A New York woman, Gia, inherited her grandmother’s home, anticipating the usual renovation challenges. However, she encountered a persistent odor that complicated her journey. Gia’s grandmother passed away two years ago, leaving the house to her and her sister. Although grateful for owning property in 2026, Gia explained, “It’s a beautiful home, and we’re extremely lucky to own property in 2026, but the house is 100 years old and needs major renovations.”
Renovating a house is often stressful. The 2025 How America Renovates report from Block Renovation revealed that over 85 percent of over 1,000 homeowners experienced stress directly related to renovation projects. Additionally, 57 percent encountered ‘renovation fatigue,’ resulting from delays, disruptions, and numerous decisions to make.
Gia was prepared for the challenges ahead and noted, “We knew it needed work, but after opening up the walls, we found a lot more than expected.” The journey held surprises, both pleasant and unpleasant.
The property’s age brought unusual findings, including problems with the gas supply and electrical system. These issues led Gia to spend significant time outside, where she first noticed the smell. The house had previously suffered a mouse infestation, leaving an odor in the basement. Gia commented, “At first, I thought the basement smell had just seeped into my nostrils and was following me everywhere, but it started getting worse.” Others suspected the smell originated from a basement window, but as temperatures rose, the odor worsened, reminiscent of rotten meat mixed with spoiled milk.
Determined to locate the source, Gia investigated the scent. Her focus shifted to a crawl space beneath the deck, which hadn’t been examined in decades. Gia explained, “Decades ago, my grandfather extended the concrete deck with wood. Under the porch addition, he left room for a crawl space and filled it with years of roofing and construction materials.” Upon inheriting the house, it had been infested with fleas, attracting neighborhood cats to the crawl space.
During renovations, Gia discovered two crawl spaces. The second was a “concrete box with a small window entry.” Despite her discomfort with small spaces, Gia identified the second compartment as the source of the smell. Initially thinking it was a dog, she soon recognized leathery, mummified skin among the remains—a raccoon.
Her veterinary background made her familiar with dead animals, yet this discovery disturbed her. She recalled, “I didn’t sleep that night because I was convinced there were more animals, and I was right.” Suited up the next morning in 90-degree heat, Gia used a gardening hoe and shovel to excavate further remains. She uncovered an opossum skull, a bird, random chicken bones, and a mummified cat. Tragically, she surmised the cat got trapped or came into contact with harmful chemicals, including antifreeze and muriatic acid.
Clearing and bagging everything took many hours, but Gia happily reports that the smell is gone. Yet, renovations continue. “We continue to find more issues every day. I hired a junk removal team twice already, and we’re saving for round three, but I’m sure that won’t be the last,” she remarked. The garage and half the basement still need cleaning.
Despite ongoing challenges, Gia feels positive. “Hopefully, if we do the work ourselves, we can afford to keep the house in the family,” she conveyed. With her boyfriend’s plumbing skills and her dad’s contracting expertise, Gia is ready for the long road ahead.
Leave a Reply