UH-LA-LA-critique on "the janes"

Koontz - Jodi sent me a note about checking out a website that is suppose to be about empowering women in the DIY market. The site is a trip. Jodi remarked to me about the white Tee shirts, which enhance certain attributes of the women do-it-yourselfers, and the ladies pink tool belts...I must admit, when I ordered my tool belt, I choose a lovely teal color, totally diferent from all the guys of course! But really, pink? How sexist do you need to make this?

I am offended by 1). a male voice on many of the tutorials...what's up with that?
2) the generic tutorials. On painting the exterior of a house for instance, they first recommend inviting all your friends over because of course, anyone can paint! Not on my house I can tell you! It's not a bloody social event, it's called work, you geeks! And the example is for a lap-sided house---well what if my house is stucco? AND, the tools they suggest you use are so wrong for a novice! I would never pressure wash a redwood sided house, I can guarantee I'd ruin the siding, and I actually know what I'm doing. Nor would I recommend for a homeowner to use a power drill with a brush attachment to scrape off old paint, are they trying to get you to screw things up?? 3) Though the site claims to be for do-it-yourselfers, they still use construction terminology without explaining it. How many non-construction people know what a "jig" is? Well, you're suppose to use a jig for one of the projects, but they never explain what that is or how to make one, (F.Y.I. a jig is a pattern-which is kind of difficult to surmise from the word...). Like many DIY sites, the advice is only good to a point and then it's wrong---sadly, a homeowner doesn't know where that point falls.

I dig that there's a movement to empower the homeowner, be they male or female-but if you're one of our readers', please take DIY websites as general knowledge and then do more research on how to do things yourself, because it looks to me like many of these sites will have you on top of your roof with no way down...and I don't notice an 800 number listed for rescue!

"Old" Painters

Koontz - I am ratting out my partner in this post. I can't help it-it's just a cute, sad testament to the differences in my trade that I've seen over several years.

So we're working on an exterior paint job. Kind of an interlude job for us. I scoffed at my partner when he told me he wanted to bid this job. "We don't bid paint jobs", I reminded him. We don't bid paint jobs ever since my closest friend called me one day to ask if it was okay to have some guys paint the outside of her house---they were going to charge her $500.00 plus materials and they'd done the neighbor's house and it looked great, according to her. I told her to go for it if she thought they'd done good work and I resolved to not waste my time trying to bid jobs that someone else would do for less than I charge per day, cause I sure as hell couldn't paint a house in a day! (Turns out these guys can! And it shows! BUT-when you're my best friend and you've bought your first house and you have no money-well, more power to you for trying to do the maintenance).

So, I laugh at my partner and he says, "This guy wants the house brushed and rolled Peg, and he can't find anyone to agree to do it that way". No shit-you can't do a house in a day if you're expected to brush and roll it. The surprise is that someone didn't say they would, then spray the place anyway...

But, I told Keith, "okay", bid it. So we did. And we're on the job. Brushing and rolling, (funny aside, at least to me-the first "on my own" job when Keith hired me-before we became partners-was me brushing and rolling his Meditteranean, stucco house---two stories---took me all bloody summer!)

So on this house, there are several exterior doors that are exhibiting the effects of much use and no maintenance. The rails are pulling apart, the panels are cracked and the doors are basically coming apart.

I come down a walk-way the other day to find Keith glueing-up the rails on the door and putting them back together. I didn't say anything.

The next day, Keith is checking his doors and he's filling-in the cracks with a combination of glue and exterior patch. He's checking his joints that he glued and he's sanding things down. I still say nothing.

The third day-Keith is double checking these friggin' doors and wondering if they are in shape to paint yet. Okay, that day at lunch I causually mentioned that he was out of his mind! "Keith", said I, "I know you can't resist fixing the things you see that need fixing, but let's paint the doors-we really aren't getting paid to rebuild them and the owners' should actually replace them at this stage...don't you think?"

We did paint the doors-they look far better than anyone should expect and thanks to Keith, they'll last another 10 years when they wouldn't have. The interesting thing is that it didn't occur to Keith to leave them as is. Just sand them, paint 'em and call it good. They needed repair, so he did it.

Keith started in general construction but he became a journeyman painter, and though a painters' union rep would have a fit if he found his painters doing carpentry-Keith knew they the doors needed help and so he helped them. His attitude about a house is similar to mine about animals-I don't need another dog or cat, but this one needs me, so to hell with reality, I'll do what I should.

I don't think these kind of guys are around alot in the trades anymore. I appreciate that I work with one, even though it's not always good for the business. If I had to hire someone for my house, I'd feel lucky to find a guy like this.

Economics

Koontz - I was in the neighborhood of a former client the other day and as I waited for my appointment one of the neighbors and I struck up a conversation. We had been introduced when I was working in the area, and I've become good friends with the former client so this neighbor sees me around alot as I dog-sit and go over to Spa or to have a weekend dinner. The neighbor, Tim, therefore knows what I do for a living and he wanted to ask about a wall treatment he was thinking of for his house.

