Home improvement doesn’t have to be a daunting and expensive endeavor. Ingenuity and the internet will take you a long way!
Here’s an example of how to turn a drab-looking 1970s townhouse into a chic, modern home without spending millions!
Few like the thought of investing time and money into a house to make it right, but there are benefits – today’s sunset starts at the 7:30-min mark:
Here are the before-and-after photos of a full kitchen remodel:
Estimated cost breakdown:
Cabinets: $18,000
Brushed quartzite and granite countertops: $4,000
Wolf and Sub-Zero Appliances: $16,000
Stainless steel farm-sink faucet, handles, lighting and fixtures: $3,000
Tile, flooring materials, miscellaneous materials: $2,000
All construction labor and materials, including electric; plumbing: $20,000
Fudge factor: $2,000
Total: $65,000
Cabinets: Inset New Ashford door style, island paint: Melange Green, Sherwin-Williams; cabinet paint: Dover White, Sherwin-Williams; island countertops: brushed quartzite in Super White; main countertops: Brushed Steel Grey granite; range, hood, microwave: Wolf; refrigerator: Sub-Zero; sink: Artisan Chef Pro Stainless Steel Apron Sink; cup pulls and knobs: brushed nickel.
Watch the whole project start-to-finish in this 3:31-minute video!
http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/20361449/thumbs/Watch-an-Entire-Kitchen-Remodel-in-3—Minutes
While most folks would prefer to stay away from any water problems, if you do get stuck with one, don’t despair. Money will fix it!
Part of homeownership is handling the unexpected – and there are times when water takes its toll. If you call your insurance company, expect that they will run up a five-figure expense, and a stain on your record that lasts. Or you can fix it yourself:
For those of you who wonder if it takes an expert to complete a major remodel – buying an old fixer and adding a second story to get a good ocean view – here is the before-and-after video of a house re-build in Old Carlsbad.
The last four minutes is the owner talking about the project:
Hat tip to Genius for sending this in:
A two-part video series on a recent high-end contemporary kitchen remodel in La Jolla:
Part Two, including cost and contact info:
This is better for nightime viewing – hopefully you’ve had a couple of cold ones by now:
If you’d prefer to buy an older house in a prime location, your patience will most likely be tested.
Sellers tend to have low, or no, mortgage balance, and they’ll only move when they don’t have any other choice – plus they love to hold out on price.
The houses are usually dilapidated, because when they only paid $38,500 like they did on this street in the 1960’s, the thought of spending $15,000 for a new roof sounds outrageous. Heck, if it’s leaking, you can always buy a couple of extra buckets!
But if you can outlast the initial aggravations, you can end up with the home of your dreams on a quiet 10,000sf culdesac lot with panoramic ocean view and no HOA or Mello-Roos fees for about the same money as a tract house:
Are you looking for an experienced agent to help you buy or sell a home?
Contact Jim the Realtor!
CA DRE #01527365, CA DRE #00873197
