Good Bones - General Discussion

[msmarjoribanks]

8 hours ago, absnow54 said:

The neighborhoods Good Bones builds in aren’t on a flood plain, so I imagine it has more to do with grandfathering original foundations so that they can avoid newer codes and other cost cutting measures. The Northern Virginia market is a much different beast, and you can generally tell if a tear down house is on a floodplain based on how many days it’s been on the market without a developer snatching it up. When you’re spending $500k+ on the land alone, and the land is less than a quarter acre, you need the basement to up the square footage and justify the million dollar price tag. Windy City Rehab is a more comparable market (issues with Alison Victoria’s work aside...) and they almost always dig out a basement. 

I find it odd just because Chicago (which otherwise seems to have pretty similar lots and houses) nearly always has houses with basements.  Sometimes they aren't deep enough for useable space without being dug out, and normally they weren't originally finished, but almost always when rehabbed the basements are finished if they don't need to be dug out.  Here's something I found interesting: http://moss-design.com/basement/

When I was looking for houses, I saw one place with a basement that needed to be dug out (the owner used it for storage and a wine cellar, but they included quotes on the cost of digging it out), several that needed to be finished, but already included the washer/dryer and often a weight/fitness area, as well as storage, but none with no basement at all.  It makes me wonder if they just aren't that common comparatively in Indy, although I don't know why they wouldn't be, as here converting any small house on a small lot to current norms will nearly always include finishing a basement and building out the attic (if big enough, depends on the style of house) with dormers. (The cost of reno'd Chicago places (in gentrified or transitioning areas) is much higher, though, beginning with just the lot cost and then, of course, the cost of a redone house, so that might be part of it, although finishing a basement always seemed to me relatively low cost for the added space.  Digging one out not so much.)

Edited September 12, 2020 by msmarjoribanks

[CrazyInAlabama]

I grew up in Northern Virginia, and none of my neighborhood was in a flood plain.   However, people like the next door neighbor (we were on the top of a hill) had a sump pump, and drain system put in, because an underground spring was right under their house.   Without the pump they would have had a swimming pool in their basement.    Some places just have strange water issues and aren't even near water.    

Digging a basement is expensive, and I think water proofing, and making a secure basement in Indy would be more expensive than having a foundation, or basement that isn't really used.    There's also the factor of egress windows if you use basements areas for any kind of living area, even a family room.    Some places do make you put in egress windows, and they aren't cheap with window wells too.    Other places really don't enforce it.    I bet Indianapolis building codes do enforce it.    They would have to put the egress windows or window wells on the front or back of the property on a lot of the houses they redo, because there some are so close to neighboring houses that there simply isn't room.  

[dleighg]

On 9/4/2020 at 10:41 AM, bilgistic said:

I actually liked Karen's Krafts this week, too. The tables actually had a purpose and were unique to the house. I wanted them for myself, not that I 1) could afford them were they for sale nor 2) have a place for them. They were charming without being too fussy.

I thought they were cute, but a bit weird the way one was stacked on top of the other. I know if fits in the space, but it looks like exactly what it was: one table on top of another. The copper knobs were nice. I'm a fan of brushed nickel, but those were pretty special.

[dleighg]

I'm trying to figure out in what world it makes sense to grant an easement to allow a sewer line to go right through the middle of someone else's property? Like was there some assumption that a house would never be built there? (Why?) I mean, sure, an easement to have your driveway right along your property line, or to share the end of your driveway with a neighbor (we've got a situation like that right down the street from me), I can see that. But this easement makes no sense at all to me.

[izabella]

I was really confused by the easement, too.  Like, what if it breaks in the future  Your property will be dug up in order to repair their sewer?  You get their sewer leaking into your yard or basement?  It all sounds very sketchy.

[dleighg]

6 minutes ago, izabella said:

Like, what if it breaks in the future  Your property will be dug up in order to repair their sewer?  You get their sewer leaking into your yard or basement? 

exactly! So weird!

[RoxiP]

Sounds like sometime in the past whomever got the original easement probably paid for somebody's boat on the permit team!

[3 is enough]

Mina had her baby today, and it's a girl!  Charlotte Drew Hawk.  Happy for them. 

[irisheyes]

After watching the train wreck that was Windy City Rehab, I miss Krazy Karen’s Krafts. 

[RoxiP]

Awww...sweet Charlie.  If she's half as adorable as Jack she will be amazing!

[Rhetorica]

Pictures of mom, dad, and baby. 

https://people.com/parents/mina-starsiak-welcomes-daughter-charlotte-drew-first-photos/

[HurricaneVal]

I recently discovered this show due to being hospitalized after emergency surgery for a ruptured appendix.  HGTV was mostly a lifesaver during that time and my recovery stupor at home.  Easy shows to doze off and wake up to, no plot to follow...  I'm glad to see that HGTV is no longer "All Chip and Joanna, all the time" anymore.  (Not a fan....)

