Fully renovating our house . Looking for suggestions

Questions on how we spend our money and our time - consumer goods and services, home and vehicle, leisure and recreational activities
Post Reply
Topic Author
lazybones18
Posts: 136
Joined: Thu May 14, 2020 9:31 pm

Fully renovating our house . Looking for suggestions

Post by lazybones18 »

Fully renovating a house that was built in 1950’s
Last major renovation was done in 2001 by the last owner

Renovation starts tomorrow and we finally finished moving out. Contractor asked for 6 weeks to finish everything

Looking for suggestions for things I can do to make the house up to date with technology, luxury, aesthetics and functionality

Things I am already doing:
Replace all windows
Replace kitchen cabinets
Bathrooms
All new flooring
Fresh paint
New base board
All new doors
Smart locks
New appliances
Sensor lights

1900 sq ft
3 bed / 2 bath + office being used as nursery
Los Angeles
User avatar
unclescrooge
Posts: 6264
Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2012 7:00 pm

Re: Fully renovating our house . Looking for suggestions

Post by unclescrooge »

Attic insulation.
Relining the sewer line.
bikesandbeers
Posts: 420
Joined: Thu Jun 13, 2019 2:08 am

Re: Fully renovating our house . Looking for suggestions

Post by bikesandbeers »

It’s a little late to be making many changes to your plans. In my experience changes are never free and often a lot more than just the difference in materials….

That being said, I would probably add additional outlets to the kitchen if you don’t have enough, maybe some with uSB or in a drawer where you can charge devices.

I am also a big fan of Ethernet through a house. Faster and more stable than WI-FI
Topic Author
lazybones18
Posts: 136
Joined: Thu May 14, 2020 9:31 pm

Re: Fully renovating our house . Looking for suggestions

Post by lazybones18 »

bikesandbeers wrote: Mon Jun 05, 2023 1:38 am It’s a little late to be making many changes to your plans. In my experience changes are never free and often a lot more than just the difference in materials….

That being said, I would probably add additional outlets to the kitchen if you don’t have enough, maybe some with uSB or in a drawer where you can charge devices.

I am also a big fan of Ethernet through a house. Faster and more stable than WI-FI
Doing the ethernet and we have several existing outlets in the kitchen
unclescrooge wrote: Mon Jun 05, 2023 12:47 am Attic insulation.
Relining the sewer line.
I did attic insulation
Relining sewer line ? I never had a issue with drainage .. is this necessary ?

I am debating if i should rip all the drywall out and put new one in. My contractor told me its not necessary but would there be advantage to this ?
Benbo
Posts: 73
Joined: Thu Oct 26, 2017 12:26 pm

Re: Fully renovating our house . Looking for suggestions

Post by Benbo »

Consider replacing all baseboards & trim. We recently did this while re-doing our kitchen and floors. Made a huge difference going from the old beat up basic clamshell trim to wider colonial-style. Spec wood for kitchen and bathrooms, MDF is OK for everywhere else.
User avatar
hand
Posts: 2196
Joined: Sun May 17, 2009 8:42 pm

Re: Fully renovating our house . Looking for suggestions

Post by hand »

lazybones18 wrote: Mon Jun 05, 2023 9:11 am
I am debating if i should rip all the drywall out and put new one in. My contractor told me its not necessary but would there be advantage to this ?
Only benefit would be if you were planning to redo insulation and perhaps electrical.
At this point, would probably be much cheaper to buy a newer house.
Normchad
Posts: 5630
Joined: Thu Mar 03, 2011 6:20 am

Re: Fully renovating our house . Looking for suggestions

Post by Normchad »

In terms of looking up to date, as a buyer, I want an open floor plan and nine foot ceilings. Also generous closets and deluxe kitchen and master bathroom.

All these are hard to add now though if your contractor is starting now.
Glockenspiel
Posts: 2423
Joined: Thu Feb 08, 2018 12:20 pm

Re: Fully renovating our house . Looking for suggestions

Post by Glockenspiel »

No need to rip out all drywall and replace. That would be excessive.

