House Hunters Renovation - General Discussion

[sheetmoss]

Male HO--I believe Encino, on latest  episode with large reno budget was a bit of an odd duck - thought it was fratboy douchey  breaking the mirrored  panels on LR wall driving golf balls at them

Finished  reno in the end was at least  different and not so cookie-cutter

[ByaNose]

Encino (brothers) single guy who is a writer renovation wasn’t my taste. It looked like a bar which is funny because the architect has designed a lot bars. There was lots of wood, steel & lights. I looked up the bio of the writer and he wrote a lot for Will & Grace. He had serious coin to work with. Damm! I should have taken up writing in school. LOL!! Overall, it wasn’t my taste but he seemed genuinely happy with the place. I was hoping the back pool & deck would have been finished because it was even nice before they did the renovation. 

[Empress1]

I assumed he was a tv writer, and between that and the sale of his old house, he probably did pretty well. I didn't like his reno at all but I was pleased to see he came in $30K under budget. I did not like his "House [Last name]" sign! But he and his brother were a cute, quirky pair. They seemed nice.

When the realtor showed him the house that was 90 minutes from his work, I was like "Shut it down!"

[biakbiak]

4 hours ago, Empress1 said:

I didn't like his reno at all but I was pleased to see he came in $30K under budget

Though that's because he didn't do anything to the exterior despite terminate damaged boards, didn't rebuild the outdoor decks or touch the upstairs and basement both of which are going to require extensive renovations.

[qtpye]

On Monday, October 02, 2017 at 1:39 PM, Empress1 said:

I assumed he was a tv writer, and between that and the sale of his old house, he probably did pretty well. I didn't like his reno at all but I was pleased to see he came in $30K under budget. I did not like his "House [Last name]" sign! But he and his brother were a cute, quirky pair. They seemed nice.

When the realtor showed him the house that was 90 minutes from his work, I was like "Shut it down!"

 

On Sunday, October 01, 2017 at 4:53 PM, ByaNose said:

Encino (brothers) single guy who is a writer renovation wasn’t my taste. It looked like a bar which is funny because the architect has designed a lot bars. There was lots of wood, steel & lights. I looked up the bio of the writer and he wrote a lot for Will & Grace. He had serious coin to work with. Damm! I should have taken up writing in school. LOL!! Overall, it wasn’t my taste but he seemed genuinely happy with the place. I was hoping the back pool & deck would have been finished because it was even nice before they did the renovation. 

I was impressed that someone so young could afford so much

 I wonder if writer's get residuals from syndication?  He is obviously doing well for himself.  

I appreciated that his reno looked different.  I thought the cement sink in the bathroom was cool, but not very practical.  It had nothing in the way of surface area or storage space.  He will be knocking his shaving supplies all over the place.

I also liked that he never mentioned anything about starting a family one day.  It is okay to be single and happy.

I have heard that the high cost of living is causing California to have one of the higher poverty rates.  I have no idea how accurate that is.

[chocolatine]

6 hours ago, qtpye said:

I appreciated that his reno looked different.  I thought the cement sink in the bathroom was cool, but not very practical.  It had nothing in the way of surface area or storage space.  He will be knocking his shaving supplies all over the place.

That was the downstairs bathroom that mainly serves as a powder room and shower after pool use. He'll probably have his shaving supplies in the master bath (which was not part of the renovation).

6 hours ago, qtpye said:

I have heard that the high cost of living is causing California to have one of the higher poverty rates.  I have no idea how accurate that is.

I don't know the statistics for the entire state, but I can tell you that San Francisco has a *huge* homelessness problem. The SoMa/Mission neighborhoods are especially bad - people live in tents on the sidewalks and perform bodily functions on the streets. It's one of the reasons why I hate San Francisco.

Edited October 4, 2017 by chocolatine

[Empress1]

1 hour ago, chocolatine said:

I don't know the statistics for the entire state, but I can tell you that San Francisco has a *huge* homelessness problem. The SoMa/Mission neighborhoods are especially bad - people live in tents on the sidewalks and perform bodily functions on the streets. It's one of the reasons why I hate San Francisco.

San Diego does too. I think it's in the top five highest homeless populations in the US. 

8 hours ago, qtpye said:

I wonder if writer's get residuals from syndication?  He is obviously doing well for himself.  

They do, if they're in the Writer's Guild. If he wrote for Will and Grace as I read upthread, he's doing well, although I'm not sure if the old eps are still syndicated now that the show is airing new episodes. Good for him! He was a sweet quirky/nerdy type.

I feel like this might be the first single guy renovation episode I've seen, but I could be wrong.

[Mittengirl]

It wish we had seen the back yard reno rather than the typical kitchen & bathrooms.  They need to shake up the show a little, vary the rooms a bit.  Subway tile, granite, white cabinets, lather, rinse, repeat.

[sheetmoss]

On 10/4/2017 at 5:36 PM, Empress1 said:

San Diego does too. I think it's in the top five highest homeless populations in the US. 

