I thought this was interesting. A house that seems to be getting a facelift has plywood over the front. Isn’t this where the Tyvek (or Tyvek alternative) is supposed to go?
Seriously though, is it common to use plywood in this capacity?
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Renovation
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I found another very subtle pop up being built on 11th Street. It’s a bit hard to tell from the photo but I like it because it doesn’t jump out at you from the street. My only question is on the size. How much room is actually being added by this pop up? Do you think it’ll provide an entire extra bedroom?
Eric’s latest brilliant idea for someone else to do
You can read Eric’s near-daily musings on his Web site. His latest book about vampires, chickens, germs, and death–entitled The Dead Travel Fast–is coming out in paperback at the end of this month from St. Martin’s Press. You can get more info on picking it up here.
The concept is simple: home remodeling consultant.
Let’s face it–times are tough. Many people have an inherent inclination to do their own home remodeling projects. Lately though, the slow, stinky death of home values and the suck-ass economy in general (sorry to be so technical) have forced more people to start economizing on how they fix and improve their homes. That need to “economize” becomes a painful euphemism to our friends in the construction and home improvement business for “the phone not ringing.”
As in other tough times, some people find a way to profit from the situation. Some become foreclosure specialists or repo agents, but I suggest a higher calling: the home improvement consultant. Post continues after the jump. (more…)
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The reader writes:
“Here are some shots of our modest kitchen and half-bath remodel – I think we got a lot done (complete gut and remodel of a kitchen and bath) for what we spent ($18K). We are fond of the galley kitchen (and had a small budget), so we never intended to tear down any walls. We ripped up 4 layers of flooring (which incidentally gave us about 3″ of extra ceiling height), stripped many layers of wallpaper [4] and trim paint [9!], and upgraded the electrical; replaced the cabinets, the countertops, all the appliances, sinks, faucets, and added undercabinet lights. We did find an old window that had been tiled over, so opening that up gave us nice light; and we refinished the original pine floor. I have included shots of the half-bath, which was added in the pantry years ago (and covered in the same beige tile that was used throughout our entire house – foyer and all). We had to gut the bathroom as well because there wasn’t a lick of insulation in the walls and it would drop to 40 degrees in the winter. It is an odd place for a bathroom, but I have grown to love being able to sit on the toilet and watch my pots boiling over on the stove. We also don’t normally leave the bathroom door hanging open like that, doesn’t seem sanitary.”
I think it looks great. Send photos of your renovations to [email protected]. Lots more photos including before after the jump. (more…)
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From the same home that brought you this week’s sweet kitchen renovation. Incidentally, if you don’t have a half bath on your first floor floor how many people recommend having one added? What’s the approximate cost of adding a half bath from scratch? After the jump check out the before photo. (more…)
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I am the broker who represented the adventurous and creative people who purchased this house. I have something of a run down old house fixation, and it’s fun to see them made livable again (by other people). Because these were regular folks (I mean, not architects or developers) who bought this house, I thought it might be of interest to the PoP readers. If anyone is interested in the financial aspects of this type of transaction, feel free to e-mail me directly at [email protected].
It wasn’t a complete surprise that Mark and Charles would end up purchasing something to renovate. They had done their homework and had, without me, already located the lender I recommend in DC for rehab loans. They had experience updating their two bedroom condo in the historic district of LeDroit Park. Having become involved in the community, they were hoping to find something nearby, within LeDroit Park or Bloomingdale (which is also the neighborhood I live in.) The idea of being adjacent to Crispus Attucks Park was very appealing.
We looked at a lot of houses. Everything that we looked at that had already been updated or renovated seemed to have odd layouts or poor quality workmanship, or some glaring issue that just seemed too much trouble to deal with. We attempted a couple of offers, but never made it to an agreement with the Sellers.
The W Street property came to my attention, as so many of these derelict properties do, not through the multiple listing system, but through a contact from an investor. When I first heard about the property, because of the condition, it seemed like something that would make sense for one of my architect clients. I also brought some other buyer clients by, who had the idea that they wanted to renovate, but the extent of the work needed was overwhelming to them, and we moved on to places requiring more cosmetic changes. I mentioned the house to Mark and Charles and they were game to take a look. Story continues after the jump. (more…)
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It’s time for more sweet kitchen renovations. Here’s another fresh one. If you have completed any home renovation projects be sure to send me some photos at [email protected]. Check out the before photo and some more completed photos after the jump. (more…)
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Even though the top floor appears to be vinyl I think it actually blends fairly well in this case. Of course I’m comparing it to the monstrosity on Upshur and NH:
So what do you think about the original photo – is this a good third floor addition/renovation?
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Well, they built a wooden back stairway. And mowed the lawn. But it’s been pretty slow going. Anyone think it’ll ever be completed?
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I think this one looks a bit better than the one from yesterday. Instead of keeping a porch though they have added a deck up top. Which do you prefer? Does this one work?