House Hunters Renovation - General Discussion

[MoreCoffeePlease]

I liked the cottage couple since they seemed very loving and relatively normal.  I also appreciate that HH Renovation is showing us homeowners who are willing to do some work, even if they do it badly, and who are looking for economical solutions to update things.

I did like the subway tile in the kitchen (not white!) and the pretty accent tiles over the range.  They were fun and a little vintage-looking. 

No barn door!  Are you kidding me?!?!

[Mu Shu]

Personally, I dislike paneling because it makes a room dark.   However, if it's just one room, and it's decorated well, it can be cool.

 

i would just paint it.  It gives the option for the next person to restore it, and could add value to the right buyer.  

[aguabella]

On ‎8‎/‎2‎/‎2016 at 9:25 AM, laredhead said:

ByaNose, my son and his wife put one in their kitchen to block the view from the front door into the kitchen.  They used this style instead of a pocket door because they didn't want to tear into the plaster wall to install a pocket door.  They used a solid exterior style door, instead of a rustic style to coordinate with the other doors in their house.  They don't close it very often, and I don't think it's very practical because it tends to swing outward at the bottom when it's moved back and forth and doesn't seal like a hinged door.  For their purpose, it works OK, but I don't think I would ever install one just because of the overuse on HHR.

Sounds like a great use of a barn door, laredhead.  Sorry for the late reply - browsing and your post jumped out at me.

Did your son install bottom door guides and/or barn door stabilizers?  Many barn door users have the swinging problem.  If he didn't, they're not expensive, IIRC, at big box h/w stores and come in multiple finishes.  youtube probably has installation videos, if the instructions are worthless.

Minor glitches like banging doors drive me nuts!  Good luck!

[aguabella]

About the Woodland Hills / paneling home bathroom:

Speaking of the bathroom:

The b/r wasn't even 50% complete during that cracked ceiling shot (around minute 45, BTW).  B/c she'd only worked on the tub's tile, there was no need to tape off.  As she completed it, I noticed she properly taped off before the final painting. 

WRT the ceiling, I would have troweled mud, smoothed out the finish and painted it.  Saving time, they simply painted it.  I didn't see a close-up of that cracked spot but I'm sure they puttied it to eliminate the cracks.  Well, I hope so, anyway! 

Oh, minor detail, the pros on HHR usually contract for one major room, only.  They wouldn't have worked on the b/r unless the couple hired them separately.  I don't believe they did.  Her work appeared fine - much better than his, lol!

P.S.  Everyone notice that she kinda' forgot to paint the countertop?  She had no intention of retaining that vanity.  It made sense - they're fairly inexpensive at the big box retailers. 

And the shelves under the breakfast bar:

The contractors installed a dummy 1/2 cabinet and finished out the front to coordinate with the other cabinets.  The dummy cabinet was approx. 1/2 the width of the counter.  They installed the counter over that cabinet.  (The dummy front was visible from the other side.)  B/c the counter was fairly narrow, anyone dropping down to reach shelved items prob didn't need to crawl.  So, WRT that cabinet only (!), between the design and installation, good job!

So, that's just my opinion on those two jobs.  More, later.

[laredhead]

I think I have asked this question before, but does anyone watch I Hate My Kitchen on the DIY network?  There are 5 new episodes on right now and unlike the formula for a kitchen reno on HGTV, you can never predict what the finished product is going to look like.  Everything is not white Shaker cabinets, subway tile, farmhouse sinks or sliding barn doors.  They showcase new products, use color on the walls, and feature different counter surfaces other than granite and marble.

Edited August 30, 2016 by laredhead

[MoreCoffeePlease]

I saw one episode of I Hate My Kitchen on the DIY network.  Nice couple who had redone pretty much the whole house except for the kitchen.  Had a budget of $50K ... nice ... but I was not in love with the DIY result.  Vinyl designs that you stick on tile?  The oddly shaped island?  I was looking for something different from HGTV, but this show just didn't do it for me.

[awaken]

Chicago reno couple:

 Interesting areas they were looking in. Each of those houses looked like it was wedged next to an apartment building, or on a busy commercial Street. 