They do, if they're in the Writer's Guild. If he wrote for Will and Grace as I read upthread, he's doing well, although I'm not sure if the old eps are still syndicated now that the show is airing new episodes. Good for him! He was a sweet quirky/nerdy type.

I feel like this might be the first single guy renovation episode I've seen, but I could be wrong.

 

I think the Will & Grace writer is the other Josh Silberman 

     The Josh on HHR was from Milwaukee

This Josh S has 21 producer credits on shows like Fear Factor, Ice Road Truckesr, Dancing With The Stars & Deadliest Catch

and

Born in Milwaukee, WIsconsin, Josh is the cousin of actor Gene Wilder. Josh went to school at University of Wisconsin- Madison and started his career in LA producing, cooking, and testing gross stunts for Fear Factor. Josh has done over 75 radio interviews, TV shows, Films and magazine articles. He has been dubbed the "Craziest Kid in Hollywood." See full bio »

Edited October 8, 2017 by sheetmoss

[sheetmoss]

I liked the Marblehead MA  couple tonight

I thought their reno came out well - I didn't care for the powder-room gray cabinet /green walls combo though

[biakbiak]

Did they show the mudroom in the final reveal?

I didn't like the paint color in the powder room and I am sick of the tile the used in the bathrooms because it's so overused on these shows but I thought they did a great job adding the bathroom to the bedroom which still seemed a decent size after losing that space.

I thought they did a great job in the kitchen without completely gutting it and liked the stairs.

[ByaNose]

The Massachusetts couple were really nice and did a beautiful renovation. As usual, they did the HGTV cement tile in the master bath. Does HGTV have a warehouse of just this tile so all the Flip shows can use them? It’s been done to death and I’m sooooo tired of it. I did not like the green at all in the powder room. It didn’t go with the gray cabinet or the gray/white tile floor. It’s a horrible mismatch. Also, he has a drawer of just eye glasses (neatly lined up) in the master bathroom. Yup! They are super rich and have money to burn. I think an eye glass drawer is a first for me. 

Edited October 8, 2017 by ByaNose

[QuinnM]

Quote

The Massachusetts couple were really nice and did a beautiful renovation. As usual, they did the HGTV cement tile in the master bath. Does HGTV have a warehouse of just this tile so all the Flip shows can use them? 

I have walked out of a shower onto cement tile. Damn near broke my neck.  It is very slick when wet.  To actually use it in a shower is insane.  Do these designers even care about this stuff.  Does she realize that if he dies in the shower she might not get that final check?

I am enjoying people coming in on or so close to the budget that yo can tell they actually cared.  Now I wonder if they do the budge after the renovation.  That was a very efficient kitchen reno.  It looked completely different, much more usable, and without gutting the whole thing.  

Nice couple and a nice renovation.

[chessiegal]

8 hours ago, QuinnM said:

I have walked out of a shower onto cement tile. Damn near broke my neck.  It is very slick when wet.  To actually use it in a shower is insane.  Do these designers even care about this stuff.  Does she realize that if he dies in the shower she might not get that final check?

I am enjoying people coming in on or so close to the budget that yo can tell they actually cared.  Now I wonder if they do the budge after the renovation.  That was a very efficient kitchen reno.  It looked completely different, much more usable, and without gutting the whole thing.  

Nice couple and a nice renovation.

We have  tile in our bathroom floors, and without an area rug I could slip and break lots of bones with wet feet getting out of the shower. Don't think it's just concrete tiles. 

[AnnaRose]

On 10/8/2017 at 3:12 AM, biakbiak said:

...I am sick of the tile the used in the bathrooms because it's so overused on these shows but I thought they did a great job adding the bathroom to the bedroom which still seemed a decent size after losing that space.

I thought they did a great job in the kitchen without completely gutting it and liked the stairs.

 

On 10/8/2017 at 11:26 AM, ByaNose said:

...Does HGTV have a warehouse of just this tile so all the Flip shows can use them? It’s been done to death and I’m sooooo tired of it.

 

On 10/8/2017 at 11:35 AM, QuinnM said:

...That was a very efficient kitchen reno.  It looked completely different, much more usable, and without gutting the whole thing. 

I agree about the bathroom tile.  I think it's pretty ugly and looks like the kind of design element that has its "moment" and then looks super dated very fast.   I am soooo over it.

I did love that they just changed out the cabinet doors and added the island instead of gutting the kitchen.  I thought the result looked fabulous!   I wish more people did that instead of destroying perfectly fine materials.

Also... the exterior of that house had some serious curb appeal.  It was super-cute and I was glad they chose it and let us see their renovation.  I loved the built-ins and beautiful trim on the inside, too. 

