Awful News About The House 

Exactly

Exactly !

So true. I didn't touch my kitchen or bedroom for 6 months as i wanted to know my needs and wants before doing anything. Some decisions can't be undone.

Omg so true

Jackie888// such great advice. I remember jumping into everything and afterwards regretted it and had to redo.

Thank you for the advice. I has been thinking about adding a ceiling light.

Everything WithMetta said! And Drew needs to approach ripping out those walls as if he was doing major surgery. I'd recommend getting an expert's opinion -- load-bearing walls can mean big trouble later on, depending on what you've planned for. Invest in local licensed contractors with good reputations; they're worth their weight in platinum!!

@@krisaaron5771 exactly. Remove the wrong wall, and the entire house could be in danger of caving in. My sister had a wall removed during a kitchen expansion, and an engineer came by after the fact and told her she could not inhabit the second floor because the house was in danger of collapsing. So yeah, get an engineer in to do an assessment because removing walls.

Exactly!...i see wall sconces & standing candelabras shimmering in ghostly echos, reverberating in that Amazing room!

I'm astonished that none of this was picked up at the survey stage - I wonder what the surveyors were playing at, frankly.

@@221b-Maker-Street AGREE!!! I bought a brick rancher sitting on 3 acres at an estate sale, but had it not been an estate sale, I would have had it inspected closer. I knew I had to gut it, but the bathroom was the last to be renovated...and it took that long to find the leaking in the basement and the walls, because the elderly couple never took showers, but now there was an adult and 3 children living in the house. I had a soda ash system installed, almost immediately, from someone who was recommended by my well company, but the copper pipes already had their pin leaks long before I bought it.....a slow leak until it showed in the walls and floor. Fun times back then! 😅

We hired a leak detection company. Found the leak and fixed it. Went really well.

So kind of you 😇😍

Please watch out for hidden toxic mold that is common after termites. I almost died from it coming from attic into my newly remodeled home. It caused me to be develop a brain tumor and major neurological problems such as stuttering and vision loss - along with 11 other chronic diseases. I lost my home and everything in it. Also because of my illness I had to stop being a nurse practitioner/ clinic owner which I’d done for 16 years. My husband also left when I got sick after 25 years together. My whole life ruined along with facing chronic diseases rest of my life. All because invisible toxic mold spores. That no one can see or smell. It was so difficult to find the right medical provider to do the right testing and treatment. Many thought I was crazy until levels tested In my house showed extremely high levels blowing out of the vents. Then I had to travel out of state to find a doc who knew how treat me. Haven’t been able to work in 6 years. I would be homeless without my parents helping me after ex left me and our children. My daughter also got sick although it was less for her and her youth allowed her to heal fast with no lasting effects.

I'm going to second this. We wanted to cut an opening between our living room and an old bedroom to convert it to a dining room, but the living room had cove molding. Was told they would have to cut through the molding in order to put in the proper joist support. Found another contractor who simply did it from the other side, which had nothing fancy, and was able to preserve my ceiling in the living room. Also, as someone who has done some remodeling in different ages of homes - take photos of every single wall at every single stage. It has enabled me to locate outlets that the drywallers covered accidentally, where certain pipes were, etc. Never be afraid to ask questions. A contractor got mad at me for questioning him once, and I wound up stopping him from wrecking my drain tile, because it turns out he didn't know what it was. Good luck to you!

Agreed, used one for my bathroom also

Excellent idea!!!!!!

Going in through an adjacent room was what I was going to suggest, if possible. Even if infrared isn't possible, I'm still wondering if all the exploring couldn't simply be done from the backside. That's assuming these are stud walls. It will be messy either way, so it's picking the least bad.

I was going to suggest the exact same thing, go behind the bathroom, be it a bedroom, or living room, closet or staircase there's always a wall between the pipes❣️

Very true. My run-of-the-mill, over-priced, typical Southern California tract home doesn’t even have square windows in some rooms. A lady who came to take measurements for blinds and shades proved that.