 I also find it interesting, or ironic, that one could buy a house and extol it's features, but tear down the entire thing except for for exterior walls. 

 I would've been interested to see what they woukd have done with that large, 1800s house with all the wood paneling. I think it could've turned out beautifully in the right hands. 

 I'm really curious as to what all that junk in the basement contained-  whether there was anything of historical value, or if it was truly old, Gross, junk. 

The kitchen designer looked as if she were near tears, or just finished crying, in every scene.

[laredhead]

I finally got around to watching a HH Renovation: International that aired back in June.  It was a Calgary couple moving to the Sunshine Coast of Australia.  The wife drove me nuts the first five minutes because every sentence she uttered addressing her husband began with "Rick", or ended with "Rick".  Did you know her husband's name was Rick?  According to her, Rick is "slow" (her exact word), doesn't listen to instructions well, doesn't know anything about construction or anything else so it seems, etc.  Wow, just wow!  That woman is lucky Rick didn't move back to his native Australia and leave her in the snow in Calgary.  I was embarrassed for him as I listened to her run him down every chance she got.  If this is truly how she acts when the cameras aren't rolling, I could never be around them for every long in a social situation.  Oh yes, the house and the renovations which are the subjects of this forum; it was nice when they finished it.  Beautiful furnishings and finishes.  I wish we had more local sources for furniture like that here in the deep south where I live, because I like that clean, modern feel.  I like the episodes from Australia because many of them feature things we don't see here.          

[Patia]

I just started watching. Does anyone ever mention a home inspection or a home warranty? Or, does everyone buy "as is" since it's LA? We bought in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2000' and reached a sales agreement really quickly, but we even had an inspection and a warranty. The owners even had a copy of their inspection available. Do any of the buyers go into a renovation knowing that they will have to do foundation or electrical work?

[Broderbits]

I,too, have long wondered why these HGTV people don't get home inspections. Every homeowner on the renovation shows is so surprised at the code violations, unpermitted work, and behind-the-walls problems. On the Love It Or List It programs they seem to blame the designer when it's their own darn fault for not taking care of their property, and some of these places are assessed at $1,000,000 or more. 

I liked the couple on tonight's new show; they just seemed so happy to have a nice home for the family.

[Empress1]

All three of the houses the most recent couple (who I liked, they were sweet and funny) looked at were tiny for a family of four - under a thousand square feet. The house they picked looked bigger when they finished, and I liked the way they added more space by using the outdoor space. Makes sense to do that in CA.

Scraping off the popcorn ceiling looked like fun!

Has that designer been on the show before? I think I recognized her.

[NYGirl]

I recognized her too Empress1.  I was wracking my brain trying to figure out from where.  

I did have misgivings about the kitchen cabinets overflowing into the living room though.

[juliet73]

I liked tonight's couple too. Down to earth, respectful to each other, etc. They seemed liked genuinely happy people.  

I knew they were going to go over budget when they kept saying "we'll have a ton of money left over for renovations."  $50k is not a lot of money when it comes to remodeling an entire house. Especially when it involves moving electricity, plumbing, etc. 

The designer has been on before. Not to be rude, but I only recognized her because of her nose. She is a pretty girl, but if she had rhinoplasty, she would be beautiful. 

I thought the house came out nicely and it did look bigger.  She did a great job making a small house more accommodating for a family four. 

I'm not familiar with the area, but they said it was up and coming. I hope that's true since they just put over $100k into the house.  I had a friend move to an "up and coming" neighborhood 25 years ago. Unfortunately, it never got nicer... 

[Empress1]

40 minutes ago, juliet73 said:

I liked tonight's couple too. Down to earth, respectful to each other, etc. They seemed liked genuinely happy people.  

I knew they were going to go over budget when they kept saying "we'll have a ton of money left over for renovations."  $50k is not a lot of money when it comes to remodeling an entire house. Especially when it involves moving electricity, plumbing, etc. 

The designer has been on before. Not to be rude, but I only recognized her because of her nose. She is a pretty girl, but if she had rhinoplasty, she would be beautiful. 

