A Florida contractor uncovered something that had lain dormant for more than 20 years while completing repair work on a client’s property.
Roy, who is based in Tampa Bay and specializes in “home remodeling,” took to his TikTok, hardhatsnhooksets, to reveal the discovery made while recently working on a client’s home: a previously hidden room.
“We are helping a client repair her home after the hurricanes and stumbled upon it after demoing a wall that it was hidden behind,” Roy told Newsweek.
In a series of videos posted to his profile on the social media platform, Roy provided followers with a closer look at the space, which was found in the basement of the property.
The space amounts to the size of a small room, and features a distinctive archway over the main entrance to it. That particular feature wasn’t necessarily a surprise to Roy, who chose not to share his last name with Newsweek.
“It was actually the entrance way to the house before they raised the house on stilts,” he said. What was a surprise to the seasoned contractor, however, was the fact that this kind of space could go unnoticed for so long.
TikTok/hardhatsnhooksets
Though details are scarce, Roy said the property’s last remodel came back in 1999. He said this was the “first time” he had come across something like this and that client he was working for was “especially excited” about the discovery, having been unaware there was an additional room hidden behind the wall.
“Imagine living there for 20 years and not knowing that you had a hidden room,” Roy said.
A significant proportion of Americans would love to add a little more space to their home. In 2024, a survey of 2,000 U.S. adults conducted by Talker Research on behalf of the Container Store found that 34 percent of respondents feel cramped in their home. The same poll also found 17 percent of those surveyed were unhappy with the amount of space in their home.
While the discovery of an additional room brings with it a sense of mystery and intrigue, the main perk is undoubtedly the additional space it provides. Roy sees other benefits to the discovery when it comes to the bottom line. “It has definitely added more square footage and could add value to the property,” he said.
In the meantime, Roy’s client has big plans for what to do with the cozy new room. “The client was especially excited,” he said. “They are leaning towards turning it into a wine cellar.”
The discovery comes hot on the heels of similar finds that have gone viral on social media. There was the couple that discovered a hidden door in their home, the man that was informed his house had a secret basement, and the homeowner who was left puzzled by the sight of a window connected to a room in his house that he apparently could not find.
