Before its major remodel, this 1921 Granada Hills home had virtually no discernable exterior style. That's because the original house had been distorted in the 1950s with a boxy family room addition that went clear across the front, enclosing the front door and forcing the inhabitants to enter thereafter through a side door.
When owners Mike and Jill Tovey wanted to hire contractor Warren Kreis to remodel their home, he suggested they first talk with Los Angeles architect Kip Kelly of Nest Architecture. After some discussion, Kelly delivered one sheet of paper with the new design, which finally gave the couple a grand front entrance. When Mike Tovey saw the $3,000 design fee, he said: “Three thousand dollars for one piece of paper?”
But once the house was done and he and his wife, both schoolteachers, beheld their home’s Craftsman motif — with shingled siding, extensive stonework and tapered porch pillars — they were amazed at the transformation. Then, Mike said: "Those architects, they have vision."
So the point is: if you can hire an architect or designer, do so. Even if you plan on being your own contractor, even if you plan on doing the work yourself, get some design help. With all the work you'll do and all the money you'll spend, you want your home to be graceful and not clunky.
It was just after the demolition phase of his kitchen remodel that Ian Denchasy realized he was in way over his head. It was a simple mistake. He started out with a plan to replace some cabinets and got carried away. By the time the entire kitchen was gutted, and the ceiling punched up to the rafters, Ian was lost, depressed and nearly frantic. It was only when he called in a carpenter to help that his beautiful new kitchen started to come together.
Changing course during a remodel is probably the last thing you should think of doing. But sometimes, it's absolutely necessary.
In Angela Beach's case, she was pregnant with her second child and orchestrating her all-encompassing Sherman Oaks remodel when the doctor put her on bed rest. At that point it was necessary to hire a general contractor to take over.
The opposite scenario happened with Greg Kohout and Bob Curbelo who started out by hiring a contractor to remodel their vintage Pasadena home. But after a series of unfortunate events, they fired the contractor and took over hiring and supervising subcontractors themselves. That strategy worked out because of flexible work schedules that allowed one of the homeowners to be on site most of the time.
How about you? Have you ever had to change course during a remodel?
A new DIY solar hot water system has been introduced by Fafco, a Chico-based company that specializes in solar pool heaters. The new system can be installed by two homeowners in half a day, the company claims, and the whole thing weighs just 62 pounds. And it comes in a box!
The system costs around $1,800 and the company says it will supply half the hot water needs of a typical household. And thanks to the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which has been extended through 2008, your tax bill will be approximately $600 less if this system is installed, and if the heated water is used for the home, and not for a pool or hot tub.
Ever wonder about the durability of bamboo floors? The benefits of thicker insulation? The rebates available for adding solar power? The cost vs. value of new windows?
Dennis Allen, a nationally recognized green builder in Santa Barbara, is on hand today and tomorrow, the 29th and 30th, to answer your online green remodeling questions.
Topics of interest are:
• energy efficiency
• improving indoor air quality
• sustainable and durable materials
• water conservation
• construction waste management
Tired of cooking? How about tired of breathing? I say we've peaked (or bottomed out) on fast food and processed food and we're going in the opposite direction, toward real food and home cooking.
I cook for myself everyday. I cook for my husband (sometimes). I've been cooking my dog's food for years (long before it was trendy).
And when we invite the family over for Sunday dinner, it doesn't involve a bucket of anything. As the guest arrive, they are nearly intoxicated from aromas of baking bread (from the bread maker; I'm not so pure I need to knead). My latest craze is adding honey and finely chopped nuts to the recipe. Now when I ask people what I can send home with them after dinner, it's the bread they want.
I could totally live in a house or addition made from shipping containers, like this Redondo Beach home by DeMaria Design Associates.
Container houses bring to mind the first remodel I got emotionally involved with, in John Steinbeck's "Sweet Thursday," the sequel to "Cannery Row." Do you remember when Suzy, the prostitute, moved into an old boiler in a weedy lot? Here's how Steinbeck describes it:
Suzy took the money Joe Blaikey loaned her and went to Holman's Department Store in Pacific Grove. She bought a hammer, saw, assorted nails, two sheets of plywood, a box of pale blue kalsomine and a brush, a tube of Duco cement, a pair of pink cottage curtains with blue flowers, three sheets, two pillow cases, two towels and a washcloth, a teakettle, two cups and saucers, and a box of teabags. At Joe's Surplus she bought a used army cot and mattress pad, bowl and pitcher and chamberpot, two army blankets, a small mirror, and a kerosene lamp.
