Bargain Block - General Discussion

[CrazyInAlabama]

Tonight's new one "1950's Surprises"

50's House-3 bed 1 bath 1200 sq ft listed at $25k, and could sell for $100k.  Lots of floor damage from water, and roof damage.  Kitchen is big.  2 first floor bedrooms are smallish, upstairs bedroom is big, and all pink.  Hardwoods will have to go, roof needs major work.   Then, there's about half of the front wall missing, with more damages on the side wall connected to it. 

Lots of kitchen cabinets.  They managed to replicate the cove ceiling in the living room corner.  In the bathroom they put another layer of wall tile over the original. Keith is doing a two colors of velvet boards on the wall.  I love seeing the huge farmer's market, Shed 5 at Eastern Market.   They have food, and plants too.  

Listed at $110k.    The house is adorable.  Kitchen, dining, and living are beautiful.  Main/upstairs bedroom is spectacular, and huge. 

Chunky House- The next door neighbor comes by to look at the work on 50's House, and wants to sell his house for $40k. It's 3 bed 1 bath 1200 sq ft, $40k.  They buy the house, and Keith has a totally bizarre idea of his theme. Upstairs bedroom is huge.   I'm not a fan of the charcoal gray exterior.  They need to finish quicker, and so they have hired extra help. Two people have stopped by to ask when the house will be on the market. 

I love the kitchen cabinets and back splash tile. I really like the living room, dining/kitchen.  I love the art work. Bathroom is really nice.  The owner's suite upstairs is huge.  

$120k list. 

Shea has big news for Keith and Evan, she's having a baby!   Keith's so cute, he says he wanted to be her only baby.   He's going to design the nursery.  

Edited June 28, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[Tina2]

So, are the complaints because the guys fixing up the home are white?   Prior to their renovation of the rundown homes, did any folks on this site attempt to do what they're doing?  Will you all have sold the homes furnished and at fair market values or try to get someone to pay a small fortune?   Would the home decor be any better or cookie cutter?  

Yes, I'm a fan of the show and the guys.  I may not care for some of the decor, but realize art is subjective.  I hope they continue to fix up these rundown, blighted homes.

[Back Atcha]

In seeing several OLD comments I wonder of posters realize that there are codes that are enforced...and local regulations that must be followed.  These guys don't just breeze in and do slipshod work and then wheel their little shopping cart* to the next block.  Things are done legally in the jurisdiction...and for the production company.  *I know they've grown beyond that shopping cart, but it was so charming.  I love those guys.

[akg]

On 6/22/2022 at 10:01 PM, CrazyInAlabama said:

I love seeing the huge farmer's market, Shed 5 at Eastern Market.   They have food, and plants too.  

I was just there! Apparently it's a lot smaller now than it was pre-Covid but we still managed to fill my mom's Escape with plants.

16 hours ago, Back Atcha said:

In seeing several OLD comments I wonder of posters realize that there are codes that are enforced...and local regulations that must be followed.  These guys don't just breeze in and do slipshod work and then wheel their little shopping cart* to the next block.  Things are done legally in the jurisdiction...and for the production company.

I hope so. I've seen a lot of articles about HGTV renovations that weren't done safely or to code, however, leaving homeowners with costly fixes.

I liked both houses this week, although I was ready to throw something at the tv if I heard the word "chunky" one more time. 

It's so weird to me that they never seem to negotiate on house prices (except that one time for Shea's house). None of the prices have been outrageous but, if you walk in a house to discover flooring like in the 50s house or massive piles of trash, it seems reasonable (to me) to at least ask for a discount (which I suppose they might be doing and don't mention it because the sellers all say no. Which does not reflect well on Shea).

[Cetacean]

I missed the Eastern Market episode!  Growing up in Royal Oak we made the weekly Saturday run for the fruits, vegetables, and flowers for all of my childhood.  It's a fantastic place.

Love these guys for what they are doing.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I think a lot of these houses are bought from the city, for back taxes. Some have been abandoned for years, and that's how they have those massive prices for taxes from adding up over the years.      At one time there was a proposal to tear down entire empty blocks, and turn that back into farmland.     So there are a lot of empty, abandoned houses.      