And speaking of built-ins:  I have to go back and watch the middle part because I just skipped ahead to the reveal... but I adored that wall of wardrobe built-ins they added.  I am assuming they removed a closet to make room for the bath and then added the wardrobe wall instead?   I wish I could buy a home that already was set up like that.  I think it's more beautiful and functional than a walk-in closet.  Did they say if it was custom made or were they able to buy IKEA (or similar) wardrobes and trim them out to make them look custom?

I snickered at the drawer of eyeglasses.  Really???  Is that a thing now?

Edited October 10, 2017 by AnnaRose
typo

[ByaNose]

6 hours ago, AnnaRose said:

I snickered at the drawer of eyeglasses.  Really???  Is that a thing now?

I have a lot of glasses. They just aren't in one drawer. LOL!!! They're on my nightstand, coffee table, side table, kitchen counter, car console, glove box and on my head. I will say that was a first. I've never seen a drawer just for glasses. I don't think I know anyone who has one either. It sounds sensible and you always know where to look. I don't totally hate it but it seemed like the drawer itself was custom to the glass size. I wonder how much that cost? LOL!!!

[AnnaRose]

2 hours ago, ByaNose said:

I have a lot of glasses. They just aren't in one drawer. LOL!!! They're on my nightstand, coffee table, side table, kitchen counter, car console, glove box and on my head. I will say that was a first. I've never seen a drawer just for glasses. I don't think I know anyone who has one either. It sounds sensible and you always know where to look. I don't totally hate it but it seemed like the drawer itself was custom to the glass size. I wonder how much that cost? LOL!!!

I just thought it was kind of funny because it seemed like he had a drawer full of different frames because he was using them as a fashion statement.  It just seemed weird and over the top to me, (especially for a man) but I've never worn eye glasses so what do I know?

 

ETA: Plus I'm somewhat of a minimalist, so it just seemed kind of silly to have so many pairs if they were all the same prescription.   But like I said, I'm clueless about that, so maybe it's totally reasonable.

Edited October 10, 2017 by AnnaRose

[ByaNose]

1 hour ago, AnnaRose said:

I just thought it was kind of funny because it seemed like he had a drawer full of different frames because he was using them as a fashion statement.  It just seemed weird and over the top to me, (especially for a man) but I've never worn eye glasses so what do I know?

 

ETA: Plus I'm somewhat of a minimalist, so it just seemed kind of silly to have so many pairs if they were all the same prescription.   But like I said, I'm clueless about that, so maybe it's totally reasonable.

Well, he did need the frames to match his shoe collection. Rich people problems. That is something I don't know anything about. LOL!!!!

Edited October 10, 2017 by ByaNose

[Empress1]

On 10/10/2017 at 10:39 AM, AnnaRose said:

I just thought it was kind of funny because it seemed like he had a drawer full of different frames because he was using them as a fashion statement.  It just seemed weird and over the top to me, (especially for a man) but I've never worn eye glasses so what do I know?

 

ETA: Plus I'm somewhat of a minimalist, so it just seemed kind of silly to have so many pairs if they were all the same prescription.   But like I said, I'm clueless about that, so maybe it's totally reasonable.

I laughed because I tease a friend of mine about his drawer full of reading glasses - he's a clothes horse in general but he only needs the glasses to read, so who cares if they match your outfit? (He does!) But the people I know who wear glasses all the time do treat them like accessories. I wear contacts most of the time and glasses once a week or so, and I have two pairs of glasses. Before I got contacts, I always had two pairs in case one was broken or damaged or a kid knocks them into the water by accident (true story!).

[doodlebug]

5 minutes ago, Empress1 said:

I laughed because I tease a friend of mine about his drawer full of reading glasses - he's a clothes horse in general but he only needs the glasses to read, so who cares if they match your outfit? (He does!) But the people I know who wear glasses all the time do treat them like accessories. I wear contacts most of the time and glasses once a week or so, and I have two pairs of glasses. Before I got contacts, I always had two pairs in case one was broken or damaged or a kid knocks them into the water by accident (true story!).

I have a cousin whose husband build a special cabinet thingy to hold all of their eyeglasses.  Of course, they're both optometrists...  but they do each have about 10 pairs of prescription lenses.  I guess they get a good price on them.

[Rosebud1970]

Tonight's show? Arrghhh!

Silver Lake couple who lived in an 1100 square foot place with their 1 year-old. Stated purpose of the house hunt was to get a bigger place, so the kid would have his own room. Idiot wife says she wants a house of 1000 square feet or less because she she doesn't want to take care of too much house.

They bought a 768 square foot house. So, the new house that they bought to have more space, is actually over 30% smaller than their current place.

Why?

[ByaNose]

6 hours ago, Rosebud1970 said:

Tonight's show? Arrghhh!

Silver Lake couple who lived in an 1100 square foot place with their 1 year-old. Stated purpose of the house hunt was to get a bigger place, so the kid would have his own room. Idiot wife says she wants a house of 1000 square feet or less because she she doesn't want to take care of too much house.

