a-life]

Thank you so much!

[@luminyam6145]

Wow, 7:36 I am so glad no one was hurt!

[@mosbysmen]

great job from the ozarks

[@Building-a-life]

Appreciate all the positive feedback as it is such a motivation.

[@Building-a-life]

Thanks a million, inspirational to get these feedbacks. 💞

[@donellestaley7236]

This is a really interesting project but your video is very difficult to watch. Please get a gimbal or some type of stabilizer for your camera. Also, it would be much easier to hear your dialogue if you eliminated the background music. We are about to embark on a similar project and love to see the good work you are doing. Looking forward to the transformation. Best wishes to you...

[@melissanielsen8215]

Congratulations on your pregnancy

[@Building-a-life]

Thank you so much 😀

[@bernhardgustav]

Impressive renovation! I am beginning work on a similar project in a slightly more ruined structure in a similar climate. This is why I am curious about your walls. What kind of insulation and other layers are between sheetrock and stone wall?

[@jersovauto]

Congrads on ur new home!!!Looks amazing!!! Did you have to use architect services? Did u have to apply for planning? Was it hard to get?

[@ancimargarita2763]

so great... but the sound was really very bad!!! but it was interesting, and you did an amazing work full of love

[@Building-a-life]

We both agree about the sound and we hope to god that the next video we do will be so much better sound quality. Thank you for looking at our positives too and for your honest opinion which we appreciate 😉🤗

[@williamjacksonjr8404]

Well done 👍👍 USS John F Kennedy CV 67 Connecticut 74 to 77

[@Building-a-life]

Welcome and thanks so much for watching. Hope we will continue to make you feel this way and love our home as much as we do. Thanks also for taking the time to comment. We really appreciate it 😊

[@gerardryan5968]

Looking to do something similar With a smaller cottage in Ireland What was your overall cost??

[@Dore60]

👍

[@gsphone6501]

Good stuff. Do you work in construction yourselves? What jobs if any did you get contractors in for

[@Building-a-life]

Thanks so much for your message. John has worked in construction for so many years before going to college to become an architect so he was able to design our home too. We did get a plasterer in, electrician and plumbers in. John did some of the pipe work for the plumbers before they came. So we know we are very blessed that John can do so much. 😉 really appreciate you watching and hope it will continue to be good viewing for you

[@ricardosanfernando7378]

Resulta are great I would like to know, why pouring a concret slab for the floor? Is it because of regulations? Because the stone barn stodd quite long so I understand about the under roof concret ring beam to support the roof but I don´t get why the floor slab.

[@Building-a-life]

Hey, thanks for the comment. We put the floor slab down for 2 reasons, the first being that the original slab was 100 mm off level, it was running at an angle. And secondly we wanted to insulate under the floor as it gets cold here in winter.

[@ricardosanfernando7378]

@@Building-a-life Thanks for the stright answer. Usually people think I am a "haterr" We do that in my country without a concrete slab that, by the way, is quite expensive. I thought the reason was that you installed heating system inside the concret slab.

[@pilotanimal192]

Cant see anything half of my screen is blocked by some side panels on my screen . Why ???????? .

[@stephencrowther524]

Please film in landscape mode,not portrait. Thanks.

[@lyndakling901]

Needs a fireplace or wood burning stove! And gardens up next to the house..not stone!

[@vivalaleta]

Why cut down trees so far away from your house as a start?

[@wayneblackwwell6439]

please film on landscape not portrait

[@scarletred8888]

Lovely job! I wish i had the guts to leave Dublin - its so expensive! Can i ask how much the cost was of this project?

[@Building-a-life]

When we are finished we are estimating it should cost us the bones of €250,000 and that's with us doing it ourselves. It will probably be worth much more in value than what we put into it but you would need to take into account that we don't have much labour costs. Dublin is so expensive and most cities now. It is a leap bit one we genuinely are so happy we took. 🤗

[@coloradogirl9050]

Was this a house or a barn?

[@Building-a-life]

Hi, well it was a house originally but then after the previous owners passed it was then used as a barn. When we first got it there was hay in it and everything. 🙈🤗

[@botjimllfixthatellis4805]

Sound is awful. Had to keep turning it up and down.

[@Building-a-life]

Apologies and sorry you had to do that to hear properly. We are genuinely working on producing better quality videos and hope we will get it to a better standard. This is all new to us so please bear with us and we will and are doing our best

[@barbarakloise6790]

Music so loud cant even hear you??

[@Building-a-life]

Appologies about the sound. I am still learning how to edit videos.

[@jadr3123]

Good renovation, bad filming. Landscape mode, please.

[@ajones8699]

Needs better editing sound is awful.. Sorry folks

[@Building-a-life]

We're working very hard to do our best to give out the best videos as it's our first time but appreciate your comments very much.

[@aileenpippapower5447]

Well done. Congrats and a beautiful job and your beautiful baby. How wonderful. Enjoy. 👏👏👏

[@pamelacarter3156]

Amazing job but very poorly filmed project

[@Building-a-life]

Apologies but we are doing our best and improving our technique and going to do better

[@lanialost1320]

Too sterile and trendy. Inside has ruined the character of the beautiful stone exterior. The cathedral ceilings are nouveau-riche tacky.

[@Building-a-life]

Value your opinion. We love our home and what we have worked hard to achieve what we imagined but I respect your style.

[@jenwrenredmcmoore880]

You need to learn how to pan the camera... your viewer got motion sickness

[@Building-a-life]

Sincerely sorry for this. We are not just saying it but trying our best to give everyone the best quality and we are working on this. So sorry 😔

[@jenwrenredmcmoore880]

That's OK. Once you get that right, your videos will be great. Also if you pan more slowly, it will give the viewer more opportunity to see what you are talking about. You've done a great job so far. :-D @@Building-a-life

[@rw9207]

FOR THE SAKE OF THE GODS, learn to hold your phone in landscape!! ... If you are going to make these video's, these things are the very basics.

[@Building-a-life]

Thanks for your view point. We accept your take and agree but I hope you can appreciate that we are learning and this is our first project but we are learning and looking up how to improve our viewing and hope you like some parts of what we show and our work that we strive at every day to make this the best home we can.

[@michaelclairforet5031]

I hate videos from people who don’t know their shoots landscape and you have to look at skinny tall videos YUCK

[@Building-a-life]

We are very sorry you felt this way and can sense your frustration. We genuinely try to do our best for all our viewers and am sorry you felt this way

[@greenvillepress997]

If you are going to be on KZbin, take a video class, or watch other people and how successful they are and their video skills.. Being bad isn't being cute or entertaining, it's boring. Professionalism is the goal. Learn your craft, you are in the entertainment industry, not the home video hobby craft department.

[@Building-a-life]

Thank you for your comments

[@tomstopper5281]

F. Off don’t watch the video.