I thought the house came out nicely and it did look bigger.  She did a great job making a small house more accommodating for a family four. 

I'm not familiar with the area, but they said it was up and coming. I hope that's true since they just put over $100k into the house.  I had a friend move to an "up and coming" neighborhood 25 years ago. Unfortunately, it never got nicer... 

And with up and coming areas, you have to make sure you don't over improve the house. If the neighborhood doesn't "come up" and you want to sell, you could end up pricing yourself out of the market.

[truther]

18 hours ago, Patia said:

I just started watching. Does anyone ever mention a home inspection or a home warranty? Or, does everyone buy "as is" since it's LA? We bought in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2000' and reached a sales agreement really quickly, but we even had an inspection and a warranty. The owners even had a copy of their inspection available. Do any of the buyers go into a renovation knowing that they will have to do foundation or electrical work?

It's a fake show.  They all had home inspections and they know about these problems.  The show just has them pretend not to, for dramatic purposes.  

[biakbiak]

At least there wasn't a barn door in sight.

[illini1959]

Quote

I did have misgivings about the kitchen cabinets overflowing into the living room though.

So did I. It looked like they could have found a better place to fit the refrigerator, but maybe not.

I wonder how that will go over at resale.

But, I did like that couple, too! They were really sweet with each other.

[MoreCoffeePlease]

Very enjoyable renovation.  I, too, loved the couple and their adorable kids.  The husband's enthusiasm was awesome!  Nursery was cute ... I've seen "nurseries" in closets, so a little nook isn't bad.  Finishes were very cool in the bathrooms.  I normally don't go for contemporary, but it worked here.

Yep, not sure about that kitchen.  It did sort of end up looking like a very nice studio apartment.

White subway tile!  But different dimensions and some texture ... OK.  Open shelving, check.  Does anyone ever say that they do NOT want shaker-style cabinets?  There are other cabinet styles.

What did you think of the flooring?  It is true that you had to look at the entire floor, but to me, it looked like different samples there was so much variation. 

[JasmineFlower]

On 9/11/2016 at 2:24 AM, Patia said:

I just started watching. Does anyone ever mention a home inspection or a home warranty? Or, does everyone buy "as is" since it's LA? We bought in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2000' and reached a sales agreement really quickly, but we even had an inspection and a warranty. The owners even had a copy of their inspection available. Do any of the buyers go into a renovation knowing that they will have to do foundation or electrical work?

I also think this may have been done for effect for the show. Eagle Rock is not what I'd typically call a true up and coming area. In comparison to those next to it, yes, but not in a traditional sense as I'd say it was more appropriate to call it that several years ago. So, when the electric needed to be updated and it was kind of obviously in disrepair, I thought for sure they found out during inspection and that was one of the reasons they got the place for $475k instead of the $499k asking price. Eagle Rock is a desirable area, located near other desirable areas (Pasadena/Glendale), they have plenty of overpriced 2 bedroom homes selling for well over what this couple paid and invested, so $25k off asking feels like a lot even with the busier location.

I enjoyed this episode a lot. And @juliet73 I too recognized the designer in large part because of her nose. It stood out before and did so again now. She did a nice job with the design. I do think the kitchen extended close to the entry, but this was place with less than a 1,000 sq. ft. So sacrifices are going to be made and that one isn't something I think many would worry about when this goes on the market again.

Just now, JasmineFlower said:

I also think this may have been done for effect for the show. Eagle Rock is not what I'd typically call a true up and coming area. In comparison to those next to it, yes, but not in a traditional sense as I'd say it was more appropriate to call it that several years ago. So, when the electric needed to be updated and it was kind of obviously in disrepair, I thought for sure they found out during inspection and that was one of the reasons they got the place for $475k instead of the $499k asking price. Eagle Rock is a desirable area, located near other desirable areas (Pasadena/Glendale), they have plenty of overpriced 2 bedroom homes selling for well over what this couple paid and invested, so $25k off asking feels like a lot even with the busier location.

