House Hunters Renovation - General Discussion

[aguabella]

On ‎6‎/‎30‎/‎2016 at 0:58 AM, MsTree said:

Thanks for the info. My only beef is that many times the designers insist on the ugliest things even when the owners wince at their suggestions. It makes the homeowner look like an idiot...especially when we know they hate what's being proposed. But I guess that's the price they pay for "free" stuff.

Anytime, MsTree. 

Hmmm, trying to remember an instance of discordance between the h/o's and designer but going blank - probably b/c I try to ignore to the back and forth between them.  Now I'm curious; do you have an example?  No big deal but if you remember something ...

Definitely agree - they may pay a very high price for the freebies!

[aguabella]

On ‎7‎/‎10‎/‎2016 at 0:53 PM, juliet73 said:

The Chicago couple didn't bother me. They did go $15k over budget. I know a lot of that was the unexpected plumbing and leveling problems. But, then I would think you wouldn't spend $900 on some broken down pallets to hang on the wall or as the designer called them "reclaimed wood." And why did their subway tile cost $1700?? Wasn't it just used in the kitchen for a backsplash? 

I liked the kitchen, but it seemed very cramped and the farmhouse sink looked out of place. 

Good catch on the subway tile, juliet73.  IIRC, the designer pitched standard subway tile but the reveal indicated they upgraded to a textured, glossy tile.  And, in the current popular fashion, they installed it from the countertop to the ceiling for that portion of the wall, increasing their material usage.  Incidentally, I've seen price differentials as much as 5X, comparing those two tile choices.

In addition, I'm sure the reported costs include installation.  Taking both the material and labor increases into account, the $1700 tile cost sounds correct, to me. 

Likewise, the $900 didn't surprise me.  Unfortunately, most of us don't have ready access to used materials and are forced to visit overpriced retail shops and pay outrageous prices for the craze of the day - reclaimed lumber.  In my experience, in pretty much any construction budget, the largest line item, if/when expressed separately, is labor.  

Like most of these HHR episodes, I wouldn't consider them overbudget.  Upgraded materials and added projects would be considered change orders.  They didn't level the floors - decided to change them out for new material.  (I assumed the LL freebie wasn't mentioned b/c Ikea sponsored the episode, lol.) 

The plumbing's overall condition should have been called by their inspector from whatever was visible pre-sale.  (The sellers put plenty of lipstick on the pig but left the original systems for their dime!)  Anyone else agree that the contingency would have been increased b/c the homeowners knew, going in, that they were opening up walls with 1926 plumbing??  So, no overage there, either.

You're correct - that kitchen was darn small and their designer's choices, I believe, made it look and feel smaller.  Sometimes using small materials, e.g. the mini-farmhouse sink, also accentuate that situation, imo.  More, later. 

[aguabella]

Oops, last paragraph (from an edit) bounced from the previous post:

WRT the hardwood floor they removed:

Here's hoping they saved the original floor.  Anyone need flooring from a lovely, 1926 home for a project?  Hey, they should have traded a portion of that for the used pallets installed over their chimney!  Only a small portion, right?

Sorry for the error, everybody -

[awaken]

Stop the sliding barn door madness!!  It seems like a requirement now on all reno shows. What was once a neat idea, is now a running joke- I just wait for it each time!

[Albino]

Cannot believe the couple in tonight's new episode (SF to SoCal) moved into that death trap of a home!  Their kids will be lucky to survive a month with all those stairs. And open stairs too!  When will this madness end?

Otherwise - subway tile? Yup - both bathrooms.  Barn door?  Yup...and the mere mention of it by the designer sent Mrs. Won't-Someone-Think-Of-The-Children into an uncontrollable spasm of squealing.  Drama over "this isn't the open concept we talked about!"?  Absolutely.  Replastering a semi-vintage fireplace to turn something one-of-a-kind into something ordinary?  Or course!  

The end results were so meh I can't even remember it.  It was mostly white, gray and very, very linear due to the husband's fear of round things.

What I do remember is the look of horror and disgust on the wife's face when she learned one of her gray and white bath tiles was scratched.

[laredhead]

Albino, I was thinking much the same as you when I saw this episode.  They wanted the children on the same floor as them, and even when the house was one story, the fact that one of the bedrooms was in the front of 2700 sf house, that was worrisome to her.  It's not like the house was 10,000 sf and she had to roller skate from one end to the other to reach a crying child, who will soon grow older and sleep through the night.  Everything was a potential disaster - concrete, steps, a pool, open railings.  Oh yes, those dangerous railings at the top of the stairs that contributed to the openness of the house, but got covered up with a half wall of light blocking drywall and the result was a perfect launching point for a child who might want to climb on top of it.  Why not just put up some type of mesh for a couple of years and then remove it later like one couple did a couple of years ago.  I have bought 6 houses in my lifetime, and I do not ever recall thinking that a feature in one of them would be dangerous for my child.  Obviously my parenting skills are severely lacking, but he managed to become an adult with only the usual skinned knees resulting from sidewalk falls, etc. Guess i should have had the concrete removed from around the outside of my houses to prevent that.

