Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I have owned many rental houses. In all but a few of them I found that the costs and hassle of moving walls / windows / doors rarely, if ever, makes sense from a RESALE perspective. In a handful of cases for homes that I have sold to folks to LIVE IN they may decide that the improvements in utilization / efficiency some folks do makes these major changes, but that is generally so the houses "works" for their family over 10++ years. No single guy should have that kind of time frame to worry about...
Honestly, regardless of whether a really professional contractor is going to first rate work at "friend of the family" prices OR somebody is going to DIY this work I have major issues with taking a preWWII Cape Code home in a traditional New England state and messing around with reconfiguring wall / windows doors. People want / need to get to the garage & yard. It is true that MOST buyers of a traditional Cape will generally appreciate having a dining room where they can have both "celebration" events and someplace to highlight the sort of traditional furniture that probably looks best with a Cape. Even in the most modern urban setting or casual beachside town the nice proportions of a classic Cape Cod home are going to be far more appealing than some reworked floor plan. If the kitchen ain't big enough for entertaining maybe the house really needs an appropriate addition. If you have some kind of funky "ante room" I would lean toward making that into an laundry / mud room for the main floor as that will add great functional space for anyone with kids or getting too old to schlep dirty clothes to the basement. The relatively minor change will also help keep budget manageable.
People like features that preserve the charm of preWWII Cape Cod homes -- spend your budget on quality "original style" double hung windows with wood interior sashes, hardwood flooring, vintage / handmade style lighting fixtures and you will be money ahead. Odds are that your pal will have to beat off buyers with a bat when he decides to sell. People will see the value in keeping to a "well cared for and thoughtfully updated" plan instead of going "bachelor pad chic"...
Thanks again.
Having a laundry room there isn't really possible because I'm not sure it's big enough. Plus, that would require a lot of moving around electric/vents/etc, no? There are two windows (one on each wall) in the "odd room" and I'm not sure he'd be willing to close them up to put a W/D in there.
But I do agree with your last paragraph. This is a leafy neighborhood of older working class people, sidewalks, and well kept homes. They are in the 400k-500k range for 2/2 and 3/2 homes. This neighborhood is not 'chic', that's for sure.
Ok, not sure if all of this is possible but I would switch the sink and the stove postions, put a DW to the right of the sink. I would add an overhang on the peninsula to accommodate stools, even if he isn't going to use them, it will be good for resale.
If he can't swap the sink and the stove, put the fridge next to the pantry. I would probably put the fridge by the pantry either way. If need be, shorten that peninsula by a few inches. That gives you a lot of uninterrupted counter space around the sink and the stove.
I think your plan overall looks good/nice functional kitchen. There are MANY nice vinyl flooring options on the market that look like tile. You will be happier in the long run with that over real tile. I have several friends that have this in their homes and you have to get down and touch the floor to see if it is really tile or not they are THAT real looking--and a fraction of the cost. There are even some thicker vinyl tiles that you set just like ceramic tile that are very real looking.
Interesting ideas. It's not a peninsula though as there is a full wall between the kitchen and dining room.
Would you recommend it? Some realtors say eliminating the formal dining would kill the feel of the house. Others say it would brighten it up and formal dining rooms are not "in" anymore (though I beg to differ in traditional Connecticut LOL).
That was his original plan. Cut the wall in half, put a countertop in with chairs facing the kitchen. Then you could make the "odd" room sort of a "mud room" and make the dining area an eat in kitchen.
What is the cost associated with cutting a wall and making a two-tiered countertop? Pricey?
Assuming the wall is not bearing a load the cost ought to be fairly low -- frankly cheaper than putting cabinets on the same wal.
That said I would be reluctant to "chop up" a traditional Cape in an area where most buyers probably want a traditional lay out. In situations like this I think the leg work of visiting open houses or clicking around on real estate web sites of nearby houses will pay off. If you find that homes with the modifications you are considering are uncommon,mor spend a longer time on the market it would push me toward considering the value of such work. Now I might be wrong, and the "breakfast bar" might be hot right now in your area / price point, but I'd still be reluctant to do something that in all honestly is kinda "faddish". Even though it not expensive to do, it can be expensive to undo. Especially if there are no IMMEADIATE plans to "flip" (which given current economy would seem insanity...) I strongly prefer that homes retain as much original charm / integrity. Things like plaster walls are prohibitivelynexpensive to replace once torn out...
