House Hunters Renovation - General Discussion

[laredhead]

Thank goodness her brother was handy and knew what he was doing.  He acted like he had been down this road before with her on other projects.

I think the "statement" tiles would have looked ok in a grouping behind the range, if they had chosen something other than subway tiles for the entire back splash.  $50,000 doesn't go far when you begin to redo bathrooms, and kitchens, and then run into something like that heater duct problem.  Of course, that might have been why there was a reduction in the selling price, so she knew about that going into the purchase.  There is no way I would ever buy a house where the HVAC system could not be turned on, because that might mean an entire new system is necessary, and that would definitely have to reflected in a generous price concession.  Of course, getting $5,000 or $10,000 off the price of the house to compensate for installing a new HVAC system, and take care of another unexpected issue doesn't mean you actually have that $$ in your account.  That's another thing we don't hear about when these problems crop up.   

The buyer was yet another person who expected a lot for her budget.  I'm not in the market for another house, but I hope I would be more realistic about what I could afford if I went house hunting today.

I'm not even going to try to discuss the drum circles, and other stuff that was revealed.   

[biakbiak]

4 minutes ago, laredhead said:

course, that might have been why there was a reduction in the selling price, so she knew about that going into the purchase. 

There was a reduction? I thought she spent $30k over asking.

[izabella]

2 minutes ago, laredhead said:

There is no way I would ever buy a house where the HVAC system could not be turned on, because that might mean an entire new system is necessary, and that would definitely have to reflected in a generous price concession.

This.  The condition it was in would make me expect to have to replace everything.  I also would expect to take that into account when redoing the rooms the HVAC connects to.  For example, what kind of airflow do you need for the kind of space you are designing above, what with taking out and walls and things?  Maybe you need to redesign where the vents and returns go upstairs before you put in new flooring, cabinets and appliances in the house.  Maybe you could come up with a better floor plan with a different system. instead of sticking the one you have.  Or maybe it's fine, but how do you not do that at the same time you are remodeling?!

[laredhead]

Biakbiak, you are correct.  I was falling asleep on and off during the episode, and must have assumed because of the condition of the house she offered less, but I do remember her saying that the Denver market was hot, so that must have been when she stated she paid over asking.  Sorry for stating that the sales price was reduced.  I would not have purchased that house.  I guess Denver is another city where I will never live in the style to which I have become accustomed to in my "cheap real estate" part of the U.S.  

[twinks]

They should have put in a slide in range then the tile could go above it. Hated the gold pulls (they were huge!) I'm so over cabinets in 2 colors, white counter and subway tiles.

[CrazyInAlabama]

The Denver market is very hot, and expensive.     It's slowed down a little, but it's still a place where you go on the market one day, and have competing offers in the first day or two, and almost any house will sell for over asking.   

I can't believe the only bad part of the duct work for the boiler was the section in the basement.   I'm wondering if the rest of the duct work was in bad shape like that?   If so, heat won't even make it out the vents.   

They could still put the accent blue tiles behind the stove, when they did my back splash in the kitchen they went below the counter edge.  That way if I ever get the lower back stove, there will still be tile back there.    The blue border at the bottom looked terrible, cheap, and dated.   The homeowner's duel grout was ridiculous too, I don't think she realized that the blue tiles would need grout also between them, and the orange would be hidden.  

Also, if I never hear the phrase 'drum circle' again from the three women, I'll be a happy person.

Edited October 8, 2019 by CrazyInAlabama

[topanga]

3 hours ago, izabella said:

This.  The condition it was in would make me expect to have to replace everything.  I also would expect to take that into account when redoing the rooms the HVAC connects to.  For example, what kind of airflow do you need for the kind of space you are designing above, what with taking out and walls and things?  Maybe you need to redesign where the vents and returns go upstairs before you put in new flooring, cabinets and appliances in the house.  Maybe you could come up with a better floor plan with a different system. instead of sticking the one you have.  Or maybe it's fine, but how do you not do that at the same time you are remodeling?!

