House Hunters Renovation - General Discussion

[dga28]

7 hours ago, Bastet said:

I saw a "style and fashion blogger" with a $1.5m budget and went back to channel surfing before the introductory segment had even ended.  So, one person makes 95% of the money, they've only been dating a year and a half (although they were friends for about a year and a half before then), and they're tired of putting up with L.A. traffic to see each other.  So instead of renting a place to see if they're compatible living together, they're buying a home that's pretty expensive even for L.A.  What do I care, except there was something off-putting about both of them and I kept on moving.

lol....i was put off by her.  she certainly had a lot of strong opinions for someone who wasn't married and wasn't bringing a lot of      resources to the purchase.  i realize that the man proposed to her by the end of the show but he certainly bent over backwards to accommodate her.  

[outtahere]

He said he was a computer engineer.  He may be on target in computer science but his choice of a mate leaves me wondering what he is thinking.  She was a complete waste of time to me because I don't have a very high opinion of shallow, vapid "beauty and fashion" bloggers.  What is that anyway?  Aren't people in this society self centered enough without a coach to make them worse?

Good luck to them but I don't expect a long future for them.  She better get that "anchor" baby going so she can really get her hooks into him.  Heaven help her when she ages and loses her looks, there won't be anything left but 300+ pairs of shoes and 59 closets.

[Empress1]

10 hours ago, Bastet said:

I saw a "style and fashion blogger" with a $1.5m budget and went back to channel surfing before the introductory segment had even ended.  So, one person makes 95% of the money, they've only been dating a year and a half (although they were friends for about a year and a half before then), and they're tired of putting up with L.A. traffic to see each other.  So instead of renting a place to see if they're compatible living together, they're buying a home that's pretty expensive even for L.A.  What do I care, except there was something off-putting about both of them and I kept on moving.

Ha - I saw the title of the episode ("Fashion Blogger's Dream Closet") on my TiVo this morning and I was like " ... I ... probably am not going to like this." And then in the pre-credits teaser segment she said "It's no longer the house nobody wants, it's like the popular girl in high school" and I was like "Girl, bye."

[ByaNose]

Yeah, between her lines about the house now being the popular girl in high school & her wanting to lay tile fashionably I was already annoyed with her. Of course, I don't have to live or marry her so it's a win-win for me. LOL!!! I also thought the tub shoved way back in the shower was weird and claustrophobic (and, I'm not even afraid of things like that) but it would have been nice to be near a window or how about an actual light?! The staircase did look nice and I was pleasantly shocked that no kitchen renovation was done. That said, she doesn't look like the cooking type anyway unless it's for her fake blogging career. 

 

Edit to add: I found her and she isn't too (much) of a fake blogger: http://www.goodbadandfab.com

Edited May 22, 2016 by ByaNose

[Amethyst]

44 minutes ago, ByaNose said:

Edit to add: I found her and she isn't too (much) of a fake blogger: http://www.goodbadandfab.com

Thanks for the link, because I realized I do recognize Jenny from The Amazing Race.  She was paired up with Jelani on the "couples" tour, and she was the absolute worst!  I felt so bad for Jelani because Jenny treated him like crap the whole time, ordering him around, saying he didn't have what it takes, they wouldn't last as a couple, etc.  People were writing in about how awful she was and it's probably one of of the reasons she wasn't asked to return.  The funny thing was that she was listed as a lawyer (like Jelani iirc), no mention of her fashion blog.  Methinks her blog is more of a hobby and her real income is from being a lawyer.

Knowing this now, I'm not surprised that she'd marry this dude after five minutes.  He spent most of the episode trying to keep her happy and that's what she's into.  Surprised he was able to get the staircase he wanted. 

Ugh.  I'm not really digging her fashion sense either, but she's being sponsored by various companies, so she'll continue to shill them.

[juliet73]

Jenny drove me crazy!! She was such a diva and waaaay to into herself.  She was sooooo annoying about everything!! I would think she needs to step up her game A LOT as a beauty and fashion blogger because I was not impressed with her style at all. I knew as soon as they mentioned house 3 was in Bel Air, they (she) would choose that one.  I did like the staircase, but did it really need to cost almost their entire original budget?!  I liked that they made the bonus room the master, but I agree with everyone else, the bathroom, closet, dressing area was awful!!!!! Those mirrored doors were so expensive and gaudy!  I think it would have looked better if they just did 4 mirrored doors - 2 on each side closest to the back wall.  Also, I wouldn't have wanted it so wide open to the bedroom. I don't want to hear/see someone brushing their teeth or getting dressed, etc while I'm in bed. Everything was just wrong between the layout, the vanity placements, them as a couple, etc. I LOVED the shower room though! That is one of my dream house requests; however, I would have put in a window or skylight or both :) 

I can't imagine them being married for very long. He doesn't even have his stuff in HER closet!  Am I the only one that questioned why was Michael with her EVERY time she opened her mouth? Then when she was bitchin' about getting dust in her hair outside, I thought to myself, "Why don't you pull it back and/or put a hat on like a normal person would?!" Run, Michael, Run!!!