@@avesraggiana Sorry to hear that. I see it too in new, expensive homes that look worn already for their shoddiness. At least it’s a shelter.

@@avesraggiana you could not be more right. Homes built at that time are hands down better built than anything in the past probably upwards of 50 years. I believe Drew will have good people around him that will give him great advice.

I agree with the wood refinishing I went through the processed and yes we ended up patching 3to 4 times.

I’m always cautious with any older home. They usually need a lot of replacement. I would expect the possibility of replacing a lot of charming aspects of it, not including behind the wall and material integrity. I recommend research to preserve the home’s character with new or preserved materials that have a lifetime expectancy. There’s so many beautiful, accurately vintage reproductions (or close enough) to still respect the space.

I concur. Do basics first!

Totally agree! Do your floors last!

There's a lot of us "older fans"!

Totally agree. This is far more than just a room makeover and Drew has the rest of his life to ake this home exactly as he wants it so what's the rush?

Amen sister!

Absolutely. Slow down and do quality work.

Yea but this is a youtube show, and the show must go on.

Amen to that. We bought a 1965 mid-century ranch style home with almost everything original and intact. Big learning curve. We proceeded with caution. There was a reason the previous two owners did little remodeling on the home other than install brand new solid hardwood floors through the whole main floor and bedrooms and install ceramic tile flooring in the kitchen--and on the counter(of which we ripped out the tile on the counter)(both they hired a professional to do). We were lucky that most of the basement was unfinished except for a recroom and we were lucky that the ceiling had removable tiles. Lucky because we had access to wiring as we have been replacing all the wiring in the home over time and replacing light receptacles. We have access to the plumbing for most of the house because of that except for the two main bathrooms. Luckily our home has all copper pipes which are very durable. We have been working with the city as we fix it up to make sure we get the proper permits for any work we do and we hired a Master electrician to upgrade our electrical panel(which was a double bus/split with no main turn off breaker)and replace any old wiring that still needed replacing. As long as you have patience you will get through it. You also need to watch out for lead paint and asbestos. Asbestos can be in anything from flooring to insulation to furnace wraps, siding, etc. So you need to test things before working on it. Same as leaded paint. We were lucky to be clear of virtually all of that stuff except the linoleum in the bathrooms, but all you need to do with those in cover it with new vynl flooring(just don't cut into the floor and don't disturb it). Ceiling tiles and popcorn ceilings can also contain asbestos. The joys of owning an older home. If its part of the historic register there may be restrictions too... 😊

I have super light laminate and it gets water spots all the time. Doesnt show my hair or my pet's hair (all lightish) but i would think a medium color would be better.

Same goes for super dark or black counter tops and furniture. You wipe it down or dust, look away for a minute and it is back!!! Aarrrgghhhh!!

Sometimes clean freaks want to see the dirt and hair if its there to clean. Just saying... and I loved my dark floors when I had them in Washington. In contrast they are great at hiding dark dirt...carpet and light flooring are a no- no in a place that has dark soil where it rains all the time.

@@nickygilstrap9439 I agree, I love dark flooring and like you said would prefer to see the dirt so I can clean it 🙈 black reflective counters are a no no tho for me, that's a bit too much cleaning haha.

Sorry, I feel like Drew probably lives a lot differently. My mom had dark floors in her previous home and she kept it immaculate in spite of living in the woods and having large dogs.

You're talking bucks, at what point do light fixtures become just an expensive problem.

@@rockingredpoppy9119 Those light fixtures are worth in the thousands each. They’re not from the local hardware store.

Not sure what part of the country is you live (Florida?,) but Never leave your tools overnight. ... or at least setup a dead bolt closet for work storage. ❤ your home !!!

@@rockingredpoppy9119 he could sell them as well to pay for the work on the house.. I would hate having to do that ..but ??

Yes, and having to ruin design work to fix functional things is disheartening.

