KRIS (55) & DAVE (56)

Home: 1910 Bungalow/Craftsman

Layout: 4 Bedrooms, 4 Full Baths & 2 Half Baths

Square Footage: 5,600 sqft

Approximate Budget: $60,000    

RESTORATION NEEDS

1. Kitchen

2. Dining room

3. Bathrooms/Master Suite

“Kris” and “Dave” as they are known to their friends and family are a funny and fun couple who met in the Army. That’s right! Dave was in fact Kris’ drill sergeant! A few years later they reconnected outside of the military and the rest is history. After they decided to settle in Detroit they fell in love with the city’s history. They bought their home in the historic Indian Village district to feel connected to the city’s blossoming downtown area. They also love older, historical homes and were quickly enchanted by the neighborhood. They consider themselves stewards of their historic home and want to preserve it for another hundred years. However, they are the first to admit that their house has major issues and will need some significant work if it’s going to stand the test of time.

When Kris and Dave began historical house hunting, they were working with a contractor as they knew they would need someone’s support and guidance to take on an older home. After Kris and Dave bought the Burns home and began the renovation, their contractor began to give them quotes that were nowhere near what he had originally quoted prior to the purchase. Not only were they shocked and crest-fallen, a sobering fact set in: How would they restore their home when they simply don’t have the funds or the expertise to do the work themselves? Kris and Dave haven’t been able to find a contractor who is willing to do the work or who isn’t charging an exorbitant amount of money to do what they need done. Just last year Kris and Dave were quoted 200k for the kitchen alone! That is nearly half the current value of the home!

The Kitchen: The kitchen is a major priority for the couple. As of now there is no functioning overhead lights. The light fixtures are inoperable and when they tried to fix it Dave shocked by the electrical! There are currently multiple layers of flooring over the top of what they believe to be hardwood floors. The windows don’t open which Dave has tried to fix but he hasn’t yet been able to figure out how yet. There are holes in the plaster ceiling and wall from previous A/C installation. There’s also issues with the floor joists and sagging. There’s not enough insulation in the walls. The refrigerator is leaking. The butler’s pantry won’t shut, and the cabinets are missing hardware. And if all that wasn’t enough, there’s a, “funky smell” that they haven’t been able to find the source of…

Dining Room: The dining room is missing all four sconces. The hardwood floors and radiators have water damage. The shoe molding is missing. There’s water damage to the crown molding. The windows won’t open. The chandelier is damaged and needs to be cleaned and restored. There’s an obvious drop in the floor leading into the kitchen. There’s strange vinyl flooring that they would like to replace. There is also funky painted tile that is warped in some areas. The dining room is in the heart-center of their home right off of the kitchen that they would love to see it’s true potential. Since they are so in love with the idea of hosting, restoring this space to its former glory would help Kris and Dave feel like they are finally living the life that they had envisioned when they bought the place. 

Bathrooms/Master Suite: The bedroom that Kris and Dave currently use is connected to bathroom with a working toilet, however, the toilet is poorly placed and the door slams into it. There is no lighting in the bathroom. There isn’t even a running shower or bathtub in this bathroom. To clean themselves Kris and Dave have to use a different bathroom in a different part of the home, and that’s the only working bathtub in the entire house! They don’t currently have a shower, so they are forced to use a tiny bathtub that they barely fit into. It’s small for a teenager let alone for Dave who is a big guy and not really into baths anyways. There are no working lights and no functioning electrical outlets. Since Dave and Kris start work at 6:00am they are usually bathing in semi darkness. They run a small lamp off of an extension cord plugged into another room just to have some lighting. This is no way to live! They want to be able to have a fully functioning suite, so they don’t have to be walking into separate rooms and spaces just to use the bathroom. As of now the bedroom has paint, floor and lighting issues, and the bathroom has a leak in the bathtub, electrical issues, cracked tile, plaster damage and a sagging floor. 

A Long To Do List: Beyond the master suite, kitchen and dining room there are plenty of other spaces that need significant help. The foyer creates a grand entrance in the home that needs major woodwork restoration from a skilled craftsman. The living room has no light sources and the fireplace is inoperable. The study has water damage and holes in the ceiling and the main stairwell has missing and damaged pieces of wood.

It’s fair to say that Kris and Dave are in over their heads. Every room in the home needs help. Several of the bathrooms are inoperable. Neither Kris nor David have ever showered in their home! There are issues with floor joists that are creating serious sagging issues. Very few of the nearly 80 windows in the home actually open. None of the fireplaces are working. There is evidence of water damage and there are holes throughout the walls and ceilings. Kris and David need serious help! What’s more, their life is on hold. Instead of enjoying the city and hosting family and friends, Kris and David feel like prisoners to massive home with a project list that has no end in sight. They are desperate for Nicole’s help in rescuing their home before it’s too late!