Read More on Life"We knew it would be a summer of fixing-up, as the property sat empty for about 12 months before we purchased it—and it’s 120 years old," Catherine McGowan told Newsweek. They showed a carpeted room, before the video switched to Aidan McGowan starting to rip up the carpets. ...Catherine McGowan told Newsweek that her husband calls their home "a nesting doll of problems, because it feels like every 5-minute project turns into five more projects, and 50 more trips to the hardware store." Factors that affect the cost of house renovation include the house's location and layout, the contractor, materials, and labor. In the McGowan's case, they told Newsweek, "we plan to renovate the house ourselves."