Anyways, I had never seen this mother/daughter duo and I kind of like the premise of the show: take really cheap and crappy (sometimes literally) houses and really make them nice--not just "fast flip" 'em--and then do it again and again and again in the same neighborhood, thus increasing property values with each renovation and your profits with each subsequent sale.  I wonder...do they buy a whole bunch of cheap houses in the same area at once, then renovate them one by one?  Otherwise, their earlier work improving the neighborhood would make the purchase price of even a crappy house higher if they bought them one at a time.

I wonder if the homeowners cringe at seeing the sometimes incredibly horrific conditions their house was originally in prior to Mina and gang coming in to fix it up.  No matter how beautiful the results, I've got to say that if I saw poop all over the bathrooms and floors, and the rat carcasses and other grossness like needles and urine filled crack house trash, and snakes and...and...and...I'd have a hard time living there.  But.......you would have the TV show to illustrate how everything was demolished and cleaned out, and how all the structural details were dealt with, and how all the horrors were eliminated and abated, and how the house was brought back to life, so maybe most folks aren't as squeamish as I would be.

Yeah, there is often too much time spent on the whole cutsie-wootsie family relationships thing, but compared to the whole Gaines family crap, this is like nothing.  I see it as closer to Property Brothers level intrusion--which I like--not Magnolia level intrusion.

[CrazyInAlabama]

Yes, they do try to buy multiple houses on the same block, or street.    The first one or two might not make money, but when the comps go up, they can later sell a remodel for more money.      They seem to rent them out first too, and then after a few years, then sell, because the entire neighborhood is more valuable.     Mina said the other day that a neighborhood where they originally paid $30k for a house, and sold for $130k, a few years ago, now they had to pay $130k for another house, and hopefully sell for $300k and up.  

[sheetmoss]

On 9/15/2020 at 2:10 PM, izabella said:

I was really confused by the easement, too.  Like, what if it breaks in the future  Your property will be dug up in order to repair their sewer?  You get their sewer leaking into your yard or basement?  It all sounds very sketchy.

Friend in Seattle-area just had to put out $10,000 to deal with a sewer line that ran under her house.

She was selling so it would have to be disclosed.

    BTW - she sold way over asking

Edited September 22, 2020 by sheetmoss

[Ohmo]

I'm not sure if anyone else saw it, but a few days ago HGTV aired the Down to the Studs episode about the Little Pink House on Palmer (the duplex that Stefanie rented).  The episode itself (and its commentary) were recorded before her death, but the episode itself now had an end card that said "In Loving Memory" and then listed Stefanie's name and dates of birth and death.  She was 31.

I was surprised to see HGTV air the episode.  I'd imagine that Steve and Mina were consulted before the episode was put back into rotation. Part of the episode had mentioned that Steve and Stef had recently lost their mother.  Now the episode is even sadder knowing that Steve is also without his sister as well.  There's not a lot of public information about him, so it's unclear if he has any other siblings or if his father is still alive.

Edited October 24, 2020 by Ohmo

[3 is enough]

His father died shortly after Jack was born.  And I think he lost a brother too.  Poor  guy has had a rough time lately.  

[MsTree]

7 hours ago, Ohmo said:

I'm not sure if anyone else saw it, but a few days ago HGTV aired the Down to the Studs episode about the Little Pink House on Palmer (the duplex that Stefanie rented).  The episode itself (and its commentary) were recorded before her death, but the episode itself now had an end card that said "In Loving Memory" and then listed Stefanie's name and dates of birth and death.  She was 31.

I saw that episode...and didn't know Stefanie had died. When did she pass? What was her cause of death?

[3 is enough]

Stefanie died at the end of March.  They never talked about the cause.  I'm sure if it was Covid it would have been mentioned.

Edited October 24, 2020 by 3 is enough

[nb360]

I just started watching this show and I like the mother/daughter dynamic. 

Does anyone know how I can find the tile they used in one of the homes?

Edited October 24, 2020 by nb360

[Ohmo]

5 hours ago, 3 is enough said:

Stefanie died at the end of March.  They never talked about the cause.  I'm sure if it was Covid it would have been mentioned.

Mina said Stefanie's death was unexpected.  That and what 3 is Enough said above is all that is publicly known.

Quote

His father died shortly after Jack was born.  And I think he lost a brother too.  Poor  guy has had a rough time lately.  

Goodness.  That means he could be all alone in terms of his own nuclear family.  That would be rough for someone as young as Steve.  Sad.

Edited October 24, 2020 by Ohmo

[3 is enough]

1 hour ago, Ohmo said:

Mina said Stefanie's death was unexpected.  That and what 3 is Enough said above is all that is publicly known.