I want to think that will happen. I hope he’ll listen to all the advice here, but I’m not so sure. Intuition says I’ll have to stop watching this channel.

Absolutely correct. The main structures of the house are the most important. There was a leak from my hot water heater that leaked into my living room floor, which was carpet. Our home warranty took care of everything including the new carpet. I paid my deductible which was $50. New Hot water heater, the plumbing and drywall and carpet. So slow down and think smart. I know it's exciting but slow down. One step at a time.

Brilliant

I had thought essential oils but this makes way more sense 😂😂😂

I agree. I was even thinking he could set up one of the units for rental income while he works on the other unit.

AGREE

Absolutely agree with this. Houses tell you what they need over time.

Such good advice. I know it's realllllly hard to be patient, but I agree with Barbara.

yes, look how many times he changes the paint and room arrangement. He needs to listen to us old timers! Gone through it several times. And an ex that did tearing apart and no putting together. But I learned how to use power tools!

Wow! I've been watching "home improvement" and flipping shows, for years, and before computers became the thing and streaming became a thing, I watched "This Old House" and other similar shows on PBS, LOL! Yeah, I'm old. But I learned a hell of a lot over the years. Never heard about arsenic in grout, that's a new one. Just goes to show, you're never too old to learn, and you learn (or should learn) something new every day. Thanks for the info.

I grew up in an old home in Michigan and pretty sure this was an similar issue along with asbestos. Had terrible allergies all 16 years of my life until we moved. 😩

Congratulations on the new house Drew. Good idea to have the original light fixtures appraised for value and also to make sure the wiring has been updated. And if you're not too keen on using some of the fixtures in your design, the sale of them can help pay for the renovation you're about to take on.

Also, check the tile, because alot of them were made with lead! If so, you need a professional service to remove them.

You don’t need to remove it etc. All tile needs to be sealed, 1x to 2x yearly, to protect it anyway. The old grout should also be sealed in that. (MOST LIKELY, THAT ISNT SAME GROUT FROM 1920 ANYWAY!) If you are concerned about anything leaching out, you can regrout or simply put a layer of fresh grout on top of the existant layer.

Agreed!

Would he consider buying a more modern home? Eh, sorry.

That’s the best advice so far. I’m 71. I know this is true.

Great advice!!!!

When he asked for our thoughts......first thought i had was...mmmmm..i would have to live with this for a while before i could dare change Anything.....now..i get what that meant.

I’m going too!

Absolutely check with the home inspector. A leak on a vertical water line must be seeping down to the basement somewhere. It should have been caught. They do have liability insurance to cover such items. And...Happy Birthday

@@lonefox and when you talk to OWNER of inspection company -1. leverage your RU-vid channel and exposure 2. have a couple ways for them to remedy problem like they can pay for 2nd opinion plumber and they can pay for final repair. yes!

Boy I agree with this comment. I hired a building inspector on three separate houses, two of the houses failed inspection which I cancelled the contracts. On the third and final home the inspector gave the home a gold star and it passed with flying colors, however the living room light fixture has a fan that doesn't work... so go figure, how did he miss such a simple thing. I wish I had known about the 6 month warranty on inspections.

@@deb5710 do you mean just the light fixture itself had an issue? Like you could replace it with a new fan and it would be fine? This likely sounds snarky, but lighting with fan combos are so outmoded and cheap to replace. Yes, it would be a dumb miss for home inspection, but not anything that would impact the sale price/negotiation, surely. Please correct me if I’m wrong.

maybe its just the houses' way of saying 'put your stamp on me!' Love that perspective!

My mother said that to me when. I bought my girst house. Same fir garden. Wait a tear before doing anything major, get a feel. You'll be wasting money otherwise. Decorate, but don't tear walls down.