When they first toured the house, there was baseboard heating. Those were the small units that lined the walls. They’re electric and aren’t connected to the HVAC system. We had them when we first moved into our current home. They’re inefficient, expensive, and they don’t heat the house very well. So I’m sure Laura (?) ended up replacing or at least updating the HVAC system since the heaters weren’t there at the final reveal. 

But I liked those 3 quirky women. They seem to be good friends and reasonable roommates. My favorite was Claire, the pessimist. She was the only one with a realistic sense of how much stuff would probably cost to renovate, and she wasn’t all about the loud colors that blended with nothing. Oh, and Laura’s brother was hot. AND good with his hands? Hubba-hubba. 

[Empress1]

59 minutes ago, topanga said:

My favorite was Claire, the pessimist. She was the only one with a realistic sense of how much stuff would probably cost to renovate, and she wasn’t all about the loud colors that blended with nothing.

I loved her. When the one who bought the house asked "How hard can [renovations] be?" she had this look on her face like " ... Really fucking hard!"

1 hour ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

The Denver market is very hot, and expensive.     It's slowed down a little, but it's still a place where you go on the market one day, and have competing offers in the first day or two, and almost any house will sell for over asking.   

My best friend lives in Denver and: yep. She and her husband bought their house five years ago. She tells me all the time about how this or that house in their neighborhood went over asking. She says they see a fair amount of flipping where they are. (Both the houses in which they have lived - the first one was a rental - have had finished basements with full bathrooms.)

3 hours ago, laredhead said:

do remember her saying that the Denver market was hot, so that must have been when she stated she paid over asking. 

I believe the asking price was $325K and she paid $350K.

[ByaNose]

I never understood paying over asking. I would never do that. You set a price and I’m giving my best offer. I’m not going over the asking. Of course, if someone is willing to pay over my asking next year when I sell I’ll gladly take it. Personally, I just wouldn’t do it myself. Is it just me? 

[LittleIggy]

I just wondered what would happen when/if one of the three ladies get a significant other. 🤨

[Bastet]

49 minutes ago, ByaNose said:

I never understood paying over asking. I would never do that. You set a price and I’m giving my best offer. I’m not going over the asking. Of course, if someone is willing to pay over my asking next year when I sell I’ll gladly take it. Personally, I just wouldn’t do it myself. Is it just me? 

In some markets, at some times, if you don't offer over asking, you will never have your offer accepted.  When it's really a seller's market, prospective buyers will include notes to the seller, presenting themselves as the best people to assume stewardship of the property (e.g. I may not wind up being the highest offer, but no one could love this home more than me because of reasons).  It can get quite crazy.

[Empress1]

8 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

I just wondered what would happen when/if one of the three ladies get a significant other. 🤨

Yeah, they were all talking as though they'd live together forever. At least only one of them actually bought the place. One of them was in school; her job search could take her outside of Denver. They could get married (I wouldn't want to live with a couple, but that's me), or want to own property of their own.

I found the buyer's voice really annoying. Very heavy vocal fry.

9 hours ago, ByaNose said:

I never understood paying over asking. I would never do that. You set a price and I’m giving my best offer. I’m not going over the asking. Of course, if someone is willing to pay over my asking next year when I sell I’ll gladly take it. Personally, I just wouldn’t do it myself. Is it just me? 

Like @Bastet says, some markets require it. There have been lots of episodes in markets where the buyers have it factored in - like in the Bay area. "Well, this is priced at $900K but odds are good it'll go for $1.1M" or whatever.

[ByaNose]

6 hours ago, Empress1 said:

Yeah, they were all talking as though they'd live together forever. At least only one of them actually bought the place. One of them was in school; her job search could take her outside of Denver. They could get married (I wouldn't want to live with a couple, but that's me), or want to own property of their own.

I found the buyer's voice really annoying. Very heavy vocal fry.