Consider the following:
Replace all door hardware (knobs, hinges).
Replace light fixtures to an updated look, especially on the main floor.
Add more outlets where you might need them - in closets, more in bathrooms, more in garage, etc.
Replace some outlets with USB-capable plug-ins
Add a 240V outlet in garage for EV plug-in.
Motion-sensor lights outside
Video doorbell
bendix
Posts: 777
Joined: Thu Feb 16, 2023 9:35 pm

Re: Fully renovating our house . Looking for suggestions

Post by bendix »

New windows should go with new trim and ideally you ask the contractor to do a "full replacement" where they fit in a new window of the same size as the old window as usually contractors will try to fit this in the frame of the trim, thereby making the window slightly smaller than it was before.
User avatar
quantAndHold
Posts: 10141
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2015 10:39 pm
Location: West Coast

Re: Fully renovating our house . Looking for suggestions

Post by quantAndHold »

Does a house that was last remodeled 20 years ago need all that? Wouldn’t a 1950’s house already have hardwood floors, for example? And new doors?
Colorado Guy
Posts: 439
Joined: Sun Nov 05, 2017 12:57 pm

Re: Fully renovating our house . Looking for suggestions

Post by Colorado Guy »

lazybones18 wrote: Mon Jun 05, 2023 12:41 am Looking for suggestions for things I can do to make the house up to date with technology, luxury, aesthetics and functionality
:shock: That's a LOT of work! Wish you the best!

May want to update the electric circuits with GFCI protectors, particularly in the bathrooms. And consider adding can lights for updated lighting.

Consider updating the electric panel to a 200 Amp panel, with an extension to the garage for a future EV. Have the panel set up for future solar as well.

I did not see any roof related work to be done, it may be time to rip off layers of shingles (assumption) and start over. Solar panels on the roof is an entirely different animal and huge expense with a long payback, and possibly tackled later.

Good luck with the budget!!!!!
AlaskaTeach
Posts: 186
Joined: Fri May 27, 2022 8:51 pm

Re: Fully renovating our house . Looking for suggestions

Post by AlaskaTeach »

Double check to make sure the hot water heater is up to code. Our previously owned house was built in 2001 and had two really weird things about it:

1. The water softener was in the backyard.
2. The hot water heater was in the pantry.

Being a teacher I never had money or opportunity to move the hot water heater, but I did get the water softener moved from the back yard to the garage, which is the standard place. In Texas the standard place for a hot water heater is also the garage. When the hot water heater broke and water was all over the kitchen, I had the hwh replaced and found out the city codes had changed and that is why I needed to pay more $ that the warranty would not cover. Had I big $, that would have been the time to move it to the garage.

Having only the hot water heater out of place made for one less thing to renovate before we sold our home.

When we sold the 17 year old home, we did the normal things you are referencing, but we only needed to paint kitchen kitchen cabinets and install new handles. We were told that everybody who toured the home loved the renovations we did.

One thing that stood out that bothered almost all families was the master bedroom was upstairs. People didn't want to be near their kids!
adamthesmythe
Posts: 5761
Joined: Mon Sep 22, 2014 4:47 pm

Re: Fully renovating our house . Looking for suggestions

Post by adamthesmythe »

At this point any suggestion would probably be a design change, which would cost serious $.

Not sure it's a good idea to ask for suggestions now.
eddot98
Posts: 1193
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2014 10:47 am
Location: The Berkshires

Re: Fully renovating our house . Looking for suggestions

Post by eddot98 »

I would assume that you have already considered this, but here goes. Make sure that the roof is sound, make sure that the HVAC systems are in good working order, make certain that your water heater is in good shape, if you have a garage door, make sure that it works properly, pay attention to the exterior siding and gutters if you have them, make sure that your water and drainage lines are in good condition or replace them, make sure that your electrical system throughout the house is up to current code, etc.
hunoraut
Posts: 1718
Joined: Sun May 31, 2020 11:39 am

Re: Fully renovating our house . Looking for suggestions

Post by hunoraut »

If it wasnt los angeles….heated bathroom floor and towel warmer are a treat
123
Posts: 10387
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2012 3:55 pm