I was going to say the same thing. If the tile has to come down, maybe this is the universe telling Drew that he should really make it his own. Maybe in a way that honours the original (same colour or style) or in a new but still beautiful style that he can really enjoy. 😊

yeah almost 5 years in we had unexpected...like why was our propane gas like 5 times everyone else and we have electric stove so only the gas water heater. The one company is well, got in trouble with county before so we switched to the only other company in this small town. We wanted to move it to the lot main house is on. It was built on empty lot adjacent to an old houe builder bought and tore down. So propane tank on that one. They refused to move. So new company did. Yah lots wrong. Old concrete slab unstable. Then we foundout digging trench to redo it had a major leak. 3 plum trees were sick, cancer sores! As soon as we dug up the dirt was like smelly coat tar briquettes. The flies came like Amytiville horror! The new piping is now flexible and gee the bill is 5 times less. But that tech said the leak must have been going on years to become that. So that got fixed. But had to look to what to do with plum trees. I finally found on the EPA website they inject hydrogen peroxide into soil and in lakes. The issue with toxins the soil goes anerobic. No bacteria to produce oxygen. I got that and mixed with water each time. They came back! Got comletely health again. Any tree looking sickly I give it a shot of hydrogen peroxide. And amend soil. We have calcium high desert soil. By other comments this county is not lets say complying or full of any answers. Shrugging is the mode. We buried the soil under our new driveway!

Yes I agree I would live there for a while first then decide.

You are ever so right!!! Houses reveal some potentials only if you're patient.

I would get the major work done before moving in.

Great information and suggestions!

YES Xavier !! thank you - it's almost always a couple of YEARS before you know what you really want to change. In meantime it's a perfectly great house! enjoy it!

Amen to that Pricilla! 30+ years of illness due to toxic mold exposure here. It's not just sniffles so hopefully he'll be sure to have it remediated by an experienced mold remediation company - not just torn out by building contractors!

You're absolutely right. Too many people really don't understand just how detrimental mold can be on ones health

@@hippiebippie8870 I take it that you're a walking wounded mold survivor too?

Agree totally!

Yes, it's like living with a garden for a year before you do anything to it.

Yes! Live there for a bit first. At least a year. See where you settle and how the light and seasons change.

That’s a fabulous suggestion. Some of the slab and pipe leaks around our general area had a whole industry of leak detection with sound and new technology that also spurred the whole repiping industry. Much like Drew’s Duplex would be our units also had vertical leaks and had to go in both of the units to find the leaks with infrared and sound tech

Also a good way to find other infestations like bees or wasps in the walls or roof.

Excellent idea!

I agree with this suggestion!

Totally try this. Rent from Home Depot for a few hours. Helped us find the spot before we started destroying the walls in 1938 house. Ran hot water for 30 minutes. Also had a bunch of pipes replaced when strategic holes were open. New pipes are like flexible plastic. First 2 plumbers suggested same as your guy. 3rd plumber was more on the page with us. Do what needs to be done with least damage. One other tip replace wax rings in all toilets you do not replace. Those leak over time too.

🙌🎯🥰

i hope he sees this

Yes, I was going to tell him to look in the basement too. I use to live in an apt now style and color combinations in the tile lavender yellow, green and black, pink and burgundy with the same octagonal floor tiles. Might be able to find some other people with extra tiles or remodeling. Might can find other apt/duplex ownets with extra tiles that are the same as his.

That happened with me with the plumbing problem, all the electrical stopped working in thosevwalls they started bowing but they were able to fix it with not too much damage to anything I think they went through the other side of the wall in another room.

I hate this phones auto correct sorry for the typos.

I was born and raised in Gardena nice to know good things are still there

My body is a black mold detector, instant severe reactions. Went to St Augustine Florida with a friend, rented a hotel room on the beach, the hotel had been renovated for hurricane damage. They moved us to an area that was not damaged. My thoughts also, he might be reacting to mold in his home.

Thanks for your advice maybe that's why he's feeling like he has a cold just here praying for his health and for his great attitude he's so positive I really didn't like to hear that someone wants to rip the walls out OMG and thanks to all of you who are giving him advice it makes a big difference😉

This!