Like @Bastet says, some markets require it. There have been lots of episodes in markets where the buyers have it factored in - like in the Bay area. "Well, this is priced at $900K but odds are good it'll go for $1.1M" or whatever.

Oh, I understand why it’s done but I just would never do it myself. I’m all for a sellers market. I’m hoping it’s like that next year when I sell. To me going over asking is $500. LOL!!!!

[msmarjoribanks]

On 10/6/2019 at 10:50 PM, ByaNose said:

I never understood paying over asking. I would never do that. You set a price and I’m giving my best offer. I’m not going over the asking. Of course, if someone is willing to pay over my asking next year when I sell I’ll gladly take it. Personally, I just wouldn’t do it myself. Is it just me? 

I think in some markets it's unavoidable, but when I bought my current place last year my personal rule was no bidding wars.  One place I looked at was nice (but I prefer the house I got), but they were clearly angling for (and got) a bidding war, and I opted out.  I paid asking for the place I got and sold my prior place for $5000 less than asking (which was great since I priced it $15,000 over what I expected it to sell for), but on the whole places here go for less than asking unless they are in the most competitive (like under $250K 2-bed condos in good areas) price range or truly under priced.  I paid asking for my place only because I'd been in the market long enough to have a good idea of what a reasonable price was and it was just on and the price was for them to take it off the market before the first open house

Some here (Chicago) think it's terrible that our market is much more reasonable/flat than Denver or Seattle or the like (not to mention CA, Boston, NYC, DC), but I think it's a good thing. It's plenty expensive as is.

[ByaNose]

I’ve been in my place 21 years and will probably move within 4 years. Right now, the houses are selling well at a good price. Who knows what it will be like in four years?! You’re never guaranteed anything in life and I might lose big time if I wait later. 

[answerphone]

Regarding the Denver trio and their flip.

We could tell within the first two minutes their taste would be colorful, quirky Bohemian. Think Rhoda Morganstern and not Mary Richards 😉

I knew it wouldn't end up looking like an elegant flip by the Property Brothers.

[topanga]

2 hours ago, answerphone said:

Regarding the Denver trio and their flip.

We could tell within the first two minutes their taste would be colorful, quirky Bohemian. Think Rhoda Morganstern and not Mary Richards 😉

I knew it wouldn't end up looking like an elegant flip by the Property Brothers.

And to me, that's okay. I wouldn't want to live in  "perfect," post-modern looking home. I'd want the design to reflect me--a little bohemian and casual. With lots of bookcases.

No bookshelves filled with nice-looking Wayfair knicknacks. Just books and bookends. 

Except the kitchen. That can be high-end and shiny!

[Empress1]

Yet another LA couple; German husband, Asian-American wife. I would have left the full bathroom alone initially, aside from painting (I don't think of painting as renovation); it didn't really need any major work and their reno budget wasn't huge.

Also, that kitchen (house!) was way too white and I hated the barn door.

[Pickles]

I also hated the barn door. Just don't like them and that color was way too bright. Too jarring surrounded by all of that white. Would have looked better in a more muted color.

I find LA very unappealing. So expensive and the homes are not desirable to me. I would be so depressed if I had to move there, unless I had a huge, huge budget. 

[biakbiak]

I feel I need to start a pocket door lobbying group because of my absolute hatred of the barn door!! It started as a cheap way to get a door in a tight space when people didn’t want the expense of putting in a pocket door or it wasn’t feasible for some reason but taking out a perfectly functional pocket door to put in a barn door makes me so angry! Much angrier than I should be about a strangers design choices. I know there were some issues with the post but it should have still been ablle to work with the old door. 

If the designer really thought that there would be hardwood floors under the tile in the kitchen than she is a moron.

I wish they would stop the “I am really concerned” scenes they love to do when the kitchen is nearly completed but without the items that will obviously make it look different, they seem to do it every episode.