I enjoyed this episode a lot. And @juliet73 I too recognized the designer in large part because of her nose. It stood out before and did so again now. She did a nice job with the design. I do think the kitchen extended close to the entry, but this was place with less than a 1,000 sq. ft. So sacrifices are going to be made and that one isn't something I think many would worry about when this goes on the market again.

@MoreCoffeePlease I thought the flooring was okay when looked at as a whole, but the way it looked when it was beginning to be revealed is the reason I wouldn't go for that kind of flooring. As soon as she showed them a sample I immediately thought NO! because I thought it would have too many variations and be too busy. I liked the idea of something lighter, which isn't always my favorite, but I would have gone with something else, something more consistent across all samples.

Edited September 12, 2016 by JasmineFlower

[JasmineFlower]

My post above? Can't even tell you how that happened. I posted, edited afterward at the end to respond to @MoreCoffeePlease and that's the result. Sigh. Miss old forum software. Apologies for the odd posting.

[sheetmoss]

On 9/11/2016 at 8:17 PM, truther said:

It's a fake show.  They all had home inspections and they know about these problems.  The show just has them pretend not to, for dramatic purposes.  

Yes, notice how the price they paid dropped.

I would have made the front bathroom smaller and created a mini-hall  off which you you could  enter the bathroom and the bedroom

[laredhead]

I thought I was watching the wrong show last night when the renovation did not include white subway tile (textured or non-textured), granite counter tops, a barn door, and the other usual weekly "must haves".  The decorator might never be asked to appear on the show again.  I loved the soapstone counters and the backsplash with color and pattern, but I know it will not be something many people will like.  The couple evidently plans to stay there many years, so they should go with what they like and not worry about resale at this time.

Changing the height of the bedroom ceiling made that room look much larger.  I am assuming that some of the cost overrun also went to added insulation after the attic space was removed there.  Removing the walls downstairs was a good decision, IMO, because the finished look was very nice.  I also liked the galley kitchen.  I've had U-shaped, L-shaped and a galley kitchen and my favorite for working in is the galley style.  Minimum steps between work areas and I just like the look of it.  Again, it's a personal preference.   

[ByaNose]

47 minutes ago, laredhead said:

I thought I was watching the wrong show last night when the renovation did not include white subway tile (textured or non-textured), granite counter tops, a barn door, and the other usual weekly "must haves".  The decorator might never be asked to appear on the show again.  I loved the soapstone counters and the backsplash with color and pattern, but I know it will not be something many people will like.  The couple evidently plans to stay there many years, so they should go with what they like and not worry about resale at this time.

Changing the height of the bedroom ceiling made that room look much larger.  I am assuming that some of the cost overrun also went to added insulation after the attic space was removed there.  Removing the walls downstairs was a good decision, IMO, because the finished look was very nice.  I also liked the galley kitchen.  I've had U-shaped, L-shaped and a galley kitchen and my favorite for working in is the galley style.  Minimum steps between work areas and I just like the look of it.  Again, it's a personal preference.   

I didn't like the backsplash but it is different then the usual white subway tile that I prefer. Overall, I'm not into mid century or modern. I'm pretty much a Pottery Barn brainwashed customer. LOL!!! I was hoping they would show the outside of the house. I wanted to see if they got rid of that awful Ivy and/or dead weeds.

[Peanutbuttercup]

I loved the kitchen and especially the backsplash. And bless you designer for dismissing white subway tile backsplash as something that "everyone else has" or something close to that.

I would have gone with the yellow ceiling, too. Funny that the couple (I really did like them overall) said they weren't afraid of color or boldness but they kept pushing back on things that were too colorful or bold and wanting everything to be neutral or white.

@ByaNose I also wanted to see whether they had gotten rid of the ivy and vines on the outside of the house. They really need to. Not only is it unsightly, it's basically a superhighway and luxury condo complex for rats. They get rid of that, they may also cut down on the number of rattlesnakes in the vicinity, since the snakes follow the rats.