Tim has a cute California Bungalow with ship-lap siding. Over the years though, the siding has deteriorated in areas and the material cannot be found at the local lumberyards or home repair stores. Though I haven't scoped out Tim's house specifically, usually this type of siding is Redwood and because it's a soft wood, it doesn't take well to industrious scraping and sanding. Tim could have the siding replicated at a good lumber yard, but they would have to mill the pieces for him-that means they'd have to take the time to actually make the size and style of his existing siding. That's an expensive proposition. A lumber yard charges for it's "set-up" time-and it's never cheap.

Tim is in a quandry. He wants to improve the look of his place and to his mind and with real world financial considerations, how can he realistically accomplish this?

I'm in a quandry too. The material Tim is thinking of using-a flagstone veneer-is totally inappropriate for his house. He told me that there's a place around the corner that did this and he likes it-Yikes! So wrong, so wrong, so wrong! (And yes, I went around the corner and looked). The people tried...they used the stone on the front of the house and on the pillars to get some cohesiveness-but they still failed, because it's just the wrong stone. I know the owners' thought to themselves, "hey, all the new houses are using it...why not us?" That's exactly what should have stopped them-new housing is using this-it's not appropriate to a 50 year old home.

On a Craftsman styled California bungalow you can get away with river rock, but you can't get away with flagstone...

But going back to real world finances-what can Tim do? It's a tough question when you want to respect the house and not go broke fixing it up. For Tim's place specifically, I'm going to go back and walk around to see just how much siding he needs to replace. I am hopeful that there's another solution for him because on a cursory look, there wasn't much that wasn't repairable with a bit of advanced knowledge (meaning some hell of good epoxy's), that I'll clue him in on.

Or it might be that he really likes the stone facade and I'll suggest he look at river rock. For homeowners' who have greater quantity needs than Tim, I really am flummoxed as to a solution, I just know the one the neighbor around the corner chose was wrong, and it did indeed devalue his home because he's in a neighborhood where people buy to have the authentic architecture. It was poor research and poor application and it broke my heart.

Spanish Colonial

Koontz - I too am impressed with your sensitivity to your house Jen. It may be self-evident by our posts, but Jodi and I are a bit strident about respecting the style of a house and altering it within those parameters. Accolades to you therefore.

I've not only worked on similarly styled homes, but I owned what I called a Meditteranean styled house some years ago and I loved the place. I am a contractor, not a designer and though I am interested in architecture, I don't have the educational background Jodi has in the topic, so the differences between what we term Meditteranean, Spanish, Spanish revival, or Spanish colonial revival escape me. I think the terms are often used interchangeably, and I am going to do the same for ease of answering some of your questions.

First, a designer is a good idea, but there are some things you need to be aware of with or without a designer on board and you'll have to make sure your contractor understands the importance of these points.

When you add square footage to a house, you obviously are going to be adding exterior wall footage. You have to have a contractor who uses a stucco sub-contractor that is versed in the finish on your original structure. New stucco homes have an entirely different look and texture than the older homes. The old style can be replicated, you just have to look for the person that can do it.

Second, though your house will be lath and plaster on the inside, you can get the same look with new materials, i.e., sheetrock and mud. The reality is that no one is going to build your addition with lath and plaster. It would cost you a small fortune, it's wasteful in terms of materials, and you don't need to go that far. New methods and new materials are versatile as long as your craftsmen are versatile. In a new house you walk in and if you look at the walls, they will have what is called a "blown-on" texture. It is quick, mechanically applied and meant to be indistinct. In your home you'll need someone who can apply a hand troweled texture that when dry and painted, will look just like a plaster wall. It's a little more costly to the owner because it takes the worker more time, but it's imperative if you want things to look original.

Both of these points have everything to do with the contractor you choose to work with. It has to be someone who knows you want the look of your old house, with the ameneties of modern living. So be careful whom you work with at that level. Referrals from other homeowners' in your neighborhood would be a good place to start.

Personally, I am less concerned about the choices between copper and brushed stainless fixtures. Sometimes people try so hard to replicate a style that it becomes over-done. Choose what is appealing to you and try to have some consistency so you don't have too many elements fighting with each other.

My old Meditteranean house was built in 1930, and the influence of the Art Deco period was subtle but obvious in the builders' choices. It was a lovely melding, but not overwhelming.

Real wood floors are perfect, you'll never have the warmth from laminates. Tile for counters would have been the style then, but you have some other options. I am currently in love with honed granite for older homes. It seems to give all the benefits of modern materials but it looks like it fits in older styled homes. (Caveat here-honed granite develops a patina that doesn't come together for the first 6months to a year-be aware of that before you choose it).