They bought a 768 square foot house. So, the new house that they bought to have more space, is actually over 30% smaller than their current place.

Why?

And, their son Max ended up sharing his his new bedroom with his father. They couldn’t add on the proposed music room so now the extra bedroom is also his music room office. Yeah, the whole thing was kind of messed up. They bought a small place and it ended up not really solving their earlier problems. 

[Empress1]

8 hours ago, Rosebud1970 said:

Tonight's show? Arrghhh!

Silver Lake couple who lived in an 1100 square foot place with their 1 year-old. Stated purpose of the house hunt was to get a bigger place, so the kid would have his own room. Idiot wife says she wants a house of 1000 square feet or less because she she doesn't want to take care of too much house.

They bought a 768 square foot house. So, the new house that they bought to have more space, is actually over 30% smaller than their current place.

Why?

I was watching like " ... Huh?" because their whole house hunt made no sense. "We need a big kitchen, a music studio, and our son needs his own room, so let's buy something smaller than what we're in now!" Girl, what? She also started talking about how a standup shower would be better than a tub because it would take up less space and I was like, "But you have a kid to bathe!" And they kept talking about how small the kitchens were and I was like, "You're looking at small houses, of COURSE the kitchens are small." The whole thing seemed like a disaster, and I hated the bathroom.

I also didn't really like the couple. The guy kind of creeped me out.

The male realtor was cute though. That was my favorite part.

[Peanutbuttercup]

ugh, Silverlake-adjacent couple. The purchase just did not seem well thought-out, given their goals. It seemed like they were working with a tiny budget (for LA) and were just too damned precious to consider moving somewhere plebian like Reseda or Downey, so bought a miniature house with structural problems close to their desired hipster haven. I was trying to figure out where their house even was -- the voiceovers coyly refused to say other than "close to Silverlake," but I can't think of anywhere close to Silverlake where you can buy a detached home for just over $400K. East Hollywood maybe? Glassell Park? Even that doesn't seem likely.

I liked the floor, and I liked the woodgrain cabinets, but not together. They looked awful next to each other. Did not like the bathroom one bit either.

Edited October 15, 2017 by Peanutbuttercup
forgot words

[Mittengirl]

I cannot imagine buying a house/lot that I know I want to add on to, without first checking to make sure that would be allowed.   He needs his studio - but then he doesn’t.  Huh?   I thought they said they had to build a 2-car garage, but could the city stop them from soundproofing part of the garage and using it as a studio?  Maybe they were, but just didn’t want that info known to the municipality/neighbors.

 

Male HHer obviously isn’t spending money on shampoo, maybe in a few years they can take the savings and buy a bigger house.

[ByaNose]

4 hours ago, Peanutbuttercup said:

ugh, Silverlake-adjacent couple. The purchase just did not seem well thought-out, given their goals. It seemed like they were working with a tiny budget (for LA) and were just too damned precious to consider moving somewhere plebian like Reseda or Downey, so bought a miniature house with structural problems close to their desired hipster haven. I was trying to figure out where their house even was -- the voiceovers coyly refused to say other than "close to Silverlake," but I can't think of anywhere close to Silverlake where you can buy a detached home for just over $400K. East Hollywood maybe? Glassell Park? Even that doesn't seem likely.

I liked the floor, and I liked the woodgrain cabinets, but not together. They looked awful next to each other. Did not like the bathroom one bit either.

I thought the wood grain lower cabinets looked like expensive plywood. It looked horrible with the floors, too. I would blame the homeowner but it was the designer who chose them. The whoevhouse was a crap fest. The kitchen was as small or smaller then their rental. The house and renovation made no sense whatsoever.

Edited October 16, 2017 by ByaNose

[twinks]

I also didn't understand how they went over budget $15k.  The studio was supposed to cost $30 and they didn't do it.
She also mentioned that since they couldn't build the studio it worked out because of the unplanned expenses.

[juliet73]

Silver Lake:  I agree that this one was a head scratcher.  They needed a bigger house, wanted their son to have his own room, needed a studio. In the end, smaller house than their previous one and the baby and the studio shared a room.  The husband looked like an older Judd Nelson!  I liked the layout when they were done, but that was about it.  The wood grain cabinets would have looked okay IF they were all wood grain, not just the lowers and IF they weren't against a completely different wood floor.  I HATE mismatched cabinets!!!  All of the cabinets were tall and/or wide, yet they used teeny tiny hardware on them.  It looked weird.  I don't understand why they didn't build a small closet or something around the laundry.  It looked so weird butted up against the fridge.  The LR and DR were very small - I don't know where they're going to entertain?! (snark) Seriously, though, I don't know where their son is going to have room to play or store his toys.  The bathroom turned out HORRID!  I liked the before so much better.  I don't understand how you can't have a tub with a toddler.  I guess if the house came with only a shower, I would make it work, but I definitely wouldn't purposely eliminate it when renovating.  I also didn't understand all the drama involving the garage/studio. According to code, they had to have a parking space on the property? okay, but why did the parking space have to be enclosed as a garage?  Why couldn't they build the garage, use it as a studio and park in the driveway or in the street?  That made no sense to me at all, but then again, nothing in this episode really did.  

