All Episodes Talk: French Country in Texas?

[CruiseDiva]

Just curious, CruiseDiva, is it your belief that the homeowners are actually coming out-of-pocket, i.e. writing a check, after they receive the phone call?

I don't know, but some of those phone-calls-of-doom are for thousands of dollars of supposedly unexpected expenses, like HVAC upgrades/replacements and structural beams. The show certainly makes it sound like the homeowners are going to have to come up with more money.

 

When Jo explains that she has a "little extra" in the budget, she's doing that at the inception of the project.  Thus, at that point in time, the contingency fund is fully intact and set aside so not affected by that project.  IMHO they're just discussing a design option.  (Personally, I don't know for sure but I assume the homeowners are far more involved in the design choices and process than tptb depict on screen.)

Yes, the 'extra' in the budget does pop up early and I suspect that those things are already in the planning stages and it's a producer-driven device. Hopefully, the homeowners ARE more involved in the reno. I sure would be.

 

I've never heard a phone call with an amount so large that it shouldn't be covered by their contingency.  Contingency amounts vary, depending on the project, but I'm sure they hold back at least 10% and possibly more like 15% if they're concerned about a particular reno.  On this last episode, for only the new build / add-on portion, 10% was probably adequate b/c those costs are typically known, certain and basically fixed, up-front.

Some of those phone call have been for rather substantial amounts.

 

WRT this last project, when the homeowners added on the metal roof, that'd be considered a change order, not a contingency item.  They'd be responsible for that.  If, however, by the absolute end of the project, any contingency $$$ were available, then, yes, they could be allocated to the roof'.  That wouldn't occur until the bitter end, however.

 

 

Right. We had a screen room added to our home recently and I decided I wanted the outside brick wall of the house covered with the same beadboard we were using on the exterior screen room walls (below the screening). I wanted the screen room, which is actually considered a three-season room in our area, to look more like an actual room than an add-on so we covered the brick. The contractor just figured the extra cost for the beadboard & labor and we paid it. That's the way things work in real life.

 

And, as you mentioned, CruiseDiva, it's reality television so fakity-fake!

Yes. Very fakity-fake :)

 

I apologize if you already knew or weren't interested in the above.  Someone else might be.  That's how it'd work in the real world, IMHO.  So, yeah, who knows?  lol ....

No apology needed. I'm glad to hear your thoughts about the real world. I've been there, done that, but still enjoy most of the reno projects on HGTV. They give me ideas for future projects that I'd like to do in my own 28 year old home.

 

[Chit Chat]

I don't know, but some of those phone-calls-of-doom are for thousands of dollars of supposedly unexpected expenses, like HVAC upgrades/replacements and structural beams. The show certainly makes it sound like the homeowners are going to have to come up with more money.

 

I've noticed that whenever the call is made to the homeowner about the unexpected issue, they're always very agreeable.  Either they've already discussed it with the client and this is just the phone call for the viewers, or the clients were briefed pre-demo of the very real possibility of them finding something major wrong with the house and to allow for the added expense.  I think they might've mentioned that they brief clients on that prior to them buying the home (I might be remembering that wrong.) 

 

Thing is, I would hope that most of these folks would know that whenever you buy an existing home and you're going to do any kind of remodeling project, chances are you're going to find something unexpected, so be prepared for said project to cost more than originally thought.   We've been homeowners long enough to know that with almost any renovation project comes the inevitable 2 steps forward and 3 steps backwards - and extra money! 

 

With this latest house, I would've saved my money and not gone with the vaulted ceiling in the bedroom.  YMMV.   I wish the owners would've picked a different color tin roof too.  I think a bronze would've looked better with the house color.  Otherwise I thought the renovation turned out nice.

[auntjess]

I disliked the tin roof, thought it was ugly, and might be loud when rain, or pecans, fell on it.
I too wouldn't have bothered with the vaulted ceiling.  I'd have wanted something outside, but not a damn pergola, just something solid.

[Chit Chat]

I'd have wanted something outside, but not a damn pergola, just something solid.

 

Me too!  These things look nice on the reveal, but I'd definitely want something with a solid roof so that we wouldn't burn up from the sun whenever we sat out there.  Plus, it would help protect the benches from the rain.  

[aguabella]

I disliked the tin roof, thought it was ugly, and might be loud when rain, or pecans, fell on it.

I too wouldn't have bothered with the vaulted ceiling.  I'd have wanted something outside, but not a damn pergola, just something solid.

 

If they wanted the vaulted ceiling then it was a good idea to have the contractors do it.  I would want a covered patio, too and they can always add that on later.

 

Those roofs are actually attractive, in person, IMHO and very practical.  Agree with everyone - they could have chosen another color, however.

[aguabella]

I've noticed that whenever the call is made to the homeowner about the unexpected issue, they're always very agreeable.  Either they've already discussed it with the client and this is just the phone call for the viewers, or the clients were briefed pre-demo of the very real possibility of them finding something major wrong with the house and to allow for the added expense.  I think they might've mentioned that they brief clients on that prior to them buying the home (I might be remembering that wrong.) 

 

Thing is, I would hope that most of these folks would know that whenever you buy an existing home and you're going to do any kind of remodeling project, chances are you're going to find something unexpected, so be prepared for said project to cost more than originally thought.   We've been homeowners long enough to know that with almost any renovation project comes the inevitable 2 steps forward and 3 steps backwards - and extra money! 

 

 

 

I'm sure they don't react for all those reasons, ChitChat.  JMHO but I'm sure they're agreeable b/c it's been set up with them in advance as the designated, one per episode, construction drama.  Have a feeling that's why some of them sound a little off, e.g. the exorbitant cost for the GFCI, previously discussed.

