We Bought an Abandoned House on a Remote Island – Kitchen Wing in Progress

Skote Outdoors - Newfoundland

Aug 24, 2025

This week the house build takes another big step forward as we keep working on the new kitchen wing. The first job was tearing off part of the old house so we could tie the new build in properly and get ready for shingles. From there, we installed a chimney flange that will one day hold an old-fashioned wood stove — something we’ll use for both cooking and heating once the kitchen is complete. We also set in the antique windows we picked up along the way, each needing its own custom box to make them fit. Inside, the work got even messier as we tore into more of the original house, uncovering rotten, dried-out boards that had to be replaced. By the end of it all, the kitchen wing was finally closed in and the walkthrough cut open into the old house — a huge milestone. But the week wasn’t just about building. It was also time to say goodbye to our good friend Adam, who’s been out here helping for the past month. Together we loaded up the boat, then the old ’86 fire truck, and headed to St. John’s. After seeing Adam off at the airport, Kelly and I took a walk through downtown, hunting for antiques and lighting to bring a little more life into our new kitchen. A big thank you to everyone who has been following along on this journey, and welcome to anyone just arriving. We have a long way to go before we are ready for winter.