[dga28]

2 hours ago, Amethyst said:

Thanks for the link, because I realized I do recognize Jenny from The Amazing Race.  She was paired up with Jelani on the "couples" tour, and she was the absolute worst!  I felt so bad for Jelani because Jenny treated him like crap the whole time, ordering him around, saying he didn't have what it takes, they wouldn't last as a couple, etc.  People were writing in about how awful she was and it's probably one of of the reasons she wasn't asked to return.  The funny thing was that she was listed as a lawyer (like Jelani iirc), no mention of her fashion blog.  Methinks her blog is more of a hobby and her real income is from being a lawyer.

Knowing this now, I'm not surprised that she'd marry this dude after five minutes.  He spent most of the episode trying to keep her happy and that's what she's into.  Surprised he was able to get the staircase he wanted. 

Ugh.  I'm not really digging her fashion sense either, but she's being sponsored by various companies, so she'll continue to shill them.

thanks.  i checked her out too.  seems like she is a "professional" TV personality.  her bio from the Amazing Race was interesting.  lol.

[Maharincess]

On 5/15/2016 at 7:40 AM, NYGirl said:

 

I'm not quoting this person above but for some reason every time I try to post, this comes up. 

 

7 hours ago, Amethyst said:

Thanks for the link, because I realized I do recognize Jenny from The Amazing Race.  She was paired up with Jelani on the "couples" tour, and she was the absolute worst!  I felt so bad for Jelani because Jenny treated him like crap the whole time, ordering him around, saying he didn't have what it takes, they wouldn't last as a couple, etc.  People were writing in about how awful she was and it's probably one of of the reasons she wasn't asked to return.  The funny thing was that she was listed as a lawyer (like Jelani iirc), no mention of her fashion blog.  Methinks her blog is more of a hobby and her real income is from being a lawyer.

Knowing this now, I'm not surprised that she'd marry this dude after five minutes.  He spent most of the episode trying to keep her happy and that's what she's into.  Surprised he was able to get the staircase he wanted. 

Ugh.  I'm not really digging her fashion sense either, but she's being sponsored by various companies, so she'll continue to shill them.

That's where I recognize her from!  I knew she looked familiar and I knew I didn't like her.  She was horrible on Amazing Race.  I felt so bad for her partner.   She sure was giving a lot of orders for somebody who probably didn't pay a dime for any of it.  

The closet and bathroom were ugly in my opinion. I don't understand the huge shower room with the tub shoved in the back.   He kept saying he wanted a grand, open stairway but the stairs didn't look much different after the work was done. The railings and spindles looked cheap to me. 

Edited May 23, 2016 by Maharincess

[speac]

That tub in the shower felt claustrophobic. It's about the last place I would want to take a long relaxing soak.

[laredhead]

I did not think the stairway spindles went with the style of the house.  They looked more early American/colonial than the more contemporary style of the house.  I also did not like the shower room either.  I just don't get why people want a gianormous area to shower in, because all I can think of is cleaning all of that tile and keeping it dry to prevent mildew, unless you live where the humidity is about 10% or less year round.   Reminds me of gym showers.  

They said at the beginning that they were spending their $$ on the bedroom and stairway, and the rest of the house will have to wait.  If they plan to sell that house in the near future, the kitchen is going to have to be redone, and I can only imagine how hard it will be to find a buyer who wants a closet like the one they installed.  She must spend a fortune on clothes.  The words "wretched excess" leaped to mind when I saw the finished product.  Her husband must be totally besotted with her, and she should be thankful she found a man who will cater to her every whim. 

[7-Zark-7]

Quote

Thanks for the link, because I realized I do recognize Jenny from The Amazing Race.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I knew I'd seen Jenny somewhere before and it couldn't have been from her blog. It was bothering me trying to think of why she looked so familiar. She was very demanding on the Race, and I did feel bad for her partner. I am surprised that she is fashion blogger rather than a lawyer now. Though she's attractive and presentable, I don't find her fashionable enough to make it big in that profession.