Adding archways is easier than ever these days (from my perspective as a carpenter), with new building components. The same for adding a niche in a hallway. As you envision walking from the original house to the additions, what makes sense to be in that space, to make it feel seamless?

And that last sentence may be more important regarding a designer than anything else you do. Getting the flow of the space right, so you end up with a house that uses it's layout in the best possible way.

You're in for an exciting change-be patient, and be prepared for upheaval and a lot of dust! Ultimately it will be worth it though...really!

An Angeleno DIYing Design?

Fitzpatrick-Here’s a message from one of our readers. My short responses are in red, with a few more thoughts later:

First, I wanted to let you both know how much I love your blog and how interesting and insightful it is Bless you! We’re grateful for your readership! for someone like me – young, in my first house, undertaking my first significant remodel, and just trying to do everything right the first time! It’s much easier this way, but a little more expensive. Oh, and this is no DIY job – just so I don’t give you a heart attack. Whew! Some DIY jobs turn out very well, but in my experience they are rare.

I was just wondering, based on your most recent posts, how/where I would find information about what materials/designs would be in keeping with my 1927 Spanish Colonial style house? I don’t have a designer in my employ at the moment, and I understand if that’s the best way to make sure that what I’m putting in fits with the existing structure, It is. but if you have other hints or tips that would be very helpful! See below.

We’re enlarging our kitchen, converting (well, tearing down) our garage to build a new master bedroom/bathroom, creating a utility area through which we can enter the house from the pool in the backyard, and enlarging the current master bedroom and splitting it into 2 smaller rooms. A lot of work for a beginner, right? Yes, indeedy. But we’re no sticklers for contemporary design or minimalism – we want to match the original hardwood floors as closely as possible, keep/repair the counterbalance wood windows (most of which have been painted over or have broken ropes) you are respecting the house, very good start and incorporate accents, like the original doorway arches, in our new design. Very hard to match these things exactly unless you use very skilled, experienced craftsmen who know lathe and plaster construction and have excellent woodworking skills. But when it comes to the kitchen cabinets or countertops…well, there are just so many options and we want to find something we like and that fits with the rest of the house.

I’m admittedly overwhelmed, so I’m trying to learn as much as possible. Your blog is so incredibly helpful and definitely appreciated, as is your response to comments and openness to receiving emails.

Thanks again for your help!

Thanks so much for writing. Congratulations! You seem to have all the right sensitivities and to be on your way to beginning an architecturally sensitive addition/remodel.

Yet one glaring thing stands out. You say this is not a Do-It-Yourself project, yet you appear to be approaching the design in a DIY manner. I may be incorrect, you may simply be performing research in order to better understand the history of your house and be better prepared to make design decisions when the time comes. To this end I’d suggest getting your eyeballs around as many examples of restored Spanish Revivals as you can. Go on home tours. Ask to see neighbors’ homes. Google “Spanish Architecture in California” and see what you get. Right off, I’d recommend these two publications from the great arts and architecture publisher, Rizzoli:

Casa California, Spanish Style Houses from Santa Barbara to San Clemente
California Mediterranean

http://www.rizzoliusa.com/rizzoli.html


BUT, but, but, but, if you’re attempting to make all the design selections and turn over the work to contractors, you’ll be shortchanging yourself, your home and your investment.

It sounds from your description and your address that you might be in possession of one of those dreamy little bungalows around Silver Lake or Los Felix. If so—I hate you, I hate you, I hate you! No, not really, I love you, I love you, I love you for reading this blog and for respecting what sounds like a gem of house and trying to do the right thing as you make it your own.

But here’s the deal. You need a design professional as a point person for this level of work on this kind of house. Be it an interior designer, a kitchen and bath designer, a residential architect, OR (I’ll bet Peg never dreamed she’d hear me says this) an architecturally sensitive restoration contractor. If you are in L.A., there are many contractors who specialize in these types of houses, know them intimately, and will do the right thing by them. Ask around. Ask people in your neighborhood, at work and in social situations who’ve had work done on homes in the same style as yours. People love to talk about their remodeling experiences.

You might want to do a consult with an interior designer. Many firms offer one- and two-hour consultations to help you get going in a direction. Try http://www.asid.org/, the website of the American Society of Interior Designers. You will have plenty of selection in your area.

The reason most people skip the design phase is that they believe it will cost too much. The program (your initial wants and needs for the project) you’ve described, in Los Angeles, with plans and permits and performed by licensed contractors could easily run $200,000 to $500,000. Design fees typically run 10% of the project. So for ten percent, you’ve bought some good insurance that you’re not going to do something, (1) you regret, and (2) actually ends up lowering the value of your house.