[chocolatine]

Hated the Silver Lake episode. Not only were the HHs clueless about everything, but so was the designer. She kept making vague statements about how everything would look great, but the finishes in the kitchen and bathroom ended up looking like a bad DIY job. It was also a terrible idea to get rid of the bathtub - even if they can bathe the toddler in the shower, the lack of tub in the only bathroom will hurt them in the resale.

As for the structural issues, shouldn't that kind of thing come up during inspection? The slanted floors must have been noticeable before they started demo.

Perhaps this episode was intended as a lesson in what not to do when buying/renovating a house.

Edited October 23, 2017 by chocolatine

[ByaNose]

19 hours ago, chocolatine said:

Hated the Silver Lake episode. Not only were the HHs clueless about everything, but so was the designer. She kept making vague statements about how everything would look great, but the finishes in the kitchen and bathroom ended up looking like a bad DYI job. It was also a terrible idea to get rid of the bathtub - even if they can bathe the toddler in the shower, the lack of tub in the only bathroom will hurt them in the resale.

As for the structural issues, shouldn't that kind of thing come up during inspection? The slanted floors must have been noticeable before they started demo.

Perhaps this episode was intended as a lesson in what not to do when buying/renovating a house.

They never seem to find out about the structural issues on HHR until after they buy the house. How is that possible? When it comes to HHR everyone is shocked by structural issues, not finding real hardwood floors, aspectious and other calamities. Is none of that discovered with a house inspection before settlement?

[chessiegal]

You're not opening up walls during an inspection, so you won't find problems that are apparent once walls are opened up.

[twinks]

Denver: the kitchen was a hot mess! IMO, nothing worked.  I like open concept, but it looked like they knocked out every wall on the first floor.

[sheetmoss]

Sad  when you spend $200k+  and the results  look like you tore down some walls and created an environment with all the charm & personality of a  furniture showroom.

Edited October 23, 2017 by sheetmoss

[izabella]

21 hours ago, twinks said:

Denver: the kitchen was a hot mess! IMO, nothing worked. 

I did not like those blue lights.  If they were pendant lights, they were way too big and too blue.  If they were chandeliers, they were ugly and too blue and why did they need more than one?

I liked that room off the side.  It seemed like the only room that felt cozy.

[SunnyBeBe]

So, how long is the trend for the natural wood accent piece or wall going to last? At times, I think it works, but, then when I consider having one in my house, I just can't seem to get on board.  I just think it will take me back to the paneling from the 70's eventually.  Plus, I like the color orange.  So between those two......I start hearing the song...".Here's a story, of a man named Brady...."  lol 

Edited October 23, 2017 by SunnyBeBe

[aguabella]

On ‎10‎/‎22‎/‎2017 at 7:55 AM, ByaNose said:

They never seem to find out about the structural issues on HHR until after they buy the house. How is that possible? When it comes to HHR everyone is shocked by structural issues, not finding real hardwood floors, aspectious and other calamities. Is none of that discovered with a house inspection before settlement?

 

On ‎10‎/‎22‎/‎2017 at 9:12 AM, chessiegal said:

You're not opening up walls during an inspection, so you won't find problems that are apparent once walls are opened up.

 

I purposely and deliberately thought about every (supposed) newly discovered construction issue during last season.  The entire season, I only noticed one situation that I believed might have been unknown when they started the renovation.  And that was only a definite maybe ...

Considering their budgets, on an older home, contingency would be at least 20%.  Nothing exceeded that during the season.  Plus, if a homeowner makes changes during the renovation, they're effectively increasing their budget via change-order.  Those wouldn't be considered budget overages.

Sure, inspectors don't open walls but neither do homeowners, routinely.  Many, if not most, structural issues are discovered via other evidence, e.g. water leaks or moisture, cracks, uneven floors.  Most of the LA homes they're working on include both attics and crawl spaces.  Inspectors examine both of those spaces plus the roof.  They (pretty much) cover everything!

Major systems?  Well, if/when someone buys a home that's getting up in years, they should budget for systems work.  (BTW, that's one of the reasons older homes are typically cheaper than newer homes.)The inspectors can give them a good estimate of the systems' ages and their years of remaining useful life.

Conclusion:  it's all faux drama, to me!!! 

[aguabella]

On ‎10‎/‎23‎/‎2017 at 3:14 PM, izabella said:

I did not like those blue lights.  If they were pendant lights, they were way too big and too blue.  If they were chandeliers, they were ugly and too blue and why did they need more than one?

I liked that room off the side.  It seemed like the only room that felt cozy.

They were pendants and yes, far too large.  They needed 2 for balance and probably placed them for light under the working areas of the island.  You mean the family room, right?  Or, what they referred to as the "fireplace room"?

