Developer · Philadelphia, PA · Member since 2015 · 2k+ posts · 904 votes
My latest project is a cute little ranch in Elkins Park, PA (just outside Philly).
For a little context, the property already had quite a new upgrades when I purchased it. We are simply planning to update the bathrooms, refinish bedroom floors, open up a kitchen wall, tidy up basement and do a little landscaping. Rehab budget around $20K - $25K and 4-5 week timeline.
While I have my own thoughts on the rehab, I thought it would be interesting to crowdsource input from this forum on particular items, such as:
Pergola in backyard:
1) Keep it
2) Remove it
3) Replace canopy (if so, which material)?
Doorway arches:
1) Keep them (as is)
2) Update them - with trim molding
3) Remove them
Fireplace:
1) Leave as it is
2) Whitewash the bricks
3) Other ideas?
Get your creative juices flowing .....ready....set....GO!!!
Aurora, CO · Member since 2012 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
10y
Don't mess with the arches- those are what's going to sell the house for you. I would just clean up the brick on the fireplace . It would look OK white though- just not my personal preference.
By pergola, do you mean that awning? (pergolas are freestanding) I would get rid of the awning, and put some shutters on the windows. It's a little hard to tell any more about the outside from that pic.
Aurora, CO · Member since 2012 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
10y
Don't mess with the arches- those are what's going to sell the house for you. I would just clean up the brick on the fireplace . It would look OK white though- just not my personal preference.
By pergola, do you mean that awning? (pergolas are freestanding) I would get rid of the awning, and put some shutters on the windows. It's a little hard to tell any more about the outside from that pic.
Flipper/Rehabber · Monterey, CA · Member since 2014 · 193 posts · 117 votes
10y
I'm totally with @Jean Bolger on the first two items: keep those arches--all of them. And just clean up the brick. I think people are hungry for beautiful touches and earthy materials.
I also find the "pergola" question confusing, but I think you could replace that awning with something more beautiful and useful. The right solution depends a lot on the compass orientation and climate. Is having shade there really helpful in creating a cooler space indoors and out? If so, how about building a nice trellis/arbor structure and growing a vine over it? Or is there more of a need for light and heat? Then maybe add a sunroom there. If you look at how the sun shines and the wind blows there, and think of the space as an outdoor room to be lit and warmed by the sun, and cooled by shade and breezes, the natural solution will probably become apparent.
When you say "clean up the fireplace" do you mean steam clean it?
We were planning to paint the firebox with a fire resistant black paint.
As for the awning, it is not a must have with the PA weather, but makes it a nice to have feature. Our highs in summer run 80-90F and winters can be 20-50F. Winds are calm there, perhaps because property is surrounded by mature trees.
Real Estate Agent · Guilford, CT · Member since 2014 · 193 posts · 88 votes
10y
@Jean Bolger is spot on. the arches are gorgeous. The awning has to go. As for the fireplace, the firebox doesn't bother me as much as the soot in the grout. Not sure how to clean that but that would help a lot. Great looking house! Good luck.
Real Estate Investor · Parker, TX · Member since 2015 · 37 posts · 3 votes
10y
I agree with what everyone has said here on the arches and fireplace. I am about to wrap up a rehab now that had incredibly soot covered brick on the outside and stained. Even after scrubbing the brick was just discolored. There was a white mantle, also stained, and natural brick. We used a stained technique on top of the white mantle which looks very much like natural stained wood now. There are wood beams on the ceiling in the living we did the same with. We painted the brick white and are going to spray the inside of fireplace and screen with a high heat black paint but have't done that yet. Finishing wood floors in this one...probably 7-10 days to go.
On the awning, yes, get rid of it. I would build something like a wood pergola and lay sunshade fabric on top, stretch it tight and put strips of wood on top of that and screw it to the top.
Real Estate Investor · Parker, TX · Member since 2015 · 37 posts · 3 votes
10y
Also since you said in that climate shade is not essential I have used sunshade fabric on tracks attach the underside of the top of a wood pergola type structure with a way to pull the sun shade material out on the tracks so that you can have it shaded or open.
retired...going stir crazy · Andover, MA · Member since 2015 · 17 posts · 5 votes
10y
did the flooring contractor cover the hearth? you painted the fireplace facade white without addressing the backdraft that blackens with soot? are you renting or moving into this house? if you are staying... your wife has the last word...trust me. I would leave the awning up until you build a decent florida room to add to your living space. if you're going to flip just make it completely functional with no repair issues.
