Home: The Second Story

About Home: The Second Story

Everyone talks about how hard it is to do a major renovation or custom home building project, but we are here to take the guesswork and fear out of it. Join two veteran architects: Sheri Scott of Spring House Architects, and Marilyn Moedinger of Runcible Studios, as they sit down with folks who have been through the renovation or building process. Our guests will offer their best tips and tricks, and answer the key question: "What do you know NOW that you WISH you'd known when you started?"

Publisher

Sheri Scott, Marilyn Moedinger

Category

arts · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

3 Jun 2025

Latest episode

13 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

64 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   13 Oct 2026

   The Cost of Not Speaking Up During a Build

   In this episode of Home: The Second Story, Sheri Scott and Marilyn Moedinger talk with Jenn, a homeowner in Farmersville, Ohio, who built a custom home on 10 acres near Dayton. Jenn’s project moved quickly. The build took about eight months, and the whole process from plans to move-in was about 10 months. Jenn had a unique perspective because she works for Sheri at Springhouse Architects. She did not go through the full architecture process in the usual way. Looking back, she says she would have paid for the full experience. She saw firsthand how much architects help clients think through details, communicate with builders, and avoid problems before they happen. One of Jenn’s biggest lessons was that she should have written down the specific things she wanted before design began. She had ideas in her head, but the speed of the project and the stress of decisions made some of them easy to forget. The biggest example was her primary suite. She wanted the bathroom, closet, and laundry to work together in a more efficient layout. She remembered this early enough to change it, but she did not speak up because she felt guilty asking for more help from people who were giving her discounts or favors. This became a major theme of the conversation. Working with friends or professional contacts can be helpful, but it can also make the relationship harder to manage. Jenn says she would have defined the relationship earlier. When discussing the project, she would want the roles to be client and architect or client and builder. Then they could return to being friends outside of that process. Jenn also talks about making selections herself, including tile, cabinets, lighting, and custom wood countertops made from trees cut down on their property. The countertops became one of her favorite parts of the house, though there was a stressful moment when the island was installed without the seating overhang she had planned. The woodworker was able to fix it, but Sheri points out that full architectural services could have caught that issue through shop drawings before installation. The episode also covers the end of the build. Jenn’s project stayed close to budget except for additions they chose, but the schedule became stressful. She and her family were renting, had to move belongings around, and eventually needed the builder to finish quickly so they would not be without a place to live. Sheri and Marilyn use that story to stress how important it is to ask builders how their projects finish, not just how they start. (00:00) Intro (01:20) Working With an Architect You Know (04:25) What Jenn Would Do Differently (06:56) The Primary Suite Regret (10:27) How Discounts and Friendships Changed the Process (13:07) Defining the Client Relationship Early (15:51) Making Selections Without Full Services (20:34) The Island Overhang Mistake (23:16) How Full Services Could Have Helped (24:18) The Value of a Third Party Advocate (27:20) Budget, Schedule, and the End of the Build (32:19) Why Project Closeout Matters (34:46) Jenn’s Favorite Part of the House (36:30) Sheri and Marilyn’s Recap Have questions? Want to be on our show? Email us! admin@htsspodcast.com (mailto:admin@htsspodcast.com) Learn about our hosts: Marilyn: Runcible Studios: https://runciblestudios.com (https://runciblestudios.com) SherI: Springhouse Architects: https://springhousearchitects.com (https://springhousearchitects.com) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com (https://pcm.adswizz.com) for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

2. 

   6 Oct 2026

   Built-Ins: Design, Costs, and Fun Ideas

   Built-ins are one of the most loved parts of a custom home, and for good reason. They are furniture, cabinetry, shelving, storage, and architectural features that become part of the house itself. Kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities count, but when most people talk about built-ins, they mean the fun pieces: bookcases, mudroom storage, pantry systems, bars, room dividers, fireplace walls, hidden doors, and custom storage moments. A good built-in solves more than one problem. Sometimes it hides structure, a chase, or a mechanical need. Other times it turns an awkward space into something useful. In older homes, tight townhouses, and renovations where adding square footage is not possible, built-ins can make every inch work harder. Storage can be hidden in plain sight, so board games, extra blankets, shoes, bathroom supplies, and pantry items all have a place without cluttering the room. Custom built-ins are especially helpful when they are designed around the way people actually live. A mudroom drop zone can include a place for mail and a shredder. A narrow wall can become a shallow can pantry. Eaves can become dressers. A hallway can be lined with closets. A finished basement closet can be sized around storage tubs instead of default dimensions. These details are small, but they make the home easier to use every day. Built-ins can also add flexibility. One small apartment used a single custom wall to hold a Murphy bed, dining chair storage, folding screens, a laptop station, a printer, and hidden HVAC. That one built-in allowed the space to work as a guest room, office, dining room, and party space. It was not cheap, but it made the apartment live much larger than its square footage. The episode also looks at cost. Built-ins are often one of the first things cut from a project because they can be done later, but they often do not get added later. Some built-ins need to be planned early, especially pocket gates, hidden doors, fireplace walls, or anything built into framing. Others can be discovered during construction, especially in renovations, when an odd leftover space becomes ski storage, a cubby, or a secret kid fort. The main point is that built-ins should support real life. They can be simple or elaborate. They can be made by a cabinet shop or built on site by a finish carpenter. They can serve kids, pets, storage, work, entertaining, or daily routines. With thoughtful planning, built-ins make a house feel more personal, more useful, and more fun. (00:00) Intro (01:10) Built-ins as part of the architecture (02:22) Functional built-ins for pantries and mudrooms (03:45) Storage in plain sight (05:51) Built-ins that replace furniture (06:27) Cost and why built-ins get cut (09:51) Hallway closets and hidden storage (10:30) Custom dimensions for real storage needs (12:51) Kid forts, pet storage, and secret compartments (15:00) Simple built-ins versus custom cabinetry (16:47) Planning ahead for built-ins (18:04) Custom projects and discoveries during construction (19:48) Built-ins as creative design moments (20:30) Personal details that support daily life Have questions? Want to be on our show? Email us! admin@htsspodcast.com (mailto:admin@htsspodcast.com) Learn about our hosts: Marilyn: Runcible Studios: https://runciblestudios.com (https://runciblestudios.com) SherI: Springhouse Architects: https://springhousearchitects.com (https://springhousearchitects.com) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com (https://pcm.adswizz.com) for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

