This is a renovation we just completed in the heart of Nashville, TN. In an area popular with builders for tearing down existing homes and building new, we opted instead to renovate the existing 1950 built home, and maintain it’s charm and character. I’m not a fan of the tall skinny HPR’s. An HPR is a horizontal property regime- it’s where you build two houses on one lot. To do so, builders tear down the existing structures and build two tall, skinny houses right next door to each other; often they will share a wall. They are so close you can reach out a window with your arm and touch the house next door.  They don’t have the same value as single family homes. Some buyers are attracted to the new build aspect of them. Affordability often plays a factor. Buyers who can’t afford a single family home in their desired location, sometimes CAN afford to buy an HPR.

Back to our story. We did consider tearing down and building new on this lot. We haven’t built a new construction yet, and we’d love to learn. After researching, we discovered that a sewer line bordered our property, and that because of that, we’d have to build two extra skinny tall ones, and we just didn’t want to do that. As I said, I don’t like them, and I know there are buyers who avoid them as well. They are controversial. If I build, I want to appeal to the widest demographic possible, and build something that at least 80% of the buying population would buy. That increases our chances of a fast, clean sale. So, knowing that building new was out for us, we went about the task of renovating.

Before:

We cleaned up the garden beds, including removing a ton of invasive monkey grass. New paint, new cedar shutters, porch columns, railings, shake siding, new lighting, and a new front door. I think this home has the most curb appeal of any renovation we’ve ever done.

Master Bedroom Before:

Master Bedroom After:

New flooring, new paint, new recessed lighting, a new fan, new closets, and some attractive staging (good job me!).

Master Bathroom After:

I don’t have a before picture, but it was an empty room with plywood subfloor and dirty paneling. No shower, toilet, lighting, or sink vanities.

Living Room Before: (Note the wall on the right)

Living Room After:

We took down the wall that ran right where the two swivel chairs are now, opening up the room.

The following 3 rooms became the new kitchen. They were all small, and weren’t configured into a practical floor plan. We removed walls, and rerouted plumbing. (Before)

 

Kitchen After:

We had enough room to add a pantry, which is a necessity, and which the home was lacking before. We added a custom island/table with a farm sink. I love how creatively we solved the problem of where to eat. This house is on the smaller side at 1268 sq. feet and it doesn’t have the room for a formal dining room. It also doesn’t really have the room for a table. So, we custom designed a built in table with a granite table top that adjoins the island. It can fit 5 chairs easily. Just beyond the the kitchen is the pantry, hall bath, and laundry/mud room.

Laundry/Mud Room Before:

Laundry/Mudroom After:

We painted, added new flooring, and put in laundry hookups, which got the existing laundry set up out of the basement and into the main house, which adds value.

Hall Bath After:

We added a nice deep soaking tub, as it is the only tub in the house. We also added new tile, & all new fixtures.

Upstairs Bedroom Before:

There was an odd wall with a window separating the two before. We took it down.

Upstairs Bedroom After:

We took down the wall, added new flooring, paint, lighting, and a new top of the line heating and cooling system.

Bedroom Before:

Bedroom After:

Back Deck Before:

Not only messy, but structurally unsafe.

Back Deck After:

All new.

There is a nice big back yard with room for a vegetable garden, and we repurposed some old bricks into a lovely fire pit.

Scary Basement Before:

I love the look on Randall’s face. “Ummmm….should we really buy this?”

Basement After. In addition to the grading, trenching, and structural work, we cleaned it up, painted it with dry lock, added lots of lighting, and made it friendlier.

With that said, this house is 3 bed, 2 bath, 1200+ square feet. It’s on a quarter acre lot, and very close to downtown Nashville. It’s currently listed.