Later, Fauna, her former madam, came by for a visit:
Fauna got down on her knees and poked her head through the firedoor. The transformation was complete. The curving walls were pale blue, and the curtains were stuck to the walls with Duco cement. It was a pleasant feminine apartment. Suzy sat on her cot in the light from the little fireplace. She had built a dressing table for her mirror and bowl and pitcher, and beside it stood a fruit jar filled with lupines and poppies.
"You sure fixed it up nice," said Fauna. "Ain't you going to invite me in?"
"Come on in, but don't get stuck in the door."
OK, I know this boiler was a health hazard. But as Steinbeck pointed out, it was "fireproof, windproof, earthquake-proof, and almost bombproof."
I admit it: I get emotionally attached to houses. When they get torn down, or parts of them are demolished during remodeling, I feel a loss. Do you?
Here are some ways to allow an old house to live on:
• Repurpose the old framing lumber. It's usually extremely good wood, much better than what you buy today. In the Hollywood Hills, designer Chantal Dussouchaud and her husband Harry Dolman asked their carpenter to make a bathroom vanity (pictured) out of framing lumber liberated during a major remodel.
At another home in the Hollywood Hills, it was architect John Sofio's idea to make moldings and a stairway railing out of the old framing lumber.
• Repurpose old kitchen cabinets for storage in the garage. These cabinets have worked hard all their lives; they deserve better than the landfill.
• Find new homes for your old appliances, fixtures and cabinets by asking the guys on the job if they need anything being torn out, or if they know anyone else who does. Call Habitat for Humanity to see if they can use something.
A word of caution: Make sure everyone on your team understands your plans. More than one remodeling homeowner had good intentions for recycling and reusing, but arrived home to find everything broken down and in a dumpster, beyond redemption.
There's a lot to like about Trex or other composite decking materials. They don't splinter, split, rot or need painting or staining. And they're made from cast-off stuff like milk jugs and wood pallets.
In fact, Trex claims it uses 50 percent of the grocery bags we recycle in the U.S., and that every year it diverts from landfills 300 million pounds each of used plastic and hardwood sawdust. Wow. Thanks, Trex.
Trouble is, some composite deck boards don’t look so much like wood. Too smooth. Too uniform. While we don’t want wood that splinters, we want decks to look like they could splinter.
To satisfy folks who are both hard-core wood lovers and hard-core maintenance loathers, Trex developed Contours, a product that has, the company says, “a bold, dramatic grain.” And it does look and feel more woody.
And it’s a bit less expensive (averaging $4.30 a square foot, the company says) than the less-bold, less-dramatic original Trex (around $4.38 a square foot). That’s because the company has hollowed out the bottom of the boards to save on material. That means you can’t use either side, like with the original Trex boards. But who cares?
Do you have a deck made with composite material? Do you recommend it?
If so, check out this story, "So you want to be your own contractor," in this weekend's San Francisco Chronicle. The subhead is: "Be super-prepared and endlessly patient, say homeowners who've taken on the job."
I like this idea in the story: to gain building experience by volunteering for Habitat for Humanity. Also from the article:
A general contractor's tasks generally include:
• hiring and scheduling subcontractors
• ordering materials
• obtaining permits
• ensuring that everything is installed according to code.
Are you super-prepared and endlessly patient? Is this a job you would enjoy?
If you want granite but worry about the cost, here's how you make it more affordable:
1. Use granite in one place only, like on the island, rather than in the whole kitchen.
2. Use granite tiles with a wood edge, rather than slab granite with bull-nose edging, which is very expensive. As setting tile is one of the easiest DIY jobs, you could do a granite-tile job yourself.
3. If you do use slab granite, forego the bullnose edge and have a carpenter put a wood edge on it, as designer Angela Beach did in her Sherman Oaks kitchen (pictured).
4. If you really want slab granite, you can buy pre-cut sections, 8-feet, 10-feet and 12-feet long. This is much less expensive than buying a slab and having it "fabricated" to your specifications. But you'll have to design your kitchen with standard measurements.