Goodness.  That means he could be all alone in terms of his own nuclear family.  That would be rough for someone as young as Steve.  Sad.

I believe he still has one living brother.  I’m not sure if he lost another brother- it may have been a cousin or a good friend.  All I know is that he lost someone very close to him named Drew and it seems that is where Charlie’s middle name came from.

This is all from his Instagram posts which are public. 

Edited October 24, 2020 by 3 is enough

[jrzy]

On 9/1/2020 at 9:36 PM, CrazyInAlabama said:

Tad is Mina's half brother with Mina's dad, and Cheryl (spelling?) who was married to Mina's dad twice (I think twice).   After the divorce she married Lennie the contractor from Season 1.    When Cheryl died, Tad lived with Mina for quite a while, and calls her Mom.    I was so happy to see Tad happy for Mina and Steve. 

I'm not surprised the house tonight collapsed, but I'm surprised some of their other houses haven't collapsed too.   I'm glad it didn't collapse with someone in it, and I'm glad no one was hurt.    The after on that house was really nice, and I'm glad the sub bought it.   

Tad is so much fun on the show, and he's really grown into his role in the business.  

I think you mean Karen, not Mina?  I am so confused by all the family ties. 

[jrzy]

On 7/28/2020 at 10:37 PM, absolutelyido said:

I logged on to post this same thought. They were intentionally trying to get the roof to collapse and none of them were wearing hard hats except Cody briefly when he was standing in the yard watching hatless Tad inside the house knocking down posts that supported the roof. Honestly, I would think that has to be some kind of OSHA violation.

I wasn't clear on how much time had passed between them knocking down the roof and the whole house collapsing, but even if it was only overnight it was incredibly dangerous to leave the house like that with no fencing around it. They are lucky some curious kids didn't decide to explore the site and get hurt.

As for the final house, I actually liked it more than I usually do. The Scandinavian-inspired design was more cohesive and less busy than they normally do. I liked the swing bed but think it would be more practical on a large porch than a bedroom. No one wants to sleep on a bed that swings every time they move in their sleep.

Oh I hated that bedroom with the stupid tree and hanging bed,  of all the impractical ideas, that one really took the cake.

I noticed that Karen is looking awfully refreshed lately,  wonder what her secret is?

 

[CrazyInAlabama]

54 minutes ago, jrzy said:

I think you mean Karen, not Mina?  I am so confused by all the family ties. 

Yes, after Tad's mother died, he lived with Karen, who is Mina's mother, and Karen he talks about as his second Mom.    

[RoxiP]

It appears that Steve Hawk has a surviving brother and a nephew, based on his dad's obituary.

https://www.lauckfuneralhome.com/obituary/Richard-Hawk

[Barlowe]

On 10/26/2020 at 2:55 PM, jrzy said:

Oh I hated that bedroom with the stupid tree and hanging bed,  of all the impractical ideas, that one really took the cake.

I noticed that Karen is looking awfully refreshed lately,  wonder what her secret is?

 

I've been noticing it for a while. Mainly it's that she's wearing more makeup lately and possibly wearing eyelash extensions. She might've lightened her hair but I can't tell for sure.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I think Karen lost weight recently too.   I hope it's deliberate, and she's OK.    

[IvyCeltress]

This is me speculating but I think she had the same procedure my Mom did.  Mom's eyelids were sagging so it effected her vision so the Drs did a lift.  It also made her eyes looks really big like Karen's do now.

[Sewlitaire]

4 minutes ago, IvyCeltress said:

This is me speculating but I think she had the same procedure my Mom did.  Mom's eyelids were sagging so it effected her vision so the Drs did a lift.  It also made her eyes looks really big like Karen's do now.

She posted a pic on her Instagram saying she had PRP microneedling procedures done to make her look younger. She also recently posted about having her flabby arms done so she definitely isn't against having plastic surgery.

[Rhetorica]

Depressing... I hope everyone's fine. 

https://people.com/home/erin-napier-says-grief-from-covid-is-too-heavy-its-beginning-to-feel-like-part-of-me-now/

[Sarnia]

Yep (but wrong forum 😉 ). It's a very difficult situation but we'll get through it (eventually). Erin seems to be a very sensitive person so I understand how this can weigh particularly on such people. Wish her (and everyone) all the best.
This being said, if Erin, her daughter and mother have been affected with Covid with symptoms, at least one of them should show antibodies, and this is an easy test. So unless we know that they've taken it and it's positive, I remain in doubt that they have been actually affected by Covid in January. "Covid-like symptoms" can be virtually anything.

[ChicksDigScars]

So, I'm watching the episode with the townhomes, where Mina designed one side and Karen designed the other and had a contest. 

How the hell did Karen win? Hardly ANY cabinets in that tiny kitchen, and the foo-foo was just too much. GOLD spray painted stencils? Yuck. Heavy draperies in every room? My grandmother would have loved it.  I wasn't too wild about Mina's pink walls, either, but at least she put storage in her kitchen. 