As for the house, sadly $1.325 million is not considered expensive in Los Angeles, and especially not for Bel Air.  Overall, I liked the changes they made. I like the floating vanities (although I agree there may not be as much room on them as one might like). I loved the hall of mirrors and the marble, and I really got into that closet space (which should have included the poor guy's stuff).  I did not get the tub shoved way in the back of the shower, though. I see bathing as a treat, so I would be really disappointed about soaking in a closet.  The shower could have been made a lot less deep, and the tub could have been placed outside of it, I would think - unless the pipes required it to be where it was.

I don't get how they chose to spend their money.  Perhaps they don't really have a budget and they're going to get to the whole house but the show only chose to focus on those three places (I don't recall HHR episodes ever showing whole house renos).  $50k each for the master bedroom and the stairs is a lot of money to throw around on places that may not be that cost effective in the end, if one has limited funds.

Quote

She better get that "anchor" baby going so she can really get her hooks into him.

Though Jenny was born abroad, I believe she's an American citizen. And, I was moved by her memories of having to share a bathroom with others in her complex growing up and how much it meant for her family to have one of their own when they emigrated.

Edited May 22, 2016 by 7-Zark-7

[outtahere]

My statement had nothing to do with her being an American citizen.  I was implying that she will "anchor" him with a baby and he will be stuck with her because of the child.  Not everything has to do with immigration. 

[ByaNose]

6 hours ago, Amethyst said:

Thanks for the link, because I realized I do recognize Jenny from The Amazing Race.  She was paired up with Jelani on the "couples" tour, and she was the absolute worst!  I felt so bad for Jelani because Jenny treated him like crap the whole time, ordering him around, saying he didn't have what it takes, they wouldn't last as a couple, etc.  People were writing in about how awful she was and it's probably one of of the reasons she wasn't asked to return.  The funny thing was that she was listed as a lawyer (like Jelani iirc), no mention of her fashion blog.  Methinks her blog is more of a hobby and her real income is from being a lawyer.

Knowing this now, I'm not surprised that she'd marry this dude after five minutes.  He spent most of the episode trying to keep her happy and that's what she's into.  Surprised he was able to get the staircase he wanted. 

Ugh.  I'm not really digging her fashion sense either, but she's being sponsored by various companies, so she'll continue to shill them.

This is so funny. I thought she was on the Amazing Race. I looked up the winners (thinking I remembered her) and, realized I was thinking of brother & sister Tammy & Victor. So, I was like I guess I was wrong. She seemed so familiar and then I read your post. Here she was on the Amazing Race but it was different person and the wrong season. I really thought I was going crazy & slipping on my useless reality tv knowledge. LOL!!! Thanks!

[biakbiak]

8 minutes ago, outtahere said:

My statement had nothing to do with her being an American citizen.  I was implying that she will "anchor" him with a baby and he will be stuck with her because of the child.  Not everything has to do with immigration. 

But the term anchor baby is very much tied to immigration.

[outtahere]

OK, I've been sufficiently rebuked!  How about "anvil around your neck" baby?

[ChelseaNH]

I'm just so happy they didn't buy house #1 with all its fabulous historic woodwork, because if she had modernized it, I would have had to fly out there and bludgeon her with an antique cast iron skillet.  After that, I don't care what nonsense they got up to.

[7-Zark-7]

13 minutes ago, ChelseaNH said:

I'm just so happy they didn't buy house #1 with all its fabulous historic woodwork, because if she had modernized it, I would have had to fly out there and bludgeon her with an antique cast iron skillet.  After that, I don't care what nonsense they got up to.

Yeah, that first house was nice, but it's in West Adams which is a dicey area filled with great homes from an old glorious past that had fallen on hard times, but is now going through a gentrification. I doubt the house was ever really in contention since it hasn't been the popular girl in high school for decades.

[izabella]

On 5/22/2016 at 8:49 AM, outtahere said:

He said he was a computer engineer.  He may be on target in computer science but his choice of a mate leaves me wondering what he is thinking. 

He's thinking he sure has a pretty fiancee.  Too bad she has terrible taste in closet/bathroom layout.  What a mess.

[lucygoose]

Every time they showed the husband taking pictures I couldn't help but think of this video  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFzKi-o4rHw

[laredhead]

Did last night's California couple beat the previous limit for going over budget?  $180,000 over their original intended budget - wow!  I would have been a bit freaked out after finding the large crack in that slab since the house is on a hillside.  Yes, the views are beautiful, but when your house ends up halfway down a hill later, those views might not be worth it.  I've seen some pretty scary photos of houses on hillsides breaking apart or totally sliding away.  Might have been a good idea to pull that carpet back before buying the house, and maybe they did but did not choose to reveal that the defect had been discovered earlier.

