Home Town - General Discussion

[buttersister]

I accidentally saw some of the HGTV Christmas movie with Ben and Erin. Made hallmark look like the Royal Shakespeare Theater. Avoid at all costs.

Don’t know when it was made, but it jolted me to realize how much thinner Ben looked during Sunday’s episode.

[CrazyInAlabama]

New, "The Family Tree".  Brandon Everett, came home to Laurel to support his mother, and the rest of his family after his sister passed away.  He wants to be near his mother, Gloria also.  He wants a fixer, cheap, to work from home, needs storage space.  He's an engineer, wants a great kitchen, max budget $200k.   Needs room for his nieces and nephews to visit.   

1-Roseberry house, cute but needs work.   Erin will only change the trim paint, since the exterior paint is in great shape.  Main bedroom has glow in the dark stars on the ceiling.  I love Erin's ideas for the kitchen, and to make a dining space.  $145k, for reno, but purchase price is $50k, so $195k.  

2- The Howell House-Close to his mom's house,  A local Crow is saying don't consider this house. $30k list price, reno. Erin wants to move the front door to center it, and move the kitchen to the front, and adding a dining room.    They weren't kidding about this house being in rough condition.  Linoleum printed to look like carpet in the living room area.   A crow across the street on a church steeple is warning them not to pick this house. 

Brandon picks #2 The Howell House, the total fixer close to his mother's place.   From $30k list, he bought for $14k.     Ben has to vacuum the kitchen cabinets to get rid of vermin poop before demoing the kitchen, which Ben says is a first for them.    I wish he had bought the Roseberry House.    Ben and Erin find a lot of bad framing, rot, bad piers, and Ben wants Brandon to decide between fixing the current house up, or bulldozing it and starting over. 

It would be an extra $25k added, to $189k total for the house, and take 2 extra weeks.     To tear down and build another house is $205k to $210k and push the time line 2 months.  For the budget, and timeline, they'll fix the current house. The crow across the street warning him against the house was right.   

I would have bulldozed the house from the beginning, and not fixed it up, that way he could have had the floor plan he wanted, and not have to jack it back up, fix the damaged wood, and moving walls around, and it would take any longer because they didn't waste time and materials on reno, and trying to fix things first.  .   

Brandon's grandfather brings some wood so Ben can turn the wood into part of the two tree swings for the oak in front of the house.   Now the foundation expert looks at the house. Mr. Jones will put new piers, and a beam under the floor, and jack the floor up to level. Kitchen back splash will be porcelain tile that looks like brick.   The house is looking so wonderful.  The swings Ben made are signed by the grandfather. 

The finished house is spectacular.   The saxophone lamp is so wonderful.   

Edited December 12, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[3 is enough]

The finished product was very nice.  But what a mess.  There was a reason he got the house for a reduced price of $14K.  

[MaryHedwig]

4 hours ago, 3 is enough said:

The finished product was very nice.  But what a mess.  There was a reason he got the house for a reduced price of $14K.  

My guess is he convinced the owners that no one else would be willing to put in the work to save the house and this was therefore their only chance of getting it off their hands.  Or he signed something really holding them harmless if anything went wrong it all (an "as is" clause.)  Or he convinced the decendents that having Ben and Erin work on the house was a great way to honor their decreased loved one....Wait a sec, why did he get the house for free?

[chediavolo]

They might have well as just bulldozed the house, and built new because they completely stripped it down to the studs, and if there was one iota of any sort of vintage features left, they destroyed them as usually usual with them!  Getting  very tired of the show they become too big for the britches.  
just looking like the rest of the phony  home shows on HGTV.  And really, stop showing Erin “demolishing “ a wall or whatever. It looks as fake as it is. I don’t think that woman can lift 20lbs never mind do construction work.  

[RoxiP]

Well she does manage to lift a toddler who probably now weighs over 20 pounds...lol1

That house really had no salvageable vintage features.  Honestly for the $10,000 or so more i would have bulldozed it but that isn't what the buyer wanted.  I did like the color of the cabinets - the rest of the color palette not so much but it wasn't designed for me. I think the client was more about being close to his mother (but not too close) than anything else...honestly my biggest objection was using that beautiful chunk of wood to make swings - the boy looked like he was a little old for swings and that he was completely over it.  Having the grandfather sign it was a nice touch though.

[chessiegal]

It may be that permits are easier to get if you build on the original footprint.