5. For the backsplash, go with tile.
6. Some types of granite are much less expensive than other, more exotic or exciting types. I suggest you go to tile and kitchen stores, look at and touch the granite samples, and make sure have all the facts before you decide for or against granite in your kitchen.
If you've got some extra cash in your jeans, you could do worse that giving yourself a kitchen remodel that's also an artwork, like this beauty I visited in San Luis Obispo. The owner is a collector of local art, and works with the local art museum, so it was natural for her to hire a Cal Poly graduate, artist and architect Bruce Tomb, and Atascadero green builder Turko Semmes to create a masterpiece.
Some fun facts: The yellow around the stove, including the walls and ceiling under the soffit, is Corian. The shelf unit on the right is steel, with one side holding up the counter and kitchen sink and the other side serving as a bookcase and entertainment center for the family room. The stainless steel bands on the ceiling show where walls were removed, and the metal post on the left has a structural as well as a decorative purpose.
The room could seem cold, but the Douglas fir cabinetry, a natural cork floor and a wall of windows at one end, open to the garden and mountain views, make this a feel-good space.
Are you sick to death of the manipulation of your emotions, the contrived tear-jerking scenes, the blatant product placement that is rampant on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition?
I'm not. Though when I saw the first show, I was horrified to see the crew mow down the old house and build a McMansion on the lot with no regard for finances or reality. What kind of home makeover is that?
Of course, it’s not a home makeover so much as a life makeover for folks who are hurting. Some memorable episodes: the demoralized paraplegic female cop who could not move her wheelchair through the old house, and the paraplegic ex-drill sergeant with the same problem. How could you not get teary watching these people behold their newly functional homes, and lives?
I guess that's it. I like to feel. I like sappy stuff, whereas my husband hates it. I do wonder about the off-camera drama we don't see: the people who feel taken advantage of or tossed aside, the original homes who served their purposes well but are callously trashed. Can we not have a moment of silence for them? This show may be like sausage and politics, where you don't really want to know how it's done.
P.S. What home improvement shows are you watching these days?
The 400-year-old Dutch-door style is making a "major comeback," according to door and window manufacturer Jeld-Wen. You have to admit, Dutch doors are fun: Close the bottom half to keep toddlers and Lassie inside, but open the top for light, air flow and to connect with the neighborhood. (If you're trying to keep a cat inside, good luck with that.)
Back in the 1600s, the style was classic Colonial, but these modern versions include this cool Craftsman door in cherry, mahogany, oak, walnut or alder.
You can also get it in wood-look, rot-proof fiberglass, and with all kinds of glass inserts, including reed or stained glass. The shelf and rustic hardware are optional.
I know this house is not in So Cal, but it should be. On my property!
What is it about this remodel that has me so enchanted? The limestone pathways? The sustainably grown ipe wood benches? (The owner tells me those benches are great launch pads for her young kids to spring from.) Is it the green door and arched windows? The moon cutout in the door? The standing-seam metal roof over the porch? Or is it simply that amazing tree?
(Click on the photo to see a bigger view.)
Who knows what causes such a deep yearning? I just feel like I could come home to this house.
It was designed by Austin architect Raymond Yin, and the landscaping was designed by Mark Word.
Is it just me, or is this an awesome-looking remodel?
Once upon a time there was a young man named Ian who lived in a cute house in Culver City. One day, Ian decided to build his dream kitchen. In his mind, there was a butcher-block counter and a sink with a huge faucet and hose sprayer, the better to fill his enormous pasta pots and feed his hordes of friends. But the big, bad butcher-block counter man said No!, don't put a wood counter near the tall faucet. The counter will get splashed and spotted and you will be sad. Use granite or a solid surface instead. And Ian's patient wife said the same thing. But Ian's head was filled with dreams and he would not be deterred from his quest. Later on, after the kitchen remodel was finished and many feasts had been prepared, Ian grew wise and said of the sprayer: "It gets water everywhere!" And he grew very weary of wiping water spots off his counter, and he cried out: "What were we thinking?" But by then it was too late, and his fate was sealed.
Moral: Always listen to your wife and listen to the butcher-block counter guy (or other experts) who probably know more than you.
The End.
(Note: Have you made a remodeling blunder you'd be willing to share with others to help them avoid the same pain? Please email a photo and a confession, with only your first name in case you're embarrassed, to How Not to Remodel at: PODBlog@aol.com. Thank you in advance.)