Most of the abandoned homes are owned by the Detroit Land Bank.   This is out of the Detroit Free Press, :

"The Detroit Land Bank owns nearly 30,000 residential structures in the city, and with as many as 4,300 of them occupied — it's a magnitude unlike any other place."  (from the rest of the article, many of the 4300 residents are squatters). 

I'm guessing they own the house before filming, probably in the waiting period between buying and getting permits issues, and remodeling planned. 

I'm watching what is listed as Season 1 Episode 1, but I don't think it was the pilot, Shea is in this one, and I think there was a blonde realtor in the pilot.     

Keith says they're on the list for both houses, that are beside each other.   Then, Shea says the city auctions them off from a list of over 4,000 homes.   

Shea talks about the first house is the comp for the others they buy on the block, so after the first one, they have a comp for appraisals, and then prices go up after they do the first house. As Evan and Keith said they sell a lifestyle with coordinating furnishings, not just a remodeled house.   This one was pre-shopping cart.    They do the design and furnishings (with their thrifting they can furnish an entire house for about $2,000, resulting in more appraised value).   The finished homes are presenting an entire cohesive design, and the furniture and decor fits into that.   

This episode is "Desert Modern and Mid-Century Museum", this is the one where they scrape the peeling paint in the dining room, so it's tan, yellowish beige, and some gray, and paint a clear coat over it, it's on the previews for the show.  The scene where they are going to some kind of thrift sale is hysterical, they get so much stuff that their pick up truck looks like the Beverly Hillbillies. 

I looked on realtor dot com, and putting in under $100k, 3 bed, 1 bath, single family, produced a ton of houses.   I guess they'll never run out of homes to remodel.  One of the houses they redid but wasn't featured on TV, cost $12,000, and sold for $120,000.        

Eastern Market is featured on "1950's Surprises" at the 28 minute mark.  If anyone wants to record it, it's running now, but rerunning at 2 a.m. Central time tonight/early tomorrow morning. 

Tonight's new one is "Zen and Dollhouse"  Zen is a bungalow, and Dollhouse is a duplex, and they open their Nine Design storefront.   

Zen House is next to the first house they renovated on the block. It's their fourth on the block $4,000 purchase price, 2 bed 1 bath, 735 sq. ft.,  they have to go in the boarded up side door.  You know it's a bad sign when both men, and Shea put on masks. The house is two and three feet deep in junk.  The back and side yards are a total jungle. The yard is so awful that you can't see an entire boat trailer under the weeds. They're wearing haz mat suits to clean out the house interior.    There's an old video camera pointed at the middle of the bedroom.  

Zen house has a lot of rotten plaster, and carpenter ants in the siding. Now mold, so the house will have 85% new drywall. 

Because the reno will cost $60k instead of $40k, they're doing their own back splash and bathroom tiling.   I would have removed the pine tree right by the front door.   The Zen house is adorable!   I love the furniture, the art work.  I love the bathroom. 

Then, they show the opening of the Nine Design store.   I love their store. 

Dollhouse is a duplex, upper 2 bed 1 bath, and downstairs 2 bed 1 bath, and they want to redo it, and rent it out,   However, the stairs come up from the first floor, so don't they need another entrance?    $1000 to $1200 a month for rent for each floor. It cost $25k, they want to put $90k into it.  1st floor bath floor is original.   

Keith trying to get the first floor kitchen microwave off the wall is hysterical.  Downstairs will be classic with vintage features.  Second floor will be Boho Artist theme.   I wouldn't do portable art on the walls in a rental.

To be a legal duplex it has to have two circuit breaker electric panels, HVAC/furnaces. and meters.     They'll have to run duct work for each furnace.     They're pausing on the duplex, and finishing the Zen house for money.  The quote for electrical is $7k extra, 2100 Plumbing, HAVC $6900 adds up to $15k extra.  So duplex is not a viable rental.   And will have to wait for another episode. 

So, it's not finished, and I bet not a rental either.    It would be great for two apartments for a family, since the stairs to the second floor are accessed through the first floor living space.

I'm enjoying the rerun episodes from today, Season 1, episodes 1 and 2. .     

