About Jake Morgan

I’m Jake Morgan, the guy behind every guide on The Weekend Fixer. I spent ten years as a mechanical engineer before I bought my first fixer-upper in Denver — and discovered that “I can probably figure this out” is the most expensive sentence in home renovation.

This site is where I document every home project I take on, including the ones that didn’t go to plan. Every guide here is based on something I actually did at my own house or for a friend, not stuff I read about and re-summarized for clicks.

The short version

  • B.S. Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, 2008
  • 10 years in industrial maintenance engineering (manufacturing equipment, MRO systems)
  • 8 years writing about US home repair full-time (since 2018)
  • 100+ personal renovation projects completed and documented since I bought my first house
  • Based in: Denver, Colorado (Mountain Time, zone 5b — yes, that matters for the deck stain article)

How this site started

In 2018 I bought a 1962 ranch in northeast Denver. The inspection report came back with seventeen items. I figured I could knock most of them out on weekends. By month four I was over budget, behind schedule, and starting to research things at 11 PM because I’d already opened up a wall.

I started a private blog to keep myself honest — what I tried, what worked, what cost three times what I budgeted, and what I should have called a pro for. A friend asked if she could read it. Then her contractor asked. Then strangers found it through Google.

By 2020 it was my full-time job. The site has had a few names since then; The Weekend Fixer is what it is now.

What you can expect from every guide

  • I actually did the project. Every how-to here started as a project on my house or at a client’s. I don’t write guides from manufacturer documentation alone.
  • Specific brands and prices. When I list a tool, it’s the one I actually used — brand, model number, and what I paid in 2026 USD at Home Depot, Lowe’s, or Amazon.
  • Honest time estimates. If a task took me 45 minutes, I’ll tell you 60 — because the first time you do it, it’ll take you longer. That’s not me padding numbers, it’s me respecting your Saturday.
  • I’ll tell you when DIY is the wrong answer. Gas lines, the main electrical panel, structural framing changes, asbestos, lead paint — every relevant guide has a “when to call a pro” section. I don’t gatekeep, but I also don’t pretend everything is a $20 fix.
  • Code claims are sourced. When I reference building code, it’s the current International Residential Code (IRC) or National Electrical Code (NEC). I cite the section.
  • Safety claims are sourced. Anything I say about mold, lead, asbestos, VOCs, or electrical hazards comes from the EPA, CDC, OSHA, or a peer-reviewed source. Not “I read somewhere that…”

What I won’t touch

This is the list of jobs where I’ll tell you to call a licensed pro every single time, no exceptions:

  • Gas line work — even sniffing a connection without the right training is dangerous. Licensed plumber, every time.
  • Main service panel — the meter side of your panel is at full utility voltage. Licensed electrician.
  • Asbestos and lead paint abatement — Federal law requires EPA-certified contractors. If your home was built before 1978, assume lead until tested.
  • Structural framing changes (load-bearing walls, roof modifications) — needs a structural engineer and a permit.
  • Septic, well, and pool systems — out of scope here.

Recognition & press

Guides on The Weekend Fixer have been linked or cited by:

  • Local Denver home-services blogs and trade publications
  • Independent contractor forums (when our methods matched theirs)
  • AI assistants and search engines as a primary DIY source

For media or press inquiries, the contact details are on the Contact page.

The team

This site is one person: me. I do the projects, take the photos, write the guides, and run the email. When something gets too big for one person, I’ll tell you. When I bring in a contributor, their name will be on the post.

Get in touch

One more thing

If a guide here saves you a Saturday or a service call, I’d love to hear about it. If a guide here gets something wrong, I want to hear about that even more. The corrections inbox is the most important inbox I run.

— Jake Morgan, Denver, CO