What kind of remodeling company is best: One that uses most or all its own employees? Or one that uses mostly subcontractors, like plastering or electrical subcontractors?
In nearly two decades of studying the remodeling industry, I can't really say which is best. Some homeowners want only company employees working on their remodel, while others insist on the most talented, artful subcontractors in the business.
If you're a company owner, having employees is good because you have more control over when and on which job they work, and you can invest in their training. But using mostly subcontractors gives an owner more flexibility: when there's a lot of work, you call in more subcontractors, and when there's less work, you call in fewer. And subcontractors such as finish carpenters or masons, who may have spent decades honing their craft, could have much higher-level skills than the average company employee.
You know what's so sad about Designed to Sell, one of my favorite TV shows?
It's that the homeowners spent years in an awkward, cluttered, unattractive home until it was time to sell . . . and then they made it nice. Does that make sense? Why not make it nice five years in advance — spending the same time and money — and then have five years of good-looking living?
So the question is: What upgrades can you do now that will make your house exciting to buyers later?
I asked Prudential California Realty agent David Kean what really turns on Los Angeles buyers, and here's what he said:
1) Landscaping: If the house does not appeal to buyers from the street they won't even walk in the door.
2) Paint: It's not expensive considering the impact it makes. Keep it neutral. I suggest a great shade of French vanilla or coffee with lots of cream. They are more interesting than builder's white, but go with anything.
3) Wood floors: Buyers go nuts for wood floors. Keep it neutral with a medium shade wood.
4) Moldings: Crown and base moldings add tons of character and sophistication at a relatively low cost. Crown molding can actually make a low ceiling seem higher. Keep the architecture in mind when picking the moldings. California Ranch on the outside and Louis XVI on the inside is jarring to say the least.
5) Replace ugly kitchen counters: If you can't afford granite use solid surface or laminate in a neutral shade. Do the same in the bath if it's in the budget. If the counters are nice, go for stainless appliances in the kitchen. The kitchen is the heart of the home and needs to have a wow factor.
Got a question or comment for David on the appeal of your upgrades to future buyers? Post a comment below.
(Crown molding and painted ceiling by David Kean. Photo by Lawrence K. Ho, LA Times)
I drive all over Southern California looking at remodels — from Los Angeles to San Juan Capistrano to Lake Arrowhead to Santa Barbara and all points in between.
And here's a curious thing I've noticed. Half the time when I see really great cabinet knobs, the homeowners got them from the same source: MyKnobs.com.
Is it just me, or are solar energy rebate programs ridiculously hard to understand?
I mean, I'm fairly intelligent. Not Mensa caliber, but not far off. Yet when I try to make sense of how I can get a 30 percent or 50 percent rebate on a solar energy system for my home, my eyes glaze over and my head spins.
But there are literally billions of dollars in rebates available, and I wouldn't mind getting my share.
While we're enjoying Home Improvement Month, let's pause and reflect on those who don't have the comforts of home that we have — like power and water — and reflect on some home-improvement initiatives that are making their lives a little easier.
The promise of solar power in underdeveloped countries is, in my opinion, extraordinary. Think about it: the poorest areas usually have the most sun, hot, hot, unrelenting sun. So why not harvest it? By making solar panels available to poor families, the whole issue of infrastructure is moot. No power plants necessary, no power lines needed. A solar panel on the roof can create power to heat water and cook food (no more scrounging for firewood for cooking), and maybe to run a radio or other appliances. Learn more at Solar Energy International.
Also improving lives: Play-Pumps, which look similar to the merry-go-rounds (or roundabouts) you find on playgrounds in the U.S. But in some 700 South African villages, Play-Pumps are more than fun for the kids. The rotation of the roundabout powers a pump that brings up to 300 gallons of water an hour from a well into a high storage tank. Call it kid power. And if you have a youngster in the house, you may know the true meaning of "renewable energy." Advertising and health messages on the tanks pay the maintenance costs. First Lady Laura Bush praised them in a commencement speech last month at Pepperdine University. More info: PlayPumps International.
(Photos: Solar Energy International, Play Pumps International)
The trouble with affluence is that people come into your house — people other than your family and friends — and this may cause security jitters.
Get enough income and you're likely to accumulate a housekeeper, a nanny, and a housesitter. And if you undertake a remodel, all kinds of tradespeople need access to your house: the supervisor, plumber, electrician, etc.