[CrazyInAlabama]

They should have kept the pantry door, and coordinated the door color and the valance curtain over the kitchen sink.   Plus, if money is critical, then get an under mount sink, and don't get the over priced farm house sink.      A totally forgettable episode.   The only thing I really liked was the bathroom back splash tile.       If they would have used larger subway wall tiles, it would have been quicker to install, quicker to grout, and would have looked so much better.     Using the same 12 x 24 porcelain tiles in all of the wet area floors would have looked so much better, and more coordinated.    

Edited October 14, 2019 by CrazyInAlabama

[suebee12]

My biggest question with this renovation was why the heck did the  designer want to use penny tile on the kitchen floor? Bathroom and laundry room, yes, but the kitchen??? I did like the area behind the stove but that ugly barn door in that really ugly color was bad. Did that blue match anything? Wow, could you imagine the house if the husband picked the color everything would have been white. I did like the fence to hide the AC but wish they had done something better than that sail for shade.

[ByaNose]

5 hours ago, suebee12 said:

My biggest question with this renovation was why the heck did the  designer want to use penny tile on the kitchen floor? Bathroom and laundry room, yes, but the kitchen??? I did like the area behind the stove but that ugly barn door in that really ugly color was bad. Did that blue match anything? Wow, could you imagine the house if the husband picked the color everything would have been white. I did like the fence to hide the AC but wish they had done something better than that sail for shade.

The whole time they were deciding on tile and penny tile was an option I was like, “Isn’t that for the bathroom?”. I can’t believe it was a serious option. If it was the designer should be fired.

[Mittengirl]

8 hours ago, biakbiak said:

If the designer really thought that there would be hardwood floors under the tile in the kitchen than she is a moron.

That is exactly what I said!  There is just no way in hell that a builder would have put hard wood floors in a kitchen back in the ‘50’s(?) when that house was built.  The linoleum floor looked original to the house - why would there be wood underneath?

[ByaNose]

Is it just me or the majority of the House Hunters Renovation done in California? 

[CrazyInAlabama]

Many of the HHR do occur in Los Angeles, but they do have some other places, such as Boston a few times, and other cities.  

Then there are the Beach Reno episodes, that are mostly televised advertising for one of the website furniture and home decor companies.  

It was just bizarre to think of putting penny tiles on all of the tile floors.   Just for maintenance, and appearance, less grout would look better.   The 12 x 24 tiles are so much quicker to install, and have so much less grout.   

Edited October 14, 2019 by CrazyInAlabama

[LittleIggy]

I hated the white kitchen. The wife needs to grow a spine. The little dog was adorbs.

[ByaNose]

25 minutes ago, LittleIggy said:

I hated the white kitchen. The wife needs to grow a spine. The little dog was adorbs.

That was one of the whiter kitchens that I’ve if that’s at all possible. The blue barn door was dumb. Maybe, in a kids bedroom it might work but not in the kitchen. 

[MsTree]

14 hours ago, biakbiak said:

I feel I need to start a pocket door lobbying group because of my absolute hatred of the barn door!! It started as a cheap way to get a door in a tight space when people didn’t want the expense of putting in a pocket door or it wasn’t feasible for some reason but taking out a perfectly functional pocket door to put in a barn door makes me so angry!

Totally agree that taking out a pocket door (love them too!) and replacing with a barn door is sacrilegious. However, I disagree with the thought of how it started.

I believe a barn door is the perfect solution when you have a pass-thru opening (say between a master bedroom & master bathroom) and would like some privacy, for whatever reason. Many new homebuilders are leaving this pass-thru as is (just drywall), and unless you pay for a door before construction, you have no other alternative unless you hire someone to frame the opening & install a new door. Many homeowners aren't that handy, but by the same token, many can and do install a simple rail for a barn door.

[tonykillian72]

If you can find the best tile glue Strathpine to use in installing new tiles it can be really helpful and will lasts a lifetime.

[Empress1]

12 hours ago, ByaNose said:

Is it just me or the majority of the House Hunters Renovation done in California? 

Lately, yes, and I'm pretty over it. But they do them in other places - Chicago, Boston-area, there was one in Denver a few weeks ago.