I did think the guy was kind of funny with some of his remarks.  I laughed at his opinion of the sunroom in the house they chose when he said it looked like an RV had crashed into the house and stayed there.

[NYGirl]

The California couple puzzled me.  I kept dozing off during the episode and I had no idea what was going on.  Last I saw they wanted several rooms, including an office for each of them.  When I woke up the first time I see that they chose the 2 bedroom.  That confused me more than anything.  That view was beautiful but no way were they going to have enough rooms.  Where did they decide the dog will go?  They complained about that when they were looking.

The renovation came out really nice.  I love those glass doors but geez $17,000?  They really chose high end finishes.  I love the polished concrete floors.

Afterwards the husband exclaimed that they found their forever home.  I replied to the TV.."not if you plain on having kids".

Their total price came to over $200,000.  Yikes.

[Albino]

1 hour ago, NYGirl said:

The renovation came out really nice.  I love those glass doors but geez $17,000?  They really chose high end finishes.  I love the polished concrete floors.

Afterwards the husband exclaimed that they found their forever home.  I replied to the TV.."not if you plain on having kids".

Their total price came to over $200,000.  Yikes.

IIRC, they weren't married.  And call me old-fashioned, but I would never invest so much money and max out my credit cards to buy/renovate a home with someone I wasn't married to.  

The guy seemed so over-bearing...he dominated every tour with his constant negative comments and how disappointed he was. His tone was so "don't even think about disagreeing with me".  

And yeah...if they have kids they'll have to look for another home they can concrete over.

[Peanutbuttercup]

I think they are complete idiots as well as jerks to their parents if they really did max out their credit cards and take their parents' money just so they could have crap like polished concrete floors and a marble backsplash. I would be ashamed if I had to confess to that kind of financial mismanagement and disrespect to my parents.

And this "forever home" nonsense I keep hearing on reno shows is really starting to grate. "Forever home" or "forever family" was a phrase starting in adoption communities to indicate that a child -- or a dog or a cat -- had found a family willing to make a lifetime commitment. The idea of a physical house being your "forever home" is nuts. Things change. You have a child and then school district is super important when it wasn't so much before. You decide to adopt five Sudanese orphans and maybe now two bedrooms won't really cut it. One of you has a bad accident and ends up permanently in a wheelchair and suddenly the three story Victorian mansion is not really practical. Your neighborhood is overrun with gangs. Conversely, your neighborhood is overrun with gentrifying urban hipsters and you can't afford the property taxes anymore. An earthquake happens and your house on top of a hill in San Pedro ends up halfway down the hill. "This is our forever home" is something stupid people with no imagination say.

[Empress1]

Or you get divorced (or in their case, break up, which would likely be very messy to untangle financially) and you have to either move out or sell the house. Life happens. Also I hope they were paying their parents back, although the guy said his parents gave them a gift so maybe not. I have a friend who needed a new roof and couldn't afford it so her parents loaned her the money. She's still paying them back. And a new roof is a necessity. Concrete floors aren't.

I hated all the openness of that house - the open master, the open kitchen. I think only the half bath and guest bath had walls! Hard pass. I did like the pass-through windows to the outdoor area though.

[Maharincess]

8 hours ago, Albino said:

 

Sorry. I was rude.  It's been a bad, bad day. 

Edited June 6, 2016 by Maharincess

[ByaNose]

How many times did she say Spanish style or whatever she kept saving over & over? LOL!! The house turned out okay but that view was amazing. Put a dinning table out there with those bistro lights and I'd be good to go. I do wonder how far that back yard cliff went? There really wasn't any grass to speak of. BTW! I wonder if this couple knows the phrase house poor?! Yikes!!!

[pvandal]

You never know, the first house my parents bought is still the house they live in 43 years later. So sometimes a home is a forever home. It always amazes me though that people HAVE to get renovations done in the first six months or so living someplace. As if it's some hovel they're willing to go into massive debt for right away for when it's perfectly livable. But, I guess I'm used to my parents house where they waited 35 years between kitchen renovations. The first one when they moved in consisting of painting the cabinets and hanging wallpaper.