[juliet73]

I liked this couple. Nice to each other, not demanding, willing to take some "risks" in the design. Their baby was super cute!!,  

I was not a fan of the kitchen.  I'm glad they went with the white ceiling though.  I agreed with the husband that with the busy backslash, it would have been too much.  I love soapstone, but not with the "waterfall" look. That had to be a couple grand more for the "waterfall". After going so far over budget, I would have immediately nixed it. More importantly, soapstone needs to be maintained and oiled regularly. I wouldn't want to deal with an extra piece that really served no purpose if I didn't need to. 

I liked the bedroom and higher ceilings. The bathroom was OK. The floor tiles were cool, but I think they were too busy for such a small room. 

I didn't understand the point of having the crew waterproof the garage. The homeowners could have totally done that themselves and saved money.

I wanted to see the outside too!  All I could think about was snakes living in all those vines! I would have gotten rid of them immediately!! 

Edited September 18, 2016 by juliet73

[sheetmoss]

3 hours ago, juliet73 said:

I liked this couple. Nice to each other, not demanding, willing to take some "risks" in the design. Their baby was super cute!!,  

I was not a fan of the kitchen.  I'm glad they went with the white ceiling though.  I agreed with the husband that with the busy backslash, it would have been too much.  I love soapstone, but not with the "waterfall" look. That had to be a couple grand more for the "waterfall". After going so far over budget, I would have immediately nixed it. More importantly, soapstone needs to be maintained and oiled regularly. I wouldn't want to deal with an extra piece that really served no purpose if I didn't need to. 

I liked the bedroom and higher ceilings. The bathroom was OK. The floor tiles were cool, but I think they were too busy for such a small room. 

I didn't understand the point of having the crew waterproof the garage. The homeowners could have totally done that themselves and saved money.

I wanted to see the outside too!  All I could think about was snakes living in all those vines! I would have gotten rid of them immediately!! 

I'll bet that paint job was a comp since it was an advertisement--product placement, for the waterproofing paint.

I liked the couple, though both their voices had a bit of vocal fry, but I found it odd that he was a graphic artist and didn't get the yelo kitchen ceiling

[Jobiska]

Just caught up on a bunch of back posts.

Just saw the TX to CA couple (husband professional tennis coach).  Actually I think I walked away after the house hunting part.  They seemed nice enough, but she was driving me crazy by saying "open kitchen concept" about every two sentences!

Had she said "open concept kitchen," "open concept," or "open kitchen," I wouldn't have batted an eye.  Well, at the phrasing--I could not deal with an open concept kitchen myself.  How do you hide the dirty dishes if you didn't get around to loading them yet?  heh heh heh.  But "open kitchen concept" makes no sense.  Also, geez, stick the kid in the high chair for half an hour with some crayons or Cheerios.  I don't know how my son survived to adulthood in a house with a kitchen with walls!  (And he grew up in a one-bathroom, one sink house.  Impossible!  seriously though--why do people have to be getting ready at the same exact minute?  How about "I'll get out my clothes, start the coffee, etc. while you shave, and then you start the breakfast while I curl my hair" if you have to get out the door at the same time?  Is it really that hard?)

General design:  Anything rough or grooved or whatever I think "dust catcher."  Those hand-scraped floors, etc.--I buy they show scratches less, but dust would collect in the grooves!  Rough reclaimed wood walls, those uneven stone tiles--same.  Even with the beveled subway tiles, films of grease will settle on the slanted surfaces quick as a wink!

But the sliding barn doors--I have too much art that I want on my walls--I couldn't bear to give over a whole blank area for where the door would slide and cover the wall.  I guess one could hang some low-profile art there and hide it most of the time?  Also, how do you keep strong cats and inquisitive toddlers from opening the sliding doors (or in the case of toddlers, fooling with them for ages until they ram their fingers or something?)  I don't think they are unattractive, but they seem impractical to me.  

But if you want a reeeally unpopular opinion--I don't mind fashion blogger/lawyer/Amazing Racer Jenny.  Sure, she was sometimes annoying on TAR, but there were several worse people on that season alone, IMHO.  Agree that that sink thing was weird though.  

[chessiegal]

1 hour ago, Jobiska said:

How do you hide the dirty dishes if you didn't get around to loading them yet?