In a season 1 episode I recorded, they explain that they do so much design, and furnished homes, because the neighboring homes are appraised tens of thousands lower than their remodels, so the extra design elements, and furnishings, makes it appraise higher, so they make a profit.   After they get one house sold, that gives them a solid comp at the higher price, so others in the same area appraise at real market value, no longer dragged down by the neighboring houses that aren't remodeled. 

Edited July 1, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[auntjess]

On 6/28/2022 at 4:12 PM, Back Atcha said:

In seeing several OLD comments I wonder of posters realize that there are codes that are enforced...and local regulations that must be followed.  These guys don't just breeze in and do slipshod work and then wheel their little shopping cart* to the next block.  Things are done legally in the jurisdiction...and for the production company. 

,,,unlike  another HGTV person who did crappy renos in Detroit.

[Vivigirl10]

This is a feel good show and I'm here for it!

I am puzzled by one thing.  Goodness knows I have never laid tile, but I've watched a lot of people do it on HGTV shows 😄  Keith and Evan never use spacers.  Is this common?  It seems like on other shows, they always use spacers.  To be honest, I'm not even sure what their purpose is.  For grouting??  Is it better workmanship to use them?

[Cetacean]

2 minutes ago, Kiki620 said:

To be honest, I'm not even sure what their purpose is.  For grouting??  Is it better workmanship to use them?

It's to ensure the spaced between each tile is exactly the same so that the grout lines are all the same size as well.  Not sure why the guys don't  use them, though.

[Back Atcha]

3 hours ago, Kiki620 said:

To be honest, I'm not even sure what their purpose is.  For grouting??  Is it better workmanship to use them?

I checked YouTube and there are too many explanations...but mostly it's to assure "spacing."  The videos are short and interesting.

[Back Atcha]

On 6/29/2022 at 7:54 AM, CrazyInAlabama said:

 I would have removed the pine tree right by the front door.   

Perhap$$$ they wanted to and it just wasn't in the budget.

On 6/29/2022 at 5:24 AM, akg said:

It's so weird to me that they never seem to negotiate on house prices (except that one time for Shea's house). None of the prices have been outrageous but, if you walk in a house to discover flooring like in the 50s house or massive piles of trash, it seems reasonable (to me) to at least ask for a discount (which I suppose they might be doing and don't mention it because the sellers all say no. Which does not reflect well on Shea).

Most of the houses are owned by a Detroit bank--the list is their death knell...time for negotiating passed long ago.  "What you don't see is what you get."  Additionally, this is a TV show--there's time to provide only so much information--most of us are interested in the beautiful transformations.  Your last statement about Shea, a professional, seems unkind since there are no actual "sellers."   I really enjoy you, Shea, the expertise you bring to the projects, and the charm you bring to the show.

Edited July 1, 2022 by Back Atcha

[auntjess]

I watched several today, so not sure which one, but when you find bees, you call a beekeeper who will gather them and re-hive them.
They should know that.
I hated when they dropped the second bath; that would be the last thing I'd sacrifice, especially with a 4 bedroom home.

[CrazyInAlabama]

Shea's house was a regular sale, and therefore, negotiable.    If you look at realtor dot com, put in Detroit, under $100k, 3 bed, 1 bath, and single family, and you get hundreds of homes that aren't Land Bank owned.   Add in the 30,000 or so Land Bank homes, and buildings, and there are a lot of options for remodeling.   

You could also hire Keith and Evan to redo the house for you.    I know they do a lot of homes that aren't shown on TV.   One factor about buying in Detroit is the property taxes vs. much lower taxes in homes that are just across from the Detroit city line.    

With Land Bank homes you get on a list, and they don't negotiate.   Not like your usual homes that are listed on the MLS, are negotiable, usually you can tour.  With Land Bank properties, you can tour them by appointment, for $35 per tour.   If you go into a Land Bank property without the tour appointment, it's trespassing. Then, with Land Bank homes, you also have to tour or visit the house, because of squatters.     There are an estimated 4300 squatters in the 30,000 Land Bank properties too.   

They do the first one or two houses with a lot of design elements, to get a higher appraisal price, and once they get a good comp. the others they do on the same street or block now have high comps from the sales of the first remodels.   So, they don't have to go so over the top with the houses that follow the first one or two.    That's why they are OK with paying more for the second, or following homes, because they know exactly what the comp is, because they sold it.   

