Need advice (urgent)

[Paolo Ruggieri]

have a shot gun house... Traditional design very very small: enter in living room , kitchen in the back , bedroom in the middle.. Google shotgun and you see the design... You have to pass though the bedroom to go from kitchen to livingroom!!! I was about to knock 2 walls and make one... So that I only have one kitchen/living in the front  and one bedroom in the back... My contractor is trying to convince me not to do it because shotgun houses have a lot of character ... However I think no one would want to have people pass through their bedrooms to go to the kitchen and bathrooms.. Thoughts?

[Blair F.]

Paolo Ruggieri shotguns are popular in New Orleans as well. From my experience, people prefer a renovated shotgun where either a hallway has been added or the kitchen had been moved forward to front with living room. I would say it depends on the current condition of the duplex. Some shotguns the kitchens are in such bad shape a total renovation is needed, in that case l would move kitchen up and create open living dining space rather than put in full brand new kitchen in the back. But probably depends on your end game and if you are looking to sell at some point.