Hidden Springs Cottage
Behindthe Scenes
What we're building next. What's in progress. Every project that made this place what it is — and how we built it.
What we're building next. What's in progress. Every project that made this place what it is — and how we built it.
We have a shortlist. You have a vote. Whatever earns the most support is what Chris builds next. One vote per person — it counts. Results are reviewed each season and the winning project gets scheduled.
A proper built deck surrounding the hot tub area — a dedicated space to step out of the water, dry off, and take in the pond views without standing in the grass.
0 votesA cedar barrel sauna near the spring pool. Heat up, plunge in, repeat. The contrast therapy experience that turns a weekend into something you talk about for months.
0 votesA covered outdoor dining area between the ponds with a long farmhouse table, string lights, and a proper outdoor kitchen setup for groups and celebrations.
0 votesA furnished canvas bell tent by the back pond — a second accommodation option for friends traveling together or families wanting space with atmosphere.
0 votesVotes are tallied monthly. Chris reviews the results and announces the next project each season.
Chris is building a vining pergola between the two ponds — the centerpiece structure of the entire property. Inside it, he's hand-stacking a stone waterfall, layer by layer, shaping the water's path the same way the original builders did over a century ago.
When the vines grow in and the waterfall is running, this will be the spot guests walk to first. The kind of place you sit down and lose track of time.
Completing 2025 · Photos being added as it progresses
Three of the most-mentioned features in every review we've received — all built and installed in a single season. The private hot tub sits at the perfect angle for stargazing. The fire pit area has a griddle-top grill built into the surround. The dock extends out over the back pond so you can sit with your feet over the water at any hour.
These weren't extras. They were the difference between a nice cottage and a place people can't stop talking about.
The spring-fed plunge pool had been sitting unused for years — a century-old structure fed by mountain water, partially collapsed and overgrown. Chris spent months restoring it to its original flow. The water found its way again.
Around the pool he built a cedar pergola with heavy timber beams and a curated shade garden. The structure frames the pool without overwhelming it — giving guests a sense of arriving somewhere intentional. The spring runs at 64°F year-round, crystal clear, straight from the mountain.
Built from scratch using 0% introductory APR business credit as the primary funding vehicle — zero out of pocket during the build, zero interest during the payoff window. Twenty-foot vaulted ceilings. A woodland mural painted floor to ceiling in the downstairs bedroom. A loft king suite that looks out over the ponds.
From the very first guest it earned five stars. Strangers started calling it magical. We didn't engineer that. The land did. We just built around it.
This is where it started. A $106,000 cash auction property in Rome, Georgia. The house was a wreck. The land was breathtaking. Chris worked a full day at Suzuki then came home each evening, changed clothes, and rebuilt until long after dark — for seven months, while we lived on-site in a camper.
Personal loans, borrowed equity from every asset we had, and grit. When it was finished, we finally moved in. It wasn't the end of anything. It was the beginning of everything you see here.
Read the Full Origin Story →The house was built the hard way — personal loans, borrowed equity, income sacrifice. The cottage was built smarter. Strategic 0% introductory APR business credit funded the entire build — the same approach Laura teaches through Credit Dusters nationwide.
Knowing how to use credit strategically is the difference between being broke after you build something and still having runway to make it great. Guests ask about our plans constantly. The answer is yes, and the full roadmap is available.
$106k Total property purchase · cash auction offerHow a $106,000 auction property became a 5-star retreat — using 0% intro APR business credit as the primary funding vehicle for the cottage.
Multiple guests have asked for our architectural plans, material lists, and build notes. We're compiling a full package. Email Laura to join the waitlist.
Laura's business credit coaching program — the same principles that funded Hidden Springs, taught to clients building their own something from scratch.
Hidden Springs is Chris's portfolio. If you have land and a vision for what it could become, he'd love to hear about it. Every project starts with a conversation.