No pool?  You're in southern California where it's hot and once the children are a little older, the pool will be a great place for them to play.  Wonder if she will ever let them learn to swim, or will that be too dangerous?  I noticed that the "killer" open stairs were still there in the final reveal.  What a helicopter couple.

That designer had no imagination, but then again she wasn't working with the most creative homeowners either.  When she said the bathroom remodel plan included removing 2 or 3 closets, I would have balked.  Storage is a key issue with me.  The other master closet wasn't that large for 2 people, but maybe these owners don't have many clothes.  The linen closet was sacrificed as well for that luxurious master bath.    Ah yes, the concrete tile disaster was pathetic.  I will say that whoever stacked those tiles incorrectly did it very neatly.  Those tiles are expensive and they take maintenance, not just a one time sealer.  Hated the barn door in that house.  While the bathroom walls were opened for construction, why not just install a pocket door which would have been more in keeping with the era of the house.  

I knew there was no way they would be able to remodel a kitchen and 2 bathrooms for $70,000 even if they did any of the work unless it was heavy construction.  Gee, their painting the bedroom  might have saved a thousand or so, if they actually did it themselves and not just for a camera shot.  I'm doing what is considered a minimum kitchen remodel and it's costing $43,000 plus change and that is w/o high end finishes and no granite or quartz or a barn door.    

Edited July 17, 2016 by laredhead
spelling correction

[Empress1]

4 hours ago, laredhead said:

I knew there was no way they would be able to remodel a kitchen and 2 bathrooms for $70,000 even if they did any of the work unless it was heavy construction.  Gee, their painting the bedroom  might have saved a thousand or so, if they actually did it themselves and not just for a camera shot.  I'm doing what is considered a minimum kitchen remodel and it's costing $43,000 plus change and that is w/o high end finishes and no granite or quartz or a barn door.    

I was like "Yeah, right" when they said $70K. It became a game to see how much over budget they'd go (I guessed they'd end up at $90K - oops!).

Largely unmemorable result, although I did like the patterned tile. And whenever couples say they absolutely must be on the same floor as their kids, I think of my best friend and her husband, who have two young kids and have lived in two houses where the master was on a different floor. They put up some baby gates and got on with their lives. I also wonder if people who want essentially only one room on the first floor "so they can see what the kids are doing" will mind that when the kids are older - because I guarantee, the kids will mind. Kids need privacy as they get older.

I would have kept the linen closet too. (I'm really proud of my very neat and well-organized linen closet.) Storage is a big issue with me too, especially kitchen storage. I have a lot of dishes.

[juliet73]

I liked the Thousand Oaks house.  It was something different with all the levels, etc.  I liked that they removed the walls, but it still had separate rooms...it just wasn't one big area.  I knew when they said they had $70k to spend that they would exceed $100k.

What I didn't like:  The two tone kitchen!!!  This trend needs to stop!  I would have had all the cabinets white. Even though it had one big window over the sink, the kitchen still seemed dark to me and the darker base cabinets didn't help.  No on the farmhouse sink...it looked out of place in that style of kitchen.  

The fireplace was nice, but I would have made it double facing so you could enjoy it from the dining room too.  

The master bath turned out nice, but the brass framed mirrors were ugly and didn't belong.  The floor tiles were lovely, however, I would NEVER get a tile that was so delicate, let alone put it on the floor.  

Edited July 18, 2016 by juliet73

[Bastet]

I tried to hang in, but I just could not with those two.  Every.fucking.thing was a potential deathtrap.  Their poor kids.

[ByaNose]

Why would you want those Brady Bunch steps with such little kids? I don't even have kids and I thought it was awful. That said, I am a huge fan of The Brady Bunch. LOL!!!

[MoreCoffeePlease]

I liked how one of the homes had a weird tree in the front with somewhat spherical shapes.  Ha!

The twins were so cute!

Wow, certain homes from that area really did have a lot of levels.  Did people get paid by the # of levels and stairs? 

Barn door, white subway tile, etc. ... it just must be in the contract that those are the materials that will be used in your project.

[aguabella]

Trying to catch up on the dvr and did see last Sat's Westlake Village reno.

Hey, everybody, if you described that reno / home in 1 word, what would it be?