That kitchen felt disjointed to me, too.  The blue and blonde had too much contrast.  Their hardware disappeared in the blonde cabinets.  Then, they had that grout-centric, all white backsplash.

I would have loved the blue wallpaper (dining room), if they'd lost that window and white window shade.  Why not add a skylight there to coordinate with the f/r - er, fireplace room?  The windows / fenestrations were definitely off.

Their cabinetry would have worked in a slightly darker / teak shade, like the d/r table.

And the toothpaste tile shade in the master bath - yuch!  The kids' tub - uh, too small.  B/r tile shapes were fine but not their shades and placement.  How about making better use of the contemporary, white tile?

Besides the overall color scheme, the single biggest miss, to me, was that blonde pantry door.  It blended in like a mirage, i.e. a huge, boring blank wall.  Why ignore a perfect opportunity to insert a pocket door?  (Worth the extra $$$, if you ask me.)  Then, use that wall for something else.  Uh guys, they didn't use barn doors in the mid-century, lol ...

 

ETA:  Nice to see a mid-century.  Too bad it was a miss ...

Edited October 26, 2017 by aguabella

[aguabella]

Behind on posting so ok if I hit a few high points from last season?

Uh, remember the kit home from Nashville?  You guessed it - uh, nope, it wasn't a kit home.  Sure, the guy said he talked to the neighbors but it's not unusual for a story, the wrong one, to be circulated over the years.  And the supposed (entire) house instructions he uncovered?  Those were likely the instructions for the wallboard he opened up.  (It's not unusual to find printed instructions on those types of materials.)

Knew something was up when they all gathered round him opening up that wall.  I was surprised it was wallboard - was expecting lathe and plaster.  Sears had their own brand of wallboard used around that time but the piece they carved out wasn't from Sears.  Sure, other kits existed but it didn't make sense to me.

Ok, the real answer is ... that was a DuPont home.  He lives in a Nashville suburb that was built as a DuPont company town.  The plant remains, albeit with fewer employees.

Will try to post a bit more about it, later.  In the meantime, if anyone wants more info about the town, DuPont homes, the wallboard, etc., shoot me a pm.

Edited October 26, 2017 by aguabella

[aguabella]

If anyone's interested, here's the wiki for the Nashville realtor's suburb, Old Hickory.  They mention the DuPont bungalows in the last paragraph, 1st section.  His home might have been a tad larger than the others and the f/p was somewhat unique so perhaps the home was built for a supervisor / manager. 

BTW, another poster suggested removing the f/p upthread.  No, no no;  that's original!  Everybody notice that someone had previously worked on it?  At least 1 wall had been removed.  

I have the listing photos and much more about Sears kit v. DuPont homes so pm me, if you're interested!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Hickory,_Tennessee

[aguabella]

About the Nashville A-Frame ...

A couple of fun facts, omitted from the episode:

Before my time but apparently that home was once owned and occupied by Billy Ray Cyrus!  And, that house was gaited and/or in a gaited community.  (IIRC, they tried to imply during the episode that security for the w might be an issue if/when the h was away on business.)

Sorry for the delay.

[aguabella]

Valley Glen, leather handles, mcm, young couple with cute son playing baseball:  (Sorry for the delay)

A few more tidbits from last season:  the house was actually in Van Nuys, close to the LA River / alley (yuch!).  Wondered about the neighborhood b/c thought I spotted commercial during their tour.  It did have older apt buildings across from the cul-de-sac and tons of extra vehicles parked around it.  Couldn't see that family living in it for even a minute.

You guessed it - it was a flip!  They listed about a month before the episode aired.  Ran some quick ###'s and guesstimated they hoped to clear 70K after expenses, etc.  IIRC, they did a bit more work than aired during HHR.  

Since listing, they dropped the price after a month and went pending, shortly thereafter.  I saved the listing photos so shoot me a pm, if you'd like them.  Will update here if/when I see the closing price posted.

P.S.  Another music connection:  their realtor's name came up as an American Idol contestant ???  Anyone recognize him?  I've never seen AI - not even a minute - so didn't know.  The husband was in the recording business and IIRC, they messed up a few orig mcm details for his in-home studio.  You know, the one he had no intention of ever using, lol! 

[juliet73]

So Cal with 5 kids:  First, their budget is $700k - he's an electrician and she's a bridal make up artist.  They have 5 kids - 2 in college, 2 about to go to college and a toddler.  Did I mention they have $700k to spend?  They wanted a bigger house for their big family.  I get that, but why now? In a year or two, there will be 3 people living there vs 7.  