 

If the construction drama's real, either the costs will come out of the contingency or the production company set up a fixed fee contract so the h/o knows they're not coming out of pocket.  For that reason, as non-actors, most of them have a tough time feigning concern.

 

Felt like this last guy was asked to play a good ol' boy role so he made the "money pit" comment when they called.  Then, at the end of the project, he was supposedly submitting a major change order, i.e. the metal roof.  "Holy, moly", lol.

 

Obviously you're not worried about a money pit if you're submitting change orders, making huge design alterations.  JMHO

Edited March 20, 2015 by aguabella

[aguabella]

I don't know, but some of those phone-calls-of-doom are for thousands of dollars of supposedly unexpected expenses, like HVAC upgrades/replacements and structural beams. The show certainly makes it sound like the homeowners are going to have to come up with more money.

 

Yes, the 'extra' in the budget does pop up early and I suspect that those things are already in the planning stages and it's a producer-driven device. Hopefully, the homeowners ARE more involved in the reno. I sure would be.

 

Some of those phone call have been for rather substantial amounts.

 

 

Right. We had a screen room added to our home recently and I decided I wanted the outside brick wall of the house covered with the same beadboard we were using on the exterior screen room walls (below the screening). I wanted the screen room, which is actually considered a three-season room in our area, to look more like an actual room than an add-on so we covered the brick. The contractor just figured the extra cost for the beadboard & labor and we paid it. That's the way things work in real life.

 

Yes. Very fakity-fake :)

 

No apology needed. I'm glad to hear your thoughts about the real world. I've been there, done that, but still enjoy most of the reno projects on HGTV. They give me ideas for future projects that I'd like to do in my own 28 year old home.

 

I've managed construction projects significantly larger than these so that's why I tend to notice these things, CruiseDiva.  Haven't ever heard the designated drama exceed what I quickly calculated in my head as an estimated contingency for any of the FU projects.  Have always kept my contingency figures low, BTW.

 

For this project, at 120K total, if we assume 50% of the cost would be allocated to the reno portion and new construction, each, I'd estimate the contingency figure at $15K, total.  How?  Well, say 10% or $6K for the new construction and 15% or $9K for the reno portion.  The reno contingency could easily be more b/c nobody knows what's behind those walls plus the age of the property, condition, etc.  So, I consider my $15K to be on the low side for their contingency. 

 

What does that mean?  Well, Jo, when she meets with the homeowners, supposedly at the inception of the project, she's already set aside $15K out of the 120K.  If she says "there's a little extra" for the designated, created for the camera,design project, that means the "little extra" is coming out of the remaining $105K or $120-15.

 

WRT the designated construction drama, in this episode, when Chip called about the beam, he quoted $2-3K or well below that $15K.  So, the homeowner wouldn't be coming out of pocket, so far as we, the viewer, knows.  As mentioned in a previous post, any remaining contingency, at the absolute end of the project, could be allocated to change orders, such as their roof.

 

Obviously, I'm making a major assumption that they're handling their Magnolia budgets properly.  One thing, the production company may require them to maintain extremely good records and set funds aside.  Neither the network nor the production company want anything coming back on them at the conclusion of filming.

 

If the production company negotiated a fixed fee contract as possibly noted by one article, then same answer - the homeowner isn't worried about coming out of pocket when he/she receives the phone call.

 

Again, sorry for the long explanation.  Thanks, CruiseDiva.  Yep, I hang in with HGTV for the same reason - design ideas.  Sometimes the reality tv junk is a little much, however - lol!

[txvoodoo]

WRT the driving, IMHO the couples know (or should know) what they're signing up for when they agree to do the show.  And, they're receiving at least 30K towards their reno, less the tax bill based on the actual retail value of all goods and services received.  Don't know the details but HGTV's fixed fee 30K contract may be discounted in exchange for promotional consideration. 

 

Given the benefits received and the couple's contractual choice, I have a hard time feeling sorry for them about the drive to the farmhouse or Jo's shop.  OTOH, the promotional aspect and product placement?  Now that annoys me!  JMHO

 

I'm curious about the 30K figure - where'd you hear that?

 

As far as it goes about the driving, I'm not put off by the distance. People are used to big distances down here. Just getting across the DFW or Houston metroplex is 2 or more hours of driving, so 30 or 45 minutes for a one-off appointment isn't offputting.

[CruiseDiva]

Thanks so much for the insighe, aguabella. You've made a lot of behind the scenes things regarding construction projects clear.

 

Our experience with a recent screen room add-on to our home was that we worked with a contractor who has done thousands of projects in our area. We told him basically what we wanted, he designed the space, and got approval from the county. Once that was done, we then had numerous meetings with him about interior details--he dropped by every day when his crew left during he demo and rebuild. He made suggestions, which turned out to be better than what we had in mind, and the end result is impressive.

 

Yes, our project cost more than we originally planned on spending, but we added on features. We were up to speed on every step during the project.

 

I don't believe for a minute that the "fixer upper" clients stay away from the site and have no clue what's doing on, other than the meeting they have with JoAnna in her kitchen and the Phone Call of Doom. Do they not drive by & get a glimpse of the home exterior before the reveal? I don't think so. ;)

[Maya]

I always assumed both the "there's a little extra" project and "phone call of doom" project were already decided and just filmed for the show.

 

I also assumed they've driven by the home -- I would! Although maybe there is some last minute outdoor staging, because the homeowners always seem genuinely surprised at the reveal.