[laredhead]

I can understand wanting to renovate before moving in, and that's fine if that is necessary.  I'm kind of a fan of living in the house for a while, if at all possible, and then deciding what is important to change.  Priorities change after living in a space many times.  I moved into my house 13 years ago and decided the kitchen was horrid and must be redone immediately, but it was expensive and other things needed attention.  The kitchen functioned, but not well.  Next week, after 13 years, the kitchen will finally get my attention (and money) and will be what I have wanted for a long time.  Now I'm glad I didn't renovate it in 2003, because I would not have used the same materials and space plan that I I have now.  This one will fit the 1960's vibe of the house instead of what I thought I wanted many years ago.  At least that couple didn't have to live in the renovation mess, even though they had to pay 2 mortgages.

I heard him say he took money from his retirement account along with money from both sets of parents.  That's really wanting a renovated house badly.  They can probably turn around and sell it for a profit now or at least break even if they have to.

I didn't like the fact there were not doors on the area where the clothes were hanging.  Did anyone else notice that?  Did not look like there was a casing for doors either.  It was just a long rod with all of their clothes hanging in full view.  Wonder where their shoes are stored?

[izabella]

I liked how the living and kitchen area turned out - those huge doors really were fabulous for that wonderful view.  The lack of doors on the closet and master bath were more of a problem for me.  My closet does not stay pristine, and even if it did, I don't want to look at my clothes all the time.  Plus, clothes do fade if continually exposed to sunlight, so that would be another reason I would want doors.  The bathroom door is a must. 

And, I wasn't a huge fan of the wood-look tiles for the bath and shower surrounds.  I could see what they were going for, sort-of, but it didn't quite work for me.

[Albino]

3 hours ago, Maharincess said:

Because marriage is a guarantee that you'll be together forever?  I've been living with somebody for 27 years, happily unmarried and we've bought and sold a few houses together while every marriage around us has ended in divorce.  Marriage doesn't guarantee a damn thing in my opinion. 

No, marriage is not a guarantee you'll be together forever, but it is a guarantee you will have a much stronger legal and financial footing when and if you split up.  You guys have 27 years under your belt (congrats!) but these are two kids have been together for just a few.  And he seems right on the verge of douchery.

Edited June 5, 2016 by Albino

[ByaNose]

1 hour ago, izabella said:

I liked how the living and kitchen area turned out - those huge doors really were fabulous for that wonderful view.  The lack of doors on the closet and master bath were more of a problem for me.  My closet does not stay pristine, and even if it did, I don't want to look at my clothes all the time.  Plus, clothes do fade if continually exposed to sunlight, so that would be another reason I would want doors.  The bathroom door is a must. 

And, I wasn't a huge fan of the wood-look tiles for the bath and shower surrounds.  I could see what they were going for, sort-of, but it didn't quite work for me.

I forgot about the wood tile & blue accent. In theory, it sounded like a good idea but somehow it wasn't executed well. Maybe, wood & glass tile don't mix?! 

[Maharincess]

1 hour ago, Albino said:

No, marriage is not a guarantee you'll be together forever, but it is a guarantee you will have a much stronger legal and financial footing when and if you split up.  You guys have 27 years under your belt (congrats!) but these are two kids have been together for just a few.  And he seems right on the verge of douchery.

He was kind of a jerk wasn't he?  

I missed the first half and when I turned it on I thought he was gay.  I was kind of surprised to see his girlfriend. 

Thanks Albino, I hope I didn't come off as rude in my post,  I just didn't really see the difference that them being married would have made.  I get a little prickly about things like that sometimes. If I had a dollar from every divorced person who tells me that we need to get married, I would be a rich, rich woman. Lol.  We argue maybe twice a year and they last for 5 minutes, we laugh constantly, respect each other and are both totally committed to each other.   I see no reason for us to get married but I respect those that choose marriage. 

Topic...I didn't like the house much when they were done.  I'm so damn sick of stupid open concept but this woman took that to a whole new level with her open concept bathroom. 

I don't white cabinets in a kitchen, it's just so cold looking and they're a bitch to keep clean. I like dark, rich warm wood cabinets.     I really hate cabinets that are 2 different colors which seems to be the new trend.  

Edited June 6, 2016 by Maharincess

[Empress1]

3 hours ago, laredhead said:

I can understand wanting to renovate before moving in, and that's fine if that is necessary.  I'm kind of a fan of living in the house for a while, if at all possible, and then deciding what is important to change.  Priorities change after living in a space many times.  I moved into my house 13 years ago and decided the kitchen was horrid and must be redone immediately, but it was expensive and other things needed attention.  The kitchen functioned, but not well.  Next week, after 13 years, the kitchen will finally get my attention (and money) and will be what I have wanted for a long time.  Now I'm glad I didn't renovate it in 2003, because I would not have used the same materials and space plan that I I have now.  This one will fit the 1960's vibe of the house instead of what I thought I wanted many years ago.  At least that couple didn't have to live in the renovation mess, even though they had to pay 2 mortgages.