At the very least 6 months.

Yes, they show everything. My friend had bigtime regret after she went dark!

also agree with this! we went with a lovely Brazilian mahogany in our place but its SO hard to upkeep. shows everything in like a few hours after cleaning

I agree 😭

Smile... I am in the same boat. (and imagine a house with two little children).. Oh My Goodness!

The apartment I rent has beautiful dark floors and I HATE it! It shows anything and everything right after you clean it so it just always feels dirty for me

You kind of make we nerves don't touch any of that chimney stuff how how weird it wasn't there before sand I'm wondering what that really is anyway I'm really excited for you blessings to you and all this work your young and have so much energy may you be blessed and have the strength for you through I know if anyone can get this done it's you just your energy is positive and all good😉

Enormous chef's kitchens open to the rest of the house are a fad that needs to end.

​@@melodyfleck9368 Makes me crazy when I see those shows where the homeowner says they don't cook but want 75,000 worth of marble countertops and stainless appliances. Then their living room sofa two feet from the stove ends up with grease all over it from the frozen french fries they're making all the time😛

@@Glim246 lol! So much racket from the kitchen if a person does cook. Who wants to hear that all over the house when kids are trying to study, a good show is on or someone wants to read or listen to music?

That's EXACTLY what I'm yelling at the tv as they are breaking through the walls😂 My dream house has a small room with a fireplace and seating connected to the kitchen so the cooks can be part of everything. The rest of the time I want you to leave me to cook in peace.

Melanie, me too. Just discovered this. My first video was the one where the landlord visited the apartment. Can't wait to see the new house unfold.

Hes a bit overwhelmed. Heck who wouldn't be.

I know and it’s amazing the difference in pricing to do the same thing from one company compared to another is insane!!

This msg was so sweet! 💕

Ohhh sweet message from mom, my heart 😍❤️

I really hope that U get the problem sorted out Drew, as it's such a beautiful home..

Always always unseen problems crop up. That is just the nature of renovating.

It appears the house was built in the 1920s or 1930s, it's nearly 100 years old. It IS going to have issues, that's a given. Anybody who expects to buy an existing home and it NOT have issues is pipe dreaming themself.

For having renovated several, living in 200 yr and older buildings : one always has surprises...My last ones were enormeous roofleaks and a wall with salpeter.. And trust me, many an expert including myself had been fooled on that one. ( A direct consequence of climate change and temperatures in a usually temperate rainy area that has turned in a fairly mild, almost dry climate. But that is part of the game...gives everybody work and problems to be solved.:)) Is there not the possibility to get repairs back from vendor?

Totally agree!

You can defiantly widen the existing openings, but what about adding a series of open archways along the wall instead of opening the walls completely. Picture the interiors of a Spanish style courtyard with all those arches and pillars. **Bonus it will mimic those triple arches in the breakfast nook and the book nooks in the upstairs.

I is agree ROOMS are important. Open spaces just feel like a lackluster apartment

I agree- it doesn't matter if it's green pink yellow or purple elephants... whatever! KEEP IT otherwise~ YOU'LL COME TO REGRET IT DOWN THE ROAD! Work with it!

I agree, I already have a feeling that all of the beautiful character is going to be gutted for the sake of “aesthetic, styling, and content” That is why so many historic homes now a days have no character. It is a damn shame.

@@pricklykitty939 yes!!! I can’t believe he is going to butcher that already amazing kitchen and bathrooms. I would freakin do anything for a historically accurate kitchen and bathroom. Shame on the previous owners too for adding that ugly marble.

@Lone Fox, Drew, oh my gosh, it would be sooooo sad to sell the original light fixtures! They are a huge part of the authenticity & charm of your new home. Eventually, if you did sell them but later wanted to restore with other, comparable historical light fixtures, it would probably cost way more. Those amazing original light fixtures are the jewels of your home. Please do not take them out & sell them!