Would you recommend it? Some realtors say eliminating the formal dining would kill the feel of the house. Others say it would brighten it up and formal dining rooms are not "in" anymore (though I beg to differ in traditional Connecticut LOL).
That was his original plan. Cut the wall in half, put a countertop in with chairs facing the kitchen. Then you could make the "odd" room sort of a "mud room" and make the dining area an eat in kitchen.
What is the cost associated with cutting a wall and making a two-tiered countertop? Pricey?
I would have to see pictures of the house, overall layout, etc. before I would say if I would recommend it or not.
Assuming the wall is not bearing a load the cost ought to be fairly low -- frankly cheaper than putting cabinets on the same wal.
That said I would be reluctant to "chop up" a traditional Cape in an area where most buyers probably want a traditional lay out. In situations like this I think the leg work of visiting open houses or clicking around on real estate web sites of nearby houses will pay off. If you find that homes with the modifications you are considering are uncommon,mor spend a longer time on the market it would push me toward considering the value of such work. Now I might be wrong, and the "breakfast bar" might be hot right now in your area / price point, but I'd still be reluctant to do something that in all honestly is kinda "faddish". Even though it not expensive to do, it can be expensive to undo. Especially if there are no IMMEADIATE plans to "flip" (which given current economy would seem insanity...) I strongly prefer that homes retain as much original charm / integrity. Things like plaster walls are prohibitivelynexpensive to replace once torn out...
Cool. Thanks. I'm pretty sure they plan on staying there for at least 5-10 years (getting married in August '12)
He asked me to put in here that the plaster on one of the kitchen walls is "curving" outward from the rest of the wall and is very fragile. After reading this thread over and seeing "charm" brought up, perhaps he might be better off spending his money doing a simple overhaul of the kitchen (just replacing what's already there) and spending extra dough on replacing the plaster walls with sheetrock?
Would you recommend it? Some realtors say eliminating the formal dining would kill the feel of the house. Others say it would brighten it up and formal dining rooms are not "in" anymore (though I beg to differ in traditional Connecticut LOL).
That was his original plan. Cut the wall in half, put a countertop in with chairs facing the kitchen. Then you could make the "odd" room sort of a "mud room" and make the dining area an eat in kitchen.
What is the cost associated with cutting a wall and making a two-tiered countertop? Pricey?
Honestly, I dont think I would "update" a traditional Cape Cod.
People that are going to be interested in a home like that are going to want it because of the vintage charm, not because it has a modern floor plan.
People that want a modern floor plan are going to be more interested in a new house, you know?
Last edited by kshe95girl; 09-15-2011 at 09:39 AM..
Honestly, I dont think I would "update" a traditional Cape Cod.
People that are going to be interested in a home like that are going to want it because of the vintage charm, not because it has a modern floor plan. People that ant a modern floor plan are going to be more interested in a new house, you know?
True. But in this area (Fairfield, CT) brand new homes go for >$900k. I guess it really depends on the buyer.
What to do...what to do...
Out of curiosity, if they didn't want to sell for 20-25+ years, would you suggest tailoring the home to THEIR needs over resale?
True. But in this area (Fairfield, CT) brand new homes go for >$900k. I guess it really depends on the buyer.
What to do...what to do...
Out of curiosity, if they didn't want to sell for 20-25+ years, would you suggest tailoring the home to THEIR needs over resale?
Absolutely!!!!!!
When I have a design client that wants to update a home, one of the first questions I ask is how long they see themselves in that home, and then advise accordingly.
If they are just there to update and flip, which isnt happening here so much anymore, I advise them to modernize.
We have a LOT of new construction here (from the 80s to now) so there are a lot of homes which just need a bit of cosmetic work to make them salable, you know?
I come from a very historic town in MO with a lot of 18th century buildings, I was taught by all my mentors to honor the integrity of an older dwelling, not just for the historic aspect, but for the fact that a gutted, modernized older home has completely lost its soul, and it cannot be put back in.
I hope my answer makes sense to you.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