I thought the kitchen was okay.  I didn't like the two different backsplashes and I thought the sink and stovetop were too big - they looked very "clunky".  The breakfast bar/table was ugly.  I would have kept the den, a den because the small front room was their only living space.  And that room just had a couch and a TV so I'm curious where all seven of them "hangout as a family."  The former dining room looked like unused space - just a small desk and a chair.  I would have kept it a dining room especially since their dining table and chairs were normal sized and they looked dumb in front of the fireplace.  The master bath came out lovely.  I guess the kitchen, master bath and the fireplace were the only major projects.  They still went $10k over budget because according to the wife, she has expensive taste in light fixtures.  Uh, okay.  They all looked like average lights you could get at Home Depot, but whatever.

[buttercupia]

700k budget and they balked at 3k for professional extermination when the rats are living right next to the baby's room.  

I don't use the word hate much but I hated those people. they had bad taste, and they were stupid and annoying.

[Empress1]

11 hours ago, buttercupia said:

700k budget and they balked at 3k for professional extermination when the rats are living right next to the baby's room. 

I don't care how much extermination costs, I'm doing it. Especially if it's for rodents.

[aguabella]

About the Agoura Hills home:

Glad I don't know from experience but 3K might be reasonable, if it includes both the initial rodent extermination plus ongoing maintenance.  They're extremely difficult to eliminate.  And, it's more than filling holes - they finds cracks and use gutters.  

[aguabella]

On ‎10‎/‎30‎/‎2017 at 6:50 PM, juliet73 said:

So Cal with 5 kids:  First, their budget is $700k - he's an electrician and she's a bridal make up artist.  They have 5 kids - 2 in college, 2 about to go to college and a toddler.  Did I mention they have $700k to spend?  They wanted a bigger house for their big family.  I get that, but why now? In a year or two, there will be 3 people living there vs 7.  

I thought the kitchen was okay.  I didn't like the two different backsplashes and I thought the sink and stovetop were too big - they looked very "clunky".  The breakfast bar/table was ugly.  I would have kept the den, a den because the small front room was their only living space.  And that room just had a couch and a TV so I'm curious where all seven of them "hangout as a family."  The former dining room looked like unused space - just a small desk and a chair.  I would have kept it a dining room especially since their dining table and chairs were normal sized and they looked dumb in front of the fireplace.  The master bath came out lovely.  I guess the kitchen, master bath and the fireplace were the only major projects.  They still went $10k over budget because according to the wife, she has expensive taste in light fixtures.  Uh, okay.  They all looked like average lights you could get at Home Depot, but whatever.

Good points, juliet73.  I gave them a pass on the 700K, 4/3 demand.  Given the (unmentioned) blended family and the age* difference (+10 yrs for the h, ???) plus 2 yo son, I assumed they might want another child, together.  And, with 1 younger child and that many kids between them, 1 extra b/r doesn't seem unreasonable, to me.  

ETA:  One other thing about their housing demands ... they omitted it from the episode but the listing indicates that the ground floor b/r has a separate entrance.  That could work well for their older kids, in the future.

About the total budget:  they were renting, supposedly.  Wouldn't surprise me if they were move-up buyer(s) who rented after selling their prior home to accommodate the HHR schedule.

BTW, am using the word "budget" loosely.  Like many renovators, they took their total budget ($700K) and subtracted the final purchase price ($650) to arrive at that figure.  Then, the w rattled off their wishes / demands / needs and said, "We hope we can get a lot done with that", meaning 50K.  Uh no, that strategy doesn't work if/when h/o's gut both a kitchen and bathroom, assuming SoCal construction rates.

So, personally, I don't consider that a budget or even a reasonable spending plan.  It's "I want what I want, when I want it"!  And, without a budget, it's technically impossible to go overbudget!

Kinda' boring episode, right?  Hadn't planned to check out the home's listing and then was curious about the extra cars across the street from them.  (Anyone else catch a glimpse of that behind them as they walked in?)  Couldn't tell if a park or school was over there b/c of the quick camera shots.  Started thinking it was a public right-of-way or frontage road and then checked out the map.  It's the frickin' Ventura Freeway / 101!  OMG!  Another house to run, not walk, away from!

After checking out the listing photos, thought the place looked better onscreen.  (If anybody would like the link, shoot me a pm.)

More on the designs later - good points, juliet73.

 

*Lousy at determining ages so let me know, if you thought otherwise.  Thanks!

Edited November 2, 2017 by aguabella

[aguabella]

Update on the Van Nuys, mcm home:

It closed at $649,000.  Haven't run the numbers so if anyone's interested ...

They've sold it; no need to maintain their privacy so here's the link:

https://www.redfin.com/CA/Los-Angeles/13251-Archwood-St-91401/home/5075970

To refresh your memory, if you'd like, here's the previous' listing's photos:

https://www.estately.com/listings/info/13251-archwood-street--1#gallery

If their buyer, I would have required them to complete the shower they cheaped out.  It needs a glass enclosure, i.e. not merely the bottom curb.  (Notice the rugs around the shower b/c the floor floods?  Knew that would happen!)