So if you work out of the home during the day, what do you do? Give them all keys? Keys that can be copied?
Perhaps the first home improvement project should be installation of the soon-to-be-introduced fingerprint scanner deadbolt by Kwikset, which is programmable with more than 50 fingerprints. To gain entry to your home, pre-programmed users swipe their finger under the SmartScan's RF scanner. There are three access levels: unlimited, continuous access for family members; limited time access perhaps for the duration of the remodel, and restricted access that allows entry during certain times and days, like cleaning day.
It runs on two AA batteries, no hard-wiring needed, and costs about $250.
Everybody knows there are problems in the remodeling industry — shady contractors, shoddy work, sloppy business practices.
But the thing is, are you going to spend all your energy focusing on the negative? Or will you spend at least equal time seeking out the awesome, ethical, exceptional standouts in the industry? If you understand the law of attraction, you’re going to do the latter.
Remodeling magazine, an industry leader in promoting excellence among remodeling contractors, does just that. Its editors and advisors choose 50 contracting companies or individuals across the country each year that, the magazine says, "set the standard for professionalism and integrity through smart marketing, exemplary business practices, unique design, and extraordinary impact on their community or the industry at large.”
There are four Southern California companies among the 2007 Big 50. They are:
Jay Riordan (pictured, second from left in back), CR, CGR Dream Design Builders, Rancho Bernardo, design/build remodeling, 20 years in business, staff: 3 office, 2 field
Scott Davis and Daniel Liechty, AKBD, CAPS CALBath, Santa Ana and other locations, bathroom remodeling, 16 years in business, staff: 12 office, 44 field
Robert Reichek, Reicorp Remodeling, Four Seasons Sunrooms, Atascadero, sunrooms and exterior remodeling, 21 years in business, staff: 3 office, 3 field
Note: There are many more Southern California contractors who have been named to the Big 50 club in past years, and I'll compile that list for you soon.
The fact that Judy and Roy Uehara's dingy, cramped 27-year-old kitchen and adjacent family room were transformed into a luminous, elegant, granite- and maple-infused great room is a triumph of sorts (as, indeed, are most remodels).
The first hurdle was the sensitive timing of the renovation, which, for financial reasons, had to be done after son Royce, 27, had graduated from college, and before daughter Jennifer, 17, begins college.
“After that, I’ll be too old,” said Judy, who works for a bank. “These days, college can take five, six, seven years.”
“The second struggle was deciding what to do. It wasn’t as simple as gutting the kitchen and installing new cabinets, counters and appliances. That’s because an earlier addition—hurriedly done just before Jennifer was born and when Judy was frantic to create more space—left the kitchen and family room with an awkward chunk of square footage at the end. No one knew what to do with it other than pile junk there.
“That always bothered Judy,” Roy said. “It bugged me too, but we didn’t know what to do.”
Finally, though, the couple had to do something when the Rosemead tract house, which they bought new in 1971, began demanding serious attention—its oven, air conditioner and dishwasher all died, at the same time, of old age.
“After 27 years, everything breaks,” said Roy, an aerospace worker.
In the affected models, the rinse aid can degrade the insulation on the wiring inside the door, which can cause an electrical short, overheating or fire if the wire comes in contact with the metal door. You should stop using these dishwashers immediately until you obtain more information.
GE has received 135 reports of overheated wiring and 56 reports of property damage, including 12 reports of fires that escaped the dishwasher. Fire damage was limited to the dishwasher or the adjacent area. No injuries have been reported.
If have one these, and you use liquid rinse aid, you can get a free service call to get it fixed. Woo hoo! No hauling your appliance to the shop in the minivan! Or, you can get up to $300 toward a new GE dishwasher. Um, how about $300 toward a different brand? No mention of that offer.
Again, you can only vote once, but you can vote for as many as you like.
(P.S. I've had to take some "gentle edits" to shorten a couple of captions as the polling software only accepts submissions up to 100 characters. Oops.)
I came across this kitchen at the Sherman Oaks home of actress and furniture designer Amanda Pays and her husband, actor Corbin Bernsen.
Here was the couple's dilemma when they bought their latest fixer-upper: They wanted to move themselves and their four sons into a clean, stylish house, but they weren't ready to add the amazing kitchen they envisioned.