 

[Dehumidifier]

NVM

Edited November 10, 2020 by Dehumidifier
Further development.

[Scatterbrained]

I wish that they would choose an interesting color (or two) and use it throughout vs. all the Knick-knack crap.

[bilgistic]

It appears that the show has moved exclusively to the discovery+ platform. I can't find the show at all on HGTV. I'm really irritated by this. It's the only show I watch on HGTV.

There's no announcement on the Good Bones Instagram account, so color me confused.

[dleighg]

21 minutes ago, bilgistic said:

It appears that the show has moved exclusively to the discovery+ platform. I can't find the show at all on HGTV. I'm really irritated by this. It's the only show I watch on HGTV.

I have noticed that on my appleTV, HGTV has (in the past) had approximately a zillion of their shows available on demand. I presume a lot of them were really really old. (I only use the on-demand feature for current shows).

All I can hope is that they moved their "archive" of stuff to discovery+ and will continue to have the new seasons on HDTV. Otherwise what good is HGTV?

[chessiegal]

HGTV is having a rerun marathon Wednesday afternoon.

[bilgistic]

I should've mentioned I have the HGTV app on Firestick and use my mom's DirecTV login to watch. I don't have cable nor watch anything live. Good Bones is no longer on the HGTV Firestick app.

Edited February 1, 2021 by bilgistic

[LittleIggy]

On 2/1/2021 at 4:57 PM, bilgistic said:

It appears that the show has moved exclusively to the discovery+ platform. I can't find the show at all on HGTV. I'm really irritated by this. It's the only show I watch on HGTV.

There's no announcement on the Good Bones Instagram account, so color me confused.

I’m so f**king sick of the nonstop pimping of Discovery + on their cable networks. IMO, they seem to be spitting in the eyes of people who watch their networks on cable with all the “exclusive stuff.” 

[bilgistic]

This is very weird. I just opened the HGTV GO app on my Firestick and Good Bones is on there under "Featured". When I click on it, all five seasons are there. I swear it wasn't there two days ago, and I searched for it by name. It's still on discovery+, but my trial expires tomorrow.

[3 is enough]

Maybe they are just ironing out the kinks in the system. I was distracted during Sunday's episode of Home Town and I was still able to access it a day later on my cable provider's on demand channel.  

I will not be subscribing to Discovery+, and they have to realize that many viewers just want to stick with their cable providers.  

 

[deirdra]

5 hours ago, bilgistic said:

This is very weird. I just opened the HGTV GO app on my Firestick and Good Bones is on there under "Featured". When I click on it, all five seasons are there. I swear it wasn't there two days ago, and I searched for it by name. It's still on discovery+, but my trial expires tomorrow.

I've noticed this with other shows too.  They may hope people pay a few bucks for Discovery+ (I won't) and don't notice until much later that it also appears on their cable channels.

Edited February 3, 2021 by deirdra

[CrazyInAlabama]

I'm watching some of the first season reruns (you can tell because Lennie the contractor is on there).   Mina said Lenny is her father's third wife's, first husband.    

[sheetmoss]

Argh - new  season/ last eppy

The 2nd floor didn't have a bathroom  - in fact, it looked as  if you wanted to bathe or shower, you had to use primary's bathroom

There may have been a bathroom in  office/1st flr bdrm. Still...

Also, it's Indy, Mina pls add some damn closets near the front door

Edited July 3, 2021 by sheetmoss

[LittleIggy]

Wonder if Cory got to buy the furnishings, too. I got tired of Mina calling things “masculine.” I’m a woman and liked the color scheme and fixtures used. 
I’m glad Tad got the siding color wrong. I don’t like black exterior houses.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I think they did a great job on Cory's house.   I bet Cory bought the furnishings with the home, unless he already had more furnishing than I bet he did.    

 However, I dislike black siding, or exterior paint, which seems to be popular lately on this show, and some others.    I think black makes the home look industrial, like a commercial space, not a home.   I'm glad a different color was ordered.    

Edited July 8, 2021 by CrazyInAlabama

[LittleIggy]

3 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

I think they did a great job on Cory's house.   I bet Cory bought the furnishings with the home, unless he already had more furnishing than I bet he did.    

 However, the black siding, which seems to be popular lately on this show, and some others.    I think black makes the home look industrial, like a commercial space, not a home.      

I blame Alison Victoria! 😆

[CrazyInAlabama]

Good point, she paints everything flat black.   Even 200 year old furniture. 

[deirdra]

I also wonder how long the siding will look black - a year or two before it fades in the sun, rain & hail?

[CruiseDiva]

Cory's house turned out really nice. I love the siding color and the contrast of the black porch railing. His excitement was touching to watch.