Flip This House #3

<p>So… would the people sitting at this outside bar be ok with facing the kitchen? If I were eating outside, I would prefer to face outside (sitting at a table, not a bar).</p>

<p>Couple of additional questions:</p>

<p>Will the accordion structure result in a more obstructed view when the windows are closed? </p>

<p>When the windows are open will the resulting “fins” that stick out onto the deck obstruct the view from the inside or make the deck seem a bit smaller? </p>

<p>I don’t think the relevant question is will people pay the cost plus small profit for this feature. I think the question is whether the feature will turn a lukewarm “maybe” buyer into an enthusiastic “yes.” Or better, incite a bidding war. It’s hard to predict based on info presented. But it’s possible given the importance of the deck and view to the house.</p>

<p>Personally, I would rather put the money towards a higher-end gas stove and hood. :slight_smile: Although they are very attractive.</p>

<p>When I look at such windows, I admit my reaction is very much affected by the climate I’m used to, where windows facing the ocean need to be tight, and any window that is going to be left open needs screens.</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>Not true in the San Diego climate. </p>

<p>But I still think cb needs to consider what else in the house might warrant spending extra on, to determine if her spending big on the window means she won’t be able to do something else that’s more important.</p>

<p>Having thought about this further, I think it would interfere with the view too much to divide the window into multiple sections for the accordion effect. Six feet is a nice size window, but not really big enough for the accordion treatment. You are better off with two large panes. I now think the slider is preferable for the sake of the view. </p>

<p>^^That’s what I think. Unless the owners plan to keep the window open most of the time while they are in the house, like we do with the nanawall lanai door in Hawaii. A slider will be just fine. </p>

<p>I think that you all have brought up all of the issues that I am struggling with</p>

<p>The proposals from the window manufacturers are three or four panes which will create an obstruction of the view by having so many window frames</p>

<p>The accordions open out to the deck, which could cause an obstruction on the deck, although I have specified that they all push to the right of the sink which will be minimal obstruction</p>

<p>Similar to the Houzz picture, we will be having a 6" to 7" backsplash behind the sink counter run so the window will be raised up a bit from the countertop. I didn’t want to have the glass window right behind the sink area because that would just be a cleanup wet mess.</p>

<p>I am planning to put a solid granite or quartz window sill on this 6ft run that will extend out to deck with a solid shelf/bar supported by brackets. Just this installation alone will be an extra cost. With the folding windows, there will be a minimal track running through this window sill/bar. With the vinyl big slider, there will be a full window mounted on this window sill causing a ‘lip’ on the sill and shelf. You can still pass stuff through, you just cannot slide it across the bar area, you would have to put it over the window opening lip</p>

<p>We don’t need screens because this is on top of a hill with constant ocean breezes, we only have fly problems on very still days.</p>

<p>In reality, these windows would only be open when entertaining, or Buyer would ‘slightly’ open them for ventilation. It might actually cause more problems when trying to open just for ventilation - slightly opening them will obstruct the view a little more</p>

<p>If you view the Houzz picture, remember that Hoarder House kitchen is reversed, the sink counter run is on the left. The French door to deck is about 2 feet to the left of the kitchen sink cabinet run (similar to the door shown on the sink cabinet run in the Houzz picture). Because of size limitations, the French door is only 48" wide, two opening doors that are only 24" each. But it will provide a really nice ‘open’ feeling to that whole side of the house.</p>

<p>At this point I am leaning towards big slider and spending money on really nice stove and hood (similar to the one in the Houzz picture). I believe that there is going to be some added cost to create the pass through shelf area and I should put the funds into that installation (and the stove). Not to mention that I need to find just the right countertop material to go with this kitchen style!!</p>

<p>Also, I am going to investigate whether we can vault the ceiling in the kitchen to give it a more open feel - similar to Houzz picture but we don’t have that height. That will make the kitchen feel larger</p>

<p>I’m planning on two beautiful bling pendants hanging along that open sink run with windows.</p>

<p>Oh, and did I mention that they are all quoting 6-7 week lead time!! which just makes me too nervous that we won’t stay on any type of a schedule.</p>

<p>Thank you all for going along on the journey and helping me through the big decisions. </p>

<p>This afternoon is my deadline to get my window and door order completed because there is a big sale starting tomorrow and I want to get the discount. Nothing like pressure… I just have to keep moving forward and cannot suffer from analysis paralysis!</p>

