For the First Time Ever, Dave and Jenny Marrs Literally Break the Bank on ‘Fixer to Fabulous’
HGTV
Renovation experts Dave and Jenny Marrs have an opportunity to break the bank on the latest episode of their show, “Fixer to Fabulous.”
We don’t mean spending more money than they can afford. We’re talking about doing a demo on a former financial institution.
In the episode “Historic Bank Turned Apartment,” they have the unprecedented opportunity to renovate the upstairs apartment in a 1905 commercial property in Arkansas.
“About 10 years ago, Jenny and I bought a historic building in Centerton,” Dave explains, referring to a very small community just a stone’s throw from Bentonville, where they currently live. “It’s a really old bank.”
“Upstairs is currently an empty apartment,” Jenny continues, “and we hope to make it a super cool place that friends and family and out-of-town guests can use.”
The upstairs apartment is 860 square feet and has two bedrooms and one bath. The Marrses bought the entire building for $130,000, and plan to spend about $100,000 to renovate the apartment.
Their friends Chris and Nicole, who are often in Bentonville on business and need a temporary place to stay, are coming to town in a month or so and will be the first ones to enjoy the new digs and weigh in on the Marrses’ work.
We were amazed by the tips they share on how to make an old building seem new again. Check out what we learned.
Whenever possible, expose the brick
Jenny and Dave Marrs find lovely brick underneath the vinyl siding.HGTV
The entire building was originally constructed of brick, but much of it has been covered with vinyl siding.
“You can see the potential that could be,” says Dave as he pries beneath the siding. “You can see the brick goes behind there.”
“Why would they cover that up?” asks Jenny. “That’s weird.”
It’s possible the owners were trying to make the building look more modern back in the 1960s. But today, times and tastes have changed, so Dave and Jenny work to expose as much original brick as possible.
There are numerous alternatives to vinyl siding
The deck with cedar and brick surfaces in place of vinyl sidingHGTV
Upstairs at the apartment, there’s vinyl siding everywhere, even on the massive deck ceiling! It’s all got to go. Vinyl just isn’t going to work on this classic, turn-of-the-century building.
Dave replaces the vinyl on the deck’s ceiling with attractive cedar planks.
The exterior walls of the apartment are a bit more problematic. Once Dave pries off the vinyl siding, he finds that some of the brick walls have been covered in stucco, which could be very expensive to remove. In fact, they estimate it could cost anywhere from $20,000 to 25,000!
Dave decides to coat the walls with plaster, which will cost only about $4,000.
But outside the bedroom, he decides to use cedar shingles for variety. They look almost as good as the brick.
Faux is a no-go
Dave and Jenny inspect a faux brick fireplace.HGTV
When the Marrses begin work on the apartment interior, they find something odd in the living room.
“Why is there a faux fireplace?” asks Jenny. “Is this even brick, or is that just a piece of…”
“That’s faux brick with a faux schmear,” says Dave.
It takes just minutes for them to remove the whole fireplace, since it’s made of flimsy fake brick. They’re converting the living room into the primary bedroom anyway, so no one will miss the fireplace.
A mini-split HVAC system works well in small spaces
Check out the discreet mini-split HVAC system mounted to the wall (top left)HGTV
Ceiling too low to allow for ducting? Try a mini-split HVAC system, advises Dave.
He explains that a mini-split is a ductless heating and cooling system that can regulate the temperature in individual rooms or spaces.
Jenny is concerned that the small, white units will look ugly against the exposed brick and stick out like a sore thumb, so she has Dave install them on the walls. You need to be careful where you place those things. But if you do it right, you’ll barely notice them.
No yard? Try a hydroponic garden wall
Hydroponic garden wallHGTV
“Since this is a second-floor apartment, we don’t have a yard or a garden, but we wanted to include a lot of greenery, so this is a really great solution,” says Jenny as she and Dave install a hydroponic garden along one of the deck railings. “This really unique feature is going to make this a true oasis for our friends.”
The garden will be visible from outside the deck as well as inside the deck. On the outside, they plant a succulent called sedum, which tolerates heat and sun. On the inside, they plant herbs and other edible plants.
Bonus: This garden never needs weeding. All of the plants are in sterile soil, and there’s mesh wrapped around it so tight it keeps any new growth out.
Is Dave and Jenny’s latest renovation a hit?
Fully renovated apartment
Wouldn’t you know, Dave and Jenny finish the apartment just before their friends Chris and Nicole arrive! It’s amazing how that happens.
Chris and Nicole tour the apartment and are so happy with it, Chris claims, “We may not ever leave!”
Is that a good or a bad thing?
“The apartment’s done, it feels good, we can celebrate, but only briefly, because there’s still a lot of work to be done downstairs on the Mercantile,” Jenny says.
They’re planning on opening a store downstairs, featuring the work of artists and craftspeople they know, love, and work with. Every successful renovation expert has to have a retail space, after all. Just look where that got Chip and Joanna Gaines.
We’re betting we know what project will be featured in the next episode.
The post For the First Time Ever, Dave and Jenny Marrs Literally Break the Bank on ‘Fixer to Fabulous’ appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.