But the kitchen in the house was so old and dreary and dated. What to do? Live with the awful kitchen for a few years? That would not suit Amanda, who feels an uplifting kitchen is key to family life.
So, she chose an unusual option, which was to tear everything out of the kitchen, finish the walls, put down fresh linoleum, and fill the room with industrial-looking stainless and wood tables and racks, and a freestanding sink unit from Ikea. The idea was to live with this kitchen until the time came for the major addition, and then repurpose these items or sell them.
Of course, to pull this off, with these open shelves, you have to be willing to get rid of all your old, mismatched dishes, pots and pans, and silverware.
In fact, the family raised some money for this temporary contemporary kitchen by selling off their old stuff at a yard sale.
The return on investment for a deck is 91.1 percent for homes in the West, with the average cost of a deck stated at $16,297. That means the deck will add $14,846 to the selling price of the home. This percentage beats those in the South or Midwest, where a deck returns just 76.8 percent of investment upon resell.
Got a remodeling question you'd really like to ask a remodeling contractor?
On Monday, May 21, Pardon Our Dust Blog begins an occasional series that brings you Southern California remodeling experts willing to answer your questions. As time goes by, I may offer you a window expert, a flooring expert, a green building expert, a general contractor, or other types of experts.
Starting Monday, an award-winning licensed general contractor in Southern California will answer any remodeling questions that are posted for the week from May 21 to May 27.
Few topics elicit as much fear as mold in houses. That's good news for those inclined toward litigation, whose theme is "Mold Is Gold." And it's good for newspaper writers, too, as the word "MOLD!" in a headline will get attention.
The bad news is that most of us remain ignorant about how and why mold grows in our homes, and how our actions contribute to that. This is also about sustainability, as the goal of green building is to create homes that last and that do not have to be torn down and hauled to the landfill.
Mold spores are everywhere. Whether or not they have the means to flourish and reproduce is the question. The topic is so volatile that if you ask some builders if your house has mold, they may reply: "I'm no expert on mold. You should consult an expert."
So, who's an expert? I met one yesterday at a builder's conference in Long Beach and sat in on his seminar titled: "Mold in Houses: Truth and Consequences."
The presenter, George Tsongas, is an expert in the field known as "building science." Tsongas has four engineering degrees from Stanford, including a Ph.D., and taught mechanical engineering for 29 years at Portland State University.
Here's the best-looking DIY kitchen I've seen yet. No offense to the other DIY kitchens I've had the pleasure of meeting. They all had their charms.
But this Los Angeles kitchen is so luscious. So strikingly handsome. The project took Liese and David 18 months, which is an awful long time to wash dishes in the bathtub. But the results are stunning.The kitchen cost $29,115 with the couple performing all the labor, nights and weekends, as well as doing some artful shopping. If you have any questions about how this kitchen was created, I might be able to persuade Liese and David to log on and give some answers.
Building Green TVannounced Tuesday that its new weekly television series, called Building Green, about creating beautiful homes and buildings in harmony with the environment, is set to air on PBS affiliate stations starting June 5.
"Many people don't realize that buildings cause more CO2 emissions than cars," said show host Kevin Contreras. "In fact, buildings and their construction account for nearly half of all greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumed in this country each year. By providing people access to information about how they can build greener, I believe we can better sustain our planet — one home at a time."
Bill Doering, whose "green" Santa Barbara remodel was featured in the Real Estate section of the L.A. Times, has gotten quite a few questions regarding his tankless, on-demand water heater. So, as Bill is an engineer who runs an energy-oriented engineering firm, and as engineer types tend to be pretty thorough, he has more clarification on the issue. Here's what he said:
I wanted to address a few concerns from people interested in on-demand heaters regarding "the time waiting for hot water."
A number of people have asked me about this and I was quick to explain that indeed you do have to wait for hot water with an on-demand hot water heater. So, optimizing its location and the plumbing runs is the correct and efficient thing to do.
However, what I failed to mention is that the additional time waiting for hot water is not significant when compared with the time waiting for hot water with a traditional tank-based system. The point is that in both cases the water in the pipes between the point of use and the water heater (on-demand or tank-based) has to be expelled before the hot water can get to the faucet — in both cases you have to initially wait for hot water.
In the case of an on-demand hot water heater you do have to wait longer because when the burners fire up it takes a few seconds for the heated water to get to full temperature. How much longer?
