BECKY (33) & PERRY (33)

Home: 1925 Tudor

Layout: 3 Bedroom 1 Bath

Square Footage: 2,732 SQFT

Approximate Budget: $60K

RESTORATION NEEDS                   

1.)   Bathroom

2.)   Kitchen

3.)   Exterior/Backyard

Becky and Perry moved back to Detroit from Cleveland for Becky’s job promotion and to be closer to her family. The couple owned an historic home in Cleveland and fell in love with the character, charm and storied history that an older home provides. The couple found their “perfect” house in the right location with just the right amount of space to start a family (which they hope to do so soon) but also a beautiful backyard for their fur-children. Becky and Perry admit that they were naïve about what they could take on in an older home. During the open house they had “starry eyes” that were blind to the fact that the house presented more challenges than solutions. Becky and Perry closed on the home and picked up the keys on June 30th, and are already worried that they made a massive mistake... They have the month of July to make some much needed improvements before they are able move in. 

Becky and Perry spent top dollar to be in their dream home in the right area of town. That didn’t leave much budget for renovation expenses. When the inspection came back there were more issues than they had accounted for, so once those issues are taken care of, they will be left with only about $60k to turn their fixer into their dream home. The true expense of the house started to be much higher than they expected. They were hoping to do much of the work themselves alongside Becky’s father who is a retired engineer. Both Becky and Perry admit that everything that they thought they could take on themselves is a costlier and more complicated endeavor than what they had imagined during their initial walk-through.

Perry loved his friends, community, and life in Cleveland so moving to Detroit was a major sacrifice that he made so that Becky could be with her family and take on her job promotion. He is nervous that he won’t be able to really call Detroit his home if he can’t really live in his “new” house comfortably. The couple feels that as though they bought the house with the best of intentions, but they may have bit off more than they can chew.

Bathroom: The bathroom has revealed leaks and a cramped, outdated and dreary space. They like some of the historical charm of the bathroom, but they think that they need to get rid of the old tile and retile the entire space. The main bathroom appears to be in a “dire” place as they describe it. There is also plumbing and space for a bathroom off of the master bedroom that they would love to be able to complete and add a bathroom in order to complete the “master suite.” 

Kitchen: The kitchen feels like there is much to be done. There is old paint, scuffed flooring and a non-functional layout. They believe that they need an all new kitchen renovation.  The kitchen is dated and ugly and doesn’t serve their needs.

Exterior/Backyard: The outside of the home lacks much in curb appeal. There is damage to the stucco siding that needs to be replaced and repaired. The rolled roof needs repair. The outside areas haven’t been maintained in the way that they should be. The freestanding garage has been deemed a “hazard” that they need to tear down and replace. It’s an issue because it could collapse at any minute and with two dogs playing in the yard it could easily fall and crush one of their pets.

Becky and Perry don’t want this renovation to be an ongoing project for years to come. Especially for Perry who doesn’t feel like he really belongs in Detroit. He is eager to find his footing in a foreign environment and the first step starts at home. Although they are ready to get their hands dirty, they know their limitations. They need Nicole Curtis’ help and guidance to know that they made the right choice and that the feeling of “buyer’s remorse” will be replaced by the confidence and enthusiasm that they had during their first home tour.