[aguabella]

Thanks so much for the insighe, aguabella. You've made a lot of behind the scenes things regarding construction projects clear.

 

Our experience with a recent screen room add-on to our home was that we worked with a contractor who has done thousands of projects in our area. We told him basically what we wanted, he designed the space, and got approval from the county. Once that was done, we then had numerous meetings with him about interior details--he dropped by every day when his crew left during he demo and rebuild. He made suggestions, which turned out to be better than what we had in mind, and the end result is impressive.

 

Yes, our project cost more than we originally planned on spending, but we added on features. We were up to speed on every step during the project.

 

I don't believe for a minute that the "fixer upper" clients stay away from the site and have no clue what's doing on, other than the meeting they have with JoAnna in her kitchen and the Phone Call of Doom. Do they not drive by & get a glimpse of the home exterior before the reveal? I don't think so. ;)

 

 

Thank you, CruiseDiva!  I'm glad everything made sense and was helpful.

 

Great to hear that someone who had a good experience with a contractor.  You should hang on to him!  In fact, you might want to avoid recommending him so he'll have time for you in the future!

 

JMHO, guessing here but I believe these people are involved in these projects just like anyone else having work done on their home.  Like you, it makes no sense to me that they'd have no involvement.  In fact, on the flip side, if you were Chip and Jo, would you want to install immovable items, e.g. countertops or backsplashes or make other permanent changes to a home, e.g. moving walls, w/o homeowner approval?

 

Remember the pregnant woman who requested midcentury modern?  I thought she made a several comments during the reveal, indicating that she'd been in contact with Jo and/or had participated in some of the design choices.  Thought she kind of spilled the beans, lol!

 

WRT the drivebys, they probably ask them not to - that preserves the surprise of the complete package, the finished product at the end.  That's o.k. - whatever.  But the rest of it?  Bet they're involved every step of the way.  JMHO

[aguabella]

I always assumed both the "there's a little extra" project and "phone call of doom" project were already decided and just filmed for the show.

 

I also assumed they've driven by the home -- I would! Although maybe there is some last minute outdoor staging, because the homeowners always seem genuinely surprised at the reveal.

 

I agree, Maya.  It's reality television, i.e. not real!  It's very obvious that they have the obligatory 1 construction drama per episode, a design project, Clint Harp spot and so on ... 

 

I can buy the surprise at the reveal b/c it's always different to view a project at 100% completion instead of the small, disparate parts along the way.  Seeing the complete package is always different and such a relief.  Yay, we did it!  It worked!  Even though you know it'll be terrific, there's always one minute kernel of doubt in the back of your mind ... 

[mojito]

I liked the last home, the one that the homeowner remarked looked like a prison. I was hoping they'd pick that one. Although they still stuck to the silly formula of the problem they didn't see coming and the "room left in the budget" stuff, Chip's antics weren't hyped and that was an improvement. I was glad that they kind of retained the compound look of the home; it's just different enough that I like it, especially when you see that the layout behind those walls was pretty slick. I liked that the couple chose to change out the bannisters but I thought doing the same thing with the front outdoor balcony kind of looked bare, like the home would have looked better with a more visible balcony.

[WildPlum]

I LIKE open concept, but that was too much for even me (although the MCM a few weeks back wasn't). Imagine how noisy all those hard surfaces will make that one gigantic room with a bunch of kids downstairs playing ping pong! More color in the kitchen backsplash, that was good, but, by my standards, that wasn't a great tile job. When you get those tiles mounted on a sheet, you have to lay the sheets down and look at how all the pieces have been glued on and fix the one or two per sheet that are really outsized or laid crooked or wavy. Part of the charm of the glass tiles is their handblown look, and you accept that it won't line up in perfectly straight rows, but you do what you can to tone down waviness. On 12x12 pebbles tiles, you also need to pull off a couple piece on the boundaries of the tile so that when you put two sheets together, it isn't so obvious where the edge of each12x12 was (saw that one on House Hunters).

 

I did like the steel railings with stainless cable, but then I've put those in my house and on my deck before.

 

 

Also, the Home Goods sponsorship thing was painful.

[lizzy07]

 

Also, the Home Goods sponsorship thing was painful.

 

THANK YOU!!! As far as I'm concerned, that means the show is about to get bad. It was so likeable because it was very 'down home' and now they're going to ruin it with blatant advertisements like that.

 

 

Imagine how noisy all those hard surfaces will make that one gigantic room with a bunch of kids downstairs playing ping pong!

 

Moreover, how much will it cost to heat that place in the dead of winter?? All the heat will rise and you'll be freezing in the living area. Texas isn't always warm!

[camom]

Just once, I'd like Joanna to present her 3 options for using the "extra" money and hear the homeowners say, "No thanks, we'd rather keep the cash."

[bubbls]

Just once, I'd like Joanna to present her 3 options for using the "extra" money and hear the homeowners say, "No thanks, we'd rather keep the cash."

 

 

I always think to myself that I'd be delighted I could save some money.

 

Regarding the tin roof someone else mentioned, you don't hear much as long as they're insulated. We had tin on a previous house, and I was disappointed that it was so quiet. We did put tin on our big front porch and it was LOUD.

[aguabella]

I liked the last home, the one that the homeowner remarked looked like a prison. I was hoping they'd pick that one. Although they still stuck to the silly formula of the problem they didn't see coming and the "room left in the budget" stuff, Chip's antics weren't hyped and that was an improvement. I was glad that they kind of retained the compound look of the home; it's just different enough that I like it, especially when you see that the layout behind those walls was pretty slick. I liked that the couple chose to change out the bannisters but I thought doing the same thing with the front outdoor balcony kind of looked bare, like the home would have looked better with a more visible balcony.

