Ever since HGTV graced our sparklingly tv screens, homeowners have been convinced all homes have potential. Many buyers house-hunt with an eye for ways to customize and make this home more personal and functional for their lifestyle.
Of course, as a designer, I get it. I, too, approach nearly every space I visit with that “can do” attitude. This approach is an asset and I for one am glad there is a market for well-loved homes with a previous life. And I am poised and ready to help you make this soulful California home your own.
There are millions of homes, pre-loved and ripe for renovation. As you embark on a search for one of these buildings to make your own, I want to bring a few things to your attention. These lessons come straight from client experiences, embarking on renovations in their newly acquired homes. In two client cases, they purchased homes with the explicit intention of renovating it into their dream home.
Here are a few things I would have spoken to them about had we toured the home together before purchasing:
Well… Wait.. first things first.
Before touring homes, I suggest you start collecting inspiration images now. While multimillion dollar homes provide for beautiful photos, try to collect images for homes that are about the size and value of the home you’d like to end up with. This will plant seeds in your mind of what kind of elements are present (or missing) from your dream home renovation. (A little law of attraction energy doesn’t hurt either.)
Next, make a list of other desires including neighborhood, schools, proximity to your local coffee shop, etc and place those on your priority list along with your style. Think it over. What is more important? The neighborhood, your timeline for moving in or the configuration of your kitchen. These are real considerations. Don’t judge yourself for how your priorities rank. It’s important to be honest with yourself and your realtor and future designer/contractor with your priorities so they can help you get into the right home and make decisions about your money that are right for you.
With all this information in tow, head out with a Realtor who knows these detailed priorities and is able to show you properties with these criteria in mind, not simply with your price range as your only criteria. Let your Realtor know you are willing to renovate to make this house a home and you want a house that considers that in your budget. There are beautiful homes flying under the radar because they aren’t coming up in a standard MLS search. You have to know how to find these properties that are ripe for renovation. Realtors can’t search “Ripe for renovation in your price range”. It’s going to take some knowledge of construction budgets to find these diamonds in the rough. Inquire within for a reference for a qualified realtor in Northern California.
Now… Take a deep dive with us as we discuss what to look for when walking through candidate properties.
Yes. Nearly any building can be turned into your dream home with a large enough budget. But to seek out a house that can economically be renovated to suit there are a few things you want to look for helping you to not overspend when choosing a new home ripe for renovation.
Here’s the list you’ve been waiting for:
- Wall texture: Look at the inspiration photos you’ve collected. What is the wall texture you are drawn to? Smooth? Imperfect smooth? Orange peel? Different styles and colors of walls lend themselves better to different textures. On a project recently, removing an “architectural” detail above a fireplace was much more involved than the homeowner thought due to the heavy orange peel texture on the surrounding wall. It would need to be patched (which required a highly-skilled drywaller) or covered with additional material like stone, tile, wood or other facade. Not to mention the crisp look of the client’s inspiration photos would never quite be realized without great expense altering each and every surface.
- Floorplan: Are all the rooms where you need them to be? Shared bathrooms big enough to actually share? Removing load bearing structure and moving plumbing are two activities in renovation that can really raise the cost. If all your kids are going to be on the same floor and share a bathroom make sure bathrooms can accommodate multiple sinks. Or be sure an upgrade is in the budget.
- Natural light: One thing we can do very little about in a renovation is what direction your home faces. This in turn speaks to which rooms will get the most natural light. South-facing walls will bring in the most light and rooms opening to the north will get very little. Does that correspond to the rooms you plan for that part of the house? Do the bedrooms get the most light? That could be a bummer if most of your life is spent gathering with family in the living room facing north.
- Finally, Connection to the outdoors: If your family loves to live that indoor/outdoor California lifestyle, is your potential new home conducive to that? What are the ways your home can be connected to the outdoors? A recent home I toured has no connection to the backyard from the house. All three bedrooms and a bathroom line the back of the house despite a beautifully hardscaped backyard. The floorplan would need to be completely reconfigured to prioritize backyard access. It can be done, but not inexpensively.
So here is the final note. All of these items can be addressed, and as I say along with my contractors, everything is possible if the budget is ample enough.
If you are considering a home purchase with the intention of renovation, a designer consultation before purchase is an excellent investment.
Photos by Tierra Mallorca, Samuel Cruzon and Lotus Design N Print on Unsplash