I heard him say he took money from his retirement account along with money from both sets of parents.  That's really wanting a renovated house badly.  They can probably turn around and sell it for a profit now or at least break even if they have to.

I didn't like the fact there were not doors on the area where the clothes were hanging.  Did anyone else notice that?  Did not look like there was a casing for doors either.  It was just a long rod with all of their clothes hanging in full view.  Wonder where their shoes are stored?

They took money from retirement? I missed that. Yikes. I definitely would not do that.

I did notice the open closet. Huge no go for me - as @izabella says, sunlight can mess up clothes, and I assume steam from the shower could damage certain fabrics too. Also, while I do keep my closets fairly neat and organized, it's nice to have doors to close. Sometimes if I'm cleaning my room I throw shoes in the closet and don't bother to put them away nicely, and I can do that because nobody sees. I don't know when we as a society decided houses don't need doors or walls, but I do not agree with that decision! My first apartment was a studio and I loved it because it was My First Place, but I have zero interest in living in another studio apartment ever again. That's what these open concept first floors make me think of.

Edited June 6, 2016 by Empress1

[Bastet]

A friend recently raided her 401(k) to buy a house rather than bothering to save a single penny (of her good salary that she doesn't have to use to take care of anyone other than herself and her pets) for a down payment.  I about had a heart attack.

I have cute little windows in each of my three closets, but I had to make curtains for them to avoid sun damage to my clothes (thankfully, it was a cheap black top rather than one of my suits that reminded me to get on that).  Plus, no matter how well-organized a closet is (and mine is, because I'm like that), it's just not something I want to look at other than when I'm in it.

So, yeah, those would both be big nos for me, too.

Edited June 6, 2016 by Bastet

[Maharincess]

Albino, I need to apologize again for my rude comment to you.  It's been a really bad day.  I  shouldn't have taken it out on you.  

I had forgotten about the open closet. I had to take my closet doors off for accessibility reasons, I'm a clean freak so my closet is always clean but I still don't like not having doors. 

I can't believe these people spent so much money and dipped into his retirement (YIKES!!!) for a 2 bedroom house.  I wouldn't have done that for any house but this was just 2 bedrooms, that's crazy to me. 

Edited June 6, 2016 by Maharincess
Because closer and closet are not the same thing.

[Albino]

3 hours ago, Maharincess said:

Albino, I need to apologize again for my rude comment to you.  It's been a really bad day.  I  shouldn't have taken it out on you.  

 

Not a problem!  Sorry you had a rough day...tomorrow will be better.  :)

[Mittengirl]

Concrete floors make my knees ache just looking at them.  I would never buy a house that had them.  How would you replace them, if you were of a mind to?  I can't imagine you can just put new flooring over top of them, can you?

 Besides the joint pain issues, concrete floors remind me of Costco floors.  I don't have any desire to live in some place that looks like a big box retail store.

i didn't catch that the CA couple were not married.  I cannot imagine going in to a financial maelstrom like financing that house reno.  His money, her money, his credit card debt, her credit card debt, his retirement account, his parents and lord knows what else.  Can two unmarried people qualify for a mortgage/home equity loan together?  

[Albino]

2 minutes ago, Mittengirl said:

Concrete floors make my knees ache just looking at them.  I would never buy a house that had them.  How would you replace them, if you were of a mind to?  I can't imagine you can just put new flooring over top of them, can you?

 Besides the joint pain issues, concrete floors remind me of Costco floors.  I don't have any desire to live in some place that looks like a big box retail store.

I worked at a place (open concept, but sadly no barn doors) with concrete floors and they are awful.  It was an ad agency so naturally they embraced the whole 'industrial chic' crap.  My feet were killing me.  At least they were smart enough to put carpeting (industrial-style, of course) around the desk areas but every hallway, conference room (oops...I mean "huddle room"), bathroom and even the cafeteria was concrete.  The youngun's were always wearing flip flops too...don't know how they lived through it.

[laredhead]

I want to correct my earlier post about the California hill side house couple.  I thought he said he took money from his retirement account, but he actually said his savings account, not his retirement account.  So sorry for the misreporting on that.  Still, having to put renovations on a credit card seems a little precarious to me and at a very high interest rate.  They did not say how much they got from each source - gift, savings withdrawal and credit cards, but credit card borrowing would be the last place I would go.  I think I might have foregone some of those renovations if I had to do that.  I guess they figured it was the easiest place to get cash fast and they will be able to pay off the debt quickly.  Again, sorry about thinking he said "retirement account".   