     Mine:  forgettable.  "Cheap" would be a close second, however, right down to the pvc (plastic!) beams and hollow core barn door.  (That door's the type that's usually placed on the curb for semi-annual clean-up day or listed as "free" on Craig's List, tossed out for pickers.)

Agreed with everyone WRT the storage issue, too.  Besides the 3 linen / br closets, notice that they also removed the pantry?  Just once, can't one of these freebie designers present the standard analysis of b&a kitchen cupboard space?  Oops, probably answered my own question - it's free and you get what you pay for, lol ...

What was up with the master bath's vanity abutting the freestanding tub?  Yuch!  Well, at least it's a spot for the shampoo and toiletries.  Why bother with the expensive tub if you lack the space to show it off?  I believe they could have done a much better job with that space plan even if they'd retained at least 1 of those closets.

And the bathrooms' mixed metals?  Not saying that matchy-matchy's always preferable but when it appears that you purchased everything from the bargain bin, right down to the plastic mirror frame ... 

Speaking of matching materials, anyone else agree that the transition from their floor tile to the shower's honeycomb floor jarred, making the room feel even smaller?

Anyway - more later.  What's your single word to describe Westlake Village?

[biakbiak]

Caught a HHI Reno show, they remodeled a houseboat near Amsterdam, I wasn't crazy about most of the remodel but the outdoor space was lovely for a houseboat. The third houseboat that they looked at which was actually in Amsterdam and also actually a boat was my dream home.

Edited July 22, 2016 by biakbiak

[laredhead]

Tonight's HHI: Renovation featured a couple who bought a house boat just outside of Amsterdam.  I loved this episode for so many reasons, among which was getting to see 3 different house boats.  They were an older couple who met on a dating site and had a common interest in sailing.  They lived on a 44' sailboat for 3 years and spent that time sailing the Mediterranean until they decided to return to their home in Amsterdam to be near family and their grandchildren.  They worked together on the renovation along with family members, didn't fuss or fight about living in the garage during the renovation, or have unrealistic expectations about space or amenities.  They consulted with a designer on color and some things, and I thought it was interesting to learn about the quirks of renovating a houseboat.  BTW, not a piece of white subway tile was in sight during the reveal.  I need to research the hammam style of bathroom that they installed, because this is the second time in several months that someone requested that and they were both HHI participants.   HGTV give me more of these types of buyers because this episode was really good.

[laredhead]

Duplicate post

Edited July 22, 2016 by laredhead
Duplicate post

[proserpina65]

6 hours ago, laredhead said:

Tonight's HHI: Renovation featured a couple who bought a house boat just outside of Amsterdam.  I loved this episode for so many reasons, among which was getting to see 3 different house boats.  They were an older couple who met on a dating site and had a common interest in sailing.  They lived on a 44' sailboat for 3 years and spent that time sailing the Mediterranean until they decided to return to their home in Amsterdam to be near family and their grandchildren.  They worked together on the renovation along with family members, didn't fuss or fight about living in the garage during the renovation, or have unrealistic expectations about space or amenities.  They consulted with a designer on color and some things, and I thought it was interesting to learn about the quirks of renovating a houseboat.  BTW, not a piece of white subway tile was in sight during the reveal.  I need to research the hammam style of bathroom that they installed, because this is the second time in several months that someone requested that and they were both HHI participants.   HGTV give me more of these types of buyers because this episode was really good.

I enjoyed this episode as well, although I would've chosen houseboat #3 because it was the only one which looked like a boat.  But I'm just one person, and it certainly wouldn't have suited their needs for family space.  I wasn't as keen on the one they chose after the renovation because, except for the bathroom (and the necessary structural/plumbing issues), I liked the look of it better before, but they loved it and it worked for their family so good for them.  And yes, please more HHers like this.

[NYGirl]

I absolutely hate reclaimed wood.  The decorators seem to go crazy with it and using so much of it.  OMG the giant barn door on their pantry horrified me.  Again, not enough upper cabinets in the kitchen.

I was distracted by the wife's face.  She was so pretty in the photographs.  /being shallow.

[ByaNose]

One reclaimed wood door is fine but they were OTT with the wood tv wall & pantry seemed like too much. I didn't care for the gray cabinets in such a small kitchen. If she wanted white cabinets she should be able to have them, right? 

[Empress1]

Had the same thoughts re: reclaimed wood. I hated the pantry door. I could handle the wall (although I wouldn't have done it) but I thought the door looked silly. I didn't like the gray cabinets either, and I was irked that the wife clearly had to go along with the designer's plan when she didn't want to. Only $3K over budget though, not bad!

Knew they were going to pick house #2. Commute is a sticking point with me so I wouldn't have chosen that one (assuming the other options were closer to his work), but if the husband is OK with a 50 minute commute, cool.