If people are offended by dirty dishes in my kitchen, that's their problem, not mine. I don't give a flip of what other people think of my housekeeping. If they think less of me, then so be it. They don't need to visit unannounced.

[Jobiska]

Well, then, I want a closed kitchen so *I* don't have to look at them!  I'm just being a little tongue in cheek about the whole open concept mania!

[MoreCoffeePlease]

Quote

 I also wanted to see whether they had gotten rid of the ivy and vines on the outside of the house. They really need to. Not only is it unsightly, it's basically a superhighway and luxury condo complex for rats. They get rid of that, they may also cut down on the number of rattlesnakes in the vicinity, since the snakes follow the rats.

They absolutely need to do a follow-up on this reno since there was still so much work to be done.  I did love the fact that they said they went over budget, ran out of money, and will do the other projects when they can.  The ivy and vines are probably holding up the house at this point, but yes, they should be removed and I want to see the result.

I'm glad they did a unique backsplash, but the optical illusion effect of it would be too much for me.

Quote

 I love soapstone, but not with the "waterfall" look.

Me too.  The waterfall design is too modern for me.  I like butcher block as well, but I think I would have done the soapstone throughout.

[Mu Shu]

On September 18, 2016 at 7:11 PM, chessiegal said:

If people are offended by dirty dishes in my kitchen, that's their problem, not mine. I don't give a flip of what other people think of my housekeeping. If they think less of me, then so be it. They don't need to visit unannounced.

Who even has all these damn guests that they worry about seeing dirty dishes?  Fuck em.  You come to my house and I give you food, your ass will see dirty dishes.  

Every time I see these idiots whining about what their guests will think, and how they can entertain them, I want to kick them with Kimbo Slice's foot.   Who cares? You buy a house that you can afford, and suits you.  None of these jokers entertain beyond putting some Sabra hummus on the damn coffee table.  These fools are not Jim Williams.   

[MaKaM]

On 9/18/2016 at 1:12 PM, juliet73 said:

More importantly, soapstone needs to be maintained and oiled regularly. I wouldn't want to deal with an extra piece that really served no purpose if I didn't need to. 

 

I didn't understand the point of having the crew waterproof the garage. The homeowners could have totally done that themselves and saved money.

I wanted to see the outside too!  All I could think about was snakes living in all those vines! I would have gotten rid of them immediately!! 

 

Soapstone doesn't have to be maintained at all. If you want it dark, yeah, oiling it when you first get it will do that. If you don't care about it being gray at first and darkening over a longer time, you don't have to do anything to it. It is the same stuff in high school chemistry labs and you know they aren't in there oiling those things.

The waterproofing was definitely product placement, and SUCH a bad idea. Address the water on the outside, foolish homeowner, or the hillside is going to be pushing your wall over. Sealing it up on the inside is nice but is a bandaid (says she who had a failing cinderblock wall that someone kindly painted over to hide the moisture issue behind it)

They definitely should have addressed the ivy before gutting the inside. The critters and moisture that those vines promote. YUCK! When they said their budget in the beginning, I said that the exterior needed that alone. I am guessing a complete reside due to rot and tenting the house to get rid of the termites.

[Bastet]

I don't know if last night's episode was new, since I hardly ever watch anymore, but it was another one where I disturbed the cat with my laughter as the designer went through her plans for the kitchen: Two-tone Shaker cabinetry, check.  Farm sink, check.  White subway tile backsplash, check.  Boring white quartz countertop, check.  Barn door, check.  And, for a more recent addition to the checklist: brass hardware, check.

The HHs were pleasant, though, and it was nice to see someone buying in the less-appealing neighborhoods of Los Angeles.  And as fake as the "man discovers the wallpaper" scene was, I got a good laugh out of the fiancée justifying her decision to approve it without talking to him by saying, "He took down an entire wall without talking to me."

But watching a brand new kitchen be destroyed was painful to watch.  I don't think we saw them take a sledgehammer to the cabinets, so I can at least hope they took those down intact and donated them to Habitat or something.

I don't like what they did with the fireplace; too white, and too cold. 

Instead of two bathrooms back-to-back, I'd have done one larger bathroom with two entrances - one from the master bedroom and one from the hallway.