 

Agree, mojito, except it's probably a home I would have run from!  JMHO but I believe the 2 issues with the walls and siding would have come up on inspection -  tough to recover upon resale, IMHO. 

 

I would have spent far more $$$ on the landscaping and site.  I believe they could have enhanced the compound with a cool fence, gate and possibly a courtyard??  Also, the home and property felt incredibly dark, to me. 

 

I'd have a tree expert inspect the trees;  if any of them were diseased, it'd be a good idea to remove them and lighten up the site.  Another concern:  were any trees close to the structure(s) ? 

 

Personally, I thought 2 add'l windows plus white paint was insufficient.  Building on the natural theme, perhaps light (possibly horizontal?) siding would have looked terrific.

 

Yes, mojito, that balcony just disappeared.  I would have coordinated that with natural siding and possibly built on the iron/wood theme, coordinating with my fence and gate (see above).

 

And, more windows or french doors or something on that side!  Don't know what the building on the left was but how about french doors + a patio or at least something to bring the outdoors in?  The remaining trees and fence/gate would provide some privacy, if that was a concern.  (They didn't show the lot's frontage, IIRC.)

 

They had a deck off the other side / great room - would have been nice to see more of it.  Looked like something may have been unfinished or need some cleanup out there.

 

The f/p redo was too dark and small, for me.  The flat screen turned into a black hole on camera.

 

Don't know about that layout??  Upstairs kitchen, hmmm?  I know - layout changes = $$$.

 

They exhausted their budget so it's unfortunate if those extra costs prevented add'l site work, IMHO.

Edited March 26, 2015 by aguabella

[DownTheShore]

I actually preferred the exterior before the remodel, and agree that the new balcony design outside was a poor choice.

But, boy, did I love the new look on the inside with the change-out of all those wooden railings for metal and wire! That really made the home unique and modern. I thought that was a great choice.

One thing that I really like about this show, and that has really surprised me about the Waco area, is the variety of the housing stock. So many of those homes that you would expect to have vanilla layouts either have some unique feature, are on a beautiful piece of property, or else can be reworked in unexpected ways,

[Chit Chat]

But, boy, did I love the new look on the inside with the change-out of all those wooden railings for metal and wire! That really made the home unique and modern. I thought that was a great choice.

I'm not usually a fan of the industrial look, but I thought it looked great in this house.  The original wood looked like they built a deck inside the house.  It was not an attractive feature!  The more they showed the inside of the house, the more I liked it.  However, having that ping pong table on the lower floor with the TV might get a little too loud for whomever is watching TV.  It's for that reason I'm not a big fan of the open floor plan they seem to push on this show.   Our kitchen is open to the den, and I like that, but I've got to have some additional walls to separate other rooms.  YMMV. 

 

I really hated to see that the original brick work was shoddy.  I think Chip did the right thing in taking it down.   I'm sure it would've been very expensive to put it back correctly, so I understand their decision to do the siding, but I didn't like their choice of siding.  The exterior needed something different, but I'm not sure exactly what. 

Edited March 27, 2015 by ChitChat

[GaT]

I'm still catching up with this show & I'm watching the show where the couple want a house with a lakeside feel & I noticed something. When they were showing them the houses the bottom of the wife's hair was pink. When Joanna was showing them what she wanted to do on her computer, the pink was all grown out. How long is the timeline for each house? It had to be a while for her hair to grow out, unless they actually film that part after they do the renovation?

 

EDITED: I posted the above before I saw the entire show, & at the end she has pink hair again, so I has confuse now LOL 

Edited March 27, 2015 by GaT

[Mondrianyone]

I'm still catching up with this show & I'm watching the show where the couple want a house with a lakeside feel & I noticed something. When they were showing them the houses the bottom of the wife's hair was pink. When Joanna was showing them what she wanted to do on her computer, the pink was all grown out. How long is the timeline for each house? It had to be a while for her hair to grow out, unless they actually film that part after they do the renovation?

 

EDITED: I posted the above before I saw the entire show, & at the end she has pink hair again, so I has confuse now LOL 

I thought that was weird as well.  (I don't mean the pink hair itself, but the way it came and went.  Although I also do think that maybe she was a little long in the tooth for pink hair.)  The only thing that made sense to me was that the visit to the farm to choose the options was filmed out of sequence--either before the house hunt and the reveal or after.  I hope it was after.  I'd hate to think she looked that good and then chose to do the pink ends.  Because she did look really good--much more chic and much younger, ironically, with the all-blond hair.

 

Hello, Fixer-Upper forum, by the way!  I didn't even realize you existed until a couple of days ago, even though I've been watching the show since the beginning.

[Chit Chat]

Hello, Fixer-Upper forum, by the way!  I didn't even realize you existed until a couple of days ago, even though I've been watching the show since the beginning.

Welcome to the forum!  I just started watching the show this season.  I'm catching up on some of the re-runs, slowly though!  I didn't even notice the pink hair on the lady in the latest episode!  As far as the timelines, from what I can gather it looks like it varies.  I've seen them have to rush to get a job done for the couple who were expecting, and in most shows it seems like from start to finish on the actual demo, it's not very long.  I'd suspect it's a much longer process pre-demo with acquiring the property, etc.  That can take some time with closing and all. 

 

I am surprised that some of the major problems that Chip finds aren't discovered by an inspector before a couple buys the home.  Granted, they wouldn't know about the rotting insulation due to a lack of the moisture barrier, but the loose bricks?  That really should've been spotted, IMO.  Entire exterior walls were bouncing back upon touch!  That doesn't say much for the inspector. 