With regular sales there is the possibility of negotiation.   There might be some failed flips too, where the buyer ran out of money or interest, and will resell to get some money back, and get rid of the project.   They might be negotiable too. 

Edited July 6, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[auntjess]

3 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

here might be some failed flips too, where the buyer ran out of money or interest, and will resell to get some money back, and get rid of the project.   They might be negotiable too. 

I saw them do one of those recently, where someone had made a good start, but I guess ran out of money.

[sheetmoss]

13 hours ago, Cetacean said:

It's to ensure the spaced between each tile is exactly the same so that the grout lines are all the same size as well.  Not sure why the guys don't  use them, though.

Sometimes for aesthetics, you want minimal grout lines  - so no spacers are needed

So a show recently were the had the most minimal grout lines on the marble floor tiles they were laying because they wanted it to look  more like a slab was used

ETA - Some professional don't use spacers because they have an 'eye'  for keeping grout lines consistent

Edited July 1, 2022 by sheetmoss

[mojito]

I noticed at the beginning of the last three shows I watched that the background music tries to replicate the old 60s and 70s Motown sound. They've probably done this all along, but I generally ignore background music. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

They're rerunning the Zen and Dollhouse episode, with the new episode showing the completion of the Dollhouse project.  The dollhouse project is truly a nightmare.   With the staircase in the middle of the main floor unit to access the second floor unit, I see this as a project to have two living spaces for an extended family. 

New, "Minimalist and Dollhouse Completed". 

Dollhouse needs 2 electrical panels, 2 furnace/air conditioning systems, duct work, plumbing equaling $15,000 extra to be a legal duplex.  They should rename Dollhouse to Money Pit.   Dollhouse will be converted back to a single family home, with  5 bedrooms, 2 baths, with lots of pink outside and inside, and is called the Modern Dollhouse.    Bathroom floor is original terrazzo.   

 I love seeing Keith and Evan's Classy Cape they live in.   

New house is Minimalist, 2 bed 1 bath, 1,000 sq ft, listed at $35000, it's a regular sale and should go cheaper (it was bought at $25000).   Dining room is massive. As usual, kitchen is disgusting, and tiny. bedrooms are small.  They want to flip it quick, and sell it so they can put the profits into the Modern Dollhouse.  They skim coat, and texturize the Minimalist house, and the Dollhouse. 

They always have a changing array of cuts and scrapes, and bandages.    

Dollhouse they finished paint and drywall.  Keith wants to fix the clawfoot tub, and strip the outside paint.   I wish they would use effective respirators while stripping paint from the tub. 

The Minimalist house will be light and bright.   Kitchen cabinets are light, with butcher block counters.   Keith is doing a geometric mural on the bedroom wall, with a light beige on the white walls.   

Keith is using leftover caulk to make a textural picture of a tree, and with leftover butcher block they're doing a headboard for a queen size bed.   The exterior of the minimalist house is dark blue, blush, and grey or black.   Minmalist cost $77000, listed at $99,900.  The finished kitchen is small but lovely.    My only criticism is the bathroom vanity could have been longer. 

At the dollhouse, board and batten on the front lookes great.  They're painting the exteror a bright green, with a blush pink front door.  The kitchen backsplash is clearance tile in dark green (looks suspiciously like Unsellable Houses, and Zombie House Flipping tile, that everyone said was clearance rack).   Pink and white stripes sounds awful, so Keith settled for a bright pink outline around the arch.  The dollhouse wood furniture is being painted bright colors, turquoise dining chairs, and a bright green table.   Evan wants the staging furniture to be removable, leaving neutral walls and floors.  Red, pink, green, turquoise, yellow

Dollhouse 5 bed 2 bath, 1780 sq ft, bought for $25k, $90k reno, $169,900 list.   Kitchen, dining, 1st floor bath with the claw foot tub ,  and living are spectacular.   Second floor has capet, not hardwoods. staged 1 bedroom as an office, the other 4 bedrooms are lovely, 

(I don't think they said what the selling prices were for either house.   However, they may have filmed the reveal before the certificate of occupancy was issued, after all the final inspections happened.   I bet the inspection department is really backed up. I don't think you can offer a property for sale until all inspections are done, and a CofO is issued).