And speaking of hallways, I don't like layouts where the front door just opens right into the living room (or other room) without some type of foyer, but I'm not flummoxed by them.  His reaction to entering into a hallway was odd.

With her, the thing that stuck out to me was that she kept calling light-colored things "so dark."  Medium brown countertops.  Light grey paint color.  "It's so dark."  Um, it's really not. 

Spending $700k on a house at the same time you're paying for a wedding - because of some drippy notion of needing to carry her over the threshold immediately after the honeymoon - when one of you is a student?  Not for me, thanks, but if it works for them, so be it.  They seemed harmless and even likable, which is increasingly rare on these shows.

Edited September 25, 2016 by Bastet

[Thumper]

Is brasstone hardware coming back??   Goody -- I still have plenty in our mid-1980's house!  ;)

[chessiegal]

1 hour ago, Thumper said:

Is brasstone hardware coming back??   Goody -- I still have plenty in our mid-1980's house!  ;)

Kind of. The stuff I've seen is a darker less shiny color. Our house was built in 1998, and has lots of brass fixtures. If it works, it stays. We've replaced a few fixtures that stopped working properly.

[QuinnM]

I love soapstone. So why when you are using one of the few surfaces can take a cast iron skillet straight from the stove would you decide to use butcher block surrounding the stove?

[juliet73]

5 hours ago, Thumper said:

Is brasstone hardware coming back??   Goody -- I still have plenty in our mid-1980's house!  ;)

I guess on HHR it is, I haven't really seen it except in a kitchen with a sliding barn door ;)  It's not the high polished brass though,  it's more of a brushed/matte finish. 

[biakbiak]

1 minute ago, juliet73 said:

I guess on HHR it is, I haven't really seen it except in a kitchen with a sliding barn door ;)  It's not the high polished brass though,  it's more of a brushed/matte finish. 

Jeff Lewis used it in some of his client projects on Flipping Out.

[laredhead]

Bastet, regarding your comment about making one large bathroom instead of 2 small bathrooms, remember that HH's cannot possibly share their bathroom with anyone as many have stated over and over and over on numerous episodes.  The thought of guests using the owner's bathroom sends shivers down their spines.  Another generational tell because most of these HH's have grown up in houses with more than one bathroom.  I am of the generation where having 1-1/2 baths was a luxury and 1 bathroom houses were the norm.  I think that was a rerun episode BTW.

[Bastet]

Yeah, it was just that their specific objection was to guests having to walk through their bedroom to get to the bathroom, not that guests (who were all in-town and just hanging out rather than staying over) would be using the bathroom, period.  So a modified "Jack and Jill" set-up, where the bathroom is accessible from the master bedroom or the hallway, would have solved that problem and given them a nicer bathroom.

They probably wanted to be able to list it as a two-bath in the future. 

It was interesting that they put the tub in the guest bath rather than master.  It makes sense for the way they live, probably -- the shower gets used daily and the tub occasionally -- and also for future buyers (or maybe them in the future) who want a tub for bathing kids.  But then other buyers trip out if there is no tub in the master bath.

Edited September 26, 2016 by Bastet

[MaKaM]

They re-ran the Chicago couple with "The Never-Ending Renovation"  yesterday (the one where they had to remove the whole third story, she was pregnant, they went $120,000 over budget, the city shut down the third floor until they got a variance, etc). I looked to see if there was any update and the contractor posted to her blog. Et voila!

The Initial Build (with more/different pictures than HHR had)

The Final Reveal (with even more problems occurring!)

Edited October 12, 2016 by MaKaM

[Amethyst]

Just saw the couple from Culver City, CA.  I thought they were really nice.  Granted, my cable cut out during part of it, but they seemed really easygoing and not all about the details.  I thought it was sweet when Craig got teary after Monique surprised him with the refurbished bar set.  And I actually liked the choices they made for the house.  I'm a sucker for a farmhouse sink.  I wish HH would show more nice couples and not just neurotic ones.

But I was wondering: was that atrium safe?  I know they had it as an egress in case of a fire, but could someone just hop over the wall and enter their daughter's room?