[juliet73]

Austin ep:  this one goes down as one of the top 5 worst renos! Everything about it was horrid! 

Not to be a dick,  but was she "off" or something?  She dressed like an old lady (no offense to anyone), she giggled at odd things, she  talked   so    slow, and when they toured the first house with the odd master bathroom and closets, etc she only notices "all the beige"?? Plus she LOVED wallpaper! 

The kitchen cabinet color was ugly and no on the open shelving - it looked too industrial compared to everything else.  The sliding "fence" door was horrible!   Again with the brass hardware! Ugh!  The eating area is small and since it looks like they expanded the living room into the formal dining room,  they won't be having many guests over for dinner.  Speaking of the living room,  they kept that same cheap crappy ceiling fan?  Really?  Instead of spending $600 on that ugly wallpaper, they should have spent $200 on a nicer fan/light fixture. 

Not a fan of anything in the bathroom either.

On the positive side, they only went $3000 over budget which isn't really too bad. They could have saved $1000 eliminating the stupid fence door and wallpaper.

Also, I thought it was funny when they were making the bed,  she placed the pillow on an angle, and he changed it. Ha!

[Peanutbuttercup]

Not to be a dick,  but was she "off" or something?  She dressed like an old lady (no offense to anyone), she giggled at odd things, she  talked   so    slow, and when they toured the first house with the odd master bathroom and closets, etc she only notices "all the beige"?? Plus she LOVED wallpaper! 

Nope, she's just a hipster, not ~special.

I wasn't crazy about the reno, but the couple didn't irk me that much, at least not as much as your standard HH:R couple. Maybe I liked them better because I watched this episode immediately after watching the "Everything is a deathtrap! Round objects frighten me!" couple. Anyway, Austin hipsters also get a bit of a pass from me since they adopted a senior cat and wanted to make a cat palace for her.

[Empress1]

18 minutes ago, juliet73 said:

Austin ep:  this one goes down as one of the top 5 worst renos! Everything about it was horrid! 

You've got me thinking: what are the top 5 worst renos?* My thoughts:

• Definitely the Buffalo reno with the crazy zigzag floor and reclaimed wood cabinets. I think that's the worst one of all. The next buyer is going to tear all that shit out and make a lot of "WTF were they thinking?" comments, and s/he will be right to do it.
• The Chicago triplex, where the couple was combining the top two floors. That one was SO expensive and such a nightmare with all kinds of unforeseen issues. What work they did looked fine, but it was such a mess of a project.
• A SoCal episode where the husband ripped out the original hardwood floors and installed cheap laminate in their place, without telling his wife he was going to do it. They also favored bright red, black, and white.
• The SoCal episode with the concrete floor and basically no doors anywhere in the house - none on the master bedroom, bathroom, or closet, and an open kitchen/living space floor plan.
• The Chicago flipper who renovated all the charm out of a classic bungalow, including adding a horrible second story.

What do y'all think?

*I'm thinking of domestic renovations only, as I haven't seen enough of the international renovations to make that call.

[juliet73]

2 hours ago, Empress1 said:

You've got me thinking: what are the top 5 worst renos?* My thoughts:

• Definitely the Buffalo reno with the crazy zigzag floor and reclaimed wood cabinets. I think that's the worst one of all. The next buyer is going to tear all that shit out and make a lot of "WTF were they thinking?" comments, and s/he will be right to do it.
• The Chicago triplex, where the couple was combining the top two floors. That one was SO expensive and such a nightmare with all kinds of unforeseen issues. What work they did looked fine, but it was such a mess of a project.
• A SoCal episode where the husband ripped out the original hardwood floors and installed cheap laminate in their place, without telling his wife he was going to do it. They also favored bright red, black, and white.
• The SoCal episode with the concrete floor and basically no doors anywhere in the house - none on the master bedroom, bathroom, or closet, and an open kitchen/living space floor plan.
• The Chicago flipper who renovated all the charm out of a classic bungalow, including adding a horrible second story.

What do y'all think?

*I'm thinking of domestic renovations only, as I haven't seen enough of the international renovations to make that call.

I had to go back and reread some of my posts because I know my choices were recent. 

            1. The Buffalo couple for sure!

            2. This most recent episode with the Austin couple.

            3. The LA couple and she was the fashion blogger.  Basically, the whole reno was the master bedroom/bath and HER closet with all the                      mirrors.

            4. The LA couple with the orange exterior house.  The inside was green with ugly wallpaper.

            5. The Chicago couple that did the renovation for the AirBnB.  After the reno was done, they were still living in their apt because a renter was occupying the first floor (their living quarters).

