HGTV
1. A cluttered foyer
When Drew and Jonathan meet the family for the first time, they walk into a narrow, cluttered entry hall full of bags, clothes, and kids' stuff. Drew gently chastises them, explaining that homeowners say a lot about their house by what greets guests behind the front door.
"All you're saying in this house is 'There's no storage, there's no room,'" he tells them. It all makes the house appear much smaller than it really is.
2. Mirrored walls
HGTV
Dan and Chandra thought that a mirrored wall would make the small home look more spacious, but not so, according to Jonathan.
"It makes it feel like an '80s dance hall," he says, as he strikes a pose in the mirror. He usually likes full-length mirrors, he says, but "these mirrors have got to go!"
3. Wall-to-wall carpeting
In case you were wondering, wall-to-wall carpeting is really, really over.
"Nobody today is looking for wall-to-wall carpet," Jonathan states. "Especially wall-to-wall carpet that has a decade's worth of mysteries in it."
4. Popcorn ceilings
OK, by now we all know that popcorn ceilings have been out for several decades and that their removal is tricky. But were you aware that, as you take them down, they might reveal problems with the ceiling, or, god forbid, the roof?
As Jonathan removes the molding along the ceiling, he finds that the nails holding it in place are rusted.
"Rust means moisture," he says as he climbs into the attic to find out if there's a leak. If there is, it could add thousands of dollars to the couple's $50,000 renovation budget.
Everyone holds their breath as Jonathan crawls around the attic. He's relieved to find that the previous owners had simply piled great chunks of insulation up there, thinking that it would keep the heat from rising through the roof. But the insulation also blocked the vents, so the warm, moist heat rose and had nowhere to go. Fortunately, Jonathan can easily remedy this problem by removing the insulation.
5. Loud wallpaper
HGTV
There is some seriously loud wallpaper in the living room that practically makes the Scotts' eyes water.
"It looks like you have petri dishes sitting on doilies," Jonathan says of the busy, blue circular pattern.
"It's designer wallpaper," Chandra says in protest.
"Just because you paid a lot of money for it doesn't mean it's the best for the space," Jonathan responds. Then she confesses that she found it in overstock, but she really likes it.
"I don't care what you like," Jonathan replies. "I care what buyers like, because if buyers like it, it's going to get you a higher dollar amount, and it's going to sell faster."
Jonathan might be right, but it certainly doesn't win him many warm-and-fuzzy vibes from Chandra, who whispers to her husband: "Drew is nicer."
Wow it is interesting to look at the decor from a contractor's point of view, but a lot of great information and things so think about with that.
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Lynn Nichols, Realtor, CRS, MRP of Douglas Realty...
Lynn is a Realtor that serves Maryland and works
mainly surrounding Central Maryland.
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