[biakbiak]

7 minutes ago, Amethyst said:

Just saw the couple from Culver City, CA.  I thought they were really nice.  Granted, my cable cut out during part of it, but they seemed really easygoing and not all about the details.  I thought it was sweet when Craig got teary after Monique surprised him with the refurbished bar set.  And I actually liked the choices they made for the house.  I'm a sucker for a farmhouse sink.  I wish HH would show more nice couples and not just neurotic ones.

But I was wondering: was that atrium safe?  I know they had it as an egress in case of a fire, but could someone just hop over the wall and enter their daughter's room?

there was still a door on her room, I don't see the difference between that and having a window which someone could also use to enter a house.

[Amethyst]

On 10/16/2016 at 1:40 AM, biakbiak said:

there was still a door on her room, I don't see the difference between that and having a window which someone could also use to enter a house.

But it's harder to squeeze through a window than just walking through a doorway.  I'm thinking it's like having your bedroom connected to the patio in your backyard, and has a sliding door.  I'm guessing the atrium wall is too tall to scale.

[biakbiak]

15 minutes ago, Amethyst said:

But it's harder to squeeze through a window than just walking through a doorway.  I'm thinking it's like having your bedroom connected to the patio in your backyard, and has a sliding door.  I'm guessing the atrium wall is too tall to scale.

They both involve breaking into. One of the bedrooms I grew up on in had both a window and a door and I was never endangered. Someone who wants to break into a room isn't going to give a damn about a window or a door in a room.

It sounds similar to the people complaining about people that bitch about those who won't have a one story house because they think a second story saves them from outsiders.

Edited October 17, 2016 by biakbiak

[Amethyst]

12 hours ago, biakbiak said:

Someone who wants to break into a room isn't going to give a damn about a window or a door in a room.

Yes, I know that.  I was just thinking of them having easier access to the room via a door rather than a window.

[KAOS Agent]

I just got annoyed that they acted all upset and surprised that opening the atrium would cost $12,000. They knew when they bought it that that was a necessary thing, so don't tell me they didn't ask how much that would cost before they decided to offer. It's insulting to both our intelligence. And couldn't that be used as a negative when they are making the decision? X house is great, but it doesn't meet Y standard and remember we'll have to spend all that money just to open the atrium.

[AuntTora]

I wonder if the woman moving to Thousand Oaks has considered taking those children back into her womb? For safety, of course.

[aguabella]

Sorry I'm behind ...

Noticed a few posts wondering which episode the designer who did the galley kitchen in the 943 (IIRC) sq. ft. home appeared on.  She did the kitchen for the family living with the w's parents.  Remember the grandparents and their Chinese television?  That episode ...

Also, anyone else notice that the h/o from the Mellenthin home (remember his two brothers?) subbed in as a realtor on either 1 or 2 of their decoy homes on that same episode?  The 943 sq. ft. home episode, that is.  Both decoys, IIRC ... 

Gee, guess their own realtor (assuming that was their realtor - not always true!)  had better things to do than spending another 20 hours on a HH episode!  Good for him!

[aguabella]

About the waterfall counter in the 70's home:

Personally, I thought it looked far better to cap off the end of that countertop, adjacent to their dining area, vs. the other side where they hid the end with that etagere ...  And, that end / piece was fairly small.  By using the butcher block on the stove side of the kitchen, they prob saved far more than the waterfall end cost.  (I basically consider butcher block free.)  Plus, they needed only 2 squared-off slabs around the farmhouse sink so very few cuts and cheaper labor.

WRT their labor cost, I've used that same backsplash in a smaller pattern, better colors (!) and available on a sheet, IIRC.  Far cheaper - much lower labor cost.  In my experience, labor, if tracked separately, is usually the largest budget line item.

Anyone notice the midcentury fireplace surround in their l/r?  Personally, I thought that was their biggest mistake.  IIRC, they didn't touch it.  How about simply cleaning it?  Or painting it?  (I'm not always a fan of painting brick but that color was blah.)  Even cleaning would make a major difference.  Huge opportunity lost, in my book.