Edited July 25, 2016 by juliet73

[Empress1]

I can't believe I forgot that Sunkist house!

[izabella]

12 hours ago, ByaNose said:

One reclaimed wood door is fine but they were OTT with the wood tv wall & pantry seemed like too much. I didn't care for the gray cabinets in such a small kitchen. If she wanted white cabinets she should be able to have them, right? 

I also hated the reclaimed wood beams that were just for decoration and weren't holding anything up.  They should have saved the money on fake beams and reclaimed fences and whatnot, and tore down that wall in the kitchen that they wanted to tear down but would have required more money.  Why spend money on fake beams? 

And I was totally on the husband's side with the beam not being flush against that wall.  That gap would have bugged me, too, especially since the beams are fake and useless!  I'm glad they figured out a way to deal with that, but I would have LOVED it if he had side, if you can't fix it, take it OUT, I don't want it.

[awaken]

Barn doors need to be a drinking game at this point. Between that and the reclaimed wood, they have to be pranking us!  Every. Single. Episode.  And subway tile. And beams. 

 

Did you know they are engineers?  And the husband likes things straight and square?  I don't think they mentioned it. 

[izabella]

What I hate is when they rip up hardwood floors,  and then go on about reclaimed wood barn doors.  Um, you had some wood and got rid of it.  Why didn't you reclaim your own damned wood and re-use it to make a stupid barn door, or worse, a stupid reclaimed wood wall?

Edited July 25, 2016 by izabella

[NYGirl]

It took awhile but I'm starting to get annoyed at HGTV.  I don't only watch HHs..I have HG on in the background mostly all day and I fall asleep to it at night.  Every.single.show they have either the designer/contractor or the Home Buyer/Owner say:  The kitchen is too closed in.  There are too many walls.

Then we have every single designer design the same.  Subway tile, barn doors, farm sink, gray cabinets, etc., and now the disturbing trend of no upper cabinets.

How are we supposed to get ideas for our houses? What happened to variation?  Why isn't each designer doing something different?

[awaken]

Oh, ha ha.  Forgot to mention farm sinks, too, NYGirl!  

I actually like reclaimed wood, beams, farm sinks, and subway tile- but EVERY show, it's getting ridiculous.  And every designer who mentions it, they act like it's an amazing, surprising new idea they came up with, and the homeowners are thrilled with their creativity.  

[juliet73]

2 hours ago, NYGirl said:

It took awhile but I'm starting to get annoyed at HGTV.  I don't only watch HHs..I have HG on in the background mostly all day and I fall asleep to it at night.  Every.single.show they have either the designer/contractor or the Home Buyer/Owner say:  The kitchen is too closed in.  There are too many walls.

Then we have every single designer design the same.  Subway tile, barn doors, farm sink, gray cabinets, etc., and now the disturbing trend of no upper cabinets.

How are we supposed to get ideas for our houses? What happened to variation?  Why isn't each designer doing something different?

I used to watch HGTV All.The.Time when they actually aired different shows. (design on a dime,  divine design, designed to sell,  room by room,  yard crashers, designers challenge,  that landscaping one with the tall, dark and handsome host who would fix up the yards on the block, etc). Now everything is the EXACT same show/premise. I just watch HH and HHR. HHI only if they are in Spain or Australia.

[izabella]

I want to see designers coming up with some great ideas for reclaiming all the perfectly good wood cabinets they destroy when they update to gray or white painted ones.  It's like they've never heard of painting the ones they have.

Edited July 25, 2016 by izabella

[Irlandesa]

True Confessions:  I liked the Buffalo renovation.  *runs off*

[Albino]

11 hours ago, juliet73 said:

I used to watch HGTV All.The.Time when they actually aired different shows. (design on a dime,  divine design, designed to sell,  room by room,  yard crashers, designers challenge,  that landscaping one with the tall, dark and handsome host who would fix up the yards on the block, etc). Now everything is the EXACT same show/premise. I just watch HH and HHR. HHI only if they are in Spain or Australia.

It's become all House Hunters, all the time.  Remember when it first started with our exotic hostess - Suzanne Whhhaaaaaaaaang?

All those early shows seem so rudimentary now, and they weren't that long ago. They had budgets of like $2000 (for one room usually) which today would pay for about 4 sq. ft. of quarz countertop. I posted on another board here about While You Were Out.  Yikes...so cheap and hideous designs. But...Evan Farmer and Andrew Dan-Jumbo! 

[buttercupia]

mmmmm, andrew dan-jumbo!