3. 

   29 Sept 2026

   The Kitchen Was Perfect. The Process Wasn't.

   Homeowner Beth joins us with her designer Linda to talk about a kitchen renovation that turned out beautifully, even though the process was far more difficult than expected. Beth had lived in her Lancaster, Pennsylvania home for 29 years and had wanted to remove the wall between her small kitchen and dining room for a long time. Once her husband agreed, she and Linda began interviewing builders. Beth chose the builder who seemed calm, reasonable, and willing to listen. The initial pricing was also lower than the other quotes. Problems started once design began. Beth believed the builder would provide design support, but the person presented as the designer  did not provide the comprehensive kitchen design Beth expected. Beth and Linda arrived with mood boards, colors, and clear ideas, but felt those preferences were largely ignored. The proposed layout prioritized symmetry instead of the functionality Beth wanted. She and Linda eventually realized they would need to design much of the kitchen themselves. Budgeting added another layer of stress. The final number jumped about $40,000 above the original estimate before Beth had even made many selections. She also kept hearing that items she had requested from the beginning, including finishes without stainless steel, could be upgrades. The lack of clear allowances and coordination made it difficult to understand what was included and where different selections needed to be made. One bright spot was the appliance salesperson. He listened, understood Beth's budget, and helped her find the creamy white appliances and double ovens she wanted without exceeding the appliance allowance. That experience showed what the rest of the process could have been. Clear communication, a defined budget, and someone willing to work through alternatives made the experience enjoyable. Construction moved quickly and was completed on schedule, but Beth still felt she became the general contractor. She and her husband had to coordinate trades, solve problems, track installations, and make sure decisions were implemented. At one point, Beth learned that an appliance installation shown on the project schedule had never actually been arranged! Fortunately, the kitchen itself is now everything Beth wanted. It includes a bar displaying her collection of 1950s and 1960s glassware, gold details, a coffee bar, a banquette, wallpaper, double ovens, and a layout built around how she actually cooks and lives. The result feels personal, glamorous, and highly functional. Our biggest takeaway is that homeowners need to understand exactly what “design included” means. A builder arranging appointments with cabinet, appliance, and plumbing vendors is not the same as having someone manage the entire design. A good architect or designer looks across the whole project, coordinates selections, balances the budget, and makes sure individual decisions work together. Beth ultimately got the kitchen she wanted because she stayed involved, stood her ground, and had Linda beside her throughout the process. But when firends ask her who did her kitchen, she won't share the name. While the end result was the kitchen of her dreams, she wouldn't want anyone else to go through the same trials and tribulations of that process. (00:00) Intro (00:28) Beth's Lancaster Kitchen Renovation (06:54) The Promised Designer (07:27) Mood Boards and Design Ideas Get Ignored (09:37) Linda Steps Into the Design Role (11:09) Custom Builder vs. Custom Kitchen (11:35) The Budget Jumps by $40,000 (16:15) Choosing Fixtures, Sinks, and Appliances (19:00) The One Vendor Who Made the Process Fun (20:35) Fighting to Keep the Double Ovens (23:08) Beth Becomes the General Contractor (24:06) Being a Woman on the Job Site (26:02) Making Every Selection Before Construction (28:58) Why the Project Succeeded Anyway (31:14) What Beth Would Tell Other Homeowners (33:28) The Bandwidth Required for Renovation (34:51) Beth's Favorite Kitchen Details (37:09) Marilyn and Sheri Debrief (38:35) Why “Design Included” Can Be a Red Flag (40:08) The Problem With Disconnected Showroom Decisions (41:49) Why the Renovation Process Should Have Been Fun (43:07) Why Homeowners Need to Stand Their Ground (44:50) Would an Architect Have Cost More? (45:30) Closing Thoughts Have questions? Want to be on our show? Email us! admin@htsspodcast.com (mailto:admin@htsspodcast.com) Learn about our hosts: Marilyn: Runcible Studios: https://runciblestudios.com (https://runciblestudios.com) SherI: Springhouse Architects: https://springhousearchitects.com (https://springhousearchitects.com) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com (https://pcm.adswizz.com) for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Who has been a guest on Home: The Second Story

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Ashley Luthman
• Greg Luthman
• Cindy

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

3,084

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

9 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 56 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

53

Social presence

0

YouTube

68

Engagement

81

Contact Home: The Second Story

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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