We’ve been pouring a lot of concrete lately across our construction sites—everything from ADU walkways and new driveways to patio steps and outdoor sitting areas. One thing is certain: concrete isn’t cheap these days. But in many cases, quality hardscaping is essential to make a home feel complete. Beyond the cost, the process itself is actually pretty fascinating to watch. It starts with the crew carefully framing out the space and installing a rebar grid to reinforce the structure. Then comes … [Read more...] about Concrete Work in Full Swing (and an Unexpected Guest)
Color rendering for historic craftsman home
Envisioning the Potential of a Fixer-Upper Buying a fixer-upper is as much about imagination as it is about renovation. When we purchase a property that needs work, one of the first steps is being able to look past the current condition and envision what the home can become. Seeing Beyond the Current Condition Some homes make this process relatively simple. With straightforward architecture, it’s often easy to decide on an exterior color scheme and start planning improvements that bring the home … [Read more...] about Color rendering for historic craftsman home
Creating outdoor space for ADUs
Building ADUs in Southern California In addition to purchasing hoarded houses, we also build a large number of ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units). Often called “back homes” or “granny suites,” ADUs became widely permitted throughout Los Angeles and Orange County starting in 2017. Since then, they have become an important solution for adding much-needed housing in Southern California neighborhoods. Our specialty is stick-built construction—homes built on-site, piece by piece, primarily using lumber. … [Read more...] about Creating outdoor space for ADUs
Narrow pathways and finding treasures in a Hoarded House
What We Found Inside a Recently Purchased Los Angeles Home Every home has a story, and sometimes those stories are hidden beneath years of accumulated belongings. Recently, we purchased a home in Los Angeles that was filled with items left behind by the previous occupants. Situations like this are more common than many people realize, especially in homes affected by severe clutter or hoarding. Discovering the Treasures While clearing out the property, we came across a number of interesting … [Read more...] about Narrow pathways and finding treasures in a Hoarded House
Musical Treasures In Our New Los Angeles Hoarder House
We closed on our latest purchase yesterday, and it’s a perfect example of the types of properties we typically buy here in Los Angeles — single-family homes filled to the brim with contents inside. Every property is different, and you truly never know what you’re going to find when you walk through the door. From everyday household items to unexpected collectibles, each home tells its own story. If you're curious about some of the unique musical items we’ve uncovered in past purchases, … [Read more...] about Musical Treasures In Our New Los Angeles Hoarder House
Accessory Dwelling Units
Have you heard about ADU's? ADU stands for Accessory Dwelling Unit - in other words, a "back house" or "granny suite"! You are allowed to have these on your property now. They can be detached, attached to the main house, or even part of your house carved off to make a second unit. In 2018, I started building ADU's to have additional cash flow. If you are a home owner, you should consider adding an ADU to your property. If you are a realtor, you could learn more about this strategy so you can … [Read more...] about Accessory Dwelling Units
Hoarding
Discovering that hoarding is a mental disorder Most people who suffer from hoarding don’t realize it is a mental disorder and therefore those who suffer, tend not to see it for what it really is. Imagine you have a family member that is a hoarder. It can be your mom, your dad, maybe one of your aunts or uncles. Now imagine that you have no idea that they are a hoarder and you think they live a normal busy life. Maybe you Facetime with them once a week or talk to them often but you haven't been … [Read more...] about Hoarding
Hoarding and Biohazard
Hoarding can be really dangerous, especially when it comes to biohazard. There are many things in hoarded homes that can be dangerous or hazardous to the health of hoarders. Some of these things may be obvious and some of them most people would never think of, but there are almost always hazards in a hoarders home. Also, most of the time the hoarder themselves doesn't notice or pay attention to any of the dangers in the home. To them it's just the way of life, and they don't think about any of … [Read more...] about Hoarding and Biohazard
Hoarding and Pests
Flea bites With hoarding can often come pests. Any animal from fleas to raccoons can be a pest in a hoarded home. With many pests you can become sick from getting bitten or by coming in contact with their feces. For example, flea bites can make people sick or give them disease. Bees can also decide to make hives in the walls of hoarded homes. Coming in contact with rodent feces or a bite by a rodent can spread illnesses. Fleas are most likely to be in the house if the hoarder … [Read more...] about Hoarding and Pests
What is beneath the hoarding?
Walking into a hoarded home comes with many unknowns. Can you reach all the rooms in the home? Did they hoard food, animals or human waste? Are all the parts to the home still functional? With these questions you have to ask yourself what is beneath the hoarding? Inaccessible Parts of the Hoarder Home In many hoarding situations there are parts of the home that have become inaccessible. When a part of a home has not been accessed in many years there really could be anything going … [Read more...] about What is beneath the hoarding?