Here's an article about why the city owns so much property in the Detroit Land Bank, one reason is that houses were not only over assessed, but some homes taxes were unpaid, and people who bought the house have to pay the back taxes.  

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/families-forced-out-of-homes-due-to-city-s-property-tax-demand-seek-justice/ar-AAZkmAb?ocid=mailsignout&pc=U591&cvid=2b55d571535146f0b9b50b1e4eec33b7

The most interesting part of the article is that 1 in 4 homes in Detroit were foreclosed on between 2011 and 2015.  

Edited July 7, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[Cetacean]

I would love to see what they actually sold the dollhouse for.

[BrainyBlonde]

1 hour ago, Cetacean said:

I would love to see what they actually sold the dollhouse for.

Me too. We weren't told that either of last night's houses sold, were we?

With the changing seasons and Shae's now-you-see-it, now-you-don't baby bump, it's easy to see that these BB renos take a really long time!

[auntjess]

I wonder if some of rhe houses they;ve done are these.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/families-forced-out-of-homes-due-to-city-s-property-tax-demand-seek-justice/ar-AAZkmAb?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=40d3e8ad4f614ed4bb6e7bfa442cf8c0

[CrazyInAlabama]

I wondered about that, but I think most of the homes redone on the show were abandoned more than 10 years.     One of the neighbors said the dollhouse has been empty and deteriorating for a lot of years.   

[Back Atcha]

6 hours ago, BrainyBlonde said:

8 hours ago, Cetacean said:

I would love to see what they actually sold the dollhouse for.

Me too. We weren't told that either of last night's houses sold, were we?

Maybe the dollhouse wasn't sold by the end of the season's filming.

[Lake Erie Lass]

I laughed for five full minutes when Keith tried to get that microwave off the wall in the dollhouse. Just reading CrazyinAlabama’s response above made me laugh all over again. I really like these guys and thought most of their design ideas on Rock the Block were better than the other teams. Appreciate their mission as well as their talent.

[Cetacean]

1 hour ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

I wondered about that, but I think most of the homes redone on the show were abandoned more than 10 years. 

And a lot of them come from the Land Bank as well. It's not like they are turning these into $200K McMansions.  They are keeping the footprint of these basic, small homes but renovating them to make them able to be lived in.

I honestly don't think this is the same as gentrification.  It's improving the neighborhoods for the folks who still live there, not focusing on forcing them out.

[KayVeeTeeVee]

On 6/12/2021 at 8:50 AM, justdoit10 said:

Yep.  It is insulting to think the poor  want to live in those other weirdo  designs when they wouldn't live in them themselves., like a headboard full of branches, a room completely color blocked, spray painted gold cabinets, and on and on. They hurt their credibility.  They can make nice designs without making them cringe worthy.

Those gold cabinets were cringe worthy, especially since there was a silver dishwasher! 

[CrazyInAlabama]

They said with the first house on a block, or street, that they do the over the top design, and sell them furnished to get the appraiser to price them higher.   Once they have a comp from a sale, the others nearby they redo can be more conventional.       Also, if they have a block where the houses are already priced where the remodeled house should be, then they just do something that is more traditional, because they already have comps to use for appraisals, and meets the appraisal amount they need to make a profit.       

I like their remodels better than Good Bones, where everything sells for hundreds of thousands, and some for $500k and up.   However, prices in Indianapolis have really shot up since Good BOnes started, and the neighborhoods they work in have rapidly increased in value too. 

On Home Town Erin said that finding the really cheap homes in Laurel is much more difficult too, because of price rises.  

Edited July 9, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[MsJamieDornan]

 Keith should really design a better exterior for some of these homes. A lot of them are the same and look cheap.

[CrazyInAlabama]

So on this morning's HGTV rerun marathon, they're showing the Dollhouse completion second episode, and then the first episode.    Who thought this was a good idea? 

There's a new show starting tonight on HGTV, "Steal This House", it's also based in Detroit, but it looks like the more affluent burbs.   The premise is the host Cristy Lee shops for homes, remodels to fit the people, and to their budget.    The budgets are a lot more than the Bargain Block sale price, even the Dollhouse, the first episode is a $500k budget with reno.   So, the prices are five times the selling price of the BB homes, and 2 1/2 times the Dollhouse price. 