[chediavolo]

34 minutes ago, RoxiP said:

Well she does manage to lift a toddler who probably now weighs over 20 pounds...lol1

That house really had no salvageable vintage features.  Honestly for the $10,000 or so more i would have bulldozed it but that isn't what the buyer wanted.  I did like the color of the cabinets - the rest of the color palette not so much but it wasn't designed for me. I think the client was more about being close to his mother (but not too close) than anything else...honestly my biggest objection was using that beautiful chunk of wood to make swings - the boy looked like he was a little old for swings and that he was completely over it.  Having the grandfather sign it was a nice touch though.

That’s what I thought the total waste. Those kids are never going to use a swing on that tree. It could’ve been used as a mantle or something else. I don’t know,  I’m not that creative.

[buttersister]

But they loooooooved that tree! 😉

[RoxiP]

Well it pretty much was the only original thing left on the property...lol

[3 is enough]

Those kids did look a little too old to care about swings.  At first I thought he was going to make a porch swing that hung from the tree.  But as of yesterday you can buy cutting boards with custom signatures on the Laurel Mercantile website. 😉

I do wonder if they put in a laundry closet of some sort?  Pretty much the whole house was redone, but I didn't see any laundry hookups.

[chediavolo]

2 minutes ago, 3 is enough said:

Those kids did look a little too old to care about swings.  At first I thought he was going to make a porch swing that hung from the tree.  But as of yesterday you can buy cutting boards with custom signatures on the Laurel Mercantile website. 😉

I do wonder if they put in a laundry closet of some sort?  Pretty much the whole house was redone, but I didn't see any laundry hookups.

They never show enough of the house. That goes for all the home shows. Less BS’ing and more house would be nice. 

[pasdetrois]

23 hours ago, chessiegal said:

It may be that permits are easier to get if you build on the original footprint.

Exactly. In my town developers preserve and build on the original footprint in order to grandfather in footprints that violate modern zoning restrictions. If they tear down, they usually have to create a smaller footprint that is further away from neighboring property lines.

[RoxiP]

I can't believe they didn't put a laundry closet in somewhere...it probably just wasn't shown.

[DonnaMae]

On 12/13/2022 at 9:31 AM, chediavolo said:

They never show enough of the house.

When they redo most of the houses, they are large and they only renovate some of the rooms (definitely the living areas), so we don't get to see the other rooms.  That's why I like it when they renovate these small houses, and all the rooms are shown.  Maybe there is a washer and dryer combo in a wall of the bathroom that we didn't see.

I liked the way they renovated this house, perfect for a bachelor.  Too bad there wasn't a porch.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I love the story of the couple on tonight's episode.   Alex and Wesley are buying her grandmother's house for $144k, it's 4,000 sq ft.  They want to know how much to renovate, since it needs a lot of work.    Alex's family started a floral shop in Laurel, and planted a ton of the Live Oak trees in Laure.   Wesley was one of the first employees at Bird Dog Cafe, and turned to coffee roasting, at the house next door.   

Grandmother has a lot of rules for the couple, like they have to keep the formal living room, and formal dining room.  The grandmother is firm on her rules for her former home.    I  know sure I wouldn't be able to live with the rules for the house.  Reno would be over $100k.  Plus, it needs new heating and air, and who knows what else. 

There's an alternate house, a little out of town, Rounsaville House, 1800 sq ft built in 1905, for $150k.   I love the second house, it doesn't come with grandmother's rules.  I love this house.  

They bought grandmother's house, with all of the rules.  My guess is grandmother will visit and hit the roof about the changes, but she won't show it on camera.    I doubt fiance Alex's family will be happy about the reno either, even if they don't show it on camera.     

I like what Erin did with the mirror tiles in the dining room.  The house looks amazing without the vines on the front.   The interior is gorgeous.   However, I would never have bought a family home with all of the restrictions.   My guess is not only the grandmother has rules, but anything the couple do to that home will be criticized by the relatives on the grandmother's side.     I would have bought the second house, or anoother house in Laurel, so I could do what I wanted to it.     I'm guessing the neutral palette was probably a demand of grandma too, even though it wasn't discussed.  

I would never have bought Grandma's house.   What if they want to sell some day? or split up?   I bet the restrictions we heard about are only two of the rules.   I bet that house will always be Grandma's house to the rest of the family, and any future changes won't be welcomed.     

 I wouldn't buy the second house, because it's too far from work.   However, there must have been something closer to where the man works, and without strings.  

Edited December 19, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[Grrarrggh]

They did grandma's house a disservice. It was so boring afterward. Thank the gods she wouldn't let them open it all up.

[RoxiP]

LOL...my thought is that grandmother will not live forever and after that the couple will be free to do whatever they want to the rest of the house.  They were a nice couple.