[CrazyInAlabama]

Denver was one of their original cities on HGTV, and some of their early shows were based there.   The Denver renos now are usually young professionals, with hipster aspirations, to show how trendy they are.  I'm still laughing over the ones who bought in the hills above Denver, on a rocky area, and wanted to have a huge garden, and a lot of chickens.   I bet the local coyotes loved the chickens.  

[Grrarrggh]

19 hours ago, MsTree said:

I believe a barn door is the perfect solution when you have a pass-thru opening (say between a master bedroom & master bathroom) and would like some privacy, for whatever reason. Many new homebuilders are leaving this pass-thru as is (just drywall), and unless you pay for a door before construction, you have no other alternative unless you hire someone to frame the opening & install a new door. Many homeowners aren't that handy, but by the same token, many can and do install a simple rail for a barn door.

Worst place for a barn door is the bathroom off a bedroom. The bd's are loud to open and close and don't actually give much privacy. 

[sheetmoss]

On 10/13/2019 at 6:07 PM, ByaNose said:

The whole time they were deciding on tile and penny tile was an option I was like, “Isn’t that for the bathroom?”. I can’t believe it was a serious option. If it was the designer should be fired.

Yrs back on Devine Design, Candice Olson used a similar tile--hex?, in a bistro-style kitchen - it looked really good

Edited October 15, 2019 by sheetmoss

[MsTree]

6 hours ago, Grrarrggh said:

Worst place for a barn door is the bathroom off a bedroom. The bd's are loud to open and close and don't actually give much privacy. 

I have one and it's not loud at all...no more than a pocket door.

My barn door is between the bedroom and the entrance into the master bathroom. The john, toilet room, water closet (whatever you want to call it) has a separate hinged door, so there is no need for privacy 😊

Edited October 15, 2019 by MsTree

[Pickles]

I just saw the very tail end of last night's episode. Was this in California or somewhere else? It appeared to be a single homeowner. From the five minutes I saw, she seemed really down to earth and pleasant. She was very appreciative of the help her parents gave her. 

[twinks]

She was in Marietta GA. Nice family, liked the reno for the most part. Hated the floors!

[Empress1]

The friends' (her realtor and the friend who was with her throughout) constant talk about "you'll be far from us," we'll never see you" and  "you need to get a man" was annoying, but I reminded myself that the show is fake.

Marietta isn't that far from Atlanta - my best friend is from Marietta and when I visited her mother's house when we were in college, it was a short trip into Atlanta proper. I'm glad to see a renovation in somewhere other than SoCal and with a modest budget. Her parents seemed lovely and she was genuinely appreciative of them. I didn't like any of the floors in that house when she was finished though. 

[biakbiak]

All my friends in Atlanta are constantly bitching about traffic and the times I have visited driving to their various houses has been annoying so I didn’t mind them mentioning it.

I wonder if she was an only child her parents seemed a lot older, I thought they might be her grandparents at first.

I hated both flooring options so hope she invests in some rugs! 
I thought putting tile above the shower surround made it look not as cheap as they often do.

Taking out the wall was definitely an improvement.

[CrazyInAlabama]

Floors were the darker, imitation oak, Luxury Vinyl Plank.       I think a lighter color would have been better to coordinate with the lighter cabinets and paint.     I think the lighter floor option would have made the rooms look bigger, and brighter also.    My neighbors have the really dark LVP floors, and they suck the light out of a room, and they also show every speck of dirt.    

I liked the house she chose, and was very worried she was going to pick #3 with one bath, and where everything in the house should have been gutted.    However, I totally agree with her father that the satin finish paint was the way to go.  Semi-gloss does show everything, and the shine in irritating to me.     Stain is much more attractive, helps hide the imperfections, and is easy to clean.     I did like the color she picked for the living/family room.   