Aurora, CO · Member since 2012 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
10y
@Patrick Lynch has a good point. I didn't even notice the missing hearth, but if it's going to remain a functioning wood fireplace I am sure a hearth is required. The best solution would be to convert it to gas, if possible. Or even electric- a lot of electrics look cheesy, but I have one that I love (you can run it any time of year, with or without heat). Be careful of any paint inside the fire box unless it is a completely nonfunctioning fireplace, or is electric with a blower that goes out to the room. You'd have to clean the firebox anyway to get any paint to adhere, and I don't think there's a paint that is truly fireproof/resistant. Any other paint is bound to blister, emit fumes and cause trouble.
Investor · Murphy, TX · Member since 2011 · 189 posts · 86 votes
10y
Good call on the hearth. Will likely get dinged by the inspector when you sell, and wood flooring there probably isn't the best idea, anyway.
Nice house! On decorating, my first reaction is that the aesthetics in the back don't match the front elevation and the interior, which both look great. That is where I would focus. Would remove the canopy, add a natural stone surface over existing concrete, add a cedar arbor or patio covering (something simple as shown below), add shutters, add landscaping.
Real Estate Agent · Bedford, TX · Member since 2015 · 5 posts · 4 votes
10y
I'm going to say something unpopular and suggest that you get rid of the arches and raise the doorways, or keep the arches and at least raise them up closer to the ceiling -- it will make the rooms feel more open -- I think, I can't tell from the pics if their height is as low as it seems.
The fireplace needs a hearth, you could do something really easily with stone then use a similar stone to cover the brick.
The awning is not doing you any favors:) If possible, I would consider getting rid of the concrete patio and replacing it with a stone or brick area. IMHO a nice patio surface are what makes the most difference.
Chicago, IL · Member since 2014 · 710 posts · 200 votes
10y
Lose the arches and aluminum pergola. The Arches scream 1940's
Face the fireplace with tile or granite remnant
Fireplaces are a big focal point. I use Onyx Black granite remnants for sides and Home Depot sells Onyx Black granite floor tile at $5 per tile that I use on the hearth
Developer · Philadelphia, PA · Member since 2015 · 2k+ posts · 904 votes
10y
@Bill Hinshaw, like the cedar arbor. May I ask where you got that from and the price range?
I should say in 2 days we had 2 people stop by and loved the house as it is before we even started the work. Of-course, none of this matters until we have a contract in hand ;-)
Blue Springs, MO · Member since 2015 · 481 posts · 313 votes
10y
My $0.02:
Keep the interior door arches. Maybe add trim as you suggested, but I'm not exactly sure how to get trim around the curve at the top.
Keep the fireplace; scrub the bricks to get rid of the soot. Find out about the hearth, as has been mentioned.
Probably lose the aluminum awning out back. If it's all aluminum, take it to the local scrap yard; around here at the moment it would be roughly $0.35 a pound, which helps out the rehab fund and/or the beer fund. :)
If you lose the awning in back, you might consider making a small awning or porch roof - like 4 feet square - and putting it right over that back door. Or even 3 feet wide (over the door) and 2 feet out away from the house would keep a little rain off the back door. This sort of depends on how easy it is to attach things to the back wall or under the eaves.
It looks like there's kind of a large step down from the back door to the patio. Check your local codes on stair rise and tread depth, but it might be nice to put one step between the patio and the bottom of the door. You might even be able to get this as a pre-cast piece of concrete.
If it doesn't have a back porch light (under the awning), you might add one. Maybe also add a GFCI outlet for that back porch.
Real Estate Investor · Forest Grove, OR · Member since 2012 · 105 posts · 37 votes
10y
Late to the game but my .02:
1. I would probably leave the back porch as is. Likely won't get a return on whatever you put into it, whether it's demo time or replacing.
2. Keep the arches. It's retro, but retro is in :).
3. Tile or stone over the fireplace. Should be pretty cheap and will be a good mix of modern and retro on the inside. A lot of people really dig retro lines and features but with modern materials these days.
Developer · Philadelphia, PA · Member since 2015 · 2k+ posts · 904 votes
10y
Sorry, been a little busy so did not post pics.
Here is what we did with the fireplace and structure over the back porch.
Also updated the kitchen with new granite counter tops and backsplash, fixed cabinet, new SS sink, faucet and opened up the wall adjoining the dining room to add a breakfast bar.