Drew and Jonathan Scott are used to adding bathrooms to homes. That extra downstairs restroom is convenient and welcoming, especially for guests.
So why, on the latest episode of their HGTV show “Property Brothers: Forever Home,” are the brothers removing a second bathroom instead?
In the episode “Come On Over,” the brothers meet Stephanie and Chris, who’ve been in their Toronto home for 15 years. They love their stylish house, but it needs some finishing touches to make it more functional.
However, this simple renovation gets complicated when the brothers tear out the home’s second full bathroom, demo the practically new kitchen, and spend an unexpected $20,000 fixing the ceiling.
Did Drew and Jonathan mess up big-time on this house? Read on to find out about the method to the brothers’ madness. There’s a ton to learn!
Sometimes a bathroom is just in the wrong place
Usually, a large second bathroom would be a big bonus in a home with kids, but Chris and Stephanie’s downstairs bathroom, which includes a shower and tub, is simply taking up too much space.
The family doesn’t like how the bathroom is impinging on the living room, taking up valuable space and opening right onto the dining table. Yuck!
Of course, the brothers agree that this bathroom simply isn’t working where it is, so they move it clear to the other side of the house, behind the kitchen.
In the end, the bathroom is perfect. The new powder room (featuring just a sink and toilet) is an appropriate size for its new location, and it’s tucked away so that bathroom users don’t have to worry about proximity to the dinner table.
The brothers manage to keep the convenience of the downstairs bath, while improving its functionality.
Porcelain tiles are friendly on the budget
With the new bathroom set, the brothers move on to the next renovation challenge.
Unfortunately, Jonathan finds some structural issues in the ceiling and stairs. He tells Stephanie and Chris that the structure isn’t safe, nor is it up to code.
The brothers need to fix this lazy craftsmanship, but the repair comes at a cost of $20,000. This is bad news for Stephanie and Chris, who were already at the top of their renovation budget.
To help ease the blow, Jonathan works to find less expensive substitutions for the updates in the renovation. One cost-efficient swap is switching out the bathroom floor tile from concrete to porcelain. The porcelain is much cheaper, and Jonathan knows it’s not a change Stephanie and Chris would mind.
When the bathroom is finished, the new tile looks beautiful—no one will ever notice it wasn’t the one Jonathan originally picked!
A new kitchen island offers lots of storage
One of the biggest renovation transformations happens in the kitchen, which is surprising, because Chris and Stephanie’s kitchen looked great even before Drew and Jonathan got started. The couple explain that they redid the kitchen nine years ago, so it still looks fairly modern.
Still, Stephanie admits that she’d really like to have an island, and in order to give her the kitchen of her dreams, the brothers will need to do some serious renovations.
As promised, they come through with a beautiful island, and Chris and Stephanie love it. It’s big and beautiful with a lovely quartz countertop, but the best part is the massive amount of drawer storage.
The drawers look stylish, and they hold a ton of kitchen supplies. It’s a great touch that will make it easy to keep this kitchen looking clean and uncluttered.
Floating shelves allow a backsplash to shine
With tons of drawer space on the island, Stephanie and Chris end up not needing a lot of cabinet space above their stove. All they need are a couple of shelves for easy access to plates and bowls.
The brothers decide to install some sturdy floating shelves to finish the kitchen. These understated shelves are the perfect choice because not only are they functional, they’re also thin enough to show off the kitchen’s glamorous backsplash.
A perfect space to enjoy a beer
Both Chris and Stephanie work in the beer industry and love having drinks on hand for parties. When making plans for this renovation, the brothers offer to put a beer tap in the kitchen, instead of creating the powder room, but Stephanie and Chris decide that the bathroom is a more important feature.
Still, with all the extra costs to fix the ceiling and stairs, Jonathan and Drew want to do something special to make Stephanie and Chris feel more at home. So, they decide to surprise this family with some new outdoor furniture and a beer keg perfect for parties.
The outdoor space looks amazing with the new furniture, and it’s clear that the tap will get plenty of use in the summer.
So, do the Scott brothers deliver?
Stephanie and Chris start out with a renovation budget of $125,000. Drew and Jonathan know they can make all the changes this family needs within this budget, but when Jonathan finds a $20,000 problem in the ceiling, that budget goes out the window.
Still, Jonathan finds small ways to cut costs, saving a total of $6,000 and bringing the total home renovation to just $139,000.
While Chris and Stephanie may be spending more than they originally planned, the brothers give them the best bang for their buck while they create their forever home.
The post The Property Brothers Make a Bold Bathroom Decision You Have To See appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.
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