[aguabella]

Started to respond regarding worst HHR episodes but slightly confused.  IIRC, the Air Bnb Chicago couple appeared only HH original recipe.  We never saw a significant renovation of that space.  Basically, they staged it for their rental photos.  The "kitchen" consisted of a stove in a corner and a couple of tables/chairs for guests.  Can't remember even a fridge or microwave appearing on camera.  (They must be somewhere!) 

Incidentally, the reason a long-term tenant (supposedly) prevented them from moving into their space is that they're landlords and have no intention of moving - that's to date, anyway.  Could be why their episode might have been delayed - the apparent HH fakeout!  If you utilize a HH reference, their place pops ups readily on Air BnB, BTW. 

Likewise, I only remember Flipper Amy (sorry, my name for the Chicago woman) from possibly 2 HH and 1 follow-up WATN.  (Let me know if that's incorrect, everybody!)  I believe they gave her 2 segments on a WATN to explain her first HH renovation.  She acted as if she was a newbie and still holding down a ft job even though she'd already begun soliciting investors.

WRT her bungalow renovations, I recently happened across this article featuring a Chicago bungalow association, the "HCBA".  They're currently circulating a change.org petition regarding the work of 1 particular renovator.  (When I initially saw the article's photo, I assumed they were talking about Amy!)  Anyway, thought some of you might be interested.  Here's the Crain's article and petition:

                    http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20160616/CRED0701/160619910/is-this-house-a-blemish-on-the-bungalow-belt

         

                      https://www.change.org/p/stop-destroying-chicago-bungalows-support-sensible-second-story-additions-stopthepop

Anyone else agree that Amy'd do almost anything to score an HHR episode?  Surprised she missed the last two seasons that featured Chicago.  Perhaps the producers noticed that her listings featured HH prominently, implying they were sponsoring her or somehow aligned with her business.

Can't help but wonder if the bungalow association has noticed her handiwork ???

ETA:  To clarify, the HCBA probably shouldn't be considered a strict "preservationist" group - meaning, they're not trying to prevent all bungalow renovations.  They apparently encourage alternative architectural plans to both preserve the original structure and increase square footage.  (Sounds like a win-win!)  They also sponsor other programs, including grants and education, to make vintage homes more efficient and sustainable, assisting homeowners who hope to repair and update their homes. 

Edited July 29, 2016 by aguabella
to explain HCBA's work and tighten verbiage

[laredhead]

Aguabella, thanks for the links to the Chicago bungalow issue.  I read the articles and a lot of the comments.  Have to agree with a few people who said some of those bad pop ups on top of the original bungalows looks like a mobile home has been dropped on top of the original house.  Obviously, it's cheaper to do a 2nd story addition like that instead of sticking to the original bungalow style when adding space.  When done well, it would be difficult to tell it's a recent addition.  Maybe the woman flipper could team up with this guy who's doing the bad additions and together they could probably destroy the remainder of the bungalows in Chicago in record time - heavy sarcasm there.     

[izabella]

My fiance lives next door to someone who put a second story addition on his bungalow, and it looks quite nice!  But, the second story is set back some distance from the front, so it doesn't lose the original roofline on the first story, and the addition itself was given a low pitched roof that matches the roofline on the first story.  Also, the siding on the second story matches the color of the brick on the first story almost exactly, the roof shingles on the second story match the first, and the trim is painted cohesively, so it doesn't look like they plopped a vinyl box on top bungalow brick.  There are ways to add a second story without destroying a bungalow!!

Edited July 29, 2016 by izabella

[aguabella]

4 hours ago, laredhead said:

Aguabella, thanks for the links to the Chicago bungalow issue.  I read the articles and a lot of the comments.  Have to agree with a few people who said some of those bad pop ups on top of the original bungalows looks like a mobile home has been dropped on top of the original house.  Obviously, it's cheaper to do a 2nd story addition like that instead of sticking to the original bungalow style when adding space.  When done well, it would be difficult to tell it's a recent addition.  Maybe the woman flipper could team up with this guy who's doing the bad additions and together they could probably destroy the remainder of the bungalows in Chicago in record time - heavy sarcasm there.     

Anytime!  Oh no, getting those two together sounds like either a match made in heaven or Hades, depending on your perspective.  No doubt, they'd improve their reno time, exponentially!

Edited July 29, 2016 by aguabella

[aguabella]

4 hours ago, izabella said:

My fiance lives next door to someone who put a second story addition on his bungalow, and it looks quite nice!  But, the second story is set back some distance from the front, so it doesn't lose the original roofline on the first story, and the addition itself was given a low pitched roof that matches the roofline on the first story.  Also, the siding on the second story matches the color of the brick on the first story almost exactly, the roof shingles on the second story match the first, and the trim is painted cohesively, so it doesn't look like they plopped a vinyl box on top bungalow brick.  There are ways to add a second story without destroying a bungalow!!