Edited July 10, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[izabella]

On 7/8/2022 at 11:35 AM, CrazyInAlabama said:

I like their remodels better than Good Bones, where everything sells for hundreds of thousands, and some for $500k and up.   

On Good Bones they started out renovating run down houses like the ones on this show, but they must have run out of those because they aren't doing that much anymore.  Good Bones is also very different in that they always put additions on the houses or add entire second floors, and put in expensive finishes like marble countertops.  They end up increasing the prices to levels people in the neighborhoods can't afford, instead of keeping them the same size and shape as the original starter home was. 

This show is much better at just doing reno on the houses so people can live in them, rather than creating a much bigger house with pricey finishes.  That makes them true starter homes that fit in the neighborhood and add more affordable housing to areas where it's needed.

That's one of the reasons I was hooked on Home Town - they did cute houses fit for their neighborhoods and weren't always trying to turn them into McMansions with additions.

[BookLover]

I'm not clear if the guys install dishwashers in these homes. Has anyone noticed?

[Back Atcha]

9 hours ago, BookLover said:

I'm not clear if the guys install dishwashers in these homes. Has anyone noticed?

I think I've heard some of the open house tourists comment on a dishwasher now and then.  It's probably rare.

[Cetacean]

9 hours ago, BookLover said:

I'm not clear if the guys install dishwashers in these homes. Has anyone noticed?

Most of the kitchens are quite small so a dishwasher would eat up valuable space. Plus, unlike a range and refrigerator, appliances like a dishwasher, washer, and dryer are all expendable.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I'm watching the rerun of (Chez Shea)Shea's house, and French Country, why did they paint what looked like gray vinyl siding green?    

On the version of Door to Door: White Box and Cottage, I love they give the prices for some finishes, like the back splash tile.   

Another reason not to have a dishwasher is they would have to run extra plumbing, electrical, etc.   I would rather have the cabinet space, instead of another appliance to maintain. 

I suspect a lot of these homes are already under contract, and some of the outrageous designs are to meet the clients ideas for the house. 

Shea is so smart to always wear tall rubber boots to look at the houses. 

New, "Wild West and Vintage Circus"

First house Wild West has a shaky looking floor, but it's a good size house. The usual, 2 bed 1 bath first floor, and second floor huge bedroom.   He wants a brown tan & white color palette, and have features from his Texas background.  This disagreement over keeping the bathroom white wall tile is about the worst issue the men have had in a while, still not that bad.  I like the kitchen plan with space for 4 bar stools.   They do use stock cabinets, so they have to add the cabinet sizes correctly. Keith wants Evan and Shea to do cowboy dress for the open house, she's on board, Evan says no.    The exterior is spectacular after.  I love the house.   And if you don't like the wall mural, it will take very little paint to get rid of it.  I love the dining furniture, adn the redone kitchen.   I like the back splash in the kitchen too.  I love they saved the wall tile in the bath, and the floor tile they picked is so vintage, and pretty.   The upstairs bedroom is huge, and has it's own sitting room, and I love the horse statue.   

Second House, Vintage Circus.  intersting outside 3 bed 1 bath $80k,  The floor sag issue is that someone took 2 of 3 support posts out.  The kitchen cabinets will stay, and save a lot of money.  only bath is on the second floor and tiny.   Bedrooms are big, living, dining, kitchen are big.  But the structural engineer will have to look at the support post issue.   They bought for asking price, $80k.   They're donating the existing granite counter tops, will paint the kitchen cabinets pink, and butcher block counters.  I never thought I would hear Classic, and Parisian, and Circus as a house theme.  

The basement beam issue, quote 1 is $15,000, quote 2 $1200 is only jack up sagging parts, and put two poles.   If they had to go with the first quote, they would have sold the house to another remodeler.  The basement structural posts are too tall, but that gets fixed, and the house is now sound I hope. 

Keith and Evan are going to Round Top Texas for the staging materials.  Lots of designers and remodelers go to Round Top for furnishings, and decor items.  Jolie at  Junk Gypsies is the first store.  (I've seen Round Top mention on other HGTV shows too.  Driving from Detroit to Round Top is 20 hours drive. 