[ByaNose]

1 hour ago, laredhead said:

I want to correct my earlier post about the California hill side house couple.  I thought he said he took money from his retirement account, but he actually said his savings account, not his retirement account.  So sorry for the misreporting on that.  Still, having to put renovations on a credit card seems a little precarious to me and at a very high interest rate.  They did not say how much they got from each source - gift, savings withdrawal and credit cards, but credit card borrowing would be the last place I would go.  I think I might have foregone some of those renovations if I had to do that.  I guess they figured it was the easiest place to get cash fast and they will be able to pay off the debt quickly.  Again, sorry about thinking he said "retirement account".   

I agree with all of the above. That said, does anyone know if HHR kicks in money for this? Are they on really hiring the designer? After all, it's a tv show and I'm sure HHR is kicking in some money, right? I'm thinking something like $10,000? Maybe?

[juliet73]

San Pedro couple...Where do I begin? He seemed like a tool.  Did he want polished concrete floors? I wasn't sure since he only mentioned it 100 times! Did she want Spanish style? She harped on that almost as much! 

The kitchen was nice, but I HATE the two tone cabinets!! They should have just stuck with the style/color of the base cabinets.  I wasn't a fan of the "waterfall" island. I'm pretty sure they could have done without. 

Not a fan of having no closet doors either. It reminds me of a dept store. On the flip side I'm glad they didn't install a sliding barn door. 

The bathrooms turned out nice, but the blue vanities in both were HORRID! The color was just too harsh! The rest of the bathroom finishes looked nice. It was refreshing to see the kitchen and baths with a different design.  

I loved that they raised the ceilings and I LOVED the slide away glass patio doors! I loved the deck! With or without the view, I would be out on that deck all the time! Was there a pool? It looked like there were a few steps down to maybe a covered pool, but I couldn't tell.

Finally, the budget...They are young and definitely financially stupid. I too am curious how much the parents gifted to them. I can't imagine moving into a new house and dumping every cent into it -cash, credit and otherwise. If there is an emergency, they having NOTHING to fall back on. Maybe his parents should have mentioned that instead of enabling them to spend even more money! I'm curious to know if they priced themselves out of the neighborhood. Hopefully, they bought the crappiest house on the street and after renovations it's up to par with their neighbors. 

After all the money they spent on the house, the dog still has no yard :(

[Talky Tina]

I noticed the dog doesn't have a yard also, after they turned down other houses because there was no yard for the dog.  I worried about the dog on that deck. I wonder what the drop was over that railing. I kept imagining the dog or a drink person tumbling right over that short rail.  

All I can think of when I see those doors and windows they chose was flies getting in the house. I have screens on my windows because I can't stand flies in my house. 

[Amethyst]

Double post, sorry!

Edited June 12, 2016 by Amethyst

[juliet73]

Chicago couple: She was a bit rough around the edges...she reminded me of myself :) He was fine except I didn't understand his fascination of a Spanish style house in Chicago. He even mentioned about getting the Spanish tile roof. I don't think I've even seen that style of roof on an average costing house outside warmer climates. If I have seen them in a colder climate, it's on a multi million dollar house.  Even then,  it still surprises me.

I loved the master bathroom! Normally, I don't like "busy" floor tile,  but I think because everything else in the bathroom was very plain and neutral, it totally worked!

The half bathroom was bad. I think it was the wallpaper that caused me to hate the entire room.  There was just way too much going on in there. It made the room appear a lot smaller and very tacky.  I think if they would have just stuck with a neutral color on the wall and two floating shelves (instead of the four),  everything else would have worked great in there.

I loved the kitchen for the sole reason of all the windows! Again with the 2 tone kitchen cabinets. Ugh! On the flip side though,  they should have gotten the fireplace limestone in the same gray color as the base kitchen cabinets. I think there was too much beige on beige with that fireplace so it kind of got lost instead of being a focal point.

Finally, the budget. She said they went about $10k over. They probably could have saved about $7k if they did the painting themselves.  I do think they got a lot done for $85k especially compared to these other homeowners from the last few HHR episodes.

[sheetmoss]

On 6/6/2016 at 1:58 AM, Mittengirl said:

  Can two unmarried people qualify for a mortgage/home equity loan together?  