Exactly, Izabella!  I believe that's the idea behind the bungalow association, the HCBA, to promulgate alternative architectural plans that both preserve the original structure but allow for increased square footage and therefore, real estate value.  That way, everyone wins!

P.S.  In fact, I returned to PTV this p.m., realizing that my language was probably a little harsh and may have made them sound as if they were attempting to convert every bungalow into a historic landmark in order to prevent renovations of any type.  Thanks for illustrating my point for me!

[Albino]

Holy reclaimed wood, Batman!  Watching a 2015 rerun of an architect and preservationist couple who buy an historic home in Buffalo.  I think it was a craftsman, but can't really remember.  They were fine, respectful of the history of the homes and I appreciated their determination to restore and not rip out.  

But the kitchen design...yikes.  All the cabinets were made of reclaimed wood.  ALL OF THEM.  (Also used it all herringboned and multi-colored in the bathroom.) The kitchen floor was 4x12" tile in FOUR different colors set at an angle because there just wasn't enough going on already.  It was such an overload.  Pick one or the other...when a room is that over-designed nothing stands out.  It just ends up a dizzying blur. 

Reclaimed wood doesn't feel authentic in a vintage craftsman or a bungalow or Victorian IMO. I feel like a hundred years ago people would have been horrified to use "old" wood. Reclaimed wood is rustic...nice in a cabin or farmhouse style (in small doses) but otherwise it just looks pretentious and out-of-place.  At least  there were no sliding barn doors because they reused the original pocket doors on the baths. 

Also...guys?  Go easy on the suspenders.

Edited July 29, 2016 by Albino

[Bastet]

Heh; that Buffalo episode is infamous, and if you want to entertain yourself you can go back and read all the horrified commentary from when it first aired.

I actually like it as an episode, just for being different from the formula we normally see.  But as a design?  Yikes.

[Albino]

2 minutes ago, Bastet said:

Heh; that Buffalo episode is infamous, and if you want to entertain yourself you can go back and read all the horrified commentary from when it first aired.

I actually like it as an episode, just for being different from the formula we normally see.  But as a design?  Yikes.

Thank you!

[Bastet]

I came in only for the final reveal of the Torrance house, and I scared my cat laughing.  These kitchen designs are just so fucking ridiculous in their repetition -- subway tile, farmhouse sink, barn door, faux beam made of "reclaimed wood," cabinets of two different colors, open floor plan, pendant lighting, Shaker cabinets, shades of grey for the paint and countertop, stainless steel finish appliances, that big arched faucet.  Lather, rinse, repeat. 

I don't care how much of it you comped, you could not give me a kitchen that looks like everyone else's.  But beyond personal preference, this makes for horribly boring TV.  Which is why it's been a very long time since I made it a point to watch.

[mortonsalt]

26 minutes ago, Bastet said:

I came in only for the final reveal of the Torrance house, and I scared my cat laughing.  These kitchen designs are just so fucking ridiculous in their repetition -- subway tile, farmhouse sink, barn door, faux beam made of "reclaimed wood," cabinets of two different colors, open floor plan, pendant lighting, Shaker cabinets, shades of grey for the paint and countertop, stainless steel finish appliances, that big arched faucet.  Lather, rinse, repeat. 

I don't care how much of it you comped, you could not give me a kitchen that looks like everyone else's.  But beyond personal preference, this makes for horribly boring TV.  Which is why it's been a very long time since I made it a point to watch.

Yes, I watch the first part to see what house will end up being chosen, but lately I've been tuning out for the last half until the reveal, and that's only because I want to know how much overbudget it ends up going. I knew it was a bad sign when the wife talked about her preferred interior style was like an old farmhouse. I was like, "yep, I know where this is going already." 

[izabella]

The blandness of the latest trend in kitchens is making me long for that HGTV show "Get Color."  The designer would create a color palette of the homeowners favorite things (the beach, ask them to choose their three favorites, and then she designed a room using those.  I just can't anymore with the white and gray.

And why o why do they act like back splashes only come in subway tile or slightly different subway tile?  Remember glass tile back splashes?  Penny tiles?  Tumbled marble?  Stainless steel? 