Edited March 27, 2015 by ChitChat

[CruiseDiva]

Loose bricks on the entire exterior of the house? I hope that was discovered before those home buyers closed on the sale. Hopefully they didn't pay full asking price. The replacement siding just made the (formerly) brick house look cheap. The little "balcony" did nothing to enhance the appearance.

 

The industrial looking railings and posts inside were an improvement, but I would have rather seen glass inserts instead of the horizontal metal rods stretched between the rails. To me, that gave it the look of a suspension bridge--okay in a loft apartment, but kind of cheesy in a house.

 

The show moves so quickly through the reveal that it's hard to pick up on some of the details so I took a look at JoAnna's blog, where there are photos added each week. This one, http://magnoliahomes.net/the-faceless-bunker/ really picked up a lot that wasn't apparent on the TV. The massive stair treads leading down from the entry floor to the one below are "raw" looking and the intermediary landing box is an odd chunk that takes up a lot of room and looks out of place. The entire staircase looked out of proportion. Also, smack in the middle of the kitchen peninsula is a supporting column that is pretty big for the space. Maybe if it had been painted it would have blended in better. I thought it was odd to have such a large wood column there after they made such a big deal about "opening" up the landing by removing the wood posts and rails.

 

Once again Clint builds a table--what looks for all practical purposes like a picnic table with benches--for the dining room. Doesn't anyone want to be seated in comfortable dining chairs to enjoy a meal? 

 

I thought he fireplace actually looked better with the brick than the black tile. That was a puzzling design change, especially since they left the "exposed" brick walls in the adjacent game room. Hopefully, that brick was secured properly and won't fall on someone's head when they are sitting at the dinky bar. I also noticed at least three different types/shades of wood used throughout.

 

I was disappointed to see that the only master bedroom photo on the blog was an image of the hanging bedside tree trunk "table"--JoAnna designed that to make it look beach-y? Really?

 

And voila! if you don't find anything you like at Home Goods, you can buy most of the accessories JoAnna featured in the house by going to the Magnolia online shop.

[GaT]

Loose bricks on the entire exterior of the house? I hope that was discovered before those home buyers closed on the sale. Hopefully they didn't pay full asking price. 

 

Somewhere above in the thread, somebody (yeah, I know, somebody, somewhere LOL) said that the owners on the show actually already own the house, & the whole "showing them 3 houses" thing is just for the show & means nothing. That makes me wonder if that whole loose brick wall (and all the other crises they come up with every show) are really known problems that they just pretend to have just discovered, but just pretend they don't for the show. I always find it strange that during the phone call the owners don't freak out more, & that they always go along with whatever Joanna or Chip wants to do quickly & somehow always find the extra money.

[Chit Chat]

Once again Clint builds a table--what looks for all practical purposes like a picnic table with benches--for the dining room. Doesn't anyone want to be seated in comfortable dining chairs to enjoy a meal?

The seating wasn't practical at all.  They'll either have to squeeze in to sit on the bench, or pull it out every single time - and those benches were long! 

 

Hopefully they didn't pay full asking price.

IIRC, they ended up paying $340,000, but I can't remember the original asking price.  Was it in the $360's maybe? 

[laredhead]

Watched a recent HH Renovation where the kitchen designed installed a banquet, which I don't like for some of the same reasons as a bench.  Someone is always stuck in the middle, and yes, a bench would be heavy to move.  When I sit down to eat at a table I want a chair that can be easily moved and I want it to have a back.  I If I want to eat a picnic table, I'll do it outside.  

 

GaT, I don't think I would be as calm as the owners are when they get the phone call telling them there are some more costs involved.  I've remodeled several houses, and I think on a few occasions I was less than polite about the discovery of hidden problems.  Maybe people in Waco are extremely nice and calm.   

[auntjess]

 

I actually preferred the exterior before the remodel, and agree that the new balcony design outside was a poor choice.

I thought the new exterior looked really cheap and crappy.

The brick was the best thing it had going for it.  If it wasn't possible to stabilize it, and I'd like to have an opinion from an engineer, then I'd have scrapped something else and replaced it.

I did the the new railings, but was there plexiglass in the panels?  Because if not I don't think the  cables should have been strung horizontally, where they could be climbed on.

[DownTheShore]

I was wondering if a home inspection is a requirement in Texas, pre-sale - what with its government seeming so laissez-faire and everything when it comes to human safety.

I was surprised, too, that there was no way to stabilize that brick by injecting some sort of mortar or adhesive behind it via holes drilled through it, and using some unobtrusive molly bolts to keep things locked in place.

Edited March 28, 2015 by DownTheShore

[auntjess]

I think Mike Holmes could have found a way, or at least tried.
Maybe Chip did, but he never mentioned calling an engineer, which should have been the first step.

[GaT]

GaT, I don't think I would be as calm as the owners are when they get the phone call telling them there are some more costs involved.  I've remodeled several houses, and I think on a few occasions I was less than polite about the discovery of hidden problems.  Maybe people in Waco are extremely nice and calm.   

That's why I think that the problems are already known, the owner is just acting out the conversation, they already knew about the problem when they bought the house. Maybe that was the incentive for them to buy the house, the show told them beforehand that they would fix it, they just had to pretend to not know. Like they pretend that they don't already own the house.

[Chit Chat]

I was surprised, too, that there was no way to stabilize that brick by injecting some sort of mortar or adhesive behind it via holes drilled through it, and using some unobtrusive molly bolts to keep things locked in place.

