Getting their feet wet? Dipping a toe in the water? In over their heads? Without a paddle? The puns just keep coming. Bottom line: For this project, Chip and Joanna take on a new niche in home renovation when they help a friend find and build a home on the water — literally. They help a young father of four find a used houseboat he can afford, and then (as is their forte) transform it into something well beyond his expectations.

Chip's long-time friend Brett Swartz is a Waco native who had a yearning for the lake life. He was looking to downsize and provide a simpler and more nature-driven life for his four beautiful kids. After looking at a few houseboat options, Brett settled on this (temporarily, at least) landlocked craft. "The Double Decker", as Chip dubbed it, was 43 feet from stem to stern. It was built in 1970 and had an asking price of $27,000. Brett's all-in budget was $85,000, leaving a renovation budget of $58,000.

A key question for Chip was whether the boat was structurally sound and, after all the additions and improvements, would it still float? Cutting to the chase, it did. Chip and Joanna transformed the boat that homeowner Brett initially described as "big and pretty ugly" into this visually stunning and contemporary home on the water.