If you don’t have the money now, wait. Save up that extra ten percent and take the time to find someone you think you will work well with. It might actually save you money. Here’s how:

1. Creating a custom design based on your needs and the architecture of your home entails a set of plans and specifications that instruct a contractor--down to the kitchen faucet and knobs—what is going into this house. Then you can bid apples to apples with several contractors, knowing you will get the best price/value on the exact details you want. If you don’t do a set of plans and specifications and simply tell your needs to three contractors, you will be comparing apples to oranges and quite possible mangoes and bananas, with no guarantee in the end, what you’ll end up with.
2. A set of plans and specifications is the best way to ensure the selections you made with your contractor six months ago when the job started is exactly what you are getting. (Honestly, plans and specs remind ME what I and the client agreed upon. With multiple jobs and the passage of time, one does forget details). And you have legal recourse if it’s not what you end up getting, or not done in a “workmanlike manner.”
3. A set of plans and specs prepared by a licensed architect, engineer or designer helps to sail through the permit process and prevent costly delays. You want to pull permits. First, it’s the law in California. It also protects you and your homeowners insurance by having the work inspected by the city or municipality your property falls under, and insuring it’s up to the current life and safety codes of that municipality. Have a fire and didn’t pull a permit for your electrical work? Think your home owner’s insurance will pay?
4. Protects your investment. If this is your first home, chances are it’s your most valuable financial asset. Just like you probably hold your retirement accounts with reputable firms who follow SEC regulations, you’ll want to adhere to the highest design and ethical standards in the care and improvement of your house. Just think, if you don’t have life insurance, chances are your home is worth more than your body—would you try to self-diagnose your health problems? Or would you see a medical professional?

I know. You never hear any of this stuff on home improvement TV or in 99% of shelter publications. That’s the reason Peg and I decided to write this blog.

The reason I haven’t responded to the specifics of your description of your home is that words, or even digital photos, can’t convey all the details of a house that a design professional will take into consideration when she/he suggests materials and finishes for your restoration. Typically houses of that vintage in my area have oak or maple cabinets, usually with a recessed or raised panel, plenty of moldings, a warm honey or walnut color. Usually the countertops are tile, especially handmade tiles that evoke the ceramic heyday in California from the 1930’s to 1940’s like those produced by the Malibu Tile Company et al. Copper or dark iron plumbing fixtures work well, but they must be the right finish and right lines or they look cheap.

But I can’t possibly know the light patterns in your home, the views from the windows, the nooks, crannies and room configurations—the things that make it unique and yours--that I’d consider in order to integrate all the hundreds of pieces that go into just the kitchen.

I hope this didn’t seem like a lecture, but it sounds like you have a beauty of a house, and I’d hate to see you invest a lot of money in a large remodel and not get the most bang for the buck. Good luck, thanks for writing, and feel free to ask us questions at any point during your process. We’d love to hear what you decide on and how it goes.

I think Peg has worked on Spanish bungalows before, so maybe she has more to add….

DIY: More Muck

Fitzpatrick-Peg, I’m shocked. Has the ever-trusty defender of Do-It-Yourselfing come over to the Dark Side? The side of evil anti-DIYers who have Professional and Craft tattooed on each buttock?

Back in the archives are a series of posts I wrote in the anti-DIY theme. Mostly, they concerned the lack of quality and skill in the actual building and the lack of respect for professional craftspeople so many of these hobbyists have. I never even touched on design. But it’s a skill like any other.

Lack of knowledge of design history is evident in so many DIY projects, especially in choice of materials. News flash: Granite countertops don’t belong in most older homes. How would the average person know this, when all new homes have them and all the home centers are selling them? They wouldn’t. They need a professional. Luckily, the things are so damn heavy, DIY’ers are usually forced to have them professionally installed.

The sad thing is that while so many DIY’ers believe they are improving their homes and the value of these homes, often they are costing themselves money and value. When I look at homes clients are considering purchasing and they’ve been “remodeled,” I immediately know we’ll have extra work. The raised panel cherry cabinets and granite counters the seller installed in his 1960’s ranch house must be torn out and replaced with something that fits the house--maybe flat panel maple with a quartz countertop. So his $50,000 kitchen remodel he’s so proud of is worth nothing to me and my clients, and we’ll say so when it comes to negotiating the price.

However the ranch house owner can take heart. Ignorant homebuyers abound who will be delighted with the bastardized, but new, kitchen. More power to them. They will never know their mistake and it’s no good Peg or I telling them. Because when you deal with a person’s home these days, you’re dealing with their ego-projection of themselves. Everything in our lives has become “My Space” and is supposed to reflect our individuality, our characters, our “lifestyle.” This is the way advertisers sell us more junk. So when you criticize, or simply attempt to improve a consumer’s taste choices, you’re basically attacking their ego. And it can get ugly.

So Do-It-Yourself away, but don't labor under the impression you're saving money or adding value to your home in the long term, unless you really, really know what you're doing. Or you're best friends with me and Peg.