You've got to have the proper prep work for an entire wall of brick. I believe that it's some sort of rebar or steel mesh that the brick is mortared to.   I spoke to a general contractor a few days ago and we were talking about this show.  He oversees this kind of work and he said that even now he has to watch the brick masons (not to cast shade on all brick masons) to make sure they prep the site correctly.   It sounded like it wasn't an easy or inexpensive fix for a situation like we saw on the show. Sadly, as in any line of work, there will be the ones that do shoddy work.   You just hope they don't take a shortcut on something major, like walls of brick!  That could've been a disaster if any of those walls had fallen on somebody, especially a small child.

[dahling]

I was wondering if a home inspection is a requirement in Texas, pre-sale - what with its government seeming so laissez-faire and everything when it comes to human safety.

 

 

A pre-sale home inspection is not required by law, although if there is a mortgage involved, the lender will require it. I'm not sure why the political dig. We're doing just fine down here, thank y'all very much. :)

[aguabella]

Somewhere above in the thread, somebody (yeah, I know, somebody, somewhere LOL) said that the owners on the show actually already own the house, & the whole "showing them 3 houses" thing is just for the show & means nothing. That makes me wonder if that whole loose brick wall (and all the other crises they come up with every show) are really known problems that they just pretend to have just discovered, but just pretend they don't for the show. I always find it strange that during the phone call the owners don't freak out more, & that they always go along with whatever Joanna or Chip wants to do quickly & somehow always find the extra money.

 

Don't know but it was probably me!  Reality television definitely isn't real.  Production companies don't have the time and/or budgets to stage an actual house hunt - no different than House Hunters.  Typically, the house hunters must either be in escrow or have closed the sale prior to the start of pre-production.  Incidentally, Chip's bios don't reference either a realtor associate license or broker's license - at least when I checked them.

 

WRT the construction dramas, production companies don't do surprises.  They have extensive inspections long before anyone starts filming b/c they absolutely, positively don't want anything coming back later against either them or the network.  The construction dramas would be set up in advance with $$$ set aside in the project's contingency, IMHO.  (I wrote about how contingency funds  operate in real life, above, if you're interested.)  JMHO

 

Incidentally, their local newspaper (the Waco Tribune, IIRC) ran a series of articles and confirmed some of the above.

Edited March 28, 2015 by aguabella

[aguabella]

I was wondering if a home inspection is a requirement in Texas, pre-sale - what with its government seeming so laissez-faire and everything when it comes to human safety.

I was surprised, too, that there was no way to stabilize that brick by injecting some sort of mortar or adhesive behind it via holes drilled through it, and using some unobtrusive molly bolts to keep things locked in place.

 

Doesn't matter if it's required or not - competent realtors don't care to be sued so inspections happen in TX just like everywhere else.  The inspection clause is typically located in the realtors' standard contract forms, including a simple checkbox. 

 

Moreover, when a production company and network is involved in a project, even more care is taken, IMHO.  They don't want anything or anyone coming back to them, post-production.

 

Typically, in my experience, an inspector would either recommend further inspection, .e.g. an engineer's analysis and report and/or include a repair estimate in his/her inspection report.

 

IMHO repairing the brick walls must have been prohibitively expensive.  And, it's usually difficult to impossible to recover any portion of those types of unseen repair items upon resale.  Buyers assume and expect they're purchasing a home that's structurally sound.  JMHO

Edited March 28, 2015 by aguabella

[aguabella]

IIRC, they ended up paying $340,000, but I can't remember the original asking price.  Was it in the $360's maybe? 

 

I always pay attention to the $$$.  In this one, I remember being absolutely amazed that they'd paid 10K more than asking, IIRC.  Perhaps there was a small bidding war, although it wasn't discussed on the show.  Again, IIRC, it was listed at 350K but they paid 360K. 

[aguabella]

Just once, I'd like Joanna to present her 3 options for using the "extra" money and hear the homeowners say, "No thanks, we'd rather keep the cash."

 

I hear ya and that'd be funny but IMHO, b/c the $$$ are small (compared to the total budget), they s/b added to the contingency fund.  Anything remaining in contingency at the end of the project goes back to the homeowner.  (Sorry, that's the boring answer!)

 

Also, I believe these "options" are simply part of the typical design process and that the homeowners participate with Joanna every step of the way.  That's JMHO, however, expressed previously so I won't get back on that soapbox!

 

For this episode, the "island" episode, the "options" included changing out the wooden interior posts and rails to metal and cable wire for the industrial, loft look.  Jo recommended that and sketched it up during their filmed "house tour".  For me, that confirmed it was planned and part of the project from the get-go.  JMHO

 

 

ETA:  BTW, auntjess, I thought about the safety concerns, too and wondered about plexi.  Nope, I checked the reveal - no plexi.  That family had boys, IIRC.  Oops!

Edited March 28, 2015 by aguabella

[GaT]

I've still got 2 more shows before I'm completely caught up, but at this point I kind of feel like I don't even have to watch to know what everything is going to look like. Joanna has a definite set style (wood, shabby chic) & all the houses end up looking pretty much the same. Also, does every kitchen need an island? I don't have an island in mine, & I like it that way.

[aguabella]

I'm curious about the 30K figure - where'd you hear that?

 

 

 

Have been hearing this as the going reimbursement rate for these HGTV renovation shows for at least the past couple of years, e.g. Income Property, Love it ..., HH Reno, etc.  Thought I read it somewhere for this one, too.