I liked the kitchen, except to save money I would have gone with a cheaper, but still big sink.    I would have gone with a brushed chrome / nickel finish pulls, and knobs in the kitchen, in the cheaper contractor packs.       I didn't like the back splash though.    Light blue was fine, but bigger tile sizes, would have been faster to install, fewer grout lines, and worked better in my opinion.     I totally over the Moroccan tile back splash, and wish she would have gone with a porcelain tile, white, or marble look, and a veined quartz counter top.     I would have skipped the different back splash behind the stove, and had a little more color on the entire back splash.     

I got a kick out of the homeowner, and her friend, and the realtor, talking about driving distance near Atlanta.      It's so congested there, that driving time is a major issue.  I'm glad she didn't get the condo, the HOA fee may be less than $300 now, but who knows what it would grow too as time goes by?      She could have used a portable island/cart in her bedroom for the microwave, and storage, or a fridge/microwave combo too.   

I know people with the pedestal sinks, and most of them also have some kind of little cabinet for supplies.    And where do you put your hair products, and makeup, and what do you do with your hair dryer and brushes?     I want counter space.  

Edited October 20, 2019 by CrazyInAlabama

[Boothbay]

The master bath with a pedestal sink (and no cabinet anywhere that I could see) where do you keep your toilet paper and hygiene products?! It looked nice but so not practical.  Overall she and her family were very sweet and not over the top with the budget and needs vs. wants in the house. 
So happy to see a location other than SoCal! 

[LittleIggy]

4 hours ago, twinks said:

She was in Marietta GA. Nice family, liked the reno for the most part. Hated the floors!

I didn’t like the floors either. Looked too stripey. Didn’t like the pedestal sink in the bathroom. Liked the rest of the house (at least the subway tiles weren’t white!) and the HH.

Edited October 20, 2019 by LittleIggy

[sheetmoss]

16 minutes ago, Boothbay said:

So happy to see a location other than SoCal! 

Agreed, way too many So'Cal episodes in  row

Re Marietta HO

I must be getting old, the first place   she looked at in the complex with the stairs and long walk to condo door, all I could think  of was what it would be like carrying in groceries... or dealing with a buggy/stroller.

I don't believe they showed the laundry, I wonder where that was?

[Empress1]

20 minutes ago, LittleIggy said:

Didn’t like the pedestal sink in the bathroom.

Me neither. Was there a linen closet or something anywhere? Ample storage space is huge for me, and it would drive me crazy not to have any in the bathroom.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I wondered about the laundry too, and I hate pedestal sinks.     I need storage in my bath, and a pedestal sink doesn't work for me at all.        After seeing the size of her dog, I don't like the condo open stair treads at all.  

[ByaNose]

3 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

I didn’t like the floors either. Looked too stripey. Didn’t like the pedestal sink in the bathroom. Liked the rest of the house (at least the subway tiles weren’t white!) and the HH.

Whew! I thought I was the only who didn’t like the floors. They looked too fake. I would have gone with the more gray weathered one. I pretty much liked everything else.

[Grrarrggh]

1 hour ago, ByaNose said:

Whew! I thought I was the only who didn’t like the floors. They looked too fake. I would have gone with the more gray weathered one. I pretty much liked everything else.

I think the grey weathered ones look very fake and cheap. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

The flooring/tile place I go to actually did 6 x 6 foot sections of a lot of the click together LVP, and it looks very different installed.     It really looks like wood, but on the sample racks, it looks very fake.      I think in the actual house light the different options would have looked much different.     

[laredhead]

I thought she could have saved money on the kitchen light fixtures, the hardware, and the appliances.  They showed $8,000 for appliances alone.  

Agree with everyone about that pedestal sink and no storage in the bathroom.  

I didn't mind the floor, but I am so over the white, on white, on white kitchens.  It was nice to see them saving the kitchen cabinets they were removing.  Hope they donated them to Habitat or some other charity.

All of the furniture in the reveal looked new, so I wonder if she spent a lot of $$ on furnishings.

[LittleIggy]

I wonder if the producers stage the furnishings which the HH has the option to buy. I seem to recall reading that is what is done on Love It or List It with Hilary’s stagings.