After watching a one-hour HGTV show, who wouldn’t get inspired to do a home remodel? Fun, fast, easy, glamorous, right? Well, the truth is that a full-scale remodel entails a lot of time, energy, patience, cash, and unexpected curve balls.
I recently helped my buyers purchase a ‘70’s “project” home. It was an estate sale listed by Danielle Groeneweg with Bellwether Real Estate, and it seemed like it wouldn’t take much to get it beautifully updated. The layout was a little tricky and the trees and landscaping needed a major overhaul, but the location and setting seemed just right.
Little did we know that there would be unanticipated costs involved. Who knew there would be an oil tank buried under the property, which had to be removed (trickier than one might think!)? Then, when fixing up the yard, a water pipe was hit and damaged, so that also needed repair.
Walking into the home was like going back in time. Brown paneling on the walls, closed-off spaces, odd layouts, small bathrooms, outdated cabinets, laminate countertops, rotted wood on the deck, and outdated colors all around.
My clients decided to get rid of all the paneling and take out one of the walls in the “office” area and turn it into a dining room, which opened up the space making it so much more usable.
They also decided to completely replace the kitchen cabinets, put in new quartz countertops, and add stainless-steel appliances. The interior and exterior were completely repainted, and the deck was repaired and stained. All the flooring was replaced with new carpeting and luxury vinyl plank. Bathrooms were updated as well with intricate ceramic tiling. The red brick on the wall and fireplace were painted over with a fresh crisp white.
To add the final touches, they put in beautiful light fixtures throughout the home. They replaced all the hardware on the doors and cabinets, which made a big difference.
Lastly, to display this home for all it had to offer, we decided to use the talented Anne Tanner Interior Design and Home Staging. She really made the place sparkle!
Thanks to Grayson Glasby with BayHome Photography, who took all the before and after pictures. Having a good photographer makes all the difference when needing to get your home noticed by buyers for its full potential. This home remodel went over the initial budget, and it took a few months to complete, but everyone was happy with the final results.
So, the next time you are watching your favorite remodeling show, just remember that it will probably take more than an hour to do your home updating projects. But if you are patient and have perseverance, you too can make your dream home a reality. Bellingham, 360.220.8685, faithulate.withwre.com
