Renovate vs. Build l Janice Smith, Cozy Rock Cabin

Today's episode is a solo deep dive into one of the biggest decisions you'll face on your cabin journey: should you renovate an existing property or build from scratch? This question came up recently when one of my best friends started asking about investing in a second property, and I realized how many of you might be wrestling with this same choice right now. While I love interviewing other folks in the cabin world, I'm finding that these focused solo episodes help those of you looking for specific, targeted answers as you get started on your own cabin and short-term rental hosting journey.I'm speaking from direct experience here—I've done both. My first primary home was a full gut renovation, a $65,000 mill house in Durham, North Carolina that I brought back to life. Then came Cozy Rock, our ground-up build that's now our highest revenue generator and honestly, my favorite place to be in the world. Most recently, we tackled Cozy Coast in Boothbay Harbor, a 195-year-old property where we're discovering design choices from another era and making decisions that pay respect to the people who lived there before us. Each project taught me something different about the unique advantages and very real challenges of renovation versus new construction.This isn't about which option is "better"—there's no universal right answer here. Instead, we're going to walk through the practical realities of both paths. We'll talk about cost considerations (and why I'm skeptical of "good deals" in real estate), the character that comes with breathing life back into an old space versus the creative freedom of a blank slate, the infrastructure challenges you'll face with each approach, and why finding the right builder might be the single most important decision you make. I'll also share some hard truths, like how 50 to 75% of people I've talked to who've been part of a build have borderline horror stories, and why digging a well can cost anywhere from $7,000 to $50,000 with no way to predict which end of that spectrum you'll land on. Whether you're drawn to the path of least resistance or ready to chase a dream that doesn't yet exist, this episode will help you think through which approach might be the right fit for where you are in your life right now.Instagram: @cozyrockcabin Cozy Rock Cabin: https://staycozycabin.holidayfuture.com/listings/311027Cozy Camp Sebec: https://staycozycabin.holidayfuture.com/listings/311051 Cozy Rock Website: http://www.staycozycabin.com YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_FgMwAgvORd1IwlH1nlC9g