Seriously, did we even think they weren't going to buy grandmother's house?  The other house was really nice but (1) it was a little ways out of town and they both apparently have businesses in town and (2) it wasn't grandmother's house.  (Well at least he has a business in town.)  I loved the sunporch and I was sorry they didn't show it adorned with her plants.  (And on a side note I have killed two succulents this year - I had them in my bathroom which is the only room in my RV that has a lot of light but I guess it was two moist for the little critter.)

I don't think the other relatives will hate what they did to the house.  It was seriously dated with atrocious wallpaper, dated curtains, and the kitchen was desperately in need of an update.  Although they did open up the wall some between the kitchen and the den it wasn't totally open concept, and the large slider out to the sunporch was definitely an upgrade.

I was wondering about Erin being pregnant in this episode but apparently some of these episodes were filmed back in 2021 when she was still pregnant with her second daughter.

Edited December 19, 2022 by RoxiP
afterthought

[chediavolo]

15 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

I love the story of the couple on tonight's episode.   Alex and Wesley are buying her grandmother's house for $144k, it's 4,000 sq ft.  They want to know how much to renovate, since it needs a lot of work.    Alex's family started a floral shop in Laurel, and planted a ton of the Live Oak trees in Laure.   Wesley was one of the first employees at Bird Dog Cafe, and turned to coffee roasting, at the house next door.   

Grandmother has a lot of rules for the couple, like they have to keep the formal living room, and formal dining room.  The grandmother is firm on her rules for her former home.    I  know sure I wouldn't be able to live with the rules for the house.  Reno would be over $100k.  Plus, it needs new heating and air, and who knows what else. 

There's an alternate house, a little out of town, Rounsaville House, 1800 sq ft built in 1905, for $150k.   I love the second house, it doesn't come with grandmother's rules.  I love this house.  

They bought grandmother's house, with all of the rules.  My guess is grandmother will visit and hit the roof about the changes, but she won't show it on camera.    I doubt fiance Alex's family will be happy about the reno either, even if they don't show it on camera.     

I like what Erin did with the mirror tiles in the dining room.  The house looks amazing without the vines on the front.   The interior is gorgeous.   However, I would never have bought a family home with all of the restrictions.   My guess is not only the grandmother has rules, but anything the couple do to that home will be criticized by the relatives on the grandmother's side.     I would have bought the second house, or anoother house in Laurel, so I could do what I wanted to it.     I'm guessing the neutral palette was probably a demand of grandma too, even though it wasn't discussed.  

I would never have bought Grandma's house.   What if they want to sell some day? or split up?   I bet the restrictions we heard about are only two of the rules. 

I definitely would’ve bought grandma’s house. But I don’t know how much of her rules I would have followed. Once it’s yours what is she going to do sue you? The house looks great anyway. I wish we could’ve seen the whole thing even the parts that they didn’t renovate because it probably needs a more work $$.  Seems like grandma had a hell of a Lotta nerve putting these demands on this couple that are already spending the money to buy the house and then having to sink hundreds of thousands into it. Who does she think she is ? you can’t do that with any other buyer why are you so demanding to your granddaughter? sorry granny it was yours you’re old you’re out of the house you moved onto other things,I could see her point if they were about to tear out any historical features and wanting to keep it the way it was but she had just ridiculous demands keeping it formal like why do you care it’s none of your business anymore. 

[RoxiP]

Perhaps because she had a lot of love and respect for her grandmother?  Who basically raised her while her mom had to work?  We also don't know what the real market value of the house was...perhaps even as unimproved as it was $144,000 was a great price for the house.

I would have done the same thing if my mom or grandmother was still alive...respected that she loved the house and was having a hard time letting go.  

[Scatterbrained]

I noticed that the rooms were empty and the carpets and padding already removed on the first walk-through.  I wouldn’t be surprised if they already bought the house.

As far as keeping some rooms formal, I think there could be two explanations.  One, they didn’t want to pay for that kind of renovation at this time but didn’t want to seem cheap.  Or, two, grandma really didn’t want to downsize and the consolation was that family gatherings would still be at her old home and the rooms that people gathered in at that time would pretty much stay the same.

[Grrarrggh]

4 hours ago, Scatterbrained said:

As far as keeping some rooms formal

I think the word "formal" has gotten a bad rap. Just because a room has walls doesn't mean it has to be boring and uptight. I still don't understand why people don't use their dining rooms or, if they're lucky enough to have one, their 'formal' living room. In my home, all the makes our living room formal is that it doesn't have a television. And I've found it's hard to have a true family meal at a kitchen island.

