TLC House Update

Here's a very long over due look at the progress on our TLC House renovation. 

The good news is we are pretty much on schedule ( even with the holidays thrown in there!) and according to the banker ( L not T )  pretty close to on budget. I know I'll get told very quickly when we are NO LONGER on budget 
so that keeps me a little scared and very thrifty! The sign of a good partner !

The bad news, well there really isn't any bad news! There is just sometimes not a lot to see when its a lot of "guts" work . It can be slow going. Many many ( many! ) trips later - they just say "Hey Ladies " at  Home Depot and Rona ! The fun really begins now with the finishing and we get to see all of the planning really start to take shape.

We have replaced all the electrical with a full new service. All new windows. The plumbing is all updated and we have a new gas furnace ( replacing oil ) and all new ducting ! Whew! 

This was a proud moment !

We have boxed in a gas fireplace into its new location (not in the middle of the living room). Cabinetry will flank the fireplace for some much need extra storage. We have a little DIY planned for the fireplace but we will wait on that for pictures :)

The whole house was touched with new drywall of some sort. Full boarding in basement and patching and skimming in the main part of the house. With a property of this age decisions have to be made regarding wall and ceiling textures. We had no less than 3 styles of texturing going on. Now fully understanding the value of our friends in the drywall business! First coats of primer and paint is on exterior and interior. (with much more to go)  New front and basement doors are installed along with all new interior doors and trim. 
Maybe a good time to go back to review the "before" 

This week we are having the kitchen floor installed and feathered into the original oak hardwood. Once installed we can then sand and stain and finish the flooring in the entire main and upper floors.This will be a big day when its done. We had a lot of pressure to rip out the old hardwood but we really wanted to keep it . 
Its original and in good enough shape to refinish . I think it will be beautiful!

Basement flooring will be installed this week as well 

and the kitchen cabinet boxes go in next week.

A HUGE shout out to our team. We have some really great players on board.

Argus Excavating (250 656 4800)

The Vinyl Window Co

Grounded Systems Ltd

New Heights Contracting ( Painters)

Network Home Improvements (Gutters 250 589 4527)

White Wolf Drywall (250 478 9314)

Bendle Homeworks ( 250 886 9411)

Dan Aune Plumbing and Heating (250 880 1995)

Harbour City Kitchens

Island Floor Centre

Mudslingers Stucco (250 642 4529)

...and last but not least these two guys: 

Thanks Shawn & Griffin ! So many sweat equity hours in!

Remember this ...er... "bathroom" ...?!

Its looking better.... :)

~ Tracey

What does the house want...?

Working hard on the TLC House! This is the time in a renovation when it seem like lots is happening but not much change to see...messier, dirtier, uglier. 

I always say it has to get way worse before it can be better!

We are getting down to the end of demo. (reiterating last post...demo day...not just a day!!) Kitchen is out entirely as is main bathroom. 

Big thing that happened this week is the fireplace removal! 

We decided instead of working around the awkward centre of room structure we are just going to tear it down and create a wall focal point with a new gas insert. 

Now thats a really big hole in the floor.... and we will have to deal with a support post or 2! 

Wall framing coming out soon around this. Open concept...hello!

Kitchen circa 1961-2015

Kitchen demo'd!

Main bathroom circa 1961-2015

Oooohhhhh! 

Bathroom gone! 

Pretty blue toilet...cheap!

Our most excellent contractors are starting to frame up the basement rooms and slowly things will start to take shape.

Thanks Wayne ( Keybroy Construction)

and Brian ( Bendle Homeworks)

Working on the interior design plan now with Leslie 

and there are a lots of moving parts to consider. 

Like Really Consider !   

A sidebar on this - Stacey and I were at a client consult a while back and we asked as always what the client likes /dislikes /is inspired by etc. She answered "...Its not as much what I want and like but really more about 'What does the house want?' ..."  We laughed because it does sound abit corny new-agey but it is kind of true.

There is no right or wrong ( ok maybe some small wrongs turns!) to what you like in terms of design but you really must identify for yourself how you live in a space and what the structure IS in order to make it work. An example - we finished a full house reno awhile back. A typical west coast style home that our client wanted to makeover into a 

"New York Loft" feel.  It is stunning but you know what...when they finally moved in and spent some time  it was mentioned they are regretting alittle not thinking through "what the house wants..." I guess although it look s amazing it just doesn't feel 100% right for the house and location. 

( I think they will come around though ;)

This is an extreme example but really good to consider everything when taking on a reno.

With the TLC house we have to figure out who will buy this property and how they may live in it and that will determine a big part of the design. 

Taking TLC out of the equation and inserting potential

"Any Family" is key.

I think this might be what the TLC house wants? :) Some RoomCandy!

And this...

Not this... ( thats next weeks project!)

~ Tracey

PS also did not want to forget a big THANK YOU to Dave at Lida Homes

tons of great advice, support and suggestions!

...it certainly may take the whole community! :)

Hey HGTV .... "DEMO DAY" isn't a DAY!

Hammer Time! Demo begins....

We took possession of our TLC flip 2 weeks ago. 

Progress is being made...slowly but surely.

Plans coming together, permits applied for, yard repairs started and trades lined up. 

If anyone tells you this is easy....LIARS! 