 

In addition, they receive a lovely parting gift of an IRS Form 1099 for both cash plus the value, at retail BTW, of any goods and services received free of charge.  That probably includes Jo's design services, IMHO, although tptb might bill Jo as a portion of the 30K. 

[aguabella]

Loose bricks on the entire exterior of the house? I hope that was discovered before those home buyers closed on the sale. Hopefully they didn't pay full asking price. The replacement siding just made the (formerly) brick house look cheap. The little "balcony" did nothing to enhance the appearance.

 

The industrial looking railings and posts inside were an improvement, but I would have rather seen glass inserts instead of the horizontal metal rods stretched between the rails. To me, that gave it the look of a suspension bridge--okay in a loft apartment, but kind of cheesy in a house.

 

The show moves so quickly through the reveal that it's hard to pick up on some of the details so I took a look at JoAnna's blog, where there are photos added each week. This one, http://magnoliahomes.net/the-faceless-bunker/ really picked up a lot that wasn't apparent on the TV. The massive stair treads leading down from the entry floor to the one below are "raw" looking and the intermediary landing box is an odd chunk that takes up a lot of room and looks out of place. The entire staircase looked out of proportion. Also, smack in the middle of the kitchen peninsula is a supporting column that is pretty big for the space. Maybe if it had been painted it would have blended in better. I thought it was odd to have such a large wood column there after they made such a big deal about "opening" up the landing by removing the wood posts and rails.

 

Once again Clint builds a table--what looks for all practical purposes like a picnic table with benches--for the dining room. Doesn't anyone want to be seated in comfortable dining chairs to enjoy a meal? 

 

I thought he fireplace actually looked better with the brick than the black tile. That was a puzzling design change, especially since they left the "exposed" brick walls in the adjacent game room. Hopefully, that brick was secured properly and won't fall on someone's head when they are sitting at the dinky bar. I also noticed at least three different types/shades of wood used throughout.

 

I was disappointed to see that the only master bedroom photo on the blog was an image of the hanging bedside tree trunk "table"--JoAnna designed that to make it look beach-y? Really?

 

And voila! if you don't find anything you like at Home Goods, you can buy most of the accessories JoAnna featured in the house by going to the Magnolia online shop.

 

 

Agree with you on all points, CruiseDiva.  Noticed the same thing about the photos on the blog.  Was expecting/hoping to see before/after shots of each and every space.  Instead, they were lacking and IIRC, the last 4 photos were close-ups of small Magnolia Shoppe trinkets.  Yeah, no mbr photo, whatsoever!

 

WRT Home Goods, these people sure drew the short straw, huh?  Having to do the HG episode, yuch!  Those rugs looked nearly as rough as sandpaper.  I'd ask them how quickly they could retrieve all that crap after the reveal.

 

But, did we discover Jo's secret?  Everyone notice the large clock when they walked into HG?  Is that what she's doing, i.e. buying HG junk and marking it up 4x for the Magnolia Shoppe?  Was It the same one she's been using?  (I don't know - haven't ever been into an HG.)

 

Hope this doesn't mean that Sears and/or Ikea are next!

Edited March 28, 2015 by aguabella

[Chit Chat]

IMHO repairing the brick walls must have been prohibitively expensive.

 

It's usually a lot of work and more expensive to retrofit something.  We're just working on small projects in our home, and retrofitting is standard in our situation!  Finding things to work with items installed 30+ years ago can be a challenge!   As soon as Chip pushed on those exterior brick walls and they bounced back, I ran out and pushed on all of ours just to be sure!!  As much as I'm outdoors and doing some project around the house, I would've noticed something like that, but to be safe, I checked it anyway.   As I've said before, I do wish they would show less of the shopping for the staging items, and more of the actual construction. 

[WildPlum]

WRT to the cable railings - they are still allowed via the ICC and most local building codes for new construction and remodels (I'd say ALL local building codes, but I am sure there is one somewhere that disallows them). There is some talk of changes in the ICC that horizontal railngs, cable, stringers, whatever may be banned because of the potential climbing hazard. We already have the "4 inch baby head" rule, which is that stair railings can't be more than 4" apart to reduce the hazard of children getting their heads stuck. Trust me, I have had a baby (albeit a couple of decades ago) - their heads are bigger than that at birth. I could see why someone with small children might not want horizontal railings/cables, but I'd hate to see them not allowed by code.

 

I am always amused when some of the reno shows run into code problems - I think it was LIOLI where they wanted to do a single change to the stairs and because of some other code issues, they couldn't make the single change without bringing the entire staircase up to code, which wasn't possible without completely ripping the staircase out and changing the structure of the second floor. The contractor was guessing $8,000-$12,000 for the change.

It's usually a lot of work and more expensive to retrofit something.  We're just working on small projects in our home, and retrofitting is standard in our situation!  Finding things to work with items installed 30+ years ago can be a challenge!   As soon as Chip pushed on those exterior brick walls and they bounced back, I ran out and pushed on all of ours just to be sure!!  As much as I'm outdoors and doing some project around the house, I would've noticed something like that, but to be safe, I checked it anyway.   As I've said before, I do wish they would show less of the shopping for the staging items, and more of the actual construction. 

 

One of the things Chip is really terrible about (although they did talk about it on one show and then seem to have forgotten it) is that instead of just smashing things, they could be removed and reused elsewhere. The unsupported brick walls could have been taken down (believe me, with that much flex, they'd have come down easily) and then put back up selectively to give the house a little more curb appeal. I don;t think that (relatively) it would have added huge cost.

[aguabella]

It's usually a lot of work and more expensive to retrofit something. 