Re: Fully renovating our house . Looking for suggestions

Post by 123 »

hunoraut wrote: Mon Jun 05, 2023 1:16 pm If it wasnt los angeles….heated bathroom floor and towel warmer are a treat
Even in Los Angeles I would suggest small electric (wall) heaters in bathrooms. Electric heat works well in such a small space. No reason to heat up the whole house just to get it comfortable in a bathroom.
The closest helping hand is at the end of your own arm.
User avatar
Artsdoctor
Posts: 6017
Joined: Thu Jun 28, 2012 3:09 pm
Location: Los Angeles, CA

Re: Fully renovating our house . Looking for suggestions

Post by Artsdoctor »

Lazybones,

You're describing a lot of cosmetic things, which is great. Nonetheless, I'd still look at the basics. Your house is 70 years old so you'll almost certainly need to at least familiarize yourself with fundamentals:

How old is the roof? Is your chimney in good shape? This past winter showed people where their water vulnerabilities are.
Main drain? The root systems in LA can be substantial and if you're still dealing with old clay sewage lines, be aware of that vulnerability.
Drainage systems? Definitely familiarize yourself with outside outflow tracts for water. Do you still have galvanized plumbing?
Is the landscaping designed for low water usage? Is your sprinkler system up to date?
Do you have a pool? How old? That's a different topic altogether.
Definitely invest in a good HVAC system.
User avatar
unclescrooge
Posts: 6264
Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2012 7:00 pm

Re: Fully renovating our house . Looking for suggestions

Post by unclescrooge »

lazybones18 wrote: Mon Jun 05, 2023 9:11 am
Doing the ethernet and we have several existing outlets in the kitchen
unclescrooge wrote: Mon Jun 05, 2023 12:47 am Attic insulation.
Relining the sewer line.
I did attic insulation
Relining sewer line ? I never had a issue with drainage .. is this necessary ?

I am debating if i should rip all the drywall out and put new one in. My contractor told me its not necessary but would there be advantage to this ?
Ethernet cabling isn't cost effective. Mesh routers are cheap and quite reliable.

If your house was built in the 50s and has cast iron or clay sewer lines you should take a look at them.

No need to replace drywall unless you're putting insulation and redoing electrical/plumbing.
swimmingforever
Posts: 50
Joined: Fri Oct 07, 2022 7:13 pm

Re: Fully renovating our house . Looking for suggestions

Post by swimmingforever »

Replace copper with pex a with uponor fittings where it is accessible (prevent freezing). Pex to outside faucets if an area is being worked on...behind shower, kitchen area.
swimmingforever
Posts: 50
Joined: Fri Oct 07, 2022 7:13 pm

Re: Fully renovating our house . Looking for suggestions

Post by swimmingforever »

soft expansion joints if laying floor tile, leave about 1/4" gap on outside perimeter for expansion...baseboards set on top of tile to cover
User avatar
Watty
Posts: 28813
Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2007 3:55 pm

Re: Fully renovating our house . Looking for suggestions

Post by Watty »

lazybones18 wrote: Mon Jun 05, 2023 12:41 am Renovation starts tomorrow......

Looking for suggestions for things I can do to make the house up to date with technology, luxury, aesthetics and functionality
At this point the best thing to do would be step back and pretty much do nothing since the work is getting ready to start. You should have asked this question months ago.

It is too late to start throwing new ideas out to the contractor who is working on a tight schedule.

That said one thing you should have been on your list would be make the house as handicap accessible with a wheelchair as possible. Not only will this help when you are elderly but I have known people that have needed to use a wheelchair for six months after being in a car accident. When they were ready to leave the hospital they needed to go to a rehabilitation center while some remodeling was done on their house to make it minimally usable with a wheelchair. There are some simple things that can be done in many situations like having wider bathroom doors, and eliminating stairs whenever possible.

If they will be doing a lot of electric work then you might also want to have the wire the garage for an electric car even if you do not have one yet. It may be a lot less expensive to do that now than later on.

Also have your finances in place to pay for additional work that will be found when they start doing all the other work you listed.
User avatar
Sandi_k
Posts: 2292
Joined: Sat May 16, 2015 11:55 am
Location: SF Bay Area

Re: Fully renovating our house . Looking for suggestions

Post by Sandi_k »

Dimmers on all light switches. It makes a huge difference to mood.

Ceiling fans in Living Room and bedrroms.
Post Reply