This planning and demo time is probably the hardest part of the whole process- besides sweating the sale on the other side :)

Leslie and I decided right up front that we were going to tackle the demo to the point where our "boots on the ground " trades could come in and really have a clean slate to start work with. There is a point however where you need to go 
"Is this worth a broken back/arm/head/eyes/ears...?" 

and more fitting for us, the question 

"Do we really have any idea what we are doing?!!"
When in doubt bring in professionals!

Here's some pics of where we started 

and where we are after week 2:

Yep, its an ugly duckling right now....but just you wait :)

Here's the living room...

Rotten underlay over really nice Oak! Whoot!

Hearth and walls are coming out this week! Open it all up!

Because we are working at our paid jobs all day, demo is happening in the evenings and on weekends. A little third world-ish with only 2 working lights on the main floor. 

Thanks to husband for most ( ALL) of the tools...

sledge, pry bar, shop vac, work light....

(You don't see husband(s) here though do you...hmmm?? Maybe they are waiting for the really hard work... yes that's it! )

Scraping, shovelling, prying, pulling. No big deal.

Highly paid labour. Only the best for the TLC house! 

Thanks Stacey !

Sneak Peek at the basement....

So my Mom is such a champ...she helped me tear out the cedar ship lap and the panelling while my partner is on the beach in Maui- really!
 (she also bagged the mouse nest without flinching!) Thanks Mom!

Thanks also to so many of our friends in the business who have offered up some awesome ideas and good direction with lots of the "unknowns". Beer's on us at the end of all this! 

To name a few:

Andrew @ Tidman Construction

Steve @ Steve Copp Construction

Darren @ Argus Excavating

Ron @ Rob Ron Construction
Island View Tree Service
InspecTech

Stay tuned : Demo Continues... 
Perimeter Drains, Kitchens and Bathrooms 
Yay! ( I think!)

~Tracey

So....We Bought a House !

Yes we did...We bought a HOUSE!

"Flipping Victoria" ? Sounds good right? We thought so.

After months (& months!!!) looking for the right property this little gem in Gordon Head presented itself to us. Awesome big lot, near by parks, schools, transit, shopping. Untouched 1961 split level...checking all the right boxes for two newbie flippers.

 Holy CRAZY you think?

There is a house in there... really. This is just a teaser ...wait till you see inside!

Newbies to flipping yes but Leslie is a commercial banker...she KNOWS money! 
(insert giant spreadsheet that I don't understand here) AND she will keep me on budget AND in line in pretty much every other way. I think I can work on the design :) 

Just need to reign in the ideas. 

We will figure out the rest...electrical plumbing perimeter drains...say what!?

Our little joint venture has a name...TLC

Tracey Leslie Co

The Land Co

Two Looney Chicks

Two Large Cones ( thanks hubby! please!)

They all work.

Understatement much?

Follow RoomCandy for renovation highs and lows, photos, bloopers, our whole dive head first into the house flipping #YYJ style. 

Hard hats on...demo begins!

~ Tracey

Living Room Face Lift!

Here's a recent living room redesign ... a room that started off ...well honestly, not too bad! The bones of the room were awesome...big open space, hardwood floors, fab fireplace, creamy linen drapery and roman shades,  white slip covered sectional and chairs
  and 3 tall black bookcases. 

Our client called us with her dilemma...its all there but its just not completely working. Hmmm..we have definitely heard that before. Great furniture is one thing but what really makes a room feel pulled together is the layers that come after the furniture....

Here is our first look at the space.

Great bits to play with but the layout is not working - abit of a floating carpet island with furniture on all corners!

  The dark walls are closing in the space and there is no rhythm

 to the art and accessories. .

So here's what we did ....

Painted out the space ( and also a connecting foyer and dining room) 

- a warm beige ( Benjamin Moore HC - 45 Shaker Beige) 

This was the clients pick as she had just painted out her bedroom in this colour and it felt warm and inviting and really works with all of the rooms in the house.
Thanks New Heights Contracting!

Lighter and brighter :)

One week after our initial look, painting was complete and we did some retail sourcing for some new pieces to fix that "not working" dilemma. Layers layers layers!

Here's the haul...we also shopped for her master bedroom too so extra bits are shown in this photo. We always try to use as much of the clients things as possible.

 It has to feel like their home not a show home! There are no budget breakers here...just beautiful pieces that work together seamlessly.

First thing on styling day is clear the room.

We added in the new area rug and reworked the furniture layout.

Stacey cleans...I take photos :)

This layout fits the beautiful bay window and fully functions for conversation

 as well as focusing on the great fireplace and mantel .

But its not there yet...

Work in the accent lighting 

Eye level lighting is so important for room ambiance. 

Two table lamps and a floor lamp were added to the space.

Bring in the art and mirrors.

Layer the accessories and soft finishes ( pillows!) and style the bookshelves.

Now its working....

The final result at the end of the day  -  a really beautiful, pulled together space that is super cozy , great for family, conversation, entertaining and is most definitely "working".

Here's what our delighted homeowner had to say when she came home from work

 and saw her space....

"You two are miracle workers!!!!!!! I absolutely love everything!!! Thank you! I am ready to keep going. I should have had your help years ago. I have wasted so much time and money and still could not make it as beautiful as you have made it." ~CB

LOVE LOVE LOVE our happy clients!! Who are the lucky ones...them or us!?!

Enjoy!

 ~ Tracey and Stacey