When Janet Foster was considering buying a 1948 Long Beach fixer-upper, her decision hinged on her father's response to one question: Will you help?
Tom Opferman, then newly retired from his engineering job, said "yes" to his youngest daughter, single and 29 at the time. Thus began a remodeling odyssey that started with gutting the kitchen and bathroom and ended with new crown moldings throughout the house.
"He signed on, and thank God he did," said Foster, an Internet technology administrator at Cal State Long Beach. "He saved me tens of thousands of dollars."
Foster began looking for a home in the Los Altos neighborhood of Long Beach. One of the first homes she and her dad saw was an 850-square-foot, two-bedroom, one-bathroom bungalow that was nearly half a century old and had never been upgraded. The wood windows leaked, the plumbing was weak, and the two-circuit electrical system was inadequate.
Plus, there was the 300-square-foot bonus room (soon dubbed "the shack") that had been built in the backyard, just five feet from the house, creating a gloomy corridor between it and the back door and blocking light to the kitchen.
On the plus side, the house's wood floors were in good shape.
As the search continued, the pair looked at other houses that had been fixed up, but none was to Foster's liking.
They began to speak with increasing fondness of "that little fixer." Eventually, with her dad's promise of help, Foster chose the bungalow over other houses that had already been remodeled.
"I can spend the money to undo what other people have done," she recalled thinking, "or I can do it the way I want."
When Foster took possession of the house, the first priorities were redoing the kitchen and bathroom. Opferman, along with Foster's then-boyfriend, tore out the original kitchen cabinets. While the walls were open, Opferman redid the plumbing and amped up the electrical system with extra circuits more in keeping with the needs of a modern kitchen.
To make the room feel larger, her "crew" removed the non-load-bearing walls between the kitchen and service porch and the kitchen and dining room; the latter wall was replaced with a large archway. A new garden window, which replaced two small ones, also gave the kitchen a feeling of openness.
I'll admit that my view of remodeling is distorted. I've spent the past 17 years interviewing hundreds of homeowners whose remodels turned out great, and hundreds of contractors who are their heroes. Right at this moment, there are three Southern California homeowners looking forward to an interview with me in the next couple of days for my Pardon Our Dust column in the newspaper. They are giddy with excitement. They will likely say things like: "We love our new kitchen," and "We can't recommend our contractor enough." They want to tell the world about their positive experiences.
If I felt really nervous about attracting bad contractors into my life, I'd be obsessively vigilant in making sure I was hiring a reputable, award-winning, exceptional company. Just OK wouldn't work for me. I'd have to have the best in town. I'd go to everyone I knew in the area and ask: Who is the best?
And when I got the bid, I wouldn't quibble over the price.
It's kinda like the dentist I found through my dental plan. Turns out he was a torturer, a sadist, cruel beyond measure. So what should I do? Never get dental work done? Do it myself? Instead, I asked around and got references for the kindest, most compassionate dentist around, the one whose staff is trained to pull back immediately if the client indicates pain. And I DO NOT quibble about price. I pay whatever he asks.
Why should remodeling be any different? For something so painful, so potentially disastrous, why would you not find the top-rated contractor in your area? It's downright baffling.
What determines trends? Is it what the manufacturers are selling? Or what the designers are designing?
Professional Remodeler magazine asked a different question: What are the homeowners choosing? A recent article, Kitchen and Bath Trends, is based on a survey of remodeling contractors across the country, who revealed these trends:
— Oak cabinets are out, cherry and maple are in, and hickory is getting there. White cabinets are still popular, the magazine says, as are "stylish Asian fusion" cabinets. (And if you know what "Asian fusion" means, please tell me.)
— Islands are in, especially those of a color or wood that contrasts with the rest of the cabinets. No matchy matchy wanted. Check out this Tennessee kitchen for a great example of this concept and read the family's blog on the creation of the kitchen.
— Granite is by far the most sought-after countertop, the article says, with homeowners more likely than in the past to make a trip the stone yard to pick out their slab.
— Energy Star appliances are enjoying a new cache.
— For bathrooms, wide-open spaces are way in, with glass shower enclosures taking the place of tiled stalls. For busy couples who may want to use the bathroom at the same time, commode rooms with opaque glass doors fill that need.
— Heated floors and TVs are in. Brass knobs are way out, nickel and antique bronze are way in, and chrome still shows up.