@@saraheschweiler4939 Sarah, I actually agree with you! I personally wouldn't remove them, but I believe Drew isn't fond of some of them and if he does remove them, I wouldn't want him not to know their value.☺️👍

Light fixture is : ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-t6xiSVca6I8.html

I highly doubt he’s struggling that much financially to sell them. In the tour video he said he was going to keep them.

@@kristibeisecker I never thought he's struggling. He commented in the tour vlog he didn't like certain fixture. I hope he retains the fixtures. I just wanted him to be aware of the value in case he does not.

Thanks

Right and Drew remember that , you can always go back to those inspectors as they have , be cause you high-erred THEM , to make sure you where getting a so,I’d sound place ! I had to do this with my inspectors and you know what ? They had to lay up ! So remember that !

You da real mvp

However you figured out there was a leak... the inspector could have found out the same way. It's LITERALLY their job. I think your inspector dropped the ball here. He should be liable. Not you. If it was an under the table deal with your agent... they are both liable. Also... you could check the disclosure list from the homeowners. If it wasn't disclosed... I would start calling every local contractor, plumber and ask if they have ever been to your house on a call before you owned it. If you found this out so soon. The owners knew.

@@es4242 well... you pay them to not miss things.

yeah we bought as is but that was cosmetic. In california too. There are things the inspection has to have but our agent back in the bigger town we had for selling our old home had to tell us to tell agent in smaller rural town what was missing! The buying documents were redone and redone several times because each time somehting left off that was in, typos and yah...lots of things! To make a note...this new county doesnt enforce ANY weed abatement although in a fire state and at times flames coming over the mountains. Fire Captain drives by the huge weed lots on either side of us daily.

@@retroredo9850 buying as is sounds crazy to me. I got a full inspection report on every home I've purchased and negotiated with the sellers based on report findings. I live on the west coast with a very competitive market, but that was non-negotiable to me.

Anyone can give themselves the title of Home Inspector- so great to find a truly experienced one.

L Jones I am glad to see you post that, because I had the same question. I thought perhaps the inspection laws were different in CA. I too have not only bought but sold my homes and when inspections found issues the owner had to fix or in my last sale the buyer and I worked together to fix, which even the Realtors found unheard of. (Many was just cosmetics) . This is no small house, I hope the repairs won't be astronomical.

Exactly. When drew says the realtor is helping find a person to help. No they knew problems and the owner/ inspector/ and realtor are to blame.

Ohhh so very true!

You just helped me make a decision for my house. Thanks for that!

So true. I just recently took out dark chocolate brown floors in my apartment for that reason. Vacuum and it starts looking dirty again 30 mins later since every dust speck shows on the floor.

And as for the tile that you love and want to keep, look into re-glazing! I just bought a 100 year old farmhouse in my home and have done everything I can to preserve the original woodwork, moulding, hardwood floors and had the old deep farmhouse sink I’m looking into have re-glazed instead of replacing with a modern replica

And don't be discouraged if Tiffany lamp not signed or marked, there was a time period when they were not, you will need professional assessment.

I thought the same thing. If it’s not it’s a pretty good knockoff!!

@@HeatherMarie725 I totally agree with U.. I'm not an architect, so this is just my opinion.. why buy a period home & then go & rip out all the things that make that home look unique.. a major bug bear of mine..😡😡 Just 4 reference, but not the same, in my home town, we have a 250 yo building with lovely old stonework that builders want to rip out & replace it with modern sh**e..(sorry, I do apologise 4 the lingo but I hope U can tell I'm furious about this.. so far thankfully, everyone in the town has been against it..🤞🤞)

I was thinking the same thing

I agree. "Historical" isn't always better. The green and pink tiles are a dime a dozen and are found in so many older homes. You could remodel into something like Karen suggests (penny and subway tile) but keep the cool old medicine cabinet if you wanted to retain historical touches. I lived in a 100 year old house and didn't do a lot of changes; in retrospect, I wish I had made the changes and had the house the way I wanted it rather than struggling to keep the old things that I didn't really love.