[DonnaMae]

I liked the way Erin kept the rooms formal, but in a more up-to-date style.  The drapes she removed were such dust catchers.  The kitchen renovation was wonderful.  Home Town is the only renovation series I watch these days.  They always do such a great job and use color.  The gray/white/black modern  theme is boring.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I'm watching the all day marathon, and some of the episodes really changed my views after a second or third viewing.   

The Zen Room with the Mexican hand made tiles has really grown on me.   The colors and tile wouldn't have been my choice, but it's the homeowners choice, and I love how it's suited to them so well.   I wish they had more upper cabinets instead of the open shelves on the sink and stove sides, but their kitchen is still nice.   If they do rent it sometimes before they retire there, then the open shelves are perfect for short term renters, because they can find dishware and glasses easier.   

Thanks for the Memories where the homeowners are deciding between updating their current house, or moving really makes more sense.   The wife said she wanted a lighter brighter kitchen, but then said she wanted color.   I think cutting the opening between the kitchen and dining really lightened things up, and the green cabinets weren't dark.     In that house I loved the daughters' bathroom update with that lovely tile.   

In A House for Mom and Dad, with the grandmother and parents moving from the Delta to Laurel is so nice.    The kitchen is spectacular, and I love the back screened porch for Tony.   The parents' shower tile looked like mother of pearl, it was so beautiful.  

Erin and Ben were doing one of the expanded episodes with the Grand Millennial episode with Rebecca.   They answered questions from viewers, and one was if they do design choices even if Erin and Ben don't like them, they said yes.   If a homeowner wants a color or design choice, etc. then they do it for them.     I always figured the homeowners had much more input than was said, but I'm glad homeowners get a choice in what they end up with.    

Edited December 28, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[RoxiP]

I don't care how much the designer might dislike it - if I ask for something specific or I indicate that I detest something (never paint anything yellow in my home!) then I would expect the designer to go with my wishes.  I'm open to discussion but in the end I would have to live there.

Of course I live in an RV right now so my design choices are very limited...LOL!

[CrazyInAlabama]

I really liked the huge house they did Sunday night.    Saving the floors was absolutely worth it. 

[buttersister]

The carpeting pad nightmare made me shudder. But it seemed as though an extra $15k wasn’t a strain, so congratulations on your wonderful home, nice couple with some odd clothes.

ETA: I can’t remember if the hidden door was the only way into the primary suite, but it was sweet! 

Edited January 3, 2023 by buttersister

[Grrarrggh]

Too much grey, but other than that not bad. 

[RoxiP]

13 hours ago, buttersister said:

The carpeting pad nightmare made me shudder. But it seemed as though an extra $15k wasn’t a strain, so congratulations on your wonderful home, nice couple with some odd clothes.

ETA: I can’t remember if the hidden door was the only way into the primary suite, but it was sweet! 

Well since they chose the (relatively) less expensive house they had some padding since their original budget was higher and neither of the houses reached it if I remembered correctly...and the floors were definitely worth it.

[DonnaMae]

I loved the way they refinished those rooms, but why did the owners need a bedroom near the front door?  As always, I'd like to have seen the rest of the house.  They'll need to refinish those too, one room at a time.

[Grrarrggh]

6 hours ago, DonnaMae said:

but why did the owners need a bedroom near the front door?  

They didn't, it was just the only place to put a ground floor bedroom/bathroom.

[RoxiP]

6 minutes ago, Grrarrggh said:

They didn't, it was just the only place to put a ground floor bedroom/bathroom.

Although I question the need for the hidden door...if you had put an imposing door there it would take a very nosy person to open it (if I remember correctly the rest of the hallway had cased openings (but I could be wrong)?) and walk into their bedroom.

[chessiegal]

8 minutes ago, RoxiP said:

it would take a very nosy person to open it

You haven't met some of my grandchildren. 😉

[Grrarrggh]

1 hour ago, chessiegal said:

You haven't met some of my grandchildren. 😉

Hell, you haven't met some of my grandparents!🔍👵👴

[RoxiP]

I was thinking of non-family member guests...but now that you say that I doubt that would stop some people!

[CrazyInAlabama]

"A Solid Foundation", he beat a brain tumor, now they need a forever house.    I love the wife saying save $25k by leaving the kitchen as it is, and spending that money elsewhere in the house.   They also talked about safety with the pool, if they get a house with a pool.   

The house they chose will be great for the family.  I'm glad they didn't get the first house with the huge pool, they make me very nervous, no matter how safe you try to be. 

The creaky basement floor is going to be interesting.      That void under the basement concrete is hideously scary.   At least it's only $8,000 and all of the contingency was used, but no other budget. 

I love the puppet theater.   They built a free library with only children's books on the corner by the house, I love that!     