 

As I've said before, I do wish they would show less of the shopping for the staging items, and more of the actual construction. 

 

I'm with you about retrofitting but this was structural and that's usually $$$.  The answer is, IMHO, it depends.  Depends upon the relative estimates and sometimes project completion dates, carrying costs, etc.  The original brick was much more attractive, to me, anyway, than the white siding.  Too bad they couldn't retain it. 

 

I'd be happy if they'd eliminate all shopping, i.e. for both staging items and the previously purchased home.  If they insist on retaining the house hunting portion, it'd be nice if they'd at least do it justice.  Lately, I've noticed that they only tour the common areas + master.  Sometimes, it's to allow time for the Chip comedy routine.  Not my fave - 

 

Yeah, if they'd cut out shopping for this episode, it would have been terrific to hear more of the details of this project and the other options considered before going with the white siding, if any.  My choices, based purely on the aesthetics, without any other info would have been brick or natural siding, in that order.

[GaT]

I'd be happy if they'd eliminate all shopping, i.e. for both staging items and the previously purchased home.  

 

I'm still confused about this, is Joanna just staging the house, or is that part of the redo? Since she uses things that are so similar in all the houses, why would she have to shop for every house if it's just staging? She should already have tons of stuff that she could use. The only reason I can think of for shopping for each house is if the stuff is going to stay with the owners. Unless of course the shopping isn't real.

[Maya]

I definitely recognize the same things over and over -- specifically those white flower stems she arranges in three glass vases on each and every mantle.

[auntjess]

 

WRT to the cable railings - they are still allowed via the ICC and most local building codes for new construction and remodels (I'd say ALL local building codes, but I am sure there is one somewhere that disallows them).

I go by Ontario code.  I live in Florida, was in Maryland, but if I've learned anything from HGTV & DIY, it's what is and isn't allowed in Ontario.

And almost every other house I've seen, except once in Montana, they use vertical rails, though some wrought iron ones have curilcues that can be climbed on.

I liked the look, but wished they'd set the cables in plexiglas.

[GaT]

I definitely recognize the same things over and over -- specifically those white flower stems she arranges in three glass vases on each and every mantle.

I decided to check the site for the farm & I can't tell the difference between the farm & any of the houses they have done. They are decorated exactly the same, it's like she just copies whatever she has at home into the house. The very first picture of the interior is the front entry, & there are those white flowers. Maybe she buys them in bulk? 

[CruiseDiva]

This is what it says on the HGTV website in the "Be on HGTV" page for Fixer Upper:

Are you in the process of buying a fixer-upper in the Waco, Texas, area (within a 50-mile radius)? You're in luck! Fixer Upper, the hit HGTV series, is back and searching for homebuyers.

 

Is the house you're considering in your dream location, but the house itself needs work? Are there dilemmas like a clunky layout, bad flow or outdated design that you're dying to fix? With our experts' vision, we'll help you transform your fixer-upper into the right home in the right location!

 

Homeowners MUST have the budget to contribute to your renovation. Minimum contribution is $30,000.

In terms of the final product, apparently anything that isn't installed permanently is all staging and an earlier post by someone who lives in the area said a truck arrives after the reveal to move it all out. So, to answer the "shopping" question... yes, it appears to be fake in terms of what is actually left behind. Unless of course what JoAnnna & Chip purchase is for one of those permanent installations (probably like chandeliers and other light fixtures).

 

I've seen it speculated that the homeowners can pay for anything they want to keep and  wonder if the "custom" things like the Clint Harp tables and metal cut-out quotations that hang on the walls are included in the reno budget. The reason I wonder about the latter is that I've seen identical pieces with the quotations for sale in the Magnolia online store. 

[Margo Leadbetter]

I think there's a lot of staging going on in all HGTV but I seem to recall (posts on TWOP about Candice Olson) that the homeowners have the option to buy if they want to. Sort of makes sense that it wouldn't all be "real" since if the homeowners had a hand in every little purchase—as they should since it's THEIR home and I can't see anyone turning 100% of the design and purchases over to a designer, no matter how talented—there'd be very little surprise at the reveal.

 

Mr. Leadbetter sometimes watches this with me and he just came into the room as said, "When did Chip turn into such a buffoon?" Seriously, HGTV, dial it down a notch or 12. There was a nice sense of playfulness at the beginning, but this is obviously an intelligent and successful guy. No need to make him look like an idiot (although he's definitely on board with it, I guess.)

 

One thing that I've been thinking about lately, and it refers back to a number of comments way upthread, is how much of the Gaineses religious beliefs play into this show. They do appear to be at least fundie-lite (their on-camera relationship and the way Joanna dresses certainly aren't hard-core fundie) but it's interesting that AFIK not ONE of their clients has been a same-sex couple, which is highly unusual for HGTV. Now some of this could be because the Waco area (and most of Texas) isn't exactly gay-friendly so those clients just aren't there, but after the recent debacle with Benham Brothers, I wonder if HGTV is trying to downplay the Gaineses beliefs and hope that no one notices the lack of diversity in that area (they HAVE featured mixed race couples).

[WildPlum]

We've had, what, 20 episodes so far? Waco has an msa population of about 230,000 (or so Wiki says). Although there is at least one LGBT ministry in Waco that I found on a quick google search, I am guessing that the % of the population in the Waco msa that is same-sex is pretty low, particularly given that Baylor is a Baptist university.

 

I'd PREFER to think that a small % of the population just hasn't been represented rather than the equally likely possibility that people don't care to have their orientation broadcast on TV in the area and try for a lower profile.

Edited March 29, 2015 by WildPlum