Shea's gender reveal party is spectacular.   Shea's dog Sophie is adorable.  Keith and Evan will do the nursery design for Shea. 

The finish of Vintage Circus will be on the next episode, with another one. 

Edited July 15, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[buttersister]

That post work was scary. And as enthusiastic as they all were about the Wild West house, there was obviously no “immediate” offer. Paging a buyer that fled Texas!

[Back Atcha]

6 hours ago, buttersister said:

That post work was scary.

I didn't see "the post work" yet.  Was it completed during that episode?  I was assuming it was some sort of "to be continued," story.

[CrazyInAlabama]

11 hours ago, Back Atcha said:

I didn't see "the post work" yet.  Was it completed during that episode?  I was assuming it was some sort of "to be continued," story.

Yes, it's continued next week.   Just like the Dollhouse project that went from a duplex, to a single family, but was shown over two episodes. .   

The ending of the episode was abrupt, just like the Dollhouse continued episode. 

Edited July 15, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[mojito]

Oh, Keith...

[Back Atcha]

6 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

11 hours ago, Back Atcha said:

I didn't see "the post work" yet.  Was it completed during that episode?  I was assuming it was some sort of "to be continued," story.

Yes, it's continued next week.   Just like the Dollhouse project that went from a duplex, to a single family.   

WHEW!!!   Thanks, CrazyInAlabama...

[buttersister]

Quote

I didn't see "the post work" yet.  Was it completed during that episode?  I was assuming it was some sort of "to be continued," story.

What CrazyinAlambama said. I know they can do lost of work, but when they put that metal post in place (not to mention it was the wrong size), and talked about cementing it in place, I share your concern! Scary thinking someone lived there with the bad posts before.

[akg]

For some reason, Dollhouse part 2 isn't available through on demand or hgtv's app so I haven't been able to watch it. Do they every explain how the guys missed the lack of a second furnace, electrical box... until so late in the process?

[CrazyInAlabama]

On 7/18/2022 at 8:25 AM, akg said:

For some reason, Dollhouse part 2 isn't available through on demand or hgtv's app so I haven't been able to watch it. Do they every explain how the guys missed the lack of a second furnace, electrical box... until so late in the process?

I don't think they researched the duplex requirements, thinking that  since they intended to rent it out, that they wouldn't need two furnaces, water heaters, electric meters, etc., because they would just have one bill that would go to them, and then they would include utilities in the rent.    

However, when they decided renting would be unprofitable, they checked and found out to sell the dollhouse as a two unit, they would have to put in two furnaces, etc. costing an extra $15 or $16k.     

However, unless they were putting in a separate staircase from the outside, unless I missed another one inside the house, the second floor was only accessible by going through the first floor living space to the stairs.   So, it wouldn't have worked as a duplex anyway.    I don't see it listed on the MLS, so I'm hoping it sold.   It was great after they finished it.  

I'm watching the 5 p.m. Central rerun "1950's Surprises" where they go to Eastern Market, and Shea announces her pregnancy.  

Tonight's rerun for "Desert Modern and Mid-Century Modern" is on 6 p.m. Central, followed by part 1 of "Wild West and Vintage Circus", at 7 p.m. Central, and the new episode "Vintage Circus and Moroccan" at 8 p.m. Central.    That's assuming that another line of thunderstorms won't roll through, and I have to record them, and watch tomorrow.     I like the Door to Door episodes, the one at 6 p.m. Central, because they add interesting facts like prices of tile, etc.  

The Vintage Circus house is interesting, I don't see French Circus, but it's interesting.       I'm glad the basement supports are secure.   I can't stand the dark paint over the stucco, it's just too dark.   I'll be glad when the paint the exterior matte black or super dark charcoal goes away.    I think the stucco paint looks like it's fading out already.     I like the living room, even the carosel horse and lights. 

The pink kitchen cabinets are too much, more subtle, lighter pink would appeal to more people.      The back splash tile looks very nice.  The fire place tile is spectacular.  Painting the bathroom floor tile is not a good idea, and I wonder if it will last?    I even like the striped walls in the living room, and the round gold table and chairs in the dining room.     