<p>RE Branding. Around my area we have a couple flippers who have done a sort of branding that you might consider. Their signage says something like “Another Amazing Remodel from Mid-city Modern” …it encourages people to go see what is so amazing about this house and the others they have done. It made me do it and the local buyers agents get to know them. </p>

<p>Coralbrook, if it helps I have a similar kitchen window/pass through to an outside bar set up. My large slider over the sink comes down almost to the sink (about 2 inches of tile–top is quarter round, then window slider). Our windows have wood frames, which I love, but the window panes are always a mess from sink splashes. And wood over water was a hassle (DH waterproofed the sills). I don’t use the one over the sink to pass through, I’m too short. The next window is another large slider, it has one of those screens that rolls into a tube, I use that as a pass through. The outdoor bar is actually brick…lots of brickwork on this house. I would go with slider windows. They make the most of the view, are easy to open, and easy to use as a pass through. Just one point of view.</p>

<p>Window order almost complete. There is a big 15% discount sale starting tomorrow (Thursday) so I am waiting to pull the trigger and pay for the big order.</p>

<p>Front Porch Windows are going to be XOX with casement openings on the two sides. I wanted to put French casement windows here but I could only find them from Anderson and they won’t make them 6’ wide (and $2,700 each).</p>

<p>Dining Room windows (rounded portion of front of house) are going to be casement on sides, stationary window in middle. Currently they are double hung old wood windows with broken pulley systems. But I need to get dual pane windows into the house to limit some airplane noise. I may change these to single hung because the casement openings might look strange in the configuration (and single hung costs less). </p>

<p>Kitchen and Office window facing deck are sliders</p>

<p>Front master bedroom window is getting enlarged from 4’ to 6’ wide because it has view of ocean. Casement XOX to mimic front porch windows since they are all facing street</p>

<p>Remainder of house is going to be single hung to replace old windows, mostly the bedrooms. </p>

<p>All white vinyl because I think any other color is not going to be the ‘cottage style’ I am going for. Have to use vinyl because we are very close to ocean and anything else will just deteriorate quickly.</p>

<p>I specified interesting single hung windows that have the bar 1/3 down and bottom portion 2/3 glass. No grills, just clear. But it will provide a little bit of interest to the windows.</p>

<p>What’s XOX mean in window terms?</p>

<p>Branding,
Yes I see a lot of ‘Another XYZ Company Renovation’. However, these guys have in house listing agents so they can use their own For Sale signs. Since I use an agent from a brokerage, I would have a hard time branding my For Sale signs in front of the house. I could use some of that language in the MLS listing, I’ll talk to my agent on whether that appeals to buyers.</p>

<p>Open/Stationary/Open</p>

<p>Basically, for an XOX the length of window is divided into 3. Left is opening, middle stationary, right opening. </p>

<p>Another example, a simple slider is called XO. This coding means that the left portion (facing from exterior) opens and the right portion is stationary. Of course, it’s the exact opposite of what you would think… ‘O’ stands for opening :slight_smile: </p>

<p>The hardest part when ordering windows is trying to remember that all of the manufacturer specifications are facing the window or door from the exterior. I always analyze everything from the interior for inswing, outswing, left/right swinging or opening and then I have to be careful to reverse it all to place a detailed order correctly.</p>

<p>I’m not a big fan of single hung windows because then the upper sash can’t tilt in for easy cleaning. They do save some money though,</p>

<p>These single hung windows are all located where they can be cleaned from outside. Not on 2nd floor or anything. The casements in front are too high to clean from outside easily, but there’s a lot of stationary windows on front part of house also that are going to need a ladder for cleaning.</p>

<p>People clean windows?</p>

<p>The tree pollen gets so thick on them you can hardly see out of them. So they have to get cleaned every once in a while.</p>

<p>It’s probably a regional thing, but in my area single-hung windows are considered low end and low budget. They don’t give a good impression.</p>

<p>…scurrying off to see the differences between single and double hung windows…</p>

<p>We have double, but they don’t open out for cleaning. These are the original 1966 windows. Expect that replacing them sometime after S2 graduates will run $15-18k (1 casement, 12 double hung, two XOX spans (Xs are double hung), three external single doors plus an external double door). That may be an optimistic estimate. Yikes. </p>