Yes

Think about when brothers/sisters/sister brother buy a hse together,

I worked w/a guy in the early 90's who  bought a condo w/then GF--they never married.

It's a bit more paperwork because property doesn't pass as easily if one dies like if married--surviving spouse, and I seem to remember there was something about equity because she had more $$ in than him in the purchase

 

ETA - Chicago, looking for 'cheaper' in northern burbs--cheaper is southern  or areas much farther out... I nearly fell off the sofa looking in Park Ridge.

Edited June 12, 2016 by sheetmoss

[Albino]

1 hour ago, juliet73 said:

Chicago couple: She was a bit rough around the edges...she reminded me of myself :) He was fine except I didn't understand his fascination of a Spanish style house in Chicago. He even mentioned about getting the Spanish tile roof. I don't think I've even seen that style of roof on an average costing house outside warmer climates. If I have seen them in a colder climate, it's on a multi million dollar house.  Even then,  it still surprises me.

I loved the master bathroom! Normally, I don't like "busy" floor tile,  but I think because everything else in the bathroom was very plain and neutral, it totally worked!

The half bathroom was bad. I think it was the wallpaper that caused me to hate the entire room.  There was just way too much going on in there. It made the room appear a lot smaller and very tacky.  I think if they would have just stuck with a neutral color on the wall and two floating shelves (instead of the four),  everything else would have worked great in there.

I loved the kitchen for the sole reason of all the windows! Again with the 2 tone kitchen cabinets. Ugh! On the flip side though,  they should have gotten the fireplace limestone in the same gray color as the base kitchen cabinets. I think there was too much beige on beige with that fireplace so it kind of got lost instead of being a focal point.

Finally, the budget. She said they went about $10k over. They probably could have saved about $7k if they did the painting themselves.  I do think they got a lot done for $85k especially compared to these other homeowners from the last few HHR episodes.

A bit rough around the edges?  I wanted to punch her in the throat after 2 minutes.  "Why is this post here?  It's obstructing the whole view!".  "I hate Lazy Susans".  "So your guests can smell gas fumes?"  "It's the midwest...what are you gonna do with a pool?"  Plus her lack of vision was giving me - and her realtor - fits.  Her husband was only slightly better...at least he didn't have that snotty, know-it-all edge in his voice.

I find it odd to add Spanish touches to a MCM house, to say the least!

The wallpaper was bad.  It was too simple to make a real statement...and yet still managed to look fussy and busy.  She should have gone with the designers original choices...except as we all know...no vision.

Edited June 12, 2016 by Albino

[Empress1]

Yeah, I didn't like her either, and neither did the designer. He was basically like "whew, she likes it, I'm out" at the end. Even the realtor, who had known her for 15 years, was like "even if she's not talking, it means she hates everything." She had an air of bullish meanness about her. "Are you gonna move this 'home office' today?" Like, you could hear the air quotes.

I didn't like that house at ALL before - like, nothing about it. When they were finished it was better, but I still didn't like it. I loved the master bath tile though. I was surprised that they didn't go with something bigger, with her huge family. I'm guessing kids aren't in their plan (no judgment!).

[laredhead]

I liked the MCM house the Chicago couple chose.  I think the wife probably gave the designer fits though with her indecision.  I'm about to begin a major kitchen renovation and my contractor and kitchen designer stressed the necessity to have all choices made before work begins in order to save time and ultimately money.  Waiting to choose counter tops until the cabinets are installed can add up to 2 weeks to the time line.

I would have chosen one of the wall papers that the designer originally chose because from what I could see of the designs, they went with the style of the house better than those flowers.  About the floor tiles in the bathroom - I saw those when choosing flooring for my kitchen.  When I commented to my kitchen designer that I have been seeing them on HH recently, she smiled and said while they are pretty, they are thicker then normal ceramic or porcelain and are really better suited to new construction because of the thickness issue and floor levels.  She also said they need to be well sealed and taken care of, so they are higher maintenance long term.  Oh, and they are more expensive too.  Personally, I find them a little too busy for my taste, but they would be good at hiding crumbs and other things on the floor. 

[ByaNose]

Yeah, the Chicago wife was a tough cookie, wasn't she? Yikes! He seemed easy going but also understood her which is a good thing since they area couple. LOL!!! I'm not into mid century at all. To me it just looks dated....which it is. That said, I think they did a great job and I really liked the fireplace. I'm not into the Spanish floor tile that HGTV seems to use a lot on these renovation shows. It's just too busy for me. In the end, they only went over budget by about 10k. That's got to be a record, right?

[Empress1]

I liked the fireplace too. I forgot about that.