Lee Wallender

As the ultimate know-nothing beginner, Lee Wallender renovated a 100 year-old Washington, DC house over a period of five years. With its broken windows, patchwork asbestos siding, and "oh so spooky" crawlspace, it was the shame of the neighborhood. Lee completely gutted, rewired, replumbed and re-everything'ed the kitchen. He secured permits; hired and fired sub-contractors; built an addition; poured foundation concrete; and raised sections of the house with 40-ton house jacks.

Based in Kirkland, Washington, Lee Wallender writes on home renovation topics.

Lee holds a Master's Degree in English from the University of Southern Mississippi and a Bachelor's Degree in English from California Lutheran University.

Know nothing about home renovation? Scared to death about what might lurk under that orange shag rug? Wonderful! Neither did I when I started. The only tools I had to my name were a hammer and hacksaw from my car trunk - hardly the stuff of world-class home renovation. At first, I shuddered every time I squeezed into the house's crawlspace or tore down another plaster wall. But I slowly learned how to renovate a house, and with that knowledge came strength. Home renovation empowers you to take control of your living environment. And, yes, it can even be profitable. Let me guide your home renovation projects to a smooth completion.