About their design, the straight line from the front door, thru the kitchen passthru window and out the back bothered me ( feng shui, anyone?).  Instead, I believe they needed more storage and work space so I'd have extended their countertop down, removing the open shelving, adding both lower and upper cabinetry and eliminating the door.  Instead, the yard access could be thru the dining area.  And how about finishing off the space below the pass-thru window?  Who wants to look at the back of a cabinet and butcher block?

But, they did a fairly basic flip between the butcher block, pass-thru window / no wall removal, basic tile and curbed shower.

And, here's their (supposed) realtor, if we have any AI fans:

http://plgestates.com/associates/colin-benward

Edited November 2, 2017 by aguabella

[CruiseDiva]

1 hour ago, aguabella said:

Update on the Van Nuys, mcm home:

If their buyer, I would have required them to complete the shower they cheaped out.  It needs a glass enclosure, i.e. not merely the bottom curb.  (Notice the rugs around the shower b/c the floor floods?  Knew that would happen!)

They really cheaped out on that entire master bath. Not only did the shower need glass doors, but they didn't install a shelf--thus, all the shampoo and bath products are heaped on the shower floor. It was also odd that they installed a long vanity, but only one sink, the mirror above the vanity was smallish and out of proportion, and the light fixture was simply ugly and looked tiny.

This description is a hoot: "This beauty features real hardwood floors, a designer showcase kitchen with upscale lighting and plumbing fixtures, new stainless steel appliances, dedicated outlets inside the cabinetry for hidden appliances,"

The light fixtures in kitchen and dining area look like builder-grade from Lowe's and the plumbing fixtures didn't look like anything special. As for electrical outlets inside the cabinets... who uses appliances INSIDE their cabinets? Sounds like a fire hazard to me. Would building codes even allow that?

The whole reno looked like a poorly executed flip to me and since they didn't even live there for a year I think flipping it was their intent.

[aguabella]

22 hours ago, CruiseDiva said:

They really cheaped out on that entire master bath. Not only did the shower need glass doors, but they didn't install a shelf--thus, all the shampoo and bath products are heaped on the shower floor. It was also odd that they installed a long vanity, but only one sink, the mirror above the vanity was smallish and out of proportion, and the light fixture was simply ugly and looked tiny.

This description is a hoot: "This beauty features real hardwood floors, a designer showcase kitchen with upscale lighting and plumbing fixtures, new stainless steel appliances, dedicated outlets inside the cabinetry for hidden appliances,"

The light fixtures in kitchen and dining area look like builder-grade from Lowe's and the plumbing fixtures didn't look like anything special. As for electrical outlets inside the cabinets... who uses appliances INSIDE their cabinets? Sounds like a fire hazard to me. Would building codes even allow that?

The whole reno looked like a poorly executed flip to me and since they didn't even live there for a year I think flipping it was their intent.

Definitely a flip, CruiseDiva and anytime you notice that, it tells you that every job will be bare bones, i.e. cheaply done.  Even those leather pulls were Tarjait specials!  That bathroom mirror looks like a $9.99 mirror that belongs on the back of the b/r door to check yourself on the way out but they threw it up above the vanity.

We do know, however, that the kitchen, at least, was professionally done.  (It was on camera.)  Yes, inside cabinet outlets do routinely pass code..  The standard ones accommodate stoves and dishwashers.  Currently, they're often added for either microwaves or a tv / dvr combo.

Did they destroy the mcm wall (for speakers) in the guy's "studio"?  Grrr ...

How about a chalkboard wall under the kitchen's pass-thru window to hide the back of the cabinet / countertop?  Even though it'd be at toddler height, they can be painted any color.  Could be a fun splash of color, right?

Out of all their cheap-outs, however, that shower curb is the only thing that I'd request remediation on.  Water is one of the main enemies of homes so that needs glass to be finished off.  Yeah, too bad they didn't include a shower inset / shelf.  That's a clue; tell us everything's DIY, save the kitchen !!!

Everyone notice it was listed for rent?  Yeah, looks like it'd make a great rental home.  Overall, the main issue is that neighborhood!  Who'd want to live their permanently?

[aguabella]

Another note on the Denver, mcm home:

Speaking of kids (other thread, HH), anyone think those Denver kids were bored to death?  "I don't wanna' cookie", screamed the little boy.  Mom kept trying to feed them lines and get them to praise their new digs but they weren't having any of it.  The last scene in the bathroom, the kid said nothing.  He was probably thinking, "How much longer do I have to sit here while you brush my 2" long hair and some guy films it 3 or 4 times?"

Dad didn't do much better.  He didn't know how the kid wanted his sandwich done and when he showed off his slide skills in the backyard, the kids ignored him.  In the kitchen scene, the kid must be thinking, "Just do it like my nanny!"  And, "When are these people and their equipment leaving?"

Sounds like 15 minutes of HH fame doesn't improve your cred in the toddler / preschool / kindergarten scene!

Edited November 3, 2017 by aguabella