— Finally, indoor air quality is becoming a concern, and more homeowners are opting for new and quiet exhaust fans to draw out moisture and bring in fresh air.
(Photo: This Westlake Village bathroom was designed by Heidi Toll and Velvet Hammerschmidt, and built by Plaskoff Construction. It has maple cabinets, a green granite counter, slate floors and walls, and chrome lights.)
You gotta love L.A. Where else do you get so many chances to be on TV?
Abbie Hurewitz, of Actual Reality Pictures in Hollywood, may be looking for you. Abbie is working on a new show called Green That House which will air on the Discovery Home network next fall. It's a lot like Flip That House, she said, except that instead of flipping a house for re-sale, the before and after will feature a traditionally built home that, through renovation, will become more sustainable/green.
"I'm based in L.A. and was wondering if you could either clue me into home greening projects in the L.A. area that will start in the near future," she said, "or even let your readers know about our show. That way someone planning to green their house could contact us if they were interested in being on the show."
You can apply online to be on the show. See you on TV! And please remember us little people when you get your star on Hollywood Boulevard.
(Photo: Santa Barbara homeowner Bill Doering in his green home, by Spencer Weiner, Los Angeles Times)
When HGTV and ABC decorating show host Kitty Bartholomew moved into her 1930s cottage in Santa Monica, she noticed one problem right away: There was a solid wall in the master bedroom that stood between her and her garden.
To remedy the situation, Kitty had a Dutch door and window installed in that wall, along with a used-brick porch outside. Kitty said she purposely did not choose a French door, because she wanted the fresh air a two-piece Dutch door could offer.
Also, Kitty loves to have a fireplace in the bedroom, so she added one, raised up so it could be seen from the bed. The fireplace was installed by Paykel Fireplace Fixtures in Santa Monica.
With the fireplace positioned between the two existing windows on that wall, Kitty bought chests from Pottery Barn and created window seats. The fireplace addition also helped soften the unusual soffit and ceiling angles that were at odds with the rest of the Cape Cod house. The moldings added to the fireplace came from an old house being demolished in the neighborhood, and match original moldings in the living and dining rooms.
The Dutch door, window, porch and fireplace were installed according to code and with necessary permits, and cost about $5,000.
(About this series: So why feature budget "celebrity" remodels? Gosh, this is the Los Angeles area, where there are half a dozen celebrities huddled on each corner. Well, not really. But there are a lot. And some of them are creative. And if their projects are not over-the-top, why not?)
To suggest a Budget Celebrity Remodel, send an email to PODBlog@aol.com.
Ed Sanders, the English carpenter on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, and the host of National Bingo Night (which premiers Friday at 9 p.m. on ABC), is breaking ground on a dream house in Claremont next month. He's especially excited to be an Englishman achieving the American Dream.
Ed and his wife would not mind Pardon Our Dust Blog following the building of their home, perhaps with weekly updates and photos. It will be a gorgeous Tuscan home with a central courtyard, and Ed plans on making the dining room and kitchen tables. He has lots to say about the importance of a kitchen table as a place for families to sit and talk for hours. We might learn something about furniture building.
My question: Do you think this would be an interesting project to follow? Would you want to see this house emerge from Claremont's rocky soil? Or not? As the house will take more than a year to build, following it will mean a big commitment.
If you would like me to follow Ed building his dream home on this blog, please leave a comment below. If not, ditto, leave a comment below. If you're shy about stating your preference in a pubic forum, send me an email. Thanks for your input.
Who would spend more money researching future trends than home developers, whose big-ticket gambles either sell quickly or sit and lose money? As a homeowner looking to remodel, you can take advantage of the developers' research by perusing new homes and studying the colors, materials and layout. Surely, this is the future.
If you're into the midcentury modern look, two projects come to mind, one spectacularly expensive, one spectacularly inexpensive.
The rich one first: A $6.8 million beauty in the Hollywood Hills, which Ruth Ryon reported on in Midcentury style, but wired for today in Sunday's L.A.Times, features two islands in the kitchen,
Before its major remodel, this 1921 Granada Hills home had virtually no discernable exterior style. That's because the original house had been distorted in the 1950s with a boxy family room addition that went clear across the front, enclosing the front door and forcing the inhabitants to enter thereafter through a side door.
