Meet Abby, St. Louis' go-to Handyperson

About Matriarchy Build

How it all started 🏡

"I was very fortunate to purchase my first home nearly 20 years ago. I learned through that process a lot about century homes, what I am and am not willing to compromise on, and how to tackle many projects myself. In addition to working on my own home, adding rental properties to our portfolio increased the opportunity I had to practice. When something breaks or isn’t set up in a way that serves us, I research it for hours and figure out a plan. Then I decide whether I want to take it on myself or hire it out. I hire out a lot of things (mostly due to time) but I go into those partnerships with the full knowledge of what should be happening, which sets me up to be a stronger communicator with the folks we hire.

Over the last few years, I’ve also taken on doing work for other people in their homes. This has been incredibly rewarding and fulfilling! I have loved Matriarchy Build’s platform because I get to meet folks who feel similarly about old houses and are trying to continue to invest in their spaces. What a treat! I also work on projects for folks across the city of St. Louis, and we are fortunate to have thousands of century homes here in my area.

I do my 'home work' in addition to a more traditional career in leadership development. I feel so grateful that I get to meld so many passions into the way I spend my time."

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Five tips for renovating an old property 👷‍♀️

1. "Deep clean EVERYTHING when you first acquire a new property. You’ll learn so much about the home in the process. And, many things that look like they need to be gutted or replaced are actually just incredibly dirty. Major budget savings and a clean space? Win, win!
2. Find trades and contractors who love old homes as much as you do. Not everyone wants to take on the mental gymnastics of restoring and updating century homes, and that’s okay! Find the folks who do, and build wonderful partnerships.
3. Be willing to postpone the “pretty.” You’ll spend most time and money on: plumbing, electrical, roofing, HVAC, and foundations. Just accept that and internalize that what you’re doing now will benefit the home (and you!) for decades to come. Doing it right is worth it. And “right” is often expensive. That’s okay.
4. Research your new property. Find your local historic preservation group or even your city library. Look into who lived there, their story, how the home has been used in the past, and what the surrounding area looked like when it was built. This will inspire the project in meaningful ways.
5. Buckle up for a wild ride. It will take longer than you want it to. It will be more expensive than you’re planning. There will be moments of frustration and “what in the world am I thinking!?!?” All of that is normal. And when you need a laugh, watch the old classic 'Money Pit' for some much-needed comic relief."

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Handling rental homes 24/7

"As a rental property owner, I always joke that I don’t choose the projects - they choose me. In September I found myself gutting a bathroom in one of our homes. Did I plan on spending my weekend replacing a subfloor? No, I did not. But there was a leak we didn’t know about, we were in between renters, and I had 24 hours to get it done.

I think that’s the most challenging and most rewarding part of this for me. There is very often instant gratification, which I LOVE! And, there are often surprises which are less delightful. I work to always remember that homes are nothing more than artfully arranged wood, nails, and caulk. Important to keep top of mind as you both rip things apart and put things back together."