There was one shot of the wife in the new kitchen, that made me realize she won't be able to reach a majority of the shelves in her cabinets.  I don't think she was abnormally short or anything; just noting that cabinet heights are often unreachable for the average person, so a step stool or ladder is useful to keep around.  I'm 5'6" and can only reach two (three if I'm on tippy-toes) out of the four shelves in my cabinets without a stool.  How about a place for that in the kitchen, please!?  And some vertical cabinets.  I used to live in an apartment that had two big vertical cabinets with huge, deep shelves next to the fridge.  Those were awesome as a pantry and for storing more bulky things

Edited July 31, 2016 by izabella

[laredhead]

Bastet and Izabella, I wish I could like your comments more than once.  Yes, I remember "Get Color" and I liked it a lot.  Can you imagine the color wheel scene now when the owners look all around it for black and while and gray?  I'm also with you on the cabinet heights because I'm 5'5".  I keep a 2-step stool folded up in the corner of the kitchen for the few times a year I need to access the holiday dishes and things I don't use very often and my ceilings are only 8' high.  I cannot imagine accessing cabinets in some of the newer houses with 10' ceilings. 

I think I mentioned this in a previous post, but I'm almost finished with a major kitchen renovation, and I told the designer I hired that I didn't want to see subway tile, shaker style white cabinets or ship lap on the design board she presented to me.  Yes, I'm having a pull out pantry next to the fridge.

I keep hoping that future episodes will show some variety or imagination.  

[juliet73]

I agree with everyone else about needing something different. Even though I like the style, it gets boring seeing the same thing week after week. Each time,  the designers and the homeowners act if it's something new and fresh. 

For this specific episode, I didn't care for the beveled subway tile.  I don't think it "added" anything to the room and it's going to be annoying to clean. The black peninsula looked bad!! If they wanted some black, they should have just painted the one side of the cabinet that faced the great room. But to have the whole thing black? It wasn't working. 

The bathrooms came out nice.  However, I don't get the NEED for 2 sinks.  I understand so they each have their own,  but how often are you in there together for more than 5 mins, if at all.  I would rather have one sink and the extra counter space. Maybe because my bathroom is the size is a phone booth,  so counter space is non existent. When I get ready, EVERYTHING has to come out of the cabinet, lay in the sink and on the back of the toilet and then go back in the cabinet when I'm done. 

I'm glad there wasn't too much made up drama.  I liked the contractor. I wish she would have told the homeowners and the designer to leave the room though when they were putting in the support beam. Obviously they've done it before and it looked like they knew what they were doing. I don't think the workers appreciated everyone freaking that they were going to drop it. 

The homeowners were complete morons!! I'm not a professional with tile, but I'm pretty sure you don't just put mortar down on a subfloor. Then when he said he was just going to "eyeball" the tile instead of using spacers,  I wanted to punch him in the throat. And she kept talking about her stupid food blog. I thought she was going to whip up something picture worthy at the end. Nope...just some cooked kale with tomatoes. Lame! 

[Albino]

I actually like subway tile because I prefer a backsplash to kind of fade into the background.  Not sure when backplashes became a focal point in kitchens but to me all those fancy multi-colored squares or glass tiles tend to fight with whatever hideous granite countertop chosen.  If you want a little something to enhance the subway tile, do a narrow strip of fancy tiles or whatever.

I'm imagining these reno shows like, 20 years from now when people walk into these open concept kitchens and recoil at all the tiling, farmhouse sinks and granite.  "It's a complete gut job!"  "I feel like I'm on display!"

Also...is there any advantage to a farmhouse sink, or is it just for looks? 

[sheetmoss]

3 hours ago, juliet73 said:

The homeowners were complete morons!! I'm not a professional with tile, but I'm pretty sure you don't just put mortar down on a subfloor. Then when he said he was just going to "eyeball" the tile instead of using spacers,  I wanted to punch him in the throat. And she kept talking about her stupid food blog. I thought she was going to whip up something picture worthy at the end. Nope...just some cooked kale with tomatoes. Lame! 

Remember too, the wife wanted to start laying the tilling parallel to the wall,.Thank gawd their friend laid the laundry room flr tile w/correct subfloor base

    Had a neighbor lay a peel and stick vinyl floor yrs back, they worked outside in, by the time they reached the center the tiles got smaller and smaller and looked like shit,

    Then again, this person didn't match wallpaper pattern repeat because the waste  cost too much and she could do her entire LR w/3 double rolls.

Observations...

I was counting the minutes waiting for a barn door to  be mentioned.

Subway tiles w.recess were a bit different, but I keep thinking what a waste of time on maintenance.

Got done w/the episode and realized they didn't have a DR.

      Other than the peninsula, i didn't see any other dining area.

Edited July 31, 2016 by sheetmoss

[juliet73]

13 minutes ago, sheetmoss said:

 

Got done w/the episode and realized they didn't have a DR.

      Other than the peninsula, i didn't see any other dining area.

There was a "dining area". It was next to the couch near the fireplace.  It was a small table with 4 chairs.  It looked like an afterthought. Oops, we forgot a DR. Oh,  here's a bit of space by the fireplace.