I agree. I feel like a lot of times people are so worried about keeping original aspects of the house that they can't see that it just really won't work anymore. With that many tiles broken and mismatched already it kind of seems like a blessing is disguise to have to rip out the old tiles and just redo the bathrooms. Especially because he'll be redoing the "updated" upstairs bathrooms then he can just redo all bathrooms to have similar styles/tile and it'll be much more cohesive.

Highly doubt those tiles will come out easily to be saved and reused either.

The bathroom tiles are all worth saving. Just because they are not your taste doesn't mean he should upgrade it when it all can be repaired and redone utility tiles from the kitchen. Most of the tiles are in great condition just need repaired, replaced and regrouped and will look brand new when finished.

I also agree. I'm a huge fan of vintage, but sometimes it isn't worth saving. I don't think these tiles are even a pretty color of pink and yellow. Get rid of all that old tile and update with something that looks vintage but is more appealing to the eye. Keep the doors, light fixtures, medicine cabinets and hardware to retain the vintage feel. Big breathes Drew! There are going to be a lot of surprises as you go forward, but the rewards in the end will be worth it!! Gorgeous home!

I totally agree with that. Start with the most important things first.

Yeah, as much as I generally prefer trying to preserve original features... houses are also homes, not museums, and - especially with kitchens and bathrooms - renovating them to modern standards is often the right move. Just don't slap something randomly modern looking - like the upstairs bathrooms - in, but take inspiration from the rest of the house and the previous bathroom design and go from there - but then I prefer "inspired by" to "replicated exactly," I think! I do think trying to keep the green kitchen tile would be nice, though, if possible! Taking photos is such a good idea! It's something I'd do with an older house anyway, making a photo book or folder with notes and pictures, documenting how I found it and what I changed! Just imagine how interesting this could be for a future owner!

Good advice. 👍🏾

It might be that all those old tiles in the kitchen and bathrooms are set in concrete. Makes the very difficult to remove with out breaking. I removed kitchen tiles in my 1906 house in Oakland and more than half broke. Bathroom wall tiles were set in 1 inch of concrete. Had to strip the walls to the studs and install water resistant dry wall and then concrete backer board before the tile. Yeah may be overkill, but when I got finished using a superb tile setter installing modern subway tile you could not tell that it was a new installation.

I’m really excited for the lamp appraisals! Hope there are some gems he can auction off to cover the new house expense.

...they're* dirty 😁

Get a second or third opinion on any major changes such as opening walls etc. Overtime'll develop relationships with contractors that you can totally trust but at this stage you're just getting to know who's out there.

Yes. Always hire your own unbiased inspector. A lot of time they are familiar with the realities and are dishonest because of that.

N,

I agree with people who advise living there awhile and seeing how the house works for you. Get the structural repairs done, of course, but the optional cosmetics can wait. I'm sure you'll be eager to change things that don't look good to you, tho--it's hard to be patient with visuals that are unsatisfying when you are so visually-oriented. That house is a prize! Definitely get those lighting fixtures appraised! And find all the architectural salvage and "junk" dealers in the Southland, and develop relationships with them so they'll watch for things you're looking for, and call you when they see them! Research, research, research! Learn all you can about the house, the design era, structural engineering, repairs, etc, but don't always let the estimators/contractors know how much you know. You have such a great eye and design sense, and your enthusiasm is contagious; mistakes will happen, and lessons will be learned, but I pray you don't get cheated or taken advantage of! Best of luck, and happy birthday! 🥳🎉

💜💜💜

ICY - so sorry about your 'whole ass ceiling'- Jeeze Louise! wow that's nightmare😧

@@batterbury4477 it’s okay, we got it fixed pretty fast thankfully.