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Whitney Anderson is renovating a former Methodist church in Michigan into a home, a project she began after buying the property and an accompanying parsonage for $45,000. Hunker, citing CNBC Make It, reports renovation spending has reached close to $200,000; the work remains ongoing, and Anderson says its financial sustainability is uncertain.
Whitney Anderson is converting a former 1898 Methodist church in Michigan into a home after purchasing it with a parsonage for $45,000. The renovation is ongoing, with spending reported at close to $200,000, and Anderson has said she is not yet sure whether the project can be financially sustainable.
Anderson, originally from New York City, told CNBC Make It in a video interview that a childhood interest in stained glass helped lead her to seek out a church to renovate. The property she found in Michigan included a parsonage and the church at no additional purchase price, according to Hunker’s account of the CNBC report. The listing price was $125,000; Anderson negotiated the purchase down to $45,000 and paid cash.
The church retained features including an altar, pews and bell tower, while also requiring substantial repairs. Anderson carried out demolition and much of the flooring work herself, but hired professionals for tasks including water-damage repairs. Hunker reports that renovation spending has come to close to $200,000. That figure is described as renovation cash flow, not as a final project total, and the source does not provide a complete itemized budget.
Anderson documented the work on Instagram as @houseofvitrail. Hunker reports that attention from the account led to sponsorships and donated materials and labor, and that she appeared on Magnolia Network’s Home Reimagined. Those forms of support helped with the project, but do not establish how much of its total cost they covered.
The Cost of Reusing a Church
Anderson’s project shows how converting a historic building into a private home can involve costs and risks beyond the initial purchase. A $45,000 acquisition price did not remove the need for major repairs, and the reported renovation spending is several times the purchase price. The final financial picture remains uncertain because the work is not described as complete and a full breakdown of expenses is unavailable.
The project may also be relevant to people drawn to unusual or historic properties. Anderson’s do-it-yourself labor, cash savings, social-media sponsorships and donated resources are specific parts of her circumstances; they should not be treated as a typical renovation budget or a guarantee that a similar project will be affordable. The church’s age and condition make the distinction between purchase price and repair costs particularly important.
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From Parsonage Listing to Project
The church was built in 1898 as a Methodist place of worship. Its surviving architectural and religious features give the building historic character, while its structural problems have added work to the conversion. The source does not describe a formal historic designation or identify which repairs have been completed.
According to Hunker’s summary of CNBC Make It, Anderson had saved $250,000 over several years before searching for a property. Paying cash for the church and parsonage meant she did not take on a mortgage for the purchase, while completing some labor herself helped reduce costs. The report also notes that public interest in her renovation brought sponsorships and assistance, adding another source of support beyond her savings.
“It’s still 50/50 if this is going to be a sustainable chouse … or if it’s going to be what bankrupts me.”
— Whitney Anderson, in a video interview with CNBC Make It, as quoted by Hunker
Costs and Completion Remain Open
The renovation is presented as ongoing, but the available report does not give a completion date, a finished-home budget or a detailed accounting of costs. It also does not establish whether the reported figure close to $200,000 includes the value of donated materials and labor, or how much additional work remains.
Anderson’s comment that the project could be sustainable or could bankrupt her is a statement of uncertainty, not evidence that either outcome has occurred. The source does not specify the church’s current occupancy status, the full scope of structural repairs, or whether permits, inspections or any historic-preservation requirements apply. Those details cannot be inferred from the purchase price or the building’s age.
The Renovation’s Financial Outcome
The project’s next clear milestone is completion of the renovation, but the source provides no timetable for when that may happen. Further reporting would be needed to confirm the final cost, which repairs remain, and whether Anderson will be able to use the church as a sustainable home.
Until those details are available, the reported spending and Anderson’s own comments offer a snapshot of a work in progress rather than a completed renovation. Updates through her @houseofvitrail account or future coverage could clarify how the project develops, but no specific announcement or completion date is given in the source material.
Key Questions
Who is renovating the abandoned church?
Whitney Anderson is renovating the former Michigan Methodist church as a home. She has shared the project on Instagram under @houseofvitrail.
How much did Anderson pay for the property?
Hunker reports that Anderson negotiated the price of the church and accompanying parsonage from a $125,000 listing price to $45,000, which she paid in cash.
How much has the renovation cost?
The source reports renovation spending of close to $200,000. It does not provide an itemized budget or say that this is the final cost.
Is the church renovation finished?
No completion is reported. The source describes the renovation as ongoing and gives no projected finish date.
How has Anderson supported the renovation?
According to Hunker, Anderson used savings, completed demolition and much of the flooring work herself, and received sponsorships plus donated materials and labor after her Instagram account drew attention. The source does not quantify the value of that support.
Source: rss
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