I love the finished house, that main bedroom is huge.     The family room looks so good after.   The puppet theater is adorable.   

Edited January 9, 2023 by CrazyInAlabama

[chediavolo]

So now we are into homes that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to begin with. Then renovations. 
Tired  of the crafty crap but I guess Erin needs to show her talents be them as it may. Although lot of time was wasted on Ben making toys in the shop also. I’m losing interest in the show. More house,  less crafts, etc. 

this is the first time they have seen porcelain tiles that look like wood? I’ve had them in my bathroom for a while now. 

[RoxiP]

What a sweet couple.  I guess when you have faced your own mortality you live life to the fullest - including having children (or adopting) one after the another.  I kept waiting for them to address the beam in the lower level that the men had to duck under but I guess they just chose to ignore it.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I wondered if they were going to put the basement floor at ground level, and that would make the basement ceiling higher, but they didn't.    Actually though, Ben is so tall, very few people will ever come close to hitting their head on the beam.   

[RoxiP]

3 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

I wondered if they were going to put the basement floor at ground level, and that would make the basement ceiling higher, but they didn't.    Actually though, Ben is so tall, very few people will ever come close to hitting their head on the beam.   

I certainly hope that's the case.  I do think it was a little higher after the restoration of the floor in the basement but let's hope their children don't grow up super tall!

[buttersister]

It was so going to be the Chicago brick home for the Chicago couple. I liked them a lot and liked that Erin reinforced that the couple had a list and that she complied. Not her usual style throughout, but they were soooo happy and I hope they enjoy it for a very long time.

Would have liked to have seen the pantry. (A whole room? Heh, I use a tea chest and a closet shelving unit (and it's still not enough;-)

[CrazyInAlabama]

I loved the Chicago couple, and loved their house.   One thing I would change is to raise the level of the one room to even with the rest of the floors.    One step might be a picky thing to worry about, but I think making the floors the same level is a good thing to do for safety reasons.  

[buttersister]

4 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

I think making the floors the same level is a good thing to do for safety reasons.  

At their age, I was surprised that wasn't on the list. Maybe it blew the budget?

[mojito]

21 hours ago, buttersister said:

Would have liked to have seen the pantry. (A whole room? Heh, I use a tea chest and a closet shelving unit (and it's still not enough;-)

I thought this was it. There's something even bigger? Or maybe she scaled down her requirements.

These two looked so petite in several of the shots.

 

[chediavolo]

No more cheap houses left in Laurel. 😂It’s just like every other reno show now. Must be nice to have all that $$$. I am so sick of those hugs islands she is obsessed with that take up the whole  kitchen. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

Erin said a few shows ago, the super cheap houses are gone.   Either bought up by others, or the prices went up like everywhere else.    However, if the couple from Chicago either owned and sold there, or rented and saved for years, then I bet they bought for cash.     Very few of the houses where I live sell with a mortgage, often they're cash buyers because we're in a retirement area. 

You can get some cheaper houses in Laurel, but they're really tear downs, not for remodel.      There doesn't seem to be much in the starter home category any longer either. 

[buttersister]

Thanks, mojito, I must’ve blinked!

[Minivanessa]

I've been catching up on recent episodes. I think the S6:Ep9 "Ginkgos and Gondolas" was mentioned upthread. The older couple who relocated from California and wanted a big house. They got one.

I thought it was interesting that they wanted a main floor primary bedroom/bath. Makes sense as you get older (I'm old; I know). What struck me, though, during the reveal: just keeping that place clean day to day seems like a lot of work. However, although they aren't spring chickens, they look healthy and I assume they can afford to hire help. 

As to the episode where the young couple bought her grandmother's house, I thought that was almost a no-brainer decision. They got about twice the square footage as the alternative house had, for basically the same price. The finished "formal" rooms didn't look stuffy or dated. I often sense shenanigans with the house "choices" and it wouldn't surprise me if the couple had already decided on - or even bought - grandma's house by the time they shot the scenes for the show. Like those faked-for-TV "house showing/decision" scenes on those house hunter shows. 

I still like the Napiers, and I hope the producers/network back off the "let's turn Ben into Chip Gaines" thing. Pleazzzz...

[chessiegal]

1 hour ago, Jeeves said:

it wouldn't surprise me if the couple had already decided on - or even bought - grandma's house by the time they shot the scenes for the show.

Well, of course they have, just like any other hh type show. Production doesn't have time to wait around while someone decides what house to buy.

[buttersister]

1 hour ago, Jeeves said:

I still like the Napiers, and I hope the producers/network back off the "let's turn Ben into Chip Gaines" thing. Pleazzzz...

I'm beggin' here.