The Morocco house fireplace tile is amazing, with the original mantle.    I don't like the mustard yellow in the living room though.   I really like the furniture, decor, artwork, on the Moroccan house.    They paid $75k for the house, plus reno. $60k, and list is $160k.     The exterior looks so nice with the darker trim, and decent landscaping.    I love the leather dining chairs.   The only thing I don't like is the lower wall paint on the living room walls.   I even like the kitchen back splash tile, and I usually don't like the Moroccan look tile, but I like the colors in this tile. 

Has Shea always dressed to match the house interior?   Pink in the Circus house, and mustard yellow in the Moroccan house?  

Edited July 21, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[auntjess]

I like most of the designs, but so far, I'm hating the Moroccan house.  

[Cetacean]

16 minutes ago, auntjess said:

I like most of the designs, but so far, I'm hating the Moroccan house.  

I agree, way too many patterns and some in the same room.

But, then, I am also someone who hates the busy tiled backsplashes, floors, and bathroom decor as well. You know that in a couple of years those will look totally outdated.  Plus they make my eyes cross.

And what's with the designers putting books on the shelves with the spines on the inside? Are you just supposed to randomly pick one and hope it's something you'll want to read?  Lots of designers are doing this now, it's just stupid.

Edited July 21, 2022 by Cetacean

[CrazyInAlabama]

2 hours ago, Cetacean said:

I agree, way too many patterns and some in the same room.

But, then, I am also someone who hates the busy tiled backsplashes, floors, and bathroom decor as well. You know that in a couple of years those will look totally outdated.  Plus they make my eyes cross.

And what's with the designers putting books on the shelves with the spines on the inside? Are you just supposed to randomly pick one and hope it's something you'll want to read?  Lots of designers are doing this now, it's just stupid.

It's a copyright issue, and not all authors want their books featured on TV shows.   So, for simplicity the books are placed back to front for the filming. 

I've also heard of designers buying thrift store books, just for staging, and they remove the books with the rest of the staging them out after filming, and then the buyer moves their stuff in.  Some buyers want to have shelves for decor items and not books, so staging books are just something else to get rid of for the buyer.    

Edited July 21, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[Back Atcha]

47 minutes ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

It's a copyright issue, and not all authors want their books featured on TV shows.   So, for simplicity the books are placed back to front for the filming. 

It's also a design choice.  Many interior decorator/designers used system when it was trendy; many still do.  It doesn't detract from the style.  Most wouldn't have any affiliation with television or decorating magazines.

[Back Atcha]

On 7/18/2022 at 11:00 AM, CrazyInAlabama said:

I love the leather dining chairs.

That's a comment about the Moroccan House.    

Were they the SAME chairs used in the Wild West house...or did they purchase several on their Texas trip?

On 7/18/2022 at 11:00 AM, CrazyInAlabama said:

Painting the bathroom floor tile is not a good idea, and I wonder if it will last? 

Keith explained in an earlier episode why he chose to paint floor tiles.  He said he purchased a specific paint FOR that use and promised it would last.  It was also a money-saver.  I can't remember which house it was.

Edited July 21, 2022 by Back Atcha
Decided to BOLD.

[auntjess]

1 hour ago, Cetacean said:

And what's with the designers putting books on the shelves with the spines on the inside? Are you just supposed to randomly pick one and hope it's something you'll want to read?  Lots of designers are doing this now, it's just stupid.

As someone who always reads book titles on anyone's shelves, it offends me.

[Cetacean]

1 hour ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

It's a copyright issue, and not all authors want their books featured on TV shows.   So, for simplicity the books are placed back to front for the filming. 

I suppose that makes some sense but it's not like they zero in on the books, they are just part of the background.  I mean, do people buy books that only fit the color scheme of their rooms?

I bet a lot of those get pitched immediately, heaven only knows what they are and everyone has their own taste in reading material.

[chessiegal]

About 8 years ago, the Community Outreach group of my social club decided to raise funds by collecting members' books and selling them. This turned out to be one of those "good in theory" ideas. Many months later with few books sold and little money raised, one of the members found an interior designer who bought all of them to use in staging houses.

[auntjess]

Watching them show folks the house, and wondering why they don't have a railing on at